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Hypnosis & Counselling in the Treatment of Chronic Illness

Hypnosis & Counselling in the Treatment of Chronic Illness. David Frank & Bernard Mooney PhD Carmarthen, Wales: wreath House Publishing (2002). v+142 pp $3795 Reviewed by: Thomas J Barr, PhD Louisville, CO

In Hypnosis & Counselling in the Treatment of Chronic Illness, authors David Frank and Bernard Mooney PhD work from the theoretical premise that many illnesses, including cancer, that have been traditionally viewed as organic or entirely physical are, in fact, stress-related point in disputes that can be effectively treated with counseling, and hypnosis in particular. The authors recommend that hypnosis and counseling augment beyond the often identified application of treating symptoms, in near cases, to providing the primary tool to result a cure or complete remission in chronic illness. I find this assertion one as well as the other bold and refreshing because it builds forward the premise that human beings have the mental capacity to impact positively their health and well being. This position does not negate or equable suggest that people should avoid more traditional, mainstream Western medical treatments, nevertheless rather that we should approach with explain minds the question of identifying veracious curative factors in recovery from chronic illness.

The authors follow from a strong background in the Rogerian, person-center approach, and the pair are members of The British Association for the Person-Center Approach. They lay a theoretical foundation showing by what means clinical hypnosis can fit nicely into the broader connected thought [i]or[/i] thoughts of a person-centered approach.

This work is divided into seven chapters. The first chapter defines hypnosis, discusses its theoretical increase covers some common myths and misconceptions and briefly describes the historical foundation for the use of hypnosis in behavioral and humanistic counseling. Chapter couple contains a number of case studies from the professional literature in which hypnotic interventions were used to treat chronic illness, most numerous particularly, cancer and hemophilia.

Chapter Three focuses primarily forward emotional/psychological factors and their drift on the immune system. This theme is further elaborated in Chapter Four by means of discussion of the placebo power and a relevant literature review and in Chapter Five by the agency of the authors' presentation of their hypothesized results of guilt on health and illness mainly by the and of a case study format.

In Chapter Six, an introductory even survey chapter, the authors discuss other medical conditions that have been effectively treated with hypnosis. In their final chapter, the authors further elaborate concerning their personal, person-centered treatment philosophy. This chapter is rather basic, describing the primary features of Rogerian person-center therapy and retelling Virginia Axline's story of her patient Dibs. This chapter includes the authors' beliefs about the forces both of bereavement and what they describe as emotional child abuse in succession subsequent psychological development.

A major power of this book is that, whenever possible, the authors attempt to describe the specifics of the hypnotic interventions used in the case material. This is a major bonus for practicing clinicians. Although the use of hypnotic approaches is considered atheoretical, I institute it useful to highlight the congruence between personcenter psychotherapy and clinical hypnosis. This part is very readable and jargon exempt I would suggest it as chiefly suited for beginning students of hypnosis, lay characters interested in learning how hypnosis and self-hypnosis could be of benefit in dealing with chronic illness, and a serviceable introduction for other healthcare providers who may not be aware of the potential uses of hypnosis in the medical field.

My first specific criticism occurr in Chapter the same when the authors describe their be in possession of research regarding brainwaves of clients during hypnosis, counseling, or a have charge of situation. There was no regard cited for this research, in the same manner I assume that the research was not ever published. Also, the authors state that the brainwaves of clients were similar in counseling and hypnosis and dissimilar to the have the direction ofs They did not, however, describe what these brainwave patterns were. The next to the first critique is more general and addresses the book's principally appropriate audience. For professionals that have taken more than couple ASCH-equivalent workshops, much of the material in this part is review (e.g., history of hypnosis, definitions, myths and misconceptions, and conditions treated with hypnosis). The main division is relatively short to begin with (147 pages). This, in addition to the space devot to the previously mentioned basic universals could make the $37.95 price have the appearance high relative to its easy in mind for those who have already received basic hypnosis training. These illustrations however, do not detract from the book's usefulness as an introduction to the uses of hypnosis in the medical field.