The Story Of Ericksonian Hypnosis

Since thousands of years ago, hypnosis has been used to some extent in every culture. It has been used by many doctors thorough the years but it has not always been considered a viable means of assistance. The world of psychology got very interested in hypnosis and used it with some amount of success.

Currently there is a very famous means of hypnotizing people known as Ericksonian hypnosis. It has many applications.

What Is The Difference Between Ericksonian Hypnosis And Traditional Hypnosis?

When people think about hypnosis they always imagine a very typical image of a hypnotherapist giving strong commands to people in a semi conscious state or sometimes in deep trance. This is not the case of Milton Erickson's discovery.

Milton Erickson was a poor man born in 1902. He grew up in a rural environment. Nobody could have imagined that this man would invent some kind of hypnosis. He received a very bad education and he was indeed color blind, dyslexic and tone deaf. Not the image of someone who would then create Ericksonian hypnosis, and become very well famous.

He contracted polio at the age of seventeen. This left him paralyzed. His parents, who were very poor, doing the best they could, tied him to a chair during the day, while they went to work, and he was left in the house. As Milton could not move, he spent most of his time watching people's movements and their body language. He realized that people had some kind of subtle body language and that our bodies can communicate things that we do not want. He also liked to visualize himself moving, walking or playing outside. He could even move his chair when he was in such a deep state of concentration. He also noticed his baby sister's movements and he started imitating her, until he could walk himself.

Thanks to this success, he could develop Ericksonian hypnosis. In this kind of hypnosis the hypnotist gives indirect suggestions instead of direct ones as it is the case in classical hypnosis. The Ericksonian hypnosis approach can use both deep trance state and storytelling.

In Ericksonian hypnosis through storytelling, a general topic is used over and over in order for the subconscious mind to pick up the messages the hypnotist is trying to send.

This kind of hypnosis is in a very wide use these days. There are different approaches and methods to using it both during trance states and through story telling.

Even some people report that Ericksonian hypnosis has worked for them in cases when classical hypnosis has failed.

Further Resources

Click here to find out how Conversational hypnosis works! Learn secrets and tips about the Ericksonian Hypnosis Approach!