Hypnosis, Dissociation and Survivors of Child Abuse: Understanding and Treatment

This book draws attention to the importance of hypnosis in treating trauma cases, with particular reference to survivors of child abuse. It covers theories of traumatic stress, theories of hypnosis, and theories related to the long-term effects of child abuse. Recent research in these areas is reviewed in full. The book can also be used as a clinician's guide to therapy, and offers safe and effective hypnotic interventions for clinicians treating survivors of child abuse. The treatment approach is predominantly cognitive-behavioural in orientation and uses hypnosis as a powerful addition to this. Key practical features include: guidelines on how not to create false memories with hypnosis, detailed descriptions of safe remembering techniques, full guidelines on therapeutic procedures, helpful case illustrations.

Hypnosis, Dissociation and Survivors of Child Abuse provides an updated perspective on hypnosis and its value in trauma. It will be of interest to psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners who wish to expand their repertoire of effective therapeutic interventions. It is emphasised that professional training in applied hypnosis is a prerequisite for any practitioner intending to include it in their therapy.

There is a strong argument for the educated and professional use of hypnosis in the field of trauma, particularly in facilitating the resolution of the trauma and processing of traumatic memories.

This book draws attention to the importance of hypnosis in treating trauma cases, with particular reference to survivors of child abuse. It covers theories of traumatic stress, theories of hypnosis, and theories related to the long-term effects of child abuse. Recent research in these areas is reviewed in full. The book can also be used as a clinician’s guide to therapy, and offers safe and effective hypnotic interventions for clinicians treating survivors of child abuse. The treatment approach is predominately cognitive-behavioural in orientation and uses hypnosis as a powerful addition to this. Key practical features include:

• guidelines on how not to create false memories with hypnosis

• detailed descriptions of safe remembering techniques

• full guidelines on therapeutic procedures

• helpful case illustrations.

Hypnosis, Dissociation and Survivors of Child Abuse provides an updated perspective on hypnosis and its value in trauma. It will be of interest to psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners who wish to expand their repertoire of effective therapeutic interventions. It is emphasised that professional training in applied hypnosis is a prerequisite for any practitioner intending to include it in their therapy.

Marcia Degun-Mather is a consultant clinical psychologist in private practice and lecturer for the MSc/Diploma in Applied Hypnosis at University College London.