| The Early Uses Of Hypnosis | | | | questioning the validity of any accomplishments or |
| Religion, self-help theories, and mainstream healing | | | | claims that lacked sufficient peer-reviewed literature |
| modalities share one common objective. They all | | | | describing supporting systematic investigations. This |
| seek to alleviate human suffering and move | | | | led me to quickly discover over 10,000 of such |
| individuals and society toward a more desirable state | | | | studies, which openly supported the efficacy of |
| in which a perception of happiness is achieved. | | | | hypnosis in medical and mental health interventions. |
| Nevertheless, they differ in their basic approaches. | | | | This detection and the ubiquitous lack of |
| Religion focuses on belief and faith; mainstream | | | | hypnosis-related knowledge among clinicians inspired |
| healing, on evidence-based scientific research, and | | | | me to create The International Hypnosis Research |
| self-help, on a combination of both - albeit with a | | | | Institute. The Early Uses Of Hypnosis |
| focus on wishful thinking and the charisma of the | | | | During my review of countless hypnosis studies, I |
| author or presenter. All claim to be effective. Yet, | | | | came to several initial conclusions. Here is the most |
| considering their exclusive characteristics all tend to | | | | obvious one. The general lack of hypnosis training of |
| be rather short-sited and limited in their approaches. | | | | the researcher and the poorly designed studies were |
| In actuality, each of them simultaneously contain | | | | clearly offset by the existence of favorable results. |
| partial truths while being devoid of others. | | | | Therefore, I have been frequently quoted as saying |
| It is odd how an effective theoretical concept | | | | that, "poorly performed hypnosis consistently |
| originates. Almost a decade ago I was confronted by | | | | produces wonderful results." Of course, this should |
| a series of medical doctors who were fascinated by | | | | lead the reader to question what would have |
| my abilities as a clinical hypnotherapist. However, as | | | | happened if those problems did not exist. This is a |
| hard-nosed scientists they were accustomed to | | | | dilemma that I have sought to rectify. |