Existential Hypnotherapy

Integrating existential thinking with the clinical practice of hypnosis, this volume provides a useful tool for all mental health professionals. It describes the work of various philosophers, such as Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, and connects their theories to the psychotherapeutic process. Chapters address issues relating to the incorporation of existential thought in the practice of hypnotherapy: the crucial importance of the therapist'patient dialogue; the authors' argument against hypnosis as an "altered state" of consciousness; and the inadequacy of measurement scales that reportedly determine a patient's ability to be hypnotized. An important feature of the book is the authors' linking of particular hypnotherapy techniques for specific therapeutic outcomes. This book will be invaluable to clinicians who want to help clients break old, self'destructive habits and maintain healthy patterns of behavior.