Introduction and History of Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is as ancient as the human mind itself, for hypnosis is suggestibility of the human mind. Hypnosis does not create phenomenon in a person; it is the key that allows the mind and body to do so. The principles of hypnosis have been employed by people from all cultures. For example; the laying on of hands (the royal touch) of the kings of France and the many trance dances of tribal cultures. Anton Mesmer (1733-1815), a Viennese physician was the first one to arouse the scientific community with his experiments in this field. Through his knowledge and belief in animal magnetism and suggestion he cured hundreds if not thousands of people. His fundamental belief was that disease was caused by an imbalance in a person's magnetic field. This was his belief in the 1700's, we now know that we do indeed have complex electromagnetic fields that run our body's voluntary and involuntary systems. It was really James Braid (1795-1860) an English physician that coined the word "hypnotism" from the Greek Word hypnosis, meaning sleep. As we know hypnosis is not sleep, although it may appear like sleep. Hypnosis feels like suspended animation, the body rests, while the mind is aware. Hypnosis allows you to develop the ability to observe your body and emotional states rather than just reacting to them. Because of the mind’s heightened awareness during hypnosis, the client is in the best position to create change, access sub-conscious memories or to promote healing.
Dr. James Esdaile of Edinburgh, (1808-1859) used Dr. Braid's techniques to produce an anesthetic like effect while performing over three hundred operations including amputations. Hypnosis cured battle incurred neuroses in both World Wars. While in hypnosis the soldiers were able to relive past experiences, the fears, anxieties and conflicts were brought to the surface. In hypnosis we can release past emotional trauma. We still have the memory of the event but the strong emotion is relieved. Today in hypnosis we use the term Esdaile to refer to the very deep state of hypnosis used in operations and dentistry. Dr. Sigmund
Freud (1856-1939) studied hypnotism at the Nancy School of Hypnotism. He used hypnosis to study the subconscious mind and later dropped his treatment of hypnotism for the now popular technique of psychoanalysis. It was he who fathered the theory that cures in psychiatric therapy are achieved by revealing the cause of an anxiety, rather than avoiding it.
Hypnotherapist David Elman, (1926-1968) a very famous US hypnotist, believed that all phobias, disease etc. could be related to a cause and effect. An example that he uses is of a young boy of 12 with asthma. In a hypnosis session, Mr. Elman finds out that the boy’s asthma started after he was extremely frightened by a dog. Sounds amazing but its true, the sudden fright impacted the child so much that an unconscious pattern started. Every time the boy was frightened or over stimulated his asthma would start up. Now of course this isn't the case all the time, but so often it is. Elman successfully cured hundreds of people of their fears and phobias. This brings us up to present day; hypnosis is used widely in Canada, the UK, Australia and the US. For everything from habit control, dentistry, psychiatry, childbirth, sports enhancement, weight loss and goal-setting. Hypnosis is also powerful in helping people reduce stress. Chronic stress is almost an epidemic today. We do not know how to relax at a deep level. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis are extremely effective tools to achieve relaxation. Hypnotism is a practical science and its fundamentals are not difficult to grasp. Many people have acquired skills as hypnotists by simple but careful application of the basic methods and principles we put across in our course.
