This research aimed to investigate the efficacy of ego-strengthening hypnotherapy in reducing negative emotional states and suicidal ideation among outpatients with depressive disorders in an Iranian sample. This was a randomized controlled trial featuring three phases: baseline, intervention, and follow-up, involving both an experimental group and a wait-list control group. The sample included 40 outpatients with major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder, selected through random sampling for each group. In this study, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21;) and the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI;) assessments were utilized. The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of ego-strengthening hypnotherapy, conducted biweekly for 45 min each session. Analyses revealed that the experimental group experienced a significant decrease in negative emotional states (i.e. depression, anxiety, and stress) and suicidal ideations (i.e. wishes to die, passive suicidal thoughts, and active suicidal thoughts) in comparison to the wait-list control group during both the intervention and follow-up phases.
Mystical experiences or peak spiritual experiences have been shown to be of potential benefit in facilitating personal growth and ameliorating anxiety and depression. A pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of hypnotically induced mystical experiences. Althrough participants' qualitative experiences were recorded and analyzed, they have yet to be reported. Although participants' qualitative experiences were recorded and analyzed, they have yet to be reported. The present study presents a thematic analysis of findings from semi-structured interviews about individuals' subjective experiences following the hypnosis-based intervention for a mystical experience. Results revealed that participants described their experiences as personally significant, marked by intense emotion (crying, compassion, perceived release), hallucination-like phenomena (vivid imagery, synesthesia, sensed presence of deceased relatives), and insight regarding self-love, values, and life decisions. Additional themes included feelings of divine love, unity, and ego dissolution. These experiences closely resembled those reported in psychedelic contexts, while also featuring elements, such as spontaneous feelings of being loved, not fully captured by existing instruments. Future research on hypnosis, mental imagery, and guided exercises for mystical experience should include both standardized measures as well as subjective reports.
Chronic orofacial pain conditions, such as temporomandibular disorders and persistent idiopathic facial pain, frequently involve significant psychosocial dimensions that complicate treatment. Hypnotherapy represents a promising integrative intervention bridging psychological and somatic experience, yet paradoxical reactions - symptom exacerbation rather than relief - may occasionally occur. This observational case series presents three patients from a tertiary orofacial pain clinic who exhibited such reactions during standardized hypnotic sessions. Rather than representing therapeutic failures, these paradoxical responses are interpreted as clinically meaningful diagnostic moments, unmasking the psychogenic and functional nature of chronic symptoms and exposing patients' underlying defensive organization. Each case illustrates a distinct stance along a continuum from partial abreaction to defensive encapsulation to dissociative destabilization, reflecting varying degrees of ego integration under affective activation. Across all three cases, the hypnotic induction served as a provocative mirror, creating a tangible experiential link between somatic symptoms and previously unarticulated emotional distress. In each instance, the paradoxical reaction facilitated engagement with psychotherapy that had previously been resisted. These cases suggest that clinicians employing hypnosis for chronic orofacial pain should anticipate paradoxical reactions, assess patients' defensive organization prior to treatment, and approach symptom exacerbation as a potential portal to psychotherapeutic integration rather than an indication to abandon the intervention.
INTRODUCTION:Hypnodontics offers documented benefits for managing dental anxiety, gag reflex, bruxism, and temporomandibular disorders. Despite this therapeutic potential, patient awareness of clinical hypnosis in dentistry remains largely unexamined. This study assessed the knowledge and beliefs regarding hypnodontics among patients attending a university prosthodontic clinic. METHODS:A cross-sectional survey evaluated 200 patients (response rate: 63.1%) at the Prosthodontics Clinic of Atatürk University between July and September 2022. The adapted instrument comprised a total of 16 questions; 10 questions specifically focused on clinical hypnosis knowledge and beliefs, while the remainder assessed sociodemographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using Pearson Chi-square and Yates' continuity correction tests with Bonferroni correction (p < .05). RESULTS:Although 69.5% of participants recognized the term hypnosis, only 25.5% were aware of its dental applications, and 83.5% were unfamiliar with traditional and complementary medicine as a formal system. The internet was the primary information source (69.0%). Highly prevalent misconceptions included beliefs that individuals could become permanently entrapped in a hypnotic state (72.5%) or have private information forcibly extracted (57.5%). Misconception rates were significantly higher among participants with lower educational levels (p < .001) and varied by gender (p < .05). CONCLUSION:Prosthodontic patients demonstrate limited knowledge and prevalent, media-driven misconceptions regarding hypnodontics. Dental professionals must address these knowledge gaps through targeted education to facilitate the broader clinical adoption of hypnosis in dentistry.
This article presents how to apply psychodynamic theory of transference in the treatment of traumatized patients who have endured repeated early life trauma and a lack of relational safety. To make hypnosis safe, the author adapts her interventions to each patient's unique needs. Clinically relevant and experientially informed perspectives are provided, designed to support therapists in maintaining a safe hypnotic approach when patients relate to the therapist with negative transference, such as anger, hate, fear and distrust. In contrast to the popular focus on techniques, goals and treatment protocols, the author highlights the importance of approaching negative transference with empathy and curiosity, as presented by schools of psychoanalysis, in particular object relations theory. Her approach is supported by the concept of "maternal hypnosis" and told through the author's personal experiences and those of her clients.
Hypnosis can contribute to increasing the quality of birth and delivery. In this paper some specific and general techniques will be reviewed. Case vignettes and theoretical considerations will illustrate the rich possibilities of hypnosis in the perinatal period. Among the specific possibilities, examples are provided of how to apply hypnosis to handle the discomfort of pregnancy, to utilize the body mind interaction during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding, and how to apply hypnotherapy to provide reparative experiences in the case of post traumatic symptoms, and even to settle transgenerational issues. As a general framework the empirical result of the interactional hypnosis paradigm, within the psycho-social-biological model of hypnosis is outlined. The importance of hypnosis styles (maternal, paternal etc.) and the possible involvement of the oxytocin system are briefly discussed.
This article explores feminine leadership as a form of guidance rooted in inner coherence, intuition, symbolic awareness, and connection with spiritual and relational dimensions of experience. It contributes to the dialogue on leadership in psychotherapy and organizational contexts by proposing that Ericksonian hypnosis and symbolic awareness can inform a relational model of leadership aligned with feminine values. Drawing from more than three decades of clinical, educational, and organizational practice, the author reflects on leadership as an embodied way of being rather than a position of control or authority. Integrating Ericksonian hypnosis, spiritual intelligence, neuroscience, and transpersonal psychology, the article proposes that feminine leadership flourishes through deep listening, emotional resonance, expanded states of consciousness, and alignment with life cycles and values. Personal narrative, clinical experience, and dialogue with contemporary research illustrate how indirect language, metaphor, and relational presence foster ethical, collaborative, and resilient leadership in organizational contexts. The article also addresses the challenges women face in leadership roles in the 21st century and highlights the transformative potential of leadership grounded in intuition, empathy, and ancestral wisdom. A brief experiential exercise is offered to support women in reconnecting with their inner resources and leadership essence.
Fear of cancer recurrence is a common and understandable reaction for a woman with a history of breast cancer. A certain amount of fear about cancer recurring - in other words, a healthy protective concern for the body - may help a woman take the initiative to get continuing care and drive her to make healthy lifestyle changes. All too often though, a woman's fears and her reactions to them can dominate her life long after the cancer itself has been successfully treated. This article briefly describes clinically relevant "fear of cancer recurrence" (FCR) and then discusses how process-oriented hypnosis can be used to address it. The concepts underlying this type of treatment are brought to life in a case example where process-oriented hypnosis was used to help a young woman rebuild her life following a double-mastectomy and severe FCR. Within the case example, commentary is provided about how to adapt the clinical interventions for use with other clients.
Several authors have explored the use of hypnosis in addressing female issues related to eating disorders, anorexia, and bulimia, and in particular those related to the specificity of the female body connected to bones, blood and hormones at different stages of life: from menarche to menopause, through pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, thus linked to the specificity of the female body as a reproductive function of the human species. This article goes beyond menopause and aims at exploring the contribution of hypnosis in addressing the theme of aging as a phase of life that, despite bringing one's own and others' deaths closer, can be experienced as an experimental, flexible, and creative season of life.
Despite increasing evidence proving the efficacy of clinical hypnosis as an adjunct therapy to anesthesia in multiple surgical contexts, attitudes and perception of anesthesia personnel remain the principal barrier to its large-scale implementation. This study aims to describe and explore the level of knowledge in terms of clinical hypnosis use in anesthesia among Moroccan nurse anesthetists working in public sector health. A 21-item questionnaire translated into French for a prior study was prepared in electronic form. Using snowball sampling, we recruited nurse anesthetists from Morocco to answer the questionnaire. We used nonparametric tests to analyze collected data and a factorial analysis to explore the structure of the tool. Between November 1, 2025, and January 10, 2026, responses were obtained and showed overall, perceptions of hypnosis were favorable, with mean hypnosis usefulness score of 13.97 ± 2.47 in a 0-20 scale (median = 14). The misconceptions score average was 20.51 ±3.10 in a 0-32 scale (median = 20), indicating generally acceptable knowledge despite the persistence of some inaccurate beliefs and barriers concerning training and time management. Factorial analysis showed a multidimensional structure of hypnosis barriers and a unidimentional structure for hypnosis usefulness. Moroccan nurse anesthetists reported generally positive attitudes toward clinical hypnosis use in operating rooms in many indications. However, many barriers, such as the idea that hypnosis is a time-consuming technique requiring specific training, remain persistent. In light of these results, we recommend hypnosis implementation in Moroccan operating rooms in parallel with specific trainings on the subject.
This study examined how eight athletes (one fencer, one soccer player, one baseball player, and five golfers) experienced clinical hypnotherapy centered on affect bridge age regression for choking under pressure. We conducted a multiple-case clinical study, applying Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological method as the analytic procedure to organize the participants' first-person accounts. Three core themes encompassing twenty shared higher-order themes were identified. Before hypnotherapy, participants reported multidimensional difficulties including cognitive-emotional-perceptual disturbance, abnormal bodily sensations, anxiety-related thoughts, and impaired motor control. During hypnotherapy, they traced their current symptoms back to early-life events, described associations they perceived between earlier emotional experiences and present vulnerability, and reworked the past self's misunderstandings and fears through a guided child technique. After hypnotherapy, they reported changes across competitive performance, emotional regulation, self-confidence, and everyday life. This study documents, at the experiential level, how affect bridge age regression may complement conventional sport hypnosis approaches by attending to developmental experiences that participants linked to their current symptoms, and how it can do so within a short-term intervention format. Rather than verifying the factual accuracy of events recalled during age regression, the study describes the meaning structures through which participants connected these events to their current symptoms.
Age regression represents a foundational technique in clinical hypnosis, yet its therapeutic mechanisms, clinical applications, and evidence base remain incompletely understood and subject to ongoing controversy. This integrative critical review synthesizes primary research on hypnotic age regression to evaluate therapeutic mechanisms, clinical applications, methodological quality, and implications for evidence-based practice. We conducted a narrative synthesis of 241 primary research studies published between 2015-2025, focusing on randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, experimental studies, and high-quality case reports. Studies of past-life regression, between-lives regression, and prenatal regression were excluded due to insufficient empirical support and methodological concerns. Age regression demonstrates therapeutic utility across multiple clinical domains, including trauma and PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression, psychosomatic conditions, and developmental issues. Proposed mechanisms include memory reconsolidation, emotional processing, cognitive restructuring, and corrective emotional experience. However, the evidence base is characterized by significant methodological heterogeneity, small sample sizes, lack of standardized protocols, and limited long-term follow-up data. While preliminary evidence supports age regression as a potentially effective adjunctive intervention, the current evidence base does not permit definitive conclusions regarding efficacy, optimal protocols, or mechanisms of action. Age regression should be employed judiciously by appropriately trained clinicians, with careful attention to informed consent, memory accuracy concerns, and ethical considerations.
Subclinical depression and anxiety are associated with significant psychological suffering, functional impairment, and increased risk of progression to clinical disorders, highlighting the importance of early intervention. This study examined the long-term outcomes of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Ericksonian Hypnotherapy (EH) in individuals with subclinical symptoms. Participants from a randomized controlled trial (n = 45) were followed over 12 months, with assessments at baseline, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Linear mixed-effects models indicated significant reductions in both depression and anxiety over time, with both CBT and EH outperforming the control condition. Improvements were largely maintained at follow-up, with only minor attenuation. No significant differences were observed between CBT and EH in overall effectiveness, although CBT showed slightly greater stability in depressive symptoms, while EH demonstrated marginally better maintenance of anxiety-related outcomes. Overall, both interventions produced durable and clinically meaningful improvements, supporting the role of early psychological intervention and highlighting EH as a viable complementary or alternative approach.
This article names and honors the unique and essential contributions that women have made and are making that shape the field of hypnosis in research, clinical innovation, theory, healthcare, and leadership. Within a framework of feminist activism, it highlights the relational skills of women, the focus on experience, and the challenge of the tenets of scientific inquiry that make hypnotic suggestions particularly suitable to promoting health and change. Mentorship and modeling are the outcome of women's language of connection and intimacy which grows the next generation of women leaders, clinicians, and researchers.
Sleep paralysis (SP) is understood as a form of temporary muscle paralysis that occurs during the transition between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and wakefulness. SP is normally associated with vivid, fear-provoking hallucinations such as being threatened or attacked by home invaders and paranormal encounters like alien abductions. SP affects about 20% of the population, and it is a common symptom of narcolepsy, a disorder that disrupts regular sleep cycles and causes sleep deprivation. This article is intended to illuminate the use of relational hypnotherapy in conjunction with lucid dreaming suggestions with a 62-year-old white male suffering from SP in the form of recurring, waking nightmares that affected his overall mental health. Although clinical hypnosis has been used to treat SP, little to no research has explored the connection between hypnosis and lucid dreaming as a means of altering SP. Lucid dreaming, an individual's ability to realize they are dreaming, has been shown to reduce nightmares and distress, and improve sleep quality. This article will demonstrate how lucid dreaming interventions can be included with hypnotherapy and discuss how a lucid dreaming experience can transform waking nightmares into preferred dream experiences.
The relationship between increased psychopathology and hypnotic susceptibility has been a topic debated since the time of Charcot. The primary aim of this study was to investigate this relationship using the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale type A and the major dimensions of psychopathology on the Symptom Check List 90 Revised (SCL-90-R); the secondary objective was to highlight any relationship between responses to induced individual ideomotor phenomena and the severity of psychopathological features. This study highlights the absence of a relationship between increased psychopathology, hypnotic susceptibility and response to formally induced ideomotor suggestions. However, it found that subjects who responded to the suggestion of lowering the left hand (item 3) had lower scores for SCL-90-R Obsession-Compulsion and Depression. Adopting a cautious approach, this study proposes a neurobiological hypothesis for the underlying mechanisms of action, suggesting that while a generalized trance state may facilitate the process, the efficacy of hypnotic suggestions depends fundamentally on the individual recipient and their functional specificity.
Existing instruments for assessing hypnotizability remain impractical for routine clinical use and provide only unidimensional measures of hypnotic depth. This article presents a theoretically grounded, multidimensional classification framework that conceptualizes hypnotic responsiveness as the product of five latent trait domains: dissociative absorption and amnesia, ideomotor versus cataleptic reactivity, sensory-cognitive processing style, emotional-motivational valence, and attentional directionality. Drawing on 21 years of clinical observation across diverse populations, the framework proposes that these five domains interact to produce distinct responsiveness profiles, each associated with predictable patterns of induction efficacy and trance phenomenology. The theoretical underpinnings of each domain are situated within the established hypnosis literature, including neodissociation theory, Ericksonian utilization principles, and contemporary research on absorption and fantasy-proneness. A proposed experimental design for formal validation is presented, employing blinded administration, naturalistic induction protocols, and behavioral and psychophysiological outcome measures. Clinical implications for treatment individualization are discussed.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by persistent psychological distress and heightened neurophysiological reactivity. While trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an established treatment, Ericksonian Hypnotherapy (EH) may offer comparable benefits via different therapeutic mechanisms. In this randomized clinical trial, 63 adults meeting DSM-5 criteria for PTSD were allocated (1:1:1) to EH, CBT, or a waitlist control; 54 participants completed post-treatment assessments. Both active interventions consisted of 12 weekly individual sessions. Outcomes included PTSD symptom severity (PCL-5), depression (BDI-II), anxiety (BAI), EEG markers (N2, P3, frontal alpha asymmetry), and autonomic reactivity (galvanic skin response, heart rate). Group × Time effects were analyzed using mixed-effects models. Treatment fidelity was independently evaluated. Both EH and CBT produced large and significant reductions in PTSD symptoms compared with waitlist, with no significant difference between the two therapies in total PCL-5 improvement. Depression and anxiety symptoms also decreased substantially in both active groups. Subscale analyses suggested slightly greater reductions in intrusion, hyperarousal, and somatic anxiety symptoms in EH, whereas CBT showed modestly greater improvement in cognitive depressive symptoms. Neurophysiological findings demonstrated parallel treatment-related changes across therapies, including normalization of ERP components, shifts toward left-frontal alpha activity, and reduced autonomic reactivity to trauma cues. No adverse events were observed. In this study, Ericksonian Hypnotherapy was as effective as trauma-focused CBT for reducing PTSD symptoms and associated psychological and physiological dysregulation, supporting EH as a viable alternative intervention for PTSD.
