Category Books

Treating Depression with Hypnosis » (1st Edition)

Book cover image of Treating Depression with Hypnosis by Michael Yapko

Authors: Michael Yapko
ISBN-13: 9781583913048, ISBN-10: 1583913041
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Taylor & Francis, Inc.
Date Published: May 2001
Edition: 1st Edition

Author Biography: Michael Yapko

Book Synopsis

Depression is a debilitating human condition and a common cause of suffering worldwide. This elicits a sense of urgency for mental health professionals to meet this challenge of the treatment of depression. Hypnosis plays a vital role in that treatment and in the efficacy of psychotherapy.

This book focuses on the structuring and delivering of hypnotic interventions for major depression, with a substantial use of concepts and techniques from cognitive-behavioral and strategic approaches as a foundation. Current research on depression is used in this book to emphasize the still-growing knowledge of depression. Hypnosis has shown itself to be effective in not only reducing symptoms, but in teaching the skills (such as rationale thinking, effective problem-solving and coping strategies, and positive relationship skills) that can even prevent recurrences. Mental health professionals will find the detailed examples of hypnotic strategies invaluable to their own practice and application of hypnosis in the treatment of depression.

Booknews

Clinical psychologist Yapko describes the use of hypnosis for treating depression. Introductory chapters discuss what is known about depression, how hypnosis can enhance the efficacy of therapy, and how to set treatment goals. The remainder of the text deals with the application of hypnosis in the clinical setting. Topics include, for example, the power of expectations in shaping moods, using hypnosis to teach coping skills, and developing prevention strategies. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

	Foreword
	Introduction
	Acknowledgments
I	Conceptual Framework
1	Paving the therapy road with good intentions	3
	The eyes of depression	3
	The costs of depression	3
	Amplifying and de-amplifying awareness	4
	On amplifying biology as the problem and drugs as the solution	5
	Some of what we know about depression	7
	We can walk AND chew gum	9
	Some of what we know about treating depression with psychotherapy	9
	The illusion of empirically supported treatments	10
	The reality of empirically supported psychotherapies for depression	12
	Is clinical hypnosis an empirically supported treatment?	12
	Re-thinking our priorities	13
2	Applying hypnosis in psychotherapy	15
	States, traits, and clients don't care	18
	Suggestions for how to think about hypnosis	20
	Why use hypnosis for treating depression?	21
	Does hypnosis work?	22
3	Practical considerations in hypnotic treatment design	25
	Not all hypnosis is the same	25
	Doing hypnosis versus being hypnotic	26
	Doing art and doing science	26
	The art of design	27
	Hypnosis and the targets and treatment	28
	Where to begin?	29
	Building therapeutic momentum and response sets	29
	Symptoms as intervention targets	30
	Risk factors as intervention targets	33
	Relating to the context	35
	Diminish weakness or amplify strength?	36
	Getting started using hypnosis	36
	Introducing hypnosis to the client	37
	Choosing one's hypnotic style	38
II	Clinical Applications
4	Ambiguity and the vulnerability of believing	43
	Ambiguity	44
	Recognizing and tolerating ambiguity	46
	Flexibility	46
	Teaching the ability to discriminate	47
	Discrimination strategies	48
	Hypnotically facilitating the ability to recognize and tolerate ambiguity	50
	Structuring hypnosis sessions for recognizing and tolerating ambiguity	53
	Describing the strategy	54
	Watching it work: The case of Bob	57
5	Focusing on the future	61
	Hopefulness	62
	Hurting the people we want to help	63
	Plugging holes in awareness: Structuring goal-oriented therapy	64
	Hopefulness and a solution orientation	65
	Hypnotically building expectancy	66
	A sample transcript of a "building expectancy" session	73
	Putting it all together	76
6	Clearly, you can/can't have it all	77
	Where's the control?	78
	Discriminating controllability	81
	External versus internal aversive, uncontrollable stimuli	81
	Expectations and victimization	84
	Expectations, helplessness, control, and anger	86
	Primary and secondary control	88
	Hypnosis and the art of secondary control	88
	Assessing controllability	89
	Hypnosis session transcript: Is it in your control?	90
	Creating possibilities	93
7	Coping styles and the right to choose ... wisely	95
	Depression and undermining the self	95
	Coping with life	96
	Avoidant coping styles	97
	Ruminative coping styles	98
	Active coping styles	100
	Hypnosis and decision-making	102
	Frames of reference	104
	Hypnosis and exploring options	104
	Exploring options in context: The case of Consuelo - a session transcript with commentary	108
	Feeling stuck and having resources	121
8	The case of Mike: Breaking patterns of depression	123
	Introduction	123
	Background of the session with Mike	124
	The verbatim (unedited) transcript	124
	Follow up to the session with Mike	145
	Final comments	147
9	Hypnosis and suggestions for prevention	149
	The weakness in strength	150
	Reconsidering the message we send	150
	Prevention at the individual client level	151
	Hypnosis: Focus on prevention	152
	Prevention at the interpersonal (social) level	156
	Teach foresight	156
	Treat spouses and families	156
	Teach children	157
	Teach people	157
	Final thoughts	158
	References	159
	App. A: Useful information on the Internet	169
App. B	Supplemental materials from Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D.	171
	Index	173