Written by a psychologist and a psychiatrist noted for their expertise as both practitioners and researchers, the book illustrates how hypnosis can significantly alleviate the pain of childbirth, medical or dental surgery, burns or other accidental injuries, cancer, and chronic syndromes. With over 600 references covering the field of modern research into the mechanisms of pain, the authors convey a thorough understanding of findings and limitations of available empirical studies. Yet the book remains exceptionally clear and non-technical and will appeal not only to professionals involved with pain reduction but to lay people as well. The Hilgards address a broad spectrum of topics relating to hypnosis and pain, ranging from an historical review to a consideration of future areas for investigation. They thoughtfully tackle the controversy still surrounding the nature of hypnosis - is it an altered state of consciousness or a pattern of behaviour adopted by both subject and hypnotist? The concluding section presents the Hilgards' neo-dissociation theory of hypnosis as well as a highly useful technique for assessing susceptibility in clinical situations. Pain has been called the greatest unsolved problem in medicine. Hypnosis in the Relief of Pain, with its honest and complete appraisal of the role of hypnosis on pain reduction, will contribute significantly to the understanding and broader use of this noninvasive and natural healing phenomenon.

Bruce Eimer's program for chronic pain alleviation is based upon research findings that show that a vicious mind-body loop develops in sufferers and that to stop the pain the loop can be broken through the use of auto-suggestion and hypnosis.

This is the most important volume on hypnosis and pain since the 1970s. It is a must-have for practitioners and researchers.---Arreed Barabasz, PhD, ABPP, Professor and Editor, International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis; author of Hypnotherapeutic Techniques, Second Edition; and Editor of Medical Hypnosis Primer: Clinical and Research Evidence The strain in pain lies mainly in the brain. Patterson shows us how to take advantage of that fact in clear and evidence-based language. If you want to add hypnotic analgesia to your set of psychotherapeutic skills painlessly, read this book. Your patients will thank you.---David Spiegel, MD, Willson Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine; coauthor of Trance and Treatment: Clinical Uses of Hypnosis Today, hypnosis and hypnotic phenomena are in the mainstream of clinical, cognitive, and social psychology, and practitioners can benefit from a wealth of research to guide their interventions. In this second edition of a landmark book, Lynn, Rhue, and Kirsch have undertaken a significant revision to their classic text, first published over 15 years ago. Through session transcripts, illustrative case examples, and step-by-step procedures, this highly readable volume explores the benefits of incorporating hypnotic methods into treatment plans for such common disorders and conditions as anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, pain and medical conditions, smoking, and eating disorders. This book lays out an empirically documented program for treating patients experiencing acute and chronic pain, two of the most common symptoms in modern society. Going beyond traditional biomedical remedies, Gatchel offers a comprehensive viewpoint that takes into consideration not only biological but also psychological and social variables. Clinical Hypnosis for Pain Control is a compelling argument for the use of hypnotic analgesia as a viable alternative to psychopharmacological interventions for controlling acute, chronic, and postoperative pain, as well as pain from nonsurgical procedures. Yet clinical hypnosis is not an "alternative" medicine, Patterson argues; rather, it is an innovative way of using a patient's subconscious resources to distract, dislocate, or reduce pain in a variety of clinical settings---from the ER to the hospital's rehabilitation wing. As the staff psychologist at a bum center, Patterson draws on his experiences---and many hypnotic inductions---in helping patients deal both with severe pain and with other types of acute and chronic pain, such as headaches, fibromyalgia, cancer, and neuropathy. Written for a general clinical audience---but particularly for pain specialists---this volume also provides a masterful survey of the different types of pain as well as a variety of easy-to-follow induction examples (with instructive commentary) for the major types of pain syndromes. The book is also an excellent resource for students and researchers who want to explore hypnotic analgesia's scientific basis and its growing acceptance as an evidence-based practice. In the penultimate chapter, Patterson outlines a groundbreaking approach of combining brief counseling techniques and Ericksonian hypnosis for long-term pain management.

If you suffer from chronic pain, whether as a result of an injury, illness, or accident, you know it can interfere with every aspect of your life. You may also know the medical treatments currently available are limited and, for many, ineffective. Current research has shown hypnosis to be an effective treatment for managing chronic pain, and almost all patients who learn self-hypnosis skills benefit from this approach. The hypnosis treatment found in this workbook has been scientifically tested and proven effective for reducing the intensity of chronic pain, including migraines, back pain, and tension headaches, among others. This workbook explains how to use these techniques to manage your chronic pain and take back control of your life and your health. Used in combination with the program described in the corresponding therapist guide, this workbook teaches you self-hypnosis skills for lessening your pain, enhancing your sleep, and improving your mood. The first chapters will help you understand how hypnosis works by changing how your brain deals with information it receives from the body. The complete hypnosis treatment described in this book, alongside the treatment you receive from your clinician, will ultimately teach you skills for pain management that you can use at any time, and for the rest of your life. "An excellent blueprint to understanding pain and the fundamentals of how hypnosis combined with CBT can offer pain amelioration. Perfect, even for uninitiated practitioners who wish to use empirically based scripts."--Jeffrey Zeig, Ph.D., The Milton Erickson Foundation "Pain can too easily enslave people, holding them captive in many different ways. It is a liberating theme of empowerment that echoes throughout Dr. Jensen's work: he empowers clinicians to work more knowledgeably and skillfully with people who suffer painful conditions using his therapist guide, and he encourages the suffering individual to break free from pain's grip with the practical pain management skills taught in his workbook. Dr. Jensen's vision for the many ways hypnosis can help reduce the debilitating effects of painful conditions is fresh, inspiring and should be regularly integrated into every pain management program."--Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist and author of Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis (Third Edition) and Treating Depression with Hypnosis

Presents findings on the effects of hypnosis in reducing anxiety and pain in children with cancer and suggests that hypnotherapy offers real promise of pain relief without drugs.First published in 1991. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Reversing Chronic Pain offers a dynamic framework for joining body and mind to speed the healing of traumatic pain from the body level up. Each chapter presents a body-centered skill set that can be mastered through a broad menu of practice exercises. The resulting interlinked somatic building blocks help readers shift from physical pain to body awareness, and from unstoppable suffering to heartfelt connection and peace. Building on the AIDS cocktail approach that reflects the fact that chronic pain is complex and no one tactic is likely to solve the problem, renowned expert Maggie Phillips presents a 10-1 pain plan comprised of easy strategies based on somatic experience. Even if the reader’s pain is perceived as a “10” at the onset of the program, with 10 being intolerable, the somatic building blocks help shift the pain one point at a time until it gradually diminishes to “1” or even “zero.” Showing how the common professional interventions—medication, physical therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback—may be more harmful than healing, Reversing Chronic Pain stresses self-treatment throughout, involving sufferers in attaining lives not simply endured but actively enjoyed.

If you suffer from chronic pain, this book may provide valuable help! Both authors suffered permanent injuries years ago, and have used mindfulness to tame their chronic pain...and literally walk their talk. Additionally, Dr. Bruce Eimer has years of experience as a pain psychologist working in a major hospital, using techniques to help pain patients. Roy Hunter is a well-known hypnotherapist who has also helped a number of clients manage pain with approval of their doctors. The techniques they share in this book have passed the test of time.