| Hypnosis is considered by most as an altered state | | | | energy modalities, they have yet to be fully |
| of mind. Essentially, this is a misnomer. The brain goes | | | | accepted by the medical and psychology |
| through four main brain wave states multiple times | | | | establishments. There are some who believe that the |
| per day. These are Beta (full awareness), Alpha (light | | | | understanding of pizioelectric energy manipulation and |
| relaxation), Theta (deep relaxation), and Delta (sleep). | | | | pain gate theory may give some answers, the results |
| To day that there is a "altered state of mind" would | | | | from these fields are still predominantly anecdotal |
| assume that there is a normal state from which the | | | | with a smattering of case study documentation. |
| mind deviates. (And, the lambda and gamma states | | | | While there is considerable confidence in their |
| are rarely discussed.) | | | | protocols being used for the treatment of PSTD in |
| Another misunderstanding is that the entire brain is at | | | | returning war veterans, still energy modalities are in |
| the same state (frequency) at the same time. The | | | | their infancy of acceptability. |
| truth is that different sections of the brain (neural | | | | A small handful of writers are starting to postulate |
| substrates) are at various frequencies simultaneously. | | | | about the relationship between bioelectric energy |
| Nevertheless, hypnosis is normally associated with the | | | | flows and hypnosis. The hypothesis is that the mind |
| Alpha and Theta states for the purpose of | | | | can direct energy. However new this concept may |
| suggestibility and pain management. Guided imagery | | | | be, this actually is an ancient assumption among the |
| and meditation also produce similar states and are | | | | Tibetan (Vajrayana) Buddhists whose completion |
| often discussed as closely related to hypnosis. | | | | stage of their tantric practices center on such energy |
| Another common definition of hypnosis is that it is | | | | manipulation through mental volition. Therefore, this is |
| the state where the critical faculty of the conscious | | | | clearly an area for further investigation. The |
| mind is suspended and selective thinking and | | | | implications for pain control and somatic healing are |
| suggestibility are enhanced. This implies that certain | | | | numerous. |
| functions of brain's frontal lobe is reduced, shut | | | | Neurofeedback, a new stepchild of biopsychology |
| down, or idled allowing new input without or with | | | | (aka biofeedback) should also be intriguing to the |
| reduced interference from existing brain maps. | | | | hypnotherapy community. The thought that someone |
| Hypnosis supports re-wiring (neuro-plasticity) the brain | | | | can consciously decide to affect energy flows in the |
| through triggering neurotransmitters, such as | | | | brain is novel to hypnotists, but an assumption to |
| dopamine and serotonin, and neuromodulators, such | | | | neurofeedback technicians. In fact, there are |
| as oxytocin. | | | | numerous neurofeedback devices (albeit relatively |
| Several factors are involved in a hypnosis session. | | | | clumsy at the moment) that claim to train a patient |
| Normally, a relaxed physical and mental state is | | | | to manipulate energy or blood flow in the brain. |
| assumed to exist in a somnambulistic trance. This | | | | Surprisingly, state management and guided imagery |
| level of trance is achieved prior to most therapeutic | | | | are the technician's therapeutic tools. On the other |
| interventions. Taming the overactive anterior | | | | hand, these are areas in which talented hypnotists |
| cingulate gyrus (ACG), the brain's switchboard, and | | | | thrive. Unfortunately, however, a vast majority of |
| increasing serotonin flow as a result of relaxation and | | | | hypnotherpists and their talented psychologist and |
| specifically rhythmic breathing helps promote | | | | psychotherapist brethren are overly "brain phobic". If |
| synchronous Alpha, allows the brain to begin | | | | only the talents of the neurofeedback technician and |
| rebalancing allowing various parts of the brain, which | | | | the hypnotherapist could merge, I'm sure that a new |
| were previously energy starved, to return to | | | | explosion in the healing sciences would occur. |
| enhanced functioning. Such relaxation also promotes | | | | Hypnotherapy, which is the use of hypnosis for |
| parasympathetic autonomic function, which helps the | | | | medical or psychological healing, was partially usurped |
| immune system. This is also a major factor in the | | | | by the American Medical Association in 1958 and the |
| treatment of digestive disorders. | | | | American Psychological Association in 1959. The belief |
| Performance enhancing hypnosis involves initially | | | | was that no one should practice hypnotherapy unless |
| calming the ACG and increasing synchronous Alpha. | | | | he or she possessed licenses in on of those two |
| As mentioned above, this alone tends to stimulate | | | | fields. Indeed, there are a multitude practitioners in |
| mental functioning. However, it is necessary to | | | | the licensed professions. (Note: A majority of our |
| stimulate dopamine and glutamate production in order | | | | Institute are licensed medical and mental health |
| to stimulate the growth of new the creation of new | | | | practitioners.) This belied the fact that there were a |
| memories (new neural networks). | | | | tremendous number of extremely proficient |
| Over the past several years hypnosis researchers | | | | practitioners without these licenses. In fact, many of |
| have used suggestion to affect somatic ailments. | | | | the trainers for licensees were non-licensed |
| Since World War II, there has been irrefutable | | | | hypnotists. Currently such hypnotists are increasingly |
| evidence supporting the using hypnosis to cure skin | | | | being recognized as staff hypnotherapists in hospitals, |
| disorders. Recent research has focused on | | | | clinics, and prisons. |
| accelerating wound healing. While they universally | | | | Unfortunately, in the media (especially in the |
| agree that more research is warranted, they agree | | | | entertainment realm) hypnosis has all the hype of |
| that there is a lack of understanding why this occurs. | | | | magic and is believed to appeal only to the "cult of |
| The implications of other somatic treatments are | | | | the weird". Most medical practitioners who I meet are |
| unlimited. | | | | relatively clueless to the efficacy of hypnosis despite |
| Another recent heuristic endeavor involves the | | | | NIH's efforts which have documented over 11,000 |
| modification of genes through the use of hypnosis. | | | | recent credible research studies supporting it. |
| Ernest Rossi, Ph.D., a long-term authority on | | | | Psychologists, whose premier association, relegates |
| Ericksonian hypnotherapy, has proposed a set of | | | | hypnosis to a minor "department", leave the |
| protocols which use hypnosis as part of the | | | | impression that they have some type of patent on |
| epigenetic process. This concept directly challenges | | | | the concept. While I have studied with and under |
| the notion that our "nature" is fixed. | | | | some phenomenal licensed psychologists who are |
| Hypnosis is typically used for behavior modification. It | | | | some of the best hypnotists I know, still there are |
| is not uncommon for members of the public to initially | | | | many of that ilk who wrongly believe that their |
| think of weight loss or smoking cessation. However, | | | | minimal training (or less) make them qualified to pass |
| with the psychological community many use their | | | | judgment. And then there are the unlicensed |
| hypnotic skills as an adjunct to psychotherapy and | | | | professional hypnotherapists, some of which are the |
| psychoanalysis, which "re-sculpts" the mind/brain by | | | | most talented in the field, who belong to a multitude |
| promoting new learning and reframing old memories. | | | | of competing organizations that have yet to agree |
| This is done through the activating dormant genes in | | | | on standards. Regardless, of this proliferation of |
| the nucleus of the brain's neurons and the promotion | | | | ownership claims and such, it is still clear that the |
| of new neural connections. | | | | centuries of experience with the hypnotic arts have |
| The relationship between hypnosis and the emerging | | | | much to contribute to the future of integrative |
| fields of energy psychology/energy medicine and | | | | healing. |
| neurofeedback is intriguing. Regarding the new | | | | |