Hypnosis for Behavioral Health: A Guide to Expanding Your Professional Practice

Clinical hypnosis has been proven through decades of rigorous research and practice to be an effective intervention in a wide range of mental, behavioral, and physical health issues. This highly practical text demystifies clinical hypnosis by providing step-by-step guidance for using its techniques to enhance the repertoire of practitioners in other psychotherapeutic modalities. It offers mental health providers with no formal training in hypnosis the requisite guidance they need to learn, and confidently apply, strategies to help their clients initiate constructive, health-oriented change in their lives. From the initial assessment through the development of treatment plans and actual hypnotic interventions with clients, the author demonstrates how hypnosis can be individually tailored to manage unwanted symptoms and enhance desired skills. Actual case studies and examples of individualized treatment plans are referenced throughout the book. Excerpts from authentic hypnosis sessions allow practitioners to "see" interventions applied in pragmatic and strategic ways. The author shows how to apply hypnosis to such clinical issues as anxiety, stress, somatic disorders, pain, and unwanted habits. In addition, the book illustrates how hypnosis can be used to facilitate personal growth and wellness in such areas as motivation and athletic performance. The text also covers sensitive ethical and professional issues related to clinical hypnosis. Experiential exercises are embedded in the text and each chapter concludes with suggested activities to enhance learning. The appendices provide useful samples of letters for insurance companies and a sample brochure for promotion of hypnosis in a clinical practice. Key Features Offers clinicians who have little to no background in clinical hypnosis clear, accessible information on how to safely and effectively use basic techniques with clients Helps psychotherapists expand their practice by providing effective interventions with behavioral health issues that are also eligible for insurance reimbursement Includes sample guided scripts for specific problems as well as experiential exercises and treatment plans Provides case histories drawn from the author's clinical work and those of the "father" of modern clinical hypnosis, Milton Erickson Features audio recordings of guided scripts in eBook edition