London College of Clinical Hypnosis Professional courses now offered in Singapore in Collaboration with Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Hypnosis, Hypnotism and Hypnotherapy

The study of Hypnotism focuses considerably on the science and art of suggestion with or without the presence of hypnosis. Hypnotherapy is best described as a form of psychotherapy for which the use of hypnosis constitutes the main part of the treatment. Once can also understand it by comparing it the process of counseling in a relaxed state.

Hypno-psychotherapy

Hypno-psychotherapy is the branch of psychotherapy that uses hypnosis as central or fundamental to its core. There has been an increasing body of research, work and publication over the last 300 years. In the 20th century the work of John Hartland has had an increasing impact on medical hypnosis. Towards the end of the 20th century Milton Erickson achieved considerable impact on hypno-psychotherapy and has been largely responsible for shaping modern approaches and research into hypno-psychotherapy.

In essence, Hypno-psychotherapy explains that we have a learned model of the world. Sometimes this world view becomes restrictive and may limit the way we feel, how we understand and process what is happening in our lives, shapes our attitudes and affects out behaviour. The way hypnotherapy works is in a consulting room with the therapist assisting the patient to focus on new possibilities, more beneficial habit and thought patterns, emotions and behaviour.

Hypno-psychotherapy is designed to use the resources and capabilities which reside within all people. Methods and strategies have are specifically developed to work on developing the capabilities of the patient. Each therapy session is unique and the patient or individual is not required to fit into a standardised pattern.

The LCCH applied a solution based approach which is a powerful tool for solving problems but can also be applied as an increasingly effective tool to improve performance, develop strategies for success and obtain and achieve goals. This transforms Hypnotherapy, as it is known, into an invaluable tool for many people seeking to solve specific problems, and is increasingly used for or for personal development. It is also a powerful tool for problem solving. One of the nice things about hypnotherapy is that the therapy is an enjoyable experience and the patient often leaves with a sense of optimism and renewed energy.

Increasingly we see CEO's, human resource managers, businessmen and sports professionals along with counselors, therapists, doctors, spiritual practitioners, students, teachers and the seriously interested.

Medical Hypnotherapy

Many of you will ask yourselves the question: 'Why should I learn about medical hypnotherapy and how can I use it as a discipline in my practice?'

We have become increasingly aware of the benefits of clinical hypnosis in the medical context. Many techniques that will be useful to the Family Practitioners are included in the Diploma course. These include pain management, psychiatric conditions and a significant number of somatic and psycho-somatic conditions.

It is becoming ever more clear that hypnotherapy is rapidly developing into a specialist branch closely associated with medicine, as is evident from the very active section within the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM). This section is devoted solely to the use of medical hypnotherapy in a clinical context set within the broader confines of psychosomatic medicine. Regular meetings and discussions of this section reiterate the vastly varied clinical conditions which are amenable to hypnotherapeutic intervention.

As we learn more about the way in which certain conditions are acquired and then perpetuated, the resolution of maladapted behaviour patterns by therapies including hypnosis is becoming more relevant. It is fair to say that psycho-pharmacology is also a rapidly expanding area with increasing numbers of new psychotropic agents available. However, the mechanism of action of many of these agents is poorly understood. Furthermore, side effects from such medications are prevalent in many cases and although some patients do respond favourably many fail to show improvement and might benefit from a different therapeutic angle. Medical - and dental - hypnotherapy is not just restricted to maladapted behaviour, it may be used with considerable benefit for many somatic and psychosomatic conditions (details are available in the main LCCH hypnotherapy training website).

The LCCH does not regard hypnotherapy as alternative to medicine but likes to regard it as a specialist branch of psychotherapeutic intervention used within the auspices of general medicine. (See www.lcch.co.uk).