NATURALISTIC HYPNOSIS:
Accelerating the Process of Psychotherapy
Hypnosis has both confused and fascinated people since its very beginnings. Yet health professionals continue to recognize it as a valuable tool in psychotherapy. With a growing interest in briefer treatment strategies, Hypnosis stands out as the method to speed the process of therapy.
Naturalistic Hypnosis refers to an approach to Hypnotherapy developed by Milton H. Erickson, M.D. In contrast to traditional authoritarian approaches, Erickson's Hypnosis emphasizes a person's natural tendency to enter trance at various times throughout the day. Hypnotic induction and suggestion are methods of entraining or awakening existing and natural mind-body processes, resources, motivations and capabilities.
Hypnosis helps the therapist communicate with a client on many different levels. Most problems people bring the therapy result from a block, conflict or misunderstanding at an other-than-conscious level. Likewise, most of the resources and strengths people inherently possess to resolve those difficulties lie out of conscious awareness. The extent to which one is able to turn his focus of attention inward is the extent to which he experiences Hypnosis. It is a perfectly natural process.
Hypnosis accelerates development of the therapeutic relationship and helps clients explore unconscious information and resources. Through Hypnosis, clients expand their frames of reference and achieve outcomes more easily and quickly, And, because of the deep physical and mental relaxation that accompanies it, the experience of Hypnosis itself is a powerful intervention for stress related problems.
