A key idea in Milton Erickson's work was that a person's problematic experiences and behaviors can be skillfully accepted and utilized as the basis for therapeutic change. Self-Relations psychotherapy develops this idea further, emphasizing symptoms as indicating the death of an old identity and the impending birth of a new identity. Thus, we don't try to "get rid of" depression, anxiety, or other "acting out/acting in" expressions, but instead invite them into a human relationship of "sponsorship", where their healing and helpful nature may be realized. We will see how a therapist can generate a ritual space where symptoms and other disturbing experiences can be "midwifed" into new identities.
PTSD is a clinical problem that may be a covert cause of hypnotherapy failure. Paradoxically, hypnotherapy has been proven useful for treatment, even prior to the formal description of diagnosis. The main features and case results of this program, which has been successfully applied in clinical research and practice, will be presented.
This workshop will provide participants with innovative and supportive strength-based interventions to address the unique impact of violence and trauma on adolescent girls. A model for applying Ericksonian hypnosis and metaphor will be presented and practiced. These techniques can be used to facilitate clients in reconnecting to a healthy mind/body state by applying tools for understanding and working with the expressions of trauma such as disordered eating, suicidal ideation, self-harming, addiction, depression, anxiety and phobias in the daily lives and relationships of young women.
This faculty will discuss and demonstrate two confusional inductions along with a range of story applications for common clinical problems including anxiety and mood disorders, anger management, insomnia, ego-strengthening and unconscious problem-solving. Unconsciously-directed techniques will also be addressed. There will be discussion of the applications of story techniques in both hypnosis and standard psychotherapy.
Waking Hypnosis was first described by Wells in 1924. Dr. Rosen will give examples of Milton Erickson having used it in his seminars. Participants will explore ways of maximizing their response to autosuggestions and then there will be discussion and practice of potential applications in everyday life.
Autism, a developmental disorder, is a challenge that has been focused on from several treatment perspectives – from nutrition science to neuropharmacology. Classical and Ericksonian hypnosis offer significant advantages for improvement. A program will be presented that has been successfully applied in clinical research and practice. Its main features and case results will be presented.
An ego state may be defined as an organized system of behavior and experience. When one of these states is invested with ego energy, it becomes “the self” in the here and now. Ego states can block resolutions for therapy success because they do not normally become open and observable. Detecting and revealing the ego states that are blocking the therapeutic process is the first step in collaborating with the patient, changing the resistance to resources, evolving the ego states and giving the patients better control of themselves. Therapeutic goals are achieved by using a combination of Ericksonian Hypnosis and Gestalt Techniques.
This workshop offers a practical step-by-step approach to overcoming a multitude of the addictive disorders. The first hour presents the foundation of this comprehensive treatment which is based on learning the principles of cognitive and behavioral therapy, and the ideas of Milton Erickson and Michael Yapko. Hypnosis is the cornerstone of this treatment because “addicts” love things that help them escape their everyday reality. Hypnosis is used to target multidimensional small changes in your patient which eventually progresses into a new and lasting lifestyle. The second hour presents a live clinical demonstration of an assessment of a person, their addictive problem and its hypnotic treatment.
This technique is among the most crucial to good therapy. Participants will be guided through several exercises to help them learn and practice the construction of six forms of indirect suggestions and four forms of binds. A demonstration using these forms will illustrate the implementation of this set of language techniques for the induction and treatment process. The use of indirect suggestions in further treatment will be outlined.
Ericksonian therapeutic approaches emphasize the importance of the relationship between the therapist and the client. This experiential workshop will give methods of connecting on deeper levels with clients and demonstrate these ways, both with and without formal hypnosis, as well as ways of using that connection for therapy. Practice opportunities will be provided.