Description: This clinical demonstration shows how ordinary human contact can take on a distinctly hypnotic quality in moments of emotional intensity. Through a gentle, moment-by-moment conversation, the session explores grief, caregiving, role reversal, and the complexity of loving someone who is dying. Participants witness how presence, attention, and simple relational exchanges can deepen emotional experience, foster resilience, and help clients find meaning alongside sorrow.
Joseph Barber, PhD, is an award-winning author on the topic of pain management, and a former President of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. One of the most prominent trends in the field of health and wellness is the growing awareness of the mind-body approach. However, along with the enthusiasm we are sometimes led to hasty conclusions and broad generalizations that sometimes lead to disappointment and disinterest in the field. In his provocative, challenging and often amusing presentation, Dr. Barber looks at controversial claims made in the mind-body field. He separates the fads and fallacies from a scientifically supported understanding of powers of the mind.