I lay on the mat for about 15-20 minutes one afternoon and then about a half hour the next day.  I found myself being more energetic, slept incredibly well each night, and had no or very minimal pain in my neck or back residual from a car accident 13 years ago.  The results I experienced intrigued me enough to ask to take one home for a trial of it to fully test it out. So far, it works for me…. much better sleep, less pain, more flexibility for my yoga, and lots more energy.

Like I said, it works for me… I have it at home and continue to sleep through the night with comfort and awaken energized and peaceful… which is most desirable for someone like me with a chronic pain condition.   I will continue to give it a far trial and do further research on the materials and process.  But you need to learn and evaluate it for yourself.

There is  very impressive video at the website www.thebiomatstore.com.  Watch the video and see what you think.  Email Marilyn at marilyn@thebiomatstore.com or call her at 866-952-8111.  Let her know that you learned of it from me, Dr. G, and I’ll bet she will be open to provide a discount to you as a professional or an associate/subscriber of mine.

Dr. G.

What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy, or trance work, is a group of techniques that allow practitioners and patients to take advantage of the mind-body connection to foster healing. Essentially, trance is an altered state of consciousness marked by decreased breadth and increased intensity of awareness. What distinguishes hypnotherapy is that it involves a deliberate choice to enter this state of consciousness for a goal beyond relaxation: to focus concentration and use suggestion to promote health and healing. Individuals can not only experience hypnosis from a licensed practitioner, they can also become comfortable practicing and eventually mastering the techniques themselves. While the practitioner serves as a teacher or guide, the only person who can hypnotize you is you, since trance is a latent potential of your own mind. Therefore, all hypnosis is really self-hypnosis.

What conditions is hypnotherapy used for?
Hypnotherapy can be used effectively to treat a remarkable range of health conditions. Dr. Weil’s colleague, Steven Gurgevich, Ph.D., a psychologist affiliated with the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine who specializes in clinical hypnosis, says he’s seen the most dramatic results with dermatological and gastrointestinal problems, as the skin and gut are areas of the body where stress is commonly expressed. He has seen hypnotherapy be effective in dealing with weight loss, as mind-body techniques can often help reinforce motivation, self-discipline and willpower. They can also help people change their behavior and attitudes about eating, physical activity, shopping for food and restaurant dining.

Suggestions offered to your subconscious mind during a hypnotic trance can remove psychological obstacles and strengthen the ego, as well as encourage changes in body image, metabolism and the body-mass set point (the weight at which a person tends to remain).

In addition to these uses, Dr. Weil has recommended hypnotherapy to help ease chronic pain, lessen the side effects of chemotherapy, alleviate symptoms of autoimmune disease, and counteract anxiety and sleep disorders. Hypnotherapy can also be used to improve performance, as a form of analgesia or sedation for medical and dental procedures, and even to help stop bleeding in accident victims.

The American Society for Clinical Hypnosis also recommends hypnosis for burn therapy (to reduce inflammation and promote healing in addition to pain control), pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting, childbirth, allergies and asthma, high blood pressure and Raynaud’s disease.

What should one expect on a visit to a practitioner of hypnotherapy?
Typically, your first session will begin with a great deal of talking. A good therapist will ask you questions to get some insight into what motivates you and what your beliefs and expectations might be. When that’s done, you’ll be taught some type of “induction technique.” This is the use of a focal point, either internal or external, to concentrate your attention (Hollywood’s version is the swinging pendant). The technique often used by Dr. Gurgevich is to have you close your eyes while sitting upright in a chair, pressing your thumb and forefinger together, holding your breath for a count of five, then releasing your breath and fingers while letting your mind drift, developing pictures and images to accompany the words you hear him speaking. Some 20 percent of the population may go into trance very easily, while an equal percentage show great resistance. The therapist may need to work extensively with the latter group to develop trust that allows them to drop their psychological defenses.

Once you’re in a state of trance (but still fully aware of where you are and what you’re doing), the therapist offers suggestions specifically geared to the goal of the therapy. For example, he may suggest that a person with irritable bowel syndrome picture the wave-like motions of her digestive system slowing down and becoming smoother, or have a patient with disfiguring warts imagine traveling inside his body to the roots of the offending growths and depriving them of nourishment. Your unconscious mind can then transmit these thoughts and images throughout your mind and body, setting the healing process in motion.

A typical course of hypnotherapy may require from one to five visits (lasting 45 minutes to an hour each), depending on your individual response to hypnosis, the medical condition involved, and your response to treatment. The therapist’s role is to teach you how to access the trance state on your own. Once you’ve learned how to do this, you can start using self-hypnosis on a regular basis to maximize your healing potential.

Your insurance may cover hypnotherapy if it is performed by an M.D., a Ph.D., a dentist, or a licensed social worker.

To learn more, Dr. Weil suggests reading the works of Dr. Gurgevich, including his most recent book, “Hypnosis House Call: A Complete Course in Mind-Body Healing” (which includes a 2-hour DVD)(Sterling Ethos, 2011).

Are there any side effects or conditions for which hypnotherapy should be avoided?
Hypnotherapy should never be used when the client is opposed to using it for personal reasons – when it is contrary to their spiritual beliefs, for instance. Mind-body techniques, including hypnosis, should never be used alone but as adjuncts to other therapies that are clinically indicated.

While hypnotherapy has proved an invaluable technique when used properly, it has also drawn its fair share of critics over the years, many of whom claim it has produced results that are artifactual – complete creations of the therapist. Two of the areas in which this has been suspected are multiple personality disorder and repressed memory syndrome. These can be areas of potential abuse, in which the hypnotherapist may be primarily responsible for eliciting his or her own desired responses and planting them into susceptible individuals. Dr. Weil suggests taking care to find licensed, credentialed hypnotherapists to avoid such circumstances. He also recommends that individuals who are actively abusing drugs or alcohol, or who are delusional or hallucinatory, seek other kinds of care to address and alleviate their conditions before beginning hypnotherapy.

 Is there a governing body that oversees or credentials practitioners in hypnotherapy?
Members of The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) are licensed healthcare workers with at least a master’s degree in their respective field. They also must be eligible for their clinical organization, such as the American Medical Association, National Association of Social Workers, American Dental Association, etc. All of these healthcare workers are licensed, credentialed and trained in an accredited field of study. The ASCH offers two levels of certification in clinical hypnosis: “Certification” (CE) and “Approved Consultant” (AP). Those at the “Approved Consultant” level have extensive training in clinical hypnosis and are qualified to instruct those seeking “Certification.” Though there are other institutions that offer certification in hypnosis, certification through the ASCH ensures that the practitioner is a licensed and trained advanced level healthcare professional.

How does one get in touch with a practitioner of hypnosis/ hypnotherapy?
The ASCH website has a referral search engine that enables you to identify a professional certified in clinical hypnosis by their medical specialty. This search gives the location, telephone number and state of certification if the practitioner is CE or AP.

It is important to make the distinction between a licensed professional that uses clinical hypnosis to address conditions for which they are trained, versus “lay” people who have merely taken training in the techniques of hypnosis but do not possess the credentials, skills or experience to treat clinical diagnoses. One rule of thumb is that no practitioner should offer clinical hypnosis to remedy a condition unless they are also capable of treating that condition without hypnosis.

Aside from seeking a certified practitioner, Dr. Gurgevich also recommends being wary of therapists who ask for a set number of sessions in advance, as achieving one’s desired goal may in fact occur in one session. Beware also of those individuals who promise a cure or say they are going to “hypnotize you,” as this passive scenario is not optimal for the patient’s long-term well-being. The goal of the therapist should be to teach you how to harness the mind-body skills you need, so that you can employ them on your own in the future.

Are there other therapies that might work well in conjunction with hypnotherapy?
Like most mind-body therapies, hypnosis can work as an excellent adjunct to most conventional or alternative therapies. Hypnotherapy can often be used with manual therapies like manipulation and massage as well as various systems of medicine like Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, or homeopathy. Oftentimes, hypnosis can be used with other relaxation techniques, like meditation, and with various forms of psychotherapy to facilitate behavioral change.

What is Dr. Weil’s view regarding hypnotherapy?
Dr. Weil feels it is important to dispel some common misconceptions about hypnotherapy. For some people who have never tried it, the idea of going into a hypnotic trance may seem odd or frightening. But the fact is that we all experience trance states in everyday life, such as daydreaming, watching a movie, driving home “on autopilot,” or practicing meditation or other relaxation techniques. Parlor tricks and stage shows aside, a clinical hypnotherapist will never make you quack like a duck or sing like Elvis. The person in a hypnotic trance is always in control, just as someone who is daydreaming can decide to go on or stop at any time. As stated before, ALL hypnosis is self-hypnosis.

In general, Dr. Weil believes that no health condition is out of bounds for trying hypnotherapy under the guidance of a skilled practitioner with whom a trusting relationship has been established.

This article is made available by courtesy of www.drweil.com 

See Dr. Weil’s Blog at: http://www.drweilblog.com/

See this article at Dr. Weil’s webiste under Wellness Therapies at: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00572/Hypnosis-Hypnotherapy-Wellness-Therapies.html

• The Self-Compassion Diet by Jean Fain, LCSW.  This book combines both “Self-Compassion” steps you can take in loving yourself to a thinner and lighter body.  Jean Fain is a respected and competent therapist, teacher, and writer.  This book delivers.  Here is what I think:   “If you’re tired of losing weight and then regaining more, forget about starting that same-old diet tomorrow. Read this book today. The Self-Compassion Diet delivers what you truly crave – a simple, flexible, proven plan for transforming the way you live, breathe, and eat. Synthesizing current psychological theory, cutting-edge research, tried-and-true mindful-eating practices, winning hypnotic suggestions, Jean Fain shows you how to find your best way to a healthy, sustainable weight.”
  –Steve Gurgevich, PhD, author of The Self-Hypnosis Diet and Hypnosis House Call

• Learning to Laugh When You Feel Like Crying by Allen Klein.  Allen is one funny and thought-provoking fellow.  He is the author of The Healing Power of Humor, The Courage to Laugh, and Change Your Life: A Little Book of Big Ideas.  This book is about embracing Life after Loss, and this book is a special gift for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one or the loss of anything one has cherished.  You will like the easy to read format as well.  Dr. G.

• Sleep Phones by Wei Shin Lai, MD, Dr. Lai created these wonderful “Pajamas for your ears” to help herself return to sleep after handling a middle-of-the-night call from one of her patients.  Sleep Phones are soft comfortable headphones for sleep.  If you want to listen to hypnosis audios at bedtime or just listen to audio books in bed, these are the best thing you can do for your ears.

• The Worry Solution by Martin Rossman, MD.  Dr. Rossman has focused his talents into a book for everyones’ bookshelf and nightstand.  I don’t know anyone without some form of worry in their life, and this book will help put it in perspective and open the door to welcome the many answers.  Buy this book and start changing your life-course with comfort, confidence, and a peacefulness of mind.  I have.

• On Fertile Ground: Healing Infertility by Helen Adrienne, LCSW.  Grief and loss, anxiety and depression are constant companions to the roughly 18 percent of couples of childbearing age who are facing the devastation of infertility. To add insult to injury, relationships can be put at risk when couples feel as if their life is on permanent hold. With On Fertile Ground: Healing Infertility in hand, readers will learn how to turn the tables on change and ride the infertility wave rather than be swamped by it. This essential new book will leave readers feeling understood, and help them comprehend the extent of infertility’s impact. Author Helen Adrienne, an award-winning psychotherapist, wrote the book from a mind/body perspective and more than thirty years of experience with infertility patients. She equips readers with the weapons to win battles against the consequences of infertility by: gaining perspective on the situation; learning the three A’s of coping; and managing ego states that accompany adversity. Adrienne brilliantly breaks down coping skills by teaching problem-solving techniques which can be matched to issues, and letting-go techniques such as relaxation and self-hypnosis which have a statistically significant association with pregnancy. In her book, stories of former patients, told in their own words, support the effectiveness of mind/body interventions, and show readers that it is possible to “gain from the pain.” This is a growth-from-adversity book, a managing-stress book and a get-back-in-control book that is comprehensive and provides relief. Professionals and infertility patients alike have raved about what a valuable resource this book is. Those who are struggling with infertility, those who want to understand them, or physicians and therapists who serve this population will benefit from the guidance provided in these pages. Since 1979, Adrienne has helped thousands of individuals navigate the emotional rollercoaster of infertility with her treatment model. Visit her web site mind-body-unity.com.

Check these out and tell me what you think…  /Dr. G.

Self-Hypnosis House Call with 2-hour DVD

My latest book, Self-Hyposis House Call is now officially launched by Sterling Publishing.  It is available from my website and all of the major book sellers as well.  This portion of the blog lets you ask me answer any questions that you may have regarding the book or 2-hour DVD that is included with the book.  So, feel free to ask what you like and I will do my best to answer your questions.  The book retails for $17.95, but some of the online book sellers have reduced prices and also offer it as a download. 

I prepared this book as a way to share what I do when I make house calls, hospital calls, as well as what happens in a session in my office and clinic.  Let me know your thoughts about the book and DVD as well as any questions you want me to answer.  / Dr. G.

I am grateful for the kind endorsements of my professional colleagues and friends who write:

“You are in for a treat… Hypnosis House Call provides you with an opportunity to learn and experience medical hypnosis from a master.” Andrew Weil, MD, from the foreword.

“This beautifully written book and the DVD that accompanies it will teach you powerful, effective ways to use your mind to help your body heal. Somply the best book I have ever read on hypnosis and self-hypnosis, and I have read them all.” Martin Rossman, MD, author, The Worry Solution.

“Clinicians can now learn how to help their patients use the power of the mind to help mend and heal the body. Hypnosis House Call provides step-by-step instructions learning self-hypnosis in a beautifully written and easy to follow guide, along with a DVD that allows you to learn right alongside Dr. Steven Gurgevich, clearly a master in this field. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about incorporating mind-body practices into his/her life and practice.” Tieraona Low Dog, MD, Associate Professor, Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine

Hypnosis House Call is an excellent, one-of-a-kind resource for learning medical hypnosis and the mind-body connection.  Dr. Gurgevich is a world renowned expert in clinical hypnosis and this volume provides the essentials for understanding the principles of hypnotic suggestion and utilization for mind-body healing. This unique book also covers the applications of hypnosis for pain management, anxiety treatment, improving sexual functioning, and a range of medical disorders.  The uses of hypnosis are richly illustrated through actual case examples that are presented in such detail that the reader is “in the consultation room.’  It is a remarkable and highly user friendly book – I highly recommend it! Gary Elkins, Ph.D., ABPP, ABPH, Past President, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, Past President, American Board of Psychological Hypnosis, Professor and Director, Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University.

Learn essentials of self-hypnosis and discover how the mind can  heal the body. Simple, practical, and easy to apply. No longer exiled to mystery and parlor tricks, Dr. Steven Gurgevich brings hypnosis into the 21st Century…and into your home. Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D., Director, The Milton Erickson Foundation

I am very excited to learn of your new book, and have already placed my order! Now that I am teaching medical students and pediatric residents about IM, I thought this might be a great resource to help me teach them about hypnosis. I do use it regularly in our clinics, and they have been amazed at how quickly and easily these techniques can provide benefit.
Thank you again for all that you do, and again for being my personal “teacher”. Joy A. Weydert, MD, Associate Professor, Pediatrics and Integrative Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center

This is a powerful book from start to finish. Beginning with a walk-through on successfully learning self-hypnosis techniques, Dr. Gurgevich then deepens the experience, cementing the concepts learned, using fascinating cases from his own professional experience. He sagely notes, “Words can hurt or words can heal, but they are only words,and they can be changed”, thus transforming long held emotional trauma into a healing. Through the book and the accompanying DVD, he adeptly teaches us to do this, helping both ourselves and our patients…. a rich teaching experience not to be missed. Bridget S. Bongaard, MD, FACP,2005 Fellow in Integrative Medicine, Director of Integrative Medicine, CMC-NorthEast Medical Center

First, I’d like to dispel some common misconceptions about this therapy. For some people who have never tried it, the idea of going into a hypnotic trance may seem weird or scary. But the fact is that we’ve all experienced trance states in everyday life–whether daydreaming, watching a movie, driving home on autopilot, or practicing meditation or other relaxation techniques. Essentially, trance is an altered state of consciousness marked by decreased scope and increased intensity of awareness. What distinguishes hypnotherapy is that it involves a deliberate choice to enter this state of consciousness for a goal beyond relaxation: to focus your concentration and use suggestion to promote healing. It can be done in person with a hypnotherapist or you can do it yourself, called self-hypnosis.

Parlor tricks and stage shows aside, a clinical hypnotherapist will not make you quack like a duck or sing like Elvis. The person in a hypnotic trance is always in control, just as someone who is daydreaming can decide to go on or stop at any time. While the practitioner serves as a teacher or guide, the only person who can hypnotize you is you, since trance is a latent potential of your own mind. Therefore, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.

Some people use it to ease their aching backs. Others find it relieves eczema. Even one of the hot-air balloonists who broke world records by flying around the globe admits he relied on it to steady his nerves and catch some sleep while at the mercy of the jet stream. Hypnotherapy, or trance work, is a group of techniques that allow practitioners and patients to take advantage of the mind-body connection to foster healing. It’s also one of the most common referrals we make for our patients here at the University of Arizona’s Integrative Medicine Clinic. I’ve often recommended it in this newsletter for a wide variety of conditions, and this month I’d like to offer some tips for using it wisely.

From Ancient Roots to Modern Use

Known as “sleep healing” in ancient Greece and “mind cure” in the fourteenth through mid-nineteenth centuries, what we now call hypnosis has a long history of therapeutic use. In the first half of this century it came into favor as a treatment for battle fatigue (what would now be called post-traumatic stress disorder), and later found a niche as a useful approach for kicking habits such as smoking and overeating. More recently I’ve seen this versatile modality gain wider acceptance for a broader spectrum of applications, as more and more people explore mind-body approaches to healing. Meanwhile, scientific researchers have been looking at the benefits of hypnotherapy in a number of small studies. Here’s a brief sampling of what they’ve found:

• Irritable bowel syndrome. A British study of 18 adults with IBS published in The Lancet found that hypnosis “strikingly” reduced colonic motility, thus decreasing diarrhea and cramping (July 11, 1992).

• Erectile dysfunction. In a controlled study of 79 men with impotence from no known organic cause, only hypnosis proved more effective than a placebo, boosting sexual function by 80 percent (British Journal of Urology, February 1996).

• Preparing for surgery. A controlled study of 32 coronary bypass patients showed that those taught self-hypnosis pre-operatively were more relaxed after surgery and had less need for pain medication (Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery, February 1997).

• Pain.A review panel appointed by the National Institutes of Health found “strong evidence” for the use of hypnosis in alleviating pain associated with cancer (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 24-31, 1996).

Here at the Clinic, hypnotherapy has been used effectively to treat a remarkable range of conditions. My colleague Steven Gurgevich, Ph.D., a psychologist with the Program in Integrative Medicine who specializes in clinical hypnosis (and whom we refer a great many of our patients), says he’s seen the most dramatic results with dermatological and gastrointestinal problems, as the skin and gut are areas of the body where stress is commonly expressed. In my own practice, I’ve recommended hypnotherapy to help ease chronic pain, lessen the side effects of chemotherapy, alleviate symptoms of autoimmune disease, and counteract anxiety and sleep disorders. Hypnotherapy can also be used to improve performance skills, as a form of analgesia or sedation for medical and dental procedures–even to stop hemorrhaging in accident victims. In general, I believe that no condition is out of bounds for trying hypnotherapy on.

What to Expect

If you’re interested in working with a clinical hypnotherapist, here’s what to expect. Typically, your first session will begin with a great deal of talking. The therapist asks you questions to get some insight into what motivates you and what your beliefs and expectations might be. When that’s done, the therapist teaches you some type of “induction technique”–the use of a focal point, either internal or external, to concentrate your attention (Hollywood’s version is the swinging pendant). Dr. Gurgevich’s technique is to have you close you eyes while sitting upright in a chair, pressing your thumb and forefinger together, holding your breath for a count of five, then releasing your breath and fingers while letting your mind drift, developing pictures and images to accompany the words you hear him speaking. Some 20 percent of the population go into a trance very easily, while an equal percentage show great resistance–usually around the issue of being controlled–and the therapist may need to work with such people to help them “get out of their own way.”

Once you’re in a state of trance (but still fully aware of where you are and what you’re doing), the therapist offers suggestions specifically geared to the goal of the therapy. For example, he may suggest that a person with irritable bowel syndrome picture the wave-like motions of her digestive system slowing down and becoming smoother, or have a patient with disfiguring warts imagine traveling inside his body to the roots of the offending growths and depriving them of nourishment. Your unconscious mind can then transmit these thoughts and images throughout your mind and body, setting the healing process in motion.

A typical course of hypnotherapy may require from one to five visits (lasting 45 minutes to an hour each), depending on your hypnotizability, the medical condition involved, and your response to treatment. (Your insurance may cover this if it’s performed by an M.D., a Ph.D., a dentist, or a licensed social worker.) The therapist’s role is to teach you how to access the trance state on your own. Once you’ve learned how to do this, you can start using self-hypnosis on a regular basis to maximize your healing potential.

Finding a Reputable Practitioner

While hypnotherapy has proved an invaluable form of therapy when used properly, it has also drawn its fair share of critics over the years, many of whom claim that the results it produces are artifacts–that is, entirely creations of the therapist. Two of the areas in which this is suspected are multiple personality disorder and repressed memory syndrome. I agree that these can be areas of abuse, in which the hypnotherapist may be primarily responsible for eliciting his or her own desired responses. But by screening your prospective therapist carefully, you can steer clear of unscrupulous or ineffective practices.

Here are some tips from Dr. Steve Gurgevich on locating a good, trustworthy therapist:

• Find someone qualified to treat the condition in question.There are a great many people out there advertising that they are “certified” hypnotherapists but who have no education or background to treat medical or psychological conditions. If possible, try to find a specialist in your condition–such as a pain specialist or gastroenterologist–who also practices clinical hypnosis (the contact organization listed below breaks down its practitioners’ lists according to area of specialty). Otherwise, seek out a professional psychotherapist specializing in clinical hypnotherapy who has treated other people with your condition.

• Listen to your gut. The rapport of “chemistry” between patient and therapist is very important in order for the therapy to be beneficial. If you have any feelings of distrust toward your therapist or if you feel that you are being persuaded against your instinct, find another therapist.

• Look out for red flags. Be leery of therapists who ask for a set number of sessions in advance, as it may be possible to achieve your desired goal in a single session. Beware also of those who say they’re going to “hypnotize you” or who promise a “cure”: The therapist is there simply to teach you how to harness the mind-body skills you already possess.

____________________________________________________________________________

For a list of qualified practitioners near you, send an SASE along with a request indicating your state and city to the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, 33 W. Grand Ave., Suite 402, Chicago IL 60610. For more information on hypnotherapy, check out Steven Gurgevich’s Web site at http://www.healingwithhypnosis.com.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Andrew Weil’s Self Healing.
Subscriptions from (800) 523-3296. Copyright 1999 by Thorne Communications, Inc.

For other interesting articles by Dr. Weil please visit his Self Healing newsletter website at http://www.drweilselfhealing.com.

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