THE BEGINNINGS OF HYPNOSIS

• Franz Anton Mesmer (1734 – 1815), with his development of the concept of “animal magnetism”, is the precursor of hypnotism. However, the term hypnotism and the technique itself were developed by James Braid in the first part of the 19th century, following research into hysteria by Jean-Martin Charcot, nicknamed the “father of modern neurology“.
• His pupil, Pierre Janet, a pioneer of psychotherapy, used the term “subconscious” and emphasized the concept of psychological dissociation. Sigmund Freud, in the early 20th century, took an interest in Charcot and Bernheim’s research before devoting himself to psychoanalysis, while Emile Coué was working at the same time on the theory of “conscious autosuggestion”.

HYPNOSIS IN THE TREATMENT OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

• After the First World War, various therapeutic methods were developed to help war survivors overcome post-traumatic stress, known as “shell shock”, including the use of hypnosis. At this time, behavioral psychologist Clark L. Hull published the first scientific studies on hypnosis.
• Ernest Hilgard, who conducted research with André Weitzenhoer, developed a “neo-dissociationalist” theory of hypnosis. He worked on pain control, and William Kroger focused on hypnosis in medical settings.
• Martin T. Orne‘s work on the distortion of memories by hypnosis in police investigations is also worthy of mention.

HYPNOTHERAPY: THE SECOND GENERATION

• The second generation of hypnotherapists arrived with the influential Milton Erickson (1901 – 1980), who developed “indirect” suggestion and a more permissive approach.This was the birth of the Ericksonian approach, sharing some major differences with the traditional hypnotherapy practiced before him.
• The Milton Erickson Foundation was created to preserve his work and organize the world’s largest conferences and training courses.

MODERN HYPNOTHERAPY OR NEO-ERICKSONIAN HYPNOSIS

• Today, we can speak of neo-Ericksonian or 3rd-generation hypnosis. Numerous contributors are to be mentioned in the development of different therapeutic approaches such as family and strategic therapy, NLP, self-relations and generative trance, inclusive therapy and possibility therapy.
• We can mention J. Haley, R. Bandler and J. Grinder, S. Gilligan, B. O’Hanlon and Ernest Rossi, pioneer of the psychobiology of mind-body healing. Of course, there are many more names to mention as hypnotherapy’s research and popularity expand worldwide.
• In Australia, where I was certified in Ericksonian Clinical Hypnosis (National Diploma), we can mention “Gordon Young” (strategic hypnotherapy) who himself trained with Hilton Erickson’s direct students at the foundation in the UK.His contribution is significant in that he created a comprehensive, structured method to help Ericksonian hypnosis practitioners integrate this approach, which is different from traditional hypnosis in that it is script-free and “person-oriented“.