In 1979, Milton Erickson and Jeffrey Zeig spent five hours reviewing a demonstration that Erickson conducted at a teaching seminar. That demonstration is now available as a training video for Ericksonian practitioners. Erickson’s experiential methods include the symbolic use of hypnotic phenomena, encouraging resistance, naturalistic confusion technique, seeding, and using isomorphic anecdotes. Jeffrey Zeig discusses the mechanics of Erickson’s unique approach to psychotherapy. Working with Resistance provides an opportunity to watch a master hypnotherapist demonstrate his technique.
This hypnotherapeutic session took place in 1978, and decades later, it’s just as powerful and engaging. Enhancing the viewer’s learning experience is Dr. Zeig’s discussion of the underlying elements of Erickson’s methods: the ARE model of instruction; the art of parallel communication; targeted utilization; and the use of implication. Erickson’s fluid repertoire, drawn from systematic thinking, includes the use of anecdotes, symbolic communication, and strategic seeding. The elicitation of solutions, based on promoting constructive associations and flexible thoughts and feelings, is an area of particular interest and one in which Erickson was especially elegant.
This training tool contains segments of hypnotherapy conducted by Erickson, with the same subject, on two consecutive days in 1978. Erickson demonstrates how symbols may be used as metaphoric forms of communication to foster new ideas and understandings. Zeig discusses Erickson’s technique.
This video involves a therapy session with two clients: Monde and Nick. Monde is a 32-year-old women who is married with three children. Monde has had three therapy sessions with Dr. Erickson and has been exposed to hypnosis in prior sessions. Monde is seeing Dr. Erickson because she is feeling insecure about herself as a person, mother, and wife. The other client, Nick, is a 20-year-old sophomore in college who has had no previous experience with hypnosis or psychotherapy. In addition, Nick is an acquaintance of Monde and her husband. The therapy session is conducted in two parts: part one involves Monde as the primary patient while Nick is the secondary patient and part two involves Nick as the primary patient and Monde as the secondary patient.
The Process of Hypnotic Induction features Erickson in 1964, working with several different subjects. He demonstrates how to individualize the method of induction to fit the unique characteristics of the individual. Jeffrey Zeig discusses the microdynamics of technique that Erickson used in his 1964 inductions. Comments are aimed at clinicians experienced in hypnosis looking to refine their skills.