THE Hypnotherapy Journal Issue 1 Vol 9 www.hypnotherapists.org.uk Spring 2009

Hypnotherapy Is there any evidence?

Website Design

5 tips for success Paul White NCH Chairman talks about Life, the NCH Stereotypes and Everything Impact on performance

moving therapy forward National Council for Hypnotherapy Address: PO Box 14542, Studley, Warwickshire, B97 9HH Phone / Fax: 0844 736 5806 / 0844 736 5762 Website: www.hypnotherapists.org.uk Email: [email protected] Contents Editorial...... 1 Committee News and AGM...... 2 Letters to the Editor...... 6 The Power of Appreciation...... 8 Hypnosis, Stereotypes and Performance...... 10 Paul White: View From Behind The Chair...... 12 Crossing the Void...... 15 Supervision: Necessary Nuisance or Value-added Benefit?...... 20 ‘Omen Nomen’: Naming and the Nature of Life...... 23 Hypnotherapy as an Empirically-Supported Treatment (EST) ...... 28 Successful Website Design...... 31 Metaphor Corner...... 32 CPD Diary, Noticeboard and Classified...... 34 Book Reviews...... 35

The NCH Committee Chairman: Paul White Tel: 0208 669 6990 email: [email protected] Company Secretary: Martin Armstrong-Prior Tel: 0116 276 4911 email: [email protected] Marketing Director: Paul Howard Tel: 0208 669 6990 email: [email protected] Ethics Director: Trevor Silvester Tel: 01638 720020 email: [email protected] Technology Director: Rob Woodgate Tel: 0844 736 5806 email: [email protected] Research Director: Donald Robertson Tel: 01403 248266 email: [email protected] Development Director: Position Currently Vacant Tel: 0844 736 5806 Supervision Director: Nick Cooke Tel: 0121 444 1110 email: [email protected] Ex-Officio Roles Administrators: Brenda Bentley and Margaret Wiggall Tel: 0844 736 5806 email: [email protected] training & Accreditation: John Harrington Tel: 0844 736 5806 email: [email protected] professional Standards: Jo-Anne Kelleher Tel: 0844 736 5806 email: [email protected] Journal Editor: Rob Woodgate Tel: 01474 740724 email: [email protected]

The National Council for Hypnotherapy, established in 1973 under its former title “The Hypnotherapy Register”, represents the practice of Clinical Hypnotherapy as a discrete profession in its own right. Membership is open to those practitioners able to demonstrate appropriate knowledge, evidence of training and clinical experience relevant to the field. The NCH is a member of the UK Confederation of Hypnotherapy Organisations. events are neither good nor bad; it Editorial is the personal meaning we attach to them which informs our perspective, and every cloud has a silver lining, if only we care to look for it.

Closer to home, the news that the NCH cancelled the 2009 annual conference will have been seen as ‘bad news’ by some, and I must admit the sugges- tion raised my eyebrows when it was proposed at the committee meeting, until the facts were presented. h Spring. A time for new (read: sensational) as possible and growth, renewal and opti- their readers absorb that viewpoint of The silver lining comes in the form mism. A time of gambol- the world, creating more demand for of a one day ‘Hypnotherapy Extrava- ling lambs, flowers and that viewpoint. ganza’, to be held at the Royal Society Apositive thoughts of summer days to of Medicine in London on Saturday come... Yes, I am purposely leaving Science seems to back this up too. 20th June (the old conference date is all doom and gloom of credit crunch Studies on something known as the still free in your diary, right?) and economic turmoil out of this edi- ‘availability heuristic’ have shown torial in the interests of balance. You that our minds pay more attention The line-up is very impressive - can get plenty of that elsewhere if to the emotional impact of some- including Professor Susan Black- you want it. thing than the probability of it occur- more, who is a leading psychologist ring. So when we are bombarded by and contributor to The Guardian; Dr. So here is your advanced warning - a constant stream of selective (and John Butler, who is one of the lead- if you don’t want a dose of rampant usually negative) news reports and ing lights in the practice of hypnosur- optimism, turn the page now. images, all with highly emotional gery; Dr. David Kato, who is an inter- content, our minds fixate on the nationally recognised expert in CBT; Still with me? Thanks, I knew I could emotional aspect and our cognition Gary May, who is a leading marketing rely on you... is skewed as a result. guru; and Maggy Wallace, who is the co-chair of the Complementary and I made a choice a number of years This is one of the reasons why stories Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), ago to stop following the news, with of high profile plane crashes played the body responsible for co-ordinat- its steady diet of murder, despair, endlessly in ‘breaking news’ cause ing the Government’s Voluntary Self injustice and disaster. I still keep tabs flying phobics to freak out - even Regulation (VSR) process. on what is happening in the world, though statistically a person is five but I don’t allow myself to get drawn times more likely to die falling out What’s more, NCH members get first into the detail too much, unless it is of bed than of dying in an aeroplane option to register, at the special rate an inspiring story. And, on the whole, crash. It seems you are even safer if of £50 (yes, you read that correctly). I have been a lot happier as a result. your pilot is called Chesley B ‘Sully’ Oh, and you also get a CPD certificate Sullenberger III. for 7 hours. As hypnotherapists, we know that people often get stuck because of Apart from having a name that puts Quite simply, it’s not so much a silver fixed ideas and limiting beliefs: the a smile on my face, ‘Sully’s’ story of lining as a whole silver sky. You can way a person perceives the world is heroic coolness under pressure as read all about it in the centre pages heavily influenced by their beliefs he landed Flight 1549 safely into of this edition. about the world, and these beliefs the Hudson river after a double bird in turn are strengthened by these strike, was inspirational. Enjoy the read. filtered perceptions. Vicious circle. To flying phobics, however, it was Rob Woodgate The media is an extension of this probably another good example of process; news editors supply the why flying is so awful. types of stories that their readership expect, making them as ‘informative’ The point I’m trying to make is that

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal  Committee News and AGM Standards News

I would like to introduce myself as the Standards Officer (which is the role formerly known as the Public Protection Officer). I have over 20 years of experience dealing with enquiries and complaints from VSR progresses, new testimonial rules the general public and I look forward View From The Chair are likely to be introduced for every- in contributing to the success of the one, because of the multidisciplinary NCH. approach of the Complementary Well it certainly is Natural Healthcare Council. These I hope to bring awareness to members fun; the snow I rules may be less prescriptive than of any issues that may appear ambig- mean. I have just our current rules and more inclusive, uous or need more clarification. ploughed through But it’s early days and a consultation snow, abandoned process will have to take place before One such issue is that of NHS logos. buses, and drifts any changes are proposed or made. to get to my The NHS has advised that the use consulting rooms Talking about change, we are of the NHS logo, or phrases such as and cannot help reflecting on the link proposing a two level approach to “NHS registered provider”, in any form between people who cancel their our conference plans. We intend to of advertising (including a website) appointments and their underlying utilise the date that many of you will could mislead the general public by conditions. I can almost hear Donald have in your diary for our cancelled giving the impression that the NHS Robertson’s Scottish brogue in the conference on the 20th of June to is endorsing the work of that hypno- background suggesting a bit of hold a one day “CPD Extravaganza” therapist. “evidence based research!” in central London. The delegate rate will be £50, we are hoping to make a Possession of an NHS number does I am little surprised that the testimo- profit from this event, which we will not give any rights to use the NHS nial debate is still continuing, but it is use to subsidise our “Conference” name or logo, and the NHS have refreshing that we are continuing to later in the year. I am aware that this advised that use of the logo in this encourage such lively debate. June date may clash with other events, manner is considered a violation of however we have always thought of their legally registered trademark. To help define a little better the this date as being an “NCH date” and definition of testimonial we have a believe that an affordable “special Hypnotherapists cannot use the NHS clear form of words: “A testimonial event” is what our members want. identity nor imply any association is a formal statement testifying to We will be advising you of speakers between themselves and the NHS. someone’s character and/or qualifi- (possibly in this issue) or in the very cations.” near future. Any member displaying this logo will therefore be in breach of section 6 We have advised this definition to I feel that as I also have an interview (Advertising) of the Code of Ethics. U.K.C.H.O. in the journal that I have a rather large input this quarter so I will draw If any members have any concerns or Many of you will have taken advan- to a close. issues that they want clarifying, feel tage of the link to the “myth bust- free to contact me. ing video“ on the NCH website. This Best wishes to everyone. I look forward video is a testament to a process and to seeing all in June. [email protected] not the skills of an individual, so it doesn’t conflict with the testimo- Paul White Jo-Anne Kelleher nial rule. UKCHO anticipates that as

 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk in hypnotherapy? What proportion Research News of NCH members actually subscribe The James to the main research journals in their First of all, I’d like field? Do members require additional to thank the other training (CPD) in research methods Braid Society committee mem- and evidence-based practice? Are bers for their members able to access the existing The society is non-profit mak- support since I resources in this area? Let me know ing and offers an open invita- assumed the role your thoughts by emailing me at tion to therapists to come along of Research [email protected]. to one of its monthly meetings, Director. Second, whether members or not. I’d like to get straight down to In the meantime, I would like to begin business... by drawing attention to the funda- Annual subscription is a one- mental question… “Which applica- off payment of £30.Visitors are If NCH members are going to truly tions of hypnotherapy are scientifi- welcome to come and “try out” benefit from research in their field cally supported?” My article in this the club before joining by just then I think most of you will agree edition of the journal attempts to help paying £7 entrance fee. that there needs to be a general rais- answer this question by summarising ing of awareness about the resources in tabular form the findings of a recent Meetings are held in Central available and the content of scien- review of the research, published by London, upstairs at “The Car- tific evidence supporting the use of David Wark in the American Jour- penters Arms”, 12 Seymour hypnotherapy and defining its nature. nal of Clinical Hypnosis, which used Place, W1H 7NE. Nearest tube Research is one of the main factors established criteria for identifying station Marble Arch. which can contribute to confidence “empirically-supported therapies” or in your practice; it acts as a coun- ESTs. I think this provides an ideal Talks cover a range of subjects ter-measure against the hype and starting point for future discussion of interest to anyone involved pseudoscience which sadly tend to in this area and I’m sure that NCH in clinical hypnosis. Expert predominate in the hypnotherapy members will find it stimulating and speakers are always welcome. field; it provides you with evidence of considerable practical use in their to present to others in promoting own work with clients. So the next The meetings begin at 7.15pm your services. However, nowhere is time you hear someone complaining, and end at 9pm on Thursdays. the notorious gulf between clinical “It’s a pity there’s not more research practice and research evidence more on hypnosis!”, you can slap them Dates for 2009: apparent than in the field of hypno- around the head a few times with a therapy. rolled up copy of this journal and set Mar 19th them straight on the facts. Apr 16th I therefore welcome, and heartily May 21st encourage, all enquiries from NCH Hypnotherapy is the original psycho- Jun 18th members regarding research on the logical therapy, and although there is Jul 23rd subject of hypnosis. However, we always an infinite amount of “addi- Sep 17th could probably do a bit more to tional research required”, we stand on Oct 15th facilitate these questions and to put a broad-based and fairly stable foun- Nov 19th the relevant factual information at dation of experimental and clinical members’ fingertips. I have several evidence that should frankly make us Chairman, Leila Hart proposals in mind but I would also the envy of most other psychological 0207 4024311 like to encourage members not to therapies. Do me a favour. Visit the Secretary, Fiaz Ayub hesitate in getting in touch with website below right now. It’s PubMed, 0207 2864107 me directly with any suggestions the portal for accessing health-related Membership, Margaret Sin- for services which they feel the NCH research run by the US Government’s clair 0208 3956766 Research Director could be provid- National Institute for Health. ing. Some questions which I hope to www.jamesbraidsociety.com investigate in the next few months http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ include: Do members feel that they pubmed/ would benefit from specific guidance leaflets on evidence-based practice Do a search for articles containing the

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal  words “neurolinguistic programming” and we helped her stop smoking. She (in quotes). I get 72 hits! Now you can is still going strong, so hopefully, if Training & Accreditation have fun all evening making a graph she stays a non-smoker, her story will News comparing the number of citations be going into the paper. you get when typing in the names of Over the past few other therapies. Gestalt therapy? 154 Currently we have a great article and days, the NCH has hits. Let’s be generous and try “Adle- video on their web site see: reached yet rian or Jungian” put together… 675 another milestone hits. What about hypnotherapy? You http://tinyurl.com/cdq93d with the HPD… we need to type “hypnosis” OR “hypno- have now regis- therapy” (with quotes). How many The Jewish Chronicle is writing an tered over 2,000 results come back? That’s right: article on Hypnotherapy in their candidates! To add to this, the current 9,537 nearly ten thousand individual health and wellbeing section, in number of people that have achieved citations. To be fair, some of those which we are featured quite heavily. that HPD stands at 1,253; this has are about “hypnotic” drugs, but there This will be coming out the week of been added to by 84 people in Decem- are still clearly several thousand refer- the 27th February. ber – well done to you all! ences to hypnotherapy and clinical hypnosis. We are in the early stages of work- The December verification was the ing with a BBC production team on a first one that I undertook using the Hypnotherapy lags pretty far behind documentary about eating disorders ‘Direct Claim Status’ system. This CBT in terms of its empirical support, and working with kids. has made the process a little more but in the same regard it arguably streamlined as I am able to claim the stands head-and-shoulders above The CPD extravaganza that we are certificates at the point of ‘Internal most other psychotherapies, despite planning for the 20th June in central Verification’. We will still be having their long-standing tendency to London is taking a lot of time to an ‘External Verification’ from the look down their collective noses at organise. However with the current NCFE twice a year to ensure that we it. However, the growing emphasis line-up, we are hoping that we can maintain our high standards. upon evidence-based practice may attract a lot of media interest. As a well result in a rude awakening for member you need to get in quickly NCH ‘Trainee Membership’ those who previously viewed hypno- for this event because in April we are therapy as a poor relation because it going to open it up to non-members All students registered on an NCH looks as if by getting there first, in the as well, and we are limited for space Accredited Training School HPD course “prehistory” of psychotherapy, James - so don’t miss out, see the centre need to become ‘Trainee’ members of Braid staked his claim to certain spread in this journal. the NCH. The reason behind this is to “well-established” psychological and give students an independent appeals physiological laws, such as the power Finally we are developing a completely process and to provide schools with of suggestion and focused attention, new website under the guidance of support for second level grievances. which have stood the test of time and our Technology Director. This will be This has been supported by the NCFE look set to be confirmed again and going live soon and will provide all the and is a requirement of the External again in coming years. old functionality plus a much better Verification process. customer experience for the prospec- Donald Robertson tive client. The aim of this change is From a purely practical point of view, to help the prospective client find you I use the NCH database to obtain the more easily, and to offer more rele- addresses to post the HPD certifi- Marketing News vant information to the public and a cates. There are also benefits to the better service to our members. I hope students, the trainee membership is you love it as much as I do. free and they get a quarterly copy So what have we of this wonderful journal! Students been up to with Paul Howard become trainee members by complet- regard to the ing an online form on the NCH marketing? Well, website. we worked with a journalist from HPD registrations – student names THE SUN, just before Christmas. Her name is Sarah, This is a plea to all training schools…

 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk please can you make sure that the and representatives of UKCHO. At for Integrated Health (FIH) towards students’ names are spelt correctly on this meeting it was agreed to issue the forthcoming voluntary self regu- the HPD registration forms! Once an the following Joint Statement to lation of our profession. As part of HPD certificate has been issued, it can all hypnotherapy organisations, this process there has been a series cost up to £25 to get a replacement hypnotherapy training schools and of meetings which have resulted in for amending a name. This is a cost hypnotherapy practitioners. (NB. a coming together of the different that will have to be covered by the The Working Group and UKCHO interested parties representing our training school or the student. Please collectively represent an estimated profession. This should enable us to also ensure that students update their 95% of the UK hypnotherapy present a unified front to the Prince’s NCH membership entry if they change profession.) Foundation, ensuring that we have address. across the board representation on “We, The Working Group for The Complementary and Natural Verification deadlines: Hypnotherapy Regulation and The Healthcare Council (CNHC) who have UK Confederation of Hypnotherapy been set up to oversee the regulation • 28th February Organisations (UKCHO) agree that of all complementary and alternative • 30th April both organisations have a central health care professionals. • 30th June role to play in contributing to the • 31st August development of the profession of The UKCHO national register was a • 31st October Hypnotherapy. We honour and year old this last December (2008). • 31st December support each others’ contributions FIH state that it is hoped that Hypno- to this development to date, and therapy will be part of the CNHC by the John Harrington recognise each others’ respective spring of 2010, and, if this happens, it achievements. As our profession is envisaged that the UKCHO national will best be served by co-opera- register will be integrated with the UKCHO News tion and unity, we intend to put new CNHC register. any remaining differences aside The profession and to explore working together What happens next? continues to for the purposes of voluntary self- zigzag its way regulation of the UK hypnotherapy Part of the criteria includes the estab- towards the goal profession in the future”. lishment of a National Committee of Voluntary Self for Hypnotherapy Regulation, whose Regulation. Being William Broom & Chris Forester: membership would include a Lay the NCH rep and Working Group for Hypnotherapy Chair and at least one Lay Member, chair of UKCHO Regulation together with representatives from has meant that I have to be prepared the hypnotherapy profession. (The to swerve between optimism and John Lawrence & Peter present joint UKCHO and Hypno- dejection at a moment’s notice. Matthews: UK Confederation of therapy Working Group negotiators Generally however, for this issue of Hypnotherapy Organisations along with others may initially act as the Journal anyway, the trend is representatives for the profession in towards optimism. This is no small This represents an unprece- the CNHC). The programme of work part because of the progress and dented level of co-operation within for the National Committee would rhetoric as detailed in the attached the hypnotherapy community and include the preparation of agreed GHR bulletin: which can only bode well for the standards for education and train- future of our profession. ing, agreed codes of conduct, ethics E-Bulletin: January 2009 and practice, together with a public - Hypnotherapy Regulation The first joint meeting, again under register of accredited hypnothera- Update: PROFESSIONAL UNITY the auspices of The Prince’s Founda- pists, who were safe and competent ANNOUNCED tion, has been arranged for Wednes- to practice. day 18th February 2009. We are pleased to report that, Whilst there is still much work to be on Tuesday 9th December 2008, This gives grounds for optimism that done before we are ready to become organised by The Prince’s Founda- can only be welcomed by all. As part of the CNHC, the UKCHO has tion for Integrated Health (http:// you will be aware, the NCH as part been in consultation with affiliated www.fih.org.uk/), a meeting was of UKCHO has been actively work- training schools to agree on a set of held between the Working Group ing with The Prince’s Foundation standards for education and training,

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal  codes of conduct, ethics and prac- tice. Letters to the Editor

After ten years of dallying within the profession the time for action is now. The VSR bus for hypnotherapy is about to leave, and UKCHO is deter- mined to be on it. There are some within the profession who still have reservations and despite the view held by some – we will be able to get off at any stage. This will happen if it transpires that it is not within the best interests of the profession. addressed, and to know what will Brickbats happen about it now. Speaking personally it is my view that further dallying and hesitancy on our Just as an aside, there is the question part may well result in a swift action Dear Rob, of why you are publishing anony- that will put the profession some- mous letters in the first place. That where it does not want to be. If we I am writing to express my concern issue came out just before a course delay to the extent that we become at the fact that the latest edition I attended and I overheard a couple one of the last few complementary of the HJ which arrived this morn- of members saying they presumed health professions operating outside ing, did not correct the error in your you had written it as an excuse to say any Statutory or Voluntary regula- reply to an anonymous letter in the your bit. tory framework then we will be ripe last edition, despite me highlighting for such action. So if you have any this to the Chair who assured me he Fiona Biddle comments/observations that you would raise this with you. want me to pass on to the UKCHO Editor’s Reply: Alas, we are all Executive, please let the NCH exec- In that edition (Autumn 2008) you human, and not even the Journal is utive know by emailing the NCH said: “Although the vote was close on immune from the occasional gremlin. administrator. the floor, the motion to overrule was Your request was overshadowed by defeated by the proxy voters, most a number of other errors in the last [email protected] of whom, I understand, chose not to edition (see box right). instruct their proxy how to vote”. You John Lawrence also mentioned the latter part of this If any member has comments about in your editorial. anything in the Journal, it is better to bring to my attention by emailing me The vote on the floor was 19 for, 65 directly and I can ensure your view- against with 8 abstentions. Hardly point is expressed via this forum. close! Allowing anonymous letters on the Also, you may “understand” that most thorny subject of testimonials was proxy voters choose not to instruct not a decision I took lightly. I strongly their proxies, but, speaking for myself, believed that members were loath to some of mine do, but most, when I discuss this issue for fear of victimi- ask (and I do often ask if I get the sation, even bullying, from certain Got something chance) say that there is no need to quarters of the NCH membership. tell me because it’s obvious how I’m Although I probably wouldn’t offer to say? going to vote anyway! After all, most anonymity again, my personal expe- proxies are given to the executive and rience in expressing a contrary view- Whatever your view, email your their position on all votes, other than point suggests to me that it was the letters to me at: elections, is clear from the outset. right thing to do at that time.

[email protected] I would like, therefore, to ask for an In any case, I would have no need explanation as to why this was not to make an excuse to ‘say my bit’

 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk - I have the Editorial to express my follow him into the bathroom this opinions should I wish to do so - and Confessions time to see what he was up to… he the members have the ‘Letters’ page was standing in front of the mirror to express theirs. repeating Dear Rob, The Journal is an open forum for “She’s not my wife... members to express responsible and Sometimes I get it wrong… big style. She’s not my wife... legal opinion, and all viewpoints are She’s not my wife...” welcomed, even if they are not ones I A client came to me with a common agree with personally. problem which I was able to immedi- Vicki McKay ately eradicate after only one session. The women suffered the most awful Editor’s Reply: Ah, the old ones are headaches. Easily able to enter into the oldest... Bouquets trance I taught her some techniques to use at home. ‘Stand in front of a mirror… go to that wonderful place Dear Rob, and repeat an affirmation such as:

I hope you had a good Christmas “I do not have a headache... and a fun new year. Due to my I do not have a headache... many escapes from extended family I do not have a headache...” members I managed to find enough hiding places and time to read your The following week her reluctant journal from cover to cover. Very husband arrived at my surgery. So interesting and diverse! delighted were they with the results she had sent him along to see if I Your interview with Gil Boyne certainly could do anything about not being Gremlin Watch posed some interesting questions exactly… how shall I say it… a ball of such as, what drives his enormous fire in the bedroom. I decided to use AGM Minutes conviction, belief and certainty that a similar approach. enables him to “overwhelm the criti- The AGM minutes incorrectly cal factor” (as you so succinctly put A few day’s later the furious women stated that the motion to it)? I would loved to have been a fly appeared absolutely spitting bullets. change the rules on testimoni- on the wall. Apparently, following the appoint- als was agreed. It should have ment, her husband came home, read: I also enjoyed the article on Shaman- ripped off her clothes dragged her “Motion defeated with 83 ism by Martin White. Funnily enough, upstairs, put her on the bed and said votes for, 345 votes against, it was the article I least expected to ‘Don’t move I’ll be back in a minute’ and 10 abstentions.” like, but his translation of the arcane He went into the bathroom, then into the mundane was refreshing and came back and made love to her like clear. never before. Progressive Pause Apologies to Alan Grievson, I don’t know how much feedback you Round two, after another visit to the whose efforts in sourcing, get for all your work on the journal bathroom, it was even better than procuring and converting the but, for what its worth, I think it is before. Shortly after, with her head Charlie Curtis resources (Letters one of the most essential elements of spinning she is flabbergasted to hear to the Editor: Winter 08) for the NCH. him say ‘Don’t move I’ll be back in a NCH member use were not minute.’ recognised. Ensuring that it reflects the face and direction of the NCH, caters for all At this point I interrupted, ‘surely you Without Alan’s efforts, these the inclinations of the readers, enter- must be delighted!’ valuable resources would not tains and seriously informs must be a be available to members. nightmare! ‘Oh, don’t get me wrong I’m abso- lutely over the moon’ she replied John Hayes ‘except for one thing… I decided to

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal  wife and I, how our life was; and The Power of Appreciation when I mentioned that Bex has been dragging a virus around for a couple of months now he was concerned. I By Trevor Silvester felt ridiculous for bringing it up, but his interest was so genuine it came out as part of a natural flow in an unnatural moment.

So the man is dying and he still puts his tracksuit on and brings his pain to the gym. Why? “You’ve got to live while you’re living, haven’t you, son?” his seems to be a year when lous British reserve that made us feel He said. “I’m going to keep on doing old men called Bill have we didn’t know him well enough to what I want to do, while I want to do brought me a lesson. impose ourselves more. it. And I want to do this.”

T When we moved home 4 This morning, a cold December morn- I left him hanging on for Pat, a young years ago we joined a gym in Newmar- ing, I was on the running machine. professional boxer who is fighting ket. We like to train early and, every It overlooks the weights area, and this weekend in London. Bill wants morning as regular as clockwork, one I suddenly noticed an old man on a ticket, in case he has the energy to of the people through the door with the leg extension. It was Bill. Look- go, but partly I think he just wants us would be a man called Bill. He’s ing older, more frail, but still Bill. I Pat to know that he cares. 76, and always buzzed with life and watched that man for the next twenty energy. To be honest he was an inspi- minutes, moving from machine to I teach and preach positive psychol- ration, because when I’m that age I machine, so slowly and carefully, ogy. I routinely talk about how it’s not hope to still be training as well as he obviously in pain, but so obviously what happens to us but our response was – and to look as fit. determined. I felt humbled by his to it that dictates who we are. I quote effort and I’m not ashamed to say Victor Frankl when he said that man’s Like many things, Bill became a small that my vision became increasingly last freedom is his attitude to his situ- part of the fabric of our life. We’d blurry. That’s a British way of saying ation. But rarely have these things exchange brief words about football, that I was in tears. leapt from a page and into my life in or he’d try to encourage me to watch the way they did today. Bill contin- Strictly Come Dancing (he’s a big I found him in the dumbbell room ues to inspire me, and now I know Brucie fan), but mainly it was just a sitting on a bench. Tired as he so he always will. But not just to keep friendly wave as we got on with the obviously was his face still split wide fit, but to appreciate the small things business of training. in a grin. I was so I can do for others that matter, and overwhelmed to see the things that others do for me that In May of this year him that I hugged remind me that I matter too. he stopped appear- him, sweaty as I was. ing, and word came He took it in good from the reception- “You’ve got to live part. ists that he had while you’re living, cancer. I remember haven’t you, son?” Bill is dying. He’s had our shock at this the operations, but, QUOTE-NOTES tear in the fabric, the from as much detail sense of unfairness as he wanted to go for someone so vital into, it’s a question “Learn everything you can, to be struck down in of time. Yet what he anytime you can, from anyone this way. We hoped for the best but wanted to talk about was how he you can - there will always come somehow reconciled ourselves to the appreciated the card we sent, “those a time when you will be grateful worst – after all, he’s 76… A card was little things really matter”; he was so you did. organised from all his friends at the amazingly grateful for such a small gym; I guess for many of us a desire effort, and returned to it several to do something, but with the ridicu- times. He wanted to know about my Sarah Caldwell”

 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal  Hypnosis, Stereotypes and Performance

By John Peters

ow do some people per- found that the major difference form better at abstract between the two groups was how reasoning, mathemat- effectively they filtered out irrelevant INTERNATIONAL ics and other forms of information. Or in other words how Hcomplex problem solving? How can effective they were at keeping their ACCREDITATION a change of social context be detri- attention or focus on the task in mental to ability? Can we help people hand. The supposed high capacity The National Guild of Hypnotists is improve their performance? performers were efficient at filtering the oldest (founded in 1951) and out information that was irrelevant largest professional society for In the June/July 2008 edition of to the problem while low capacity hypnotherapists in the world. Scientific American Mind (SiAM), subject weren’t. Paradoxically though, Andrew W McCollough and Edward they also discovered that the so- The NCH has negotiated a reciprocal K Vogel reported on studies to deter- called low capacity subjects actually agreement with the NGH in the USA, mine how people who were good at used up more working memory than which currently has members in 40 abstract problem solving utilised their their counterparts and it was because countries. Check their website at brain as compared to those who were much of that information was irrel- www.ngh.net for more information less able to perform complex cogni- evant to the task in hand they under about their conferences and tive tasks. Initially it seemed that there performed. publications. was a physical difference in capacity, that is, better performers simply had So, what has that to do with ther- A 20% discount is available for your more working memory with which to apy? first year’s membership, which brings compute. This was because they were with it four editions of the Journal able to remember more information When considered in context with other of Hypnotism and four editions of at once and performed better on research into what affects perform- the Hypno-Gram. abstract tasks. ance I hope to show that having this knowledge enhances our repertoire If you would like to take advantage Although there is no known limit to of interventions and increases the of this opportunity please contact long-term memory capacity, it is well potential benefit for clients. Su for an application form. documented that there is a limit to how much of that stored information In the previous edition of SiAM an we can have conscious awareness article by S. Alexander et al, entitled of at any one time. This conscious The Social Psychology of Success the awareness or working memory may authors highlight what they call the be limited by one of two factors. Effect of the Stereotype Threat. The first, which is mentioned above, is capacity; the second may be how “Peoples performance on intel- efficiently that capacity is used. lectual and athletic tasks is shaped by awareness of stereotypes about By monitoring electrical activity in the groups to which they belong.” the brains of subjects considered to have high or low capacity work- A study by Steel and Aronson in ing memory, McCullough and Vogel, the 1990’s demonstrated that

10 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk high achieving African-Americans information. It also appears that the by seeing themselves in the future performed worse in tests when they ability to filter out information that is having failed or time distortion when were told that the test was for intel- irrelevant to the task in hand may be time seems to drag forever. It may be ligence rather than knowledge. That the way to enhance performance. that clients disable themselves with female students who have been made self-talk that supports the DTP; self aware of the stereotype that men How do people who manage to avoid talk that is a post hypnotic sugges- have better mathematical skills than this trap do so? And what can we tion for failure. women, subsequently perform worse learn from that to pass on to others? in complex mathematical tasks than We can also explore whether the they do when not made aware. Other There are three proposed ways of change that will make the differ- stereotypes may also affect perform- thinking that allow people to cope ence should be aimed at the personal ance. The Australians do not perform and are ways of thinking about ones or social identity level. I think that as well as they might be expected to self at the level of identity, either sometimes we can get so involved in the Masters. Could this be because personal or social. in promoting personal freedom that an Australian has never won inter- we miss the potential conflict with a feres with their ability? And what • Accept the prevailing stereotype: client’s social identity. about England’s record in penalty “We are inferior, but I am not.” shootouts? Clients use words in their self-talk that • Redefine the prevailing stereotype incapacitate them. This is the irrel- Studies at the University of Padu but don’t directly challenge it: evant information mentioned above. in Italy show that women exposed “We are different” By using hypnosis to utilise the DTP to the math stereotype have more we can help clients learn how to filter intrusive thoughts. For example, they • Propose alternatives and engage this information out and give them think things like, “These exercises are in social competition: “We are not the skills to manage their focus in any too difficult for me.” Or “I’m no good inferior.” social context. They can then believe at math.” This sub-vocalisation of the at the subconscious level that they stereotype affects the individual at I believe that as therapists we can are as competent as they know they the identity level. (I am … …). develop templates that teach people are at the conscious level new ways of thinking. By offering References: This effect seems to be most an explanation based on the above Scientific America Mind April/May 2008 The Social pronounced when things have to be information we can prime clients for Psychology of Success. Authors, S Alexander thought through and require phono- this approach to therapy. Therapy that Haslam, Jessica Salvatore, Thomas Kessler and Stephen D Reicher logical effort. can help clients to understand that it Scientific America Mind June/July 2008 Your Inner is not how clever or gifted someone Spam Filter. Authors, Andrew W McCollough It seems then that stereotypical beliefs is, it is how they utilise their cognitive and Edward K Vogel about our social, gender or racial abilities that makes the difference. In group can affect us at a cognitive hypnotic terms, people can experience level. And that affect is manifested the effects of Deep Trance Phenom- through intrusive thoughts that ena (DTP). For example, amnesia for interfere with our ability to process their true ability, age progression

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 11 day, so basically that keeps me in Paul White: View From shape. I am a prolific reader of books. I also love anything to do with motor sport; I used to do bit of motor racing Behind The Chair myself but now I am more of specta- tor. I live in central London and love the theatre and opera; I manage to By Rob Woodgate visit one or the other every month. Eating out is also a great adventure for me, and on the less fun side of things I am also involved in Corpo- rate Mentoring and running a couple of non Hypnotherapy related busi- RW: Paul, tell us a little about your- nesses. self... you were on the board at BMW weren’t you? RW: What can we look forward to from the NCH in 2009? PW: Yes I was, although we are going back few years now. My last posi- PW: The first thing I would like to tion sounded very grand. The French do is to clarify the decision about have a very elaborate way of saying the conference. There appears to ‘Managing Director’. They say ‘Presi- be a little misunderstanding out dent Directeur Generale’ so my last there, maybe even a little misin- couple of years before I retired were formation. It is correct to say that based in Paris looking after France; we did cancel the 09 conference, before that I had been Operations although, we made it perfectly clear Director of the BMW FS Group in that we ‘hope to organise an alter- the UK and subsequently Managing native, less expensive (but maybe Director Land Rover FS UK. shorter) conference later in the year at a different venue’. That statement RW: How did you get into Hypno- Paul White, NCH Chairman wasn’t a hollow aspiration. It is our therapy? firm intention to have another event, PW: There are some guiding prin- an event that is both affordable for PW: It was rather a surprising transi- ciples which help shape our path. I most of our members and one which tion. My son Mark was working with discussed these with our executive at excites the membership. I believe, and an internationally renowned group my inaugural meeting as a chairman. your executive shares my view, that of therapists in Harley Street who We need to be the ‘Best’ in the eyes asking our members to part with over specialise in the entertainment indus- not just our members, but everyone three hundred pounds in the current try - so you know when, for example, in the profession, other health care economic climate is to ignore real- pop groups fall out with each other, professionals and the general public. ity and disregards our members’ own the record company call in specialist We need to maintain the high- financial constraints. Our conference therapists to help salvage their multi est ‘Standards’ and provide benefits last year was certainly greatly enjoyed million pound investment. Anyway, in that meet and exceed our ‘Members’ by many who attended, although his practice he spotted on the notice expectations, I mentioned in that not by everyone, but importantly it board a seminar run by Gil Boyne. I meeting that every decision we make, was also significantly subsidised by was mentioning to Mark that after every initiative we start must move the NCH. In other words, income the first few months of my retirement, along that path: Best, Standards, from those who attended did not now that summer was over and I was Members (BSM). cover costs. Of course, I would have playing less golf, boredom was begin- liked to have consulted with all our ning to set in - so he suggested I go RW: What do you like to do when members regarding this big change in to the seminar. The rest is history. you are not hypnotising people? our calendar; unfortunately we didn’t really have time to consult as we had RW: What is your vision for the PW: I have already mentioned golf to contact the venue before year end NCH? of course. I also play tennis and run to fulfil our contractual obligations. between three and five miles every

12 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk A couple of members have written sity recognition of the HPD, and John if anyone has any ideas or thought to me expressing their disappoint- Harrington has done some tremen- about our future, please give me a call ment; I have spoken to them person- dous work in agreeing a provisional to discuss - ideally we should all be ally and reassured them as I would understanding with the University. involved in this process. To summa- like to reassure all our readers that As soon as we have confirmation we rise, there is a lot happening! we will be having a get together this will let you know. John will also be year. At this moment the executive working with Donald Robertson, our RW: You are not kidding! On a is coming up with ideas, suggesting new Research Director, to introduce personal note, what is your favourite speakers, pricing venues and looking a new higher level HPD+, but again film (and why)? at timings. It is not just an event, it more later when we have more detail is an important get together for all and have discussed the proposals with PW: Being There, it is based on a of us - an exchange of ideas and our training schools. Donald intends book by Jerzy Kosinki and stars Peter meeting up with many old friends to initiate research projects and a Sellers, who plays a simple gardener and colleagues. I passionately believe research model that can be shared who has lead a life of complete isola- it must be accessible to as many of by all; in other words, helping us to tion with only his garden and TV for our members as possible - currently, validate evidence based therapy. This company. All his needs are taken care less than ten percent of our member- is undeniably the way ahead, we will of by a rich benefactor and his house ship attend the conference, and that get this moving this year. keeper. His benefactor dies and the includes all those members who gardener ventures from the house, attended only one day, which just There is so much more. Just think- and unaccustomed to traffic he has isn’t enough. ing out loud, the Journal has been an accident. From this moment, using transformed by you (Rob), and we only what he has learnt from garden- Another big issue in 2009, it is the want to make it more accessible and ing and TV, he becomes a political beginning of the journey towards expand our readership. We need to insider and prominent celebrity whose voluntary self regulation (VSR). John reinforce supervision and importantly simple utterances are mistaken for Lawrence of UKCHO and other lead- provide an effective entry route to profundity. To me it represents great ing members of our profession have the role of supervisor. Nick Cook, our insight into society, the fickle nature done a great job in getting together to Supervision Director will have a plan of celebrity and, as a therapist, the provide a coordinated response to the shortly. Our administrators are doing yawning divide often evident between Prince’s Foundation and ultimately a great job but are battling with anti- what is said and what is heard. The Complementary and Natural quated systems and procedures, Rob Health Care Council (CNHC). CNHC as our newly appointed IT Director RW: And if you had to recommend are already getting good media expo- is changing not just the system for one hypnotherapy book, what would sure as their organisation takes shape, administrators but making processes it be? we need to provide every support that more simple and effective for our we can to ensure the success of this members. PW: Obviously a trick question! It vital initiative. It will be a long haul, would have to be the new NCH book but we are on our way. We are always We will be revising our strategic plan on James Braid, edited by Donald mindful of our commitment to the at our next executive meeting, and Robertson available shortly. I have standards in our profession - we are we will share the plan with everyone had a preview, and it is a bargain. almost at the point of Open Univer- when it is agreed. In the meantime, Golf Hypnotherapists Wanted! What would it be like to learn the same cutting edge tools & techniques that help the world’s best golfers, including Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood, achieve peak performance? What would it be like to be part of a community of likeminded individuals including amateur play- ers, golf pros, coaches, sports psychologists, NLP practitioners and hypnotherapists? What would it be like to be seen as a hypnotherapy and/or golf expert in this community? Find out more: www.golfmindfactor.com/hypno

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 13 RW: Who do you most admire in the still does now. RW: If you had a book in you, what profession? would it be about? RW: If you were granted one wish, PW: One of those difficult questions, what would it be? PW: Yes I have. I have written it but because I admire many people in won’t be published until ten years our profession. Some are the better PW: If all politicians on appointment after my death, it would be inappro- known names, and others who make to office were to have a plainly visible priate to divulge the content at this up the great many dedicated people ‘truth meter’ implanted in the centre early stage. working maybe part time in their own of their forehead which could also homes, with limited resources but have the added refinement of caus- RW: Finally, if you had to sum your- resolved to help people in need. If I ing some discomfort in the event of self up in 4 words...? really had to pick one, of course it an untruth being told or a question would be Gil Boyne who got me into being avoided. The meter would also PW: Very very very lucky... the profession in the first place. He flash a pulsating bright red signal inspired me all those years ago and he visible to all at the appropriate time.

Congratulations to our latest HPD qualifiers!

Tamara AU-YEONG Lee GLOVER José PENROSE David BECK Jim GRANT Amanda RIPPENGALE Sara BEVINS Martin GUEDALLA Felicity ROBERTS Thomas BLACKMAN Paul HANCOCKS Malcolm ROBERTSON Nick BRUNGER Barry HART Christine ROSCOE Jacqueline CARPENTER Fiona HINDRUPP Jaishree RUGHANI Mark CHARLES Paul HOOKER Rachel SAVORY Alex COOK Eileen JACQUES Vikki SEATON Eleanor COPP Morag JEFFERY Sandra SHUREY Carol DALTON Ken LUSTED Samantha SIMMONS Paul DANIELS Nick MAWER Richard SMITH Susanne-Katrin DROSTE Peter MCLINTON Reena SOHAL Tracey DUDYTSCH Gerald MEIKLE Sharon ST. CLARE Sharon DYKE Peter MEYER Anne-Marie SWIRES Rachael EDWARDS Mahyar MOHAMMADZADEH Kausar SYED Andrea EVANS Susan MOORHOUSE Helen TAYLOR Eifion EVANS Janet NUNNEY Karen TAYLOR Sally FALCONER-HALL John O’FLYNN David TOMALIN Barrie FAULKNER Daniel OLIVER Gill van SPENGLER Emma FISHER Joanne PACKE Lisa WALLACE Anna FRETWELL Joanne PAINTER Gareth WALTON Pembi FURNISH Amanda PANTON Christopher WATT Mandy GAHAN Sunita PARMAR-REA Rita WESTLAKE Jane GAMBLIN Deborah PEARCE John WILLIAMS Julia GEORGE Nick PEASE

14 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk example, not all require their members Crossing the Void to receive supervision or to partake in ongoing professional and personal development. More pertinently By David Slater and John Hayes perhaps, hypnotherapy ascribes to no clear model, nor is there any mutu- ally recognized definition of what hypnosis is. Yet, as a hypnothera- pist, I wholeheartedly believe in the effectiveness of hypnosis as a tool to facilitate profound personal internal change and growth.

oes a new meeting point ing the shifting relationship between However, if hypnotherapy remains exist between the shifting the worlds of hypnotherapy and coun- in its current position in relation to worlds of hypnotherapy selling is through imagining them as psychotherapy there is a danger of and counselling – one having begun as two parts of a single it becoming marginalised and the Dthat is enriching for both? continent called “psychoanalysis”. potential gains that hypnotherapy and One of the forefathers of this conti- psychotherapy can offer one another Not so long ago hypnotherapy and nent, Freud, initially viewed hypnosis will be lost. Safe Space hopes to go psychotherapy were aspects of a single as an integral part of psychoanalysis some small way to help facilitate discipline. John Hayes, in his book but later moved away from it, thus understanding and learning between Safe Space: a self-help manual and prompting the continent to slowly the two disciplines by utilising a practitioner’s guide for treating anxi- divide into two distinct sub-conti- language that can be understood by ety & panic, has reunited these two nents, each evolving and developing both approaches from within their old friends by offering a new frame- its own dialects, beliefs and cultures. own frames of reference. work for hypnotherapy that develops Today, one hundred years on, such is a therapeutic model specific to trauma the apparent magnitude of the differ- David Slater: You say that the Safe related anxiety and combines it with a ences between these two cultures and Space model draws on therapeutic short term step by step procedure that dialects that moves by government to concepts. What are these concepts embraces standard hypnotherapeutic increase regulation have prompted and can they realistically and effec- techniques. The Safe Space model one of the main bodies that represent tively be incorporated into a hypno- and procedure expands on tradi- counsellors and psychotherapists, therapist’s practice? tional hypnotherapeutic frameworks the BACP, to actively by including a client centred cogni- distance themselves if hypnotherapy John Hayes: The Safe tive process which allows the client from hypnotherapy. remains in its current Space model draws to understand, explore and develop This has been seen on the psychothera- their own healing process. The book by various sections of position in relation peutic concept of is primarily aimed at hypnotherapists the profession to be to psychotherapy sub-personalities. It is and the competent self-helper, but effectively de-classify- there is a danger a stand alone model is also accessible to counsellors and ing hypnotherapy as specific to trauma psychotherapists. a legitimate psycho- of it becoming related anxiety and therapeutic technique. marginalised panic. That is to say, Although Safe Space has earned its As a consequence, the model is practi- acclaim by virtue of its model and the “sub-continent” cal and can be used procedure, it is the books position- hypnotherapy is perceived by many as without having knowledge of other ing between the shifting worlds of much the poorer of the two. models. hypnotherapy and counselling that we examine here. The position of the BACP may be in The Safe Space model is obviously part due to a lack of understanding not the first model to draw on the But what are these shifts? I put between the two traditions. It could idea of sub-personalities. All models the question to the author of Safe also have been influenced by the or conceptual systems bring in the Space. different levels of regulation required idea of selves or sub-personalities in by the established representatives of one form or another, using differ- John Hayes: One of the ways of view- Hypnotherapy for their members. For ent terms and ways of describing

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 15 them. Indeed, many hypnotherapeu- new behaviour patterns and NLP However, just as there are different tic techniques are based on the idea strategies to help re-train internal interventions a hypnotherapist can of the individual being composed protective mechanisms. By develop- use, there are crucial differences in of different selves or sub-personali- ing such a framework specific to the degree of directiveness, ranging ties: Regression therapy, for example, anxiety and panic, I hope to provide from direct suggestion and guided uses the idea of an adult self and a a new and stimulating approach for interventions to indirect sugges- child self who exist simultaneously hypnotherapists working with anxiety tion and semi-guided interventions, in an “episode” in order to shift the and panic, and to promote hypno- metaphor and analogy. As long as individual’s relationship to the event. therapy as a respected the needs and wishes PARTS therapy uses dialogue between facilitator, emotional of the client remain conflicting “parts” of an individual in bridge and acceler- Therapists and GP’s paramount, there is order to facilitate compromise and ating technique that are finding their obviously a place for integration. Likewise, in the world of can be used by practi- waiting rooms full of all of them. counselling, Gestalt has it top dog and tioners within differ- underdog, TA talks in terms of arche- ent fields. For trainee people wanting short All the visualisations opsychic ego states and sub selves. hypnotherapists and term solutions to offered in Safe Space Psycho synthesis aims at the inte- individuals seeking what is often a long focus on the client gration of elements or semi-autono- self-help, Safe Space term condition. constructing and mous sub-personalities. Psychodrama also provides the directing their own prompts dialogue between “doubles”. techniques, skills and healing. The practi- scripts required to carry out all the tioner acts as a responsive guide who What distinguishes the Safe Space visualization tasks in the Safe Space accompanies the client along their model from other models is that it is procedure. journey and supports them when that it is specific to treating trauma overcoming any obstacles they may related anxiety and panic and that it David Slater: It is generally considered encounter. For example, if the client that provides a framework in which that hypnotherapists have a deter- imagines the obstacle to be a “boul- specific hypnotherapeutic techniques mining role to play in the process der”, the responsive guide can discuss can be fixed. By providing such a of change, whereas counsellors tend the composition of the “boulder” and model, I do not purport to incorpo- to resist the idea of having any kind how it got there, elicit and explore rate into the world of hypnotherapy of controlling influence. What role ways of getting around it or moving it, something different, but rather set does the hypnotherapist take in the and support the client as they attempt out to define a model that is already context of the Safe Space model? to do so. Responsive guiding not only implicit in many hypnotherapeutic helps the client to look at scenarios procedures. The techniques and inter- John Hayes: Not all hypnotic tech- in alternative ways, but also involves ventions adopted and developed in niques involve leading or directing. eliciting the tools and inner resources the procedure are not new, but have Certainly most regression work and the client will use to confront, pass, been bundled together in a specific Parts therapy actively avoid any kind move, eliminate or change their rela- order to complement the model. They of leading. Having said this, Hypno- tionship to the “boulder”. Responsive include regressions to help heal past therapy has never tried to hide the fact traumas, progressions to reinforce that the practitioner can be directive.

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16 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk guiding deals very much with what with them. What I do know is that Whether for companies or individuals, emerges. Naturally, it is crucial that therapists and GP’s are finding their short term solutions are what most the practitioner understands and is waiting rooms full of people wanting people seem to want. But can short aware of how their own process inter- short term solutions to what is often a term approaches effectively address acts with the client’s as, inevitably, a long term condition. Current medica- the underlying causes of anxiety and practitioner will at some level affect tion available has varying degrees of panic? Even if they usefully manage the therapeutic process. effectiveness, and not everyone wants symptoms, will the symptoms keep to take pills to ease their minds. coming back? Safe Space attempts To summarize, Safe Space attempts to find a middle ground by using a to combine and balance the more This shift towards the desire for coherent therapeutic model specific client-centred, circumspective and more short term solutions in the to anxiety and panic and a short term exploratory nature of counselling last decade has been reflected in the step by step procedure that changes with the more instructive, directive emergence of companies who offer the client’s relationship with the root nature of short term, goal orientated large organization and institutions of anxiety and panic so that the approaches such as hypnotherapy and short term support (EAPs) for their potential of symptom recurrence is NLP. The position of the hypnothera- employees. By short term, I mean significantly reduced. The book also pist, then, is to be as non-directive as procedures that have a fixed duration, provides the client with the tools to possible within the bounds of a short a fixed cost and a means to meas- support the changes they have made, term focused model. ure success. In the corporate world to counter any resurgence of old of outcomes, products, targets and behaviour patterns and to re-examine David Slater: Safe Space offers a short mission statements, it is not incon- areas of their life. term procedure. Do you feel that it ceivable that this penchant for offer- is realistic to treat a potentially long ing short term solutions has largely www.johnhayesuk.com term problem such as trauma related been determined by their cost-effec- anxiety in such a limited amount of tiveness and manageability. The more Editor’s Note: You can read my review of time? cynical minded of us may believe that “Safe Space: A self-help manual and practi- the primary motive is to reduce the tioner’s guide for treating anxiety and panic” John Hayes: Whatever the cause of amount of sick leave employees take. in the Winter 08 edition of the Journal. anxiety and panic, western culture The more pragmatic of us may believe seems to have resigned itself to a way that the ability to measure and quan- of being where personal anxiety, like tify treatments is that which makes stress, is accepted as part of the fabric them useful. The popularity of CBT of everyday life. with large institutions certainly backs up this belief. On an individual level I don’t know that society has become there is also a growing demand for more stressed and life more urgent, the more solution focused and goal whether we have simply become less orientated short term approaches like tolerant of abuse and trauma, or that hypnotherapy, NLP and life coach- we simply have more time to deal ing.

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hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 17 -

The National Council for Hypnotherapy presents a Hypnotherapy Extravaganza 20th June 2009 The Royal Society of Medicine 1 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 0AE

This is not just an opportunity to meet with colleagues and to be entertained, educated and informed; this is also an opportunity to learn how the most successful people in business achieve their success. Of course you can be the best therapist in the world, but if nobody knows about you, your talents are wasted. For this reason we want to help to maximise your client base. Put simply, if you don’t get at least 1 extra client per week we would have to ask you if you were paying attention during the day.

Each topic will be presented by internationally renowned experts in their field, some of the ideas you will find challenging and some of the practical demonstrations fascinating.

Subjects covered will include Consciousness Hypno-surgery and Pain Control Marketing CBT Voluntary Self-Regulation Speakers Professor Susan Blackmore BA MSc PhD Dr John Butler PhD (Lond.), MBSH, CHT, MA, BA(Hons.), BSc(Hons.), FNRHP Dr David Kato PhD. DCH. DHP. C.ht Gary May & Steve Mills - SAQQARA Maggy Wallace, coChair, CNHC (Complementary Natural Healthcare Council) Professor Sue Blackmore is a psychologist and writer researching consciousness, memes, and anomalous experiences, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth. She has a regular blog in the Guardian, and often appears on radio and television. Her book The Meme Machine (1999) has been translated into 13 other languages and more recent books include a textbook Consciousness: An Introduction (2003) and Conversations on Consciousness (2005). Ten Zen Questions will be published in March 2009. She is a thought provoking and controversial speaker.

Dr John Butler is a highly regarded hypnotherapist with over 28 years and over 30,000 hours of practice as a successful clinical practitioner. He is an instructor in hypnosurgery, teaching clinical hypnosis applications to surgeons and anaesthetists in a course accredited by the Royal College of Anaesthetists. He has made more than 20 television appearances as an expert in hypnotherapy with several programmes focussing on his use of hypnotherapy as an anaesthetic for chronic pain and in invasive surgeries.

Dr. David Kato is internationally known and is the renowned UK expert on depressive disorders. He provides lectures seminars and workshops to medical departments in universities, hospitals and to varied clinicians and physicians in the UK & USA. He has been using CBT in his own practice for 15 years with great success.

Founders of The Business Acceleration Company, SAQQARA, Steve Mills & Gary May are sharing their knowledge and experience with NCH members, inspiring change and delivering results. Having been consulted by and worked with business leaders, top telecoms companies to business start ups, their successes are not only proved but sustainable. With their strategies companies have gone on to receive accolades and successes such as: Sunday Times/Virgin Fast Track 100 and National Business Awards.

Maggy Wallace, CoChair CNHC, has a substantial background in professional education, the health service and professional regulation in the UK and internationally. CNHC's mission is to support the use of complementary and natural healthcare as a uniquely positive, safe and effective experience. CNHC key purpose is to protect the public by means of regulating practitioners on a voluntary register for complementary and natural healthcare practitioners.

We are holding a members dinner in the evening to finish off this Prices incredible day. It is only open to NCH members. The numbers for the Delegate - NCH member ...... £50 dinner are strictly limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Delegate - Non NCH member ...... £100 Evening member dinner ...... £36 All prices exclude VAT Don’t delay Curently this is only open to NCH members. However Attendees are we will be opening it to non members late April. So make sure you get in quick, as space is limited. awarded with a To book go to 7 hour CPD www.hypnotherapists.org.uk/event certificate. 0844 736 5806 tions and responses, both may have Supervision: Necessary teaching, monitoring and administra- tive functions etc.

Nuisance or Value-added The differences between the two are perhaps more subtle. Whilst both Benefit? supervision and therapy are based on structured ongoing relationships, the nature of the relationship is different. Therapy and supervision relation- By Sue McIntyre ships have more commonality in their developing and terminating phases; the greatest difference arises in the upervision is a mandatory Supervision aims to achieve this by mature phases. Here the longer-term requirement for membership nature of the supervisory relationship of the major hypnotherapy • Considering responsibility for becomes more evident as the rela- organisations and is gener- standards and ethics tionship becomes less role bound and Sally regarded as essential to the pro- there is an increased social bonding vision of effective therapy. For those • Sharing the responsibility for the and influence potential which does new to the concept however, there is professional development of skills, not (or should not!) apply to thera- often confusion as to exactly what knowledge and understanding peutic relationships. supervision is and why it is so impor- tant to good practice. • Providing opportunities to both off-load and regenerate (thus avoiding ‘burnout’) Supervision Frameworks What is Supervision? The role of the supervisor is to support Supervision is a structured support you and enable you to learn from your Supervision, like therapy requires a system that encourages supervisee work so that you can give a better flexibility of approach. Accredited competence by providing an oppor- quality service to your clients. Clearly hypnotherapy supervisors are taught tunity for feedback, appraisal and this involves a number of tasks but for a variety of models that can support growth in a safe and confidential example might include ensuring that the needs of the supervisee. One of environment. The focus might for the needs of the client are being met, my favourites is Francesca Inskipp and example be on reassurance, help and monitoring the dynamic between Brigid Proctor’s Seven-Eyed Supervi- advice on issues with client work, you and your client to maximise the sor Model. This outlines a process practice building, training or skills therapeutic effectiveness of the rela- model of supervision that has seven and career development. Supervision tionship and checking that the work focus areas of what supervisees can has a different dynamic to that of is based on sound theoretical and bring to supervision. The seven focus friend, colleague, business associate, ethical practice. points are: coach, therapist, trainer, mentor or advisor although at times there will 1. Clients (individuals, groups, be elements of all of these relation- organizations) that are the focus of ships. Supervision vs Therapy our work.

The first focus area helps the thera- Aims of Supervision There are many obvious parallels pist consider the client as a unique between supervision and therapy. For individual, rather than labelling or example, both are interactions where comparing with previous clients. It The aim of supervision is to provide the dynamic of the relationship is of explores the client’s presenting issues, an attentive and supportive climate paramount importance, both involve their history, their family background, within which we can develop new a mix of support and challenge, both their goals, their present roles and options for managing our work (and involve a high degree of interpersonal relationships, their behaviours and ourselves) with greater satisfaction and communication skills, both focus levels of self-awareness and under- and effectiveness. ultimately on the best interests of the standing. client, both explore feelings, percep-

20 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk 2. Interventions (what are we doing complaining of feeling helpless and to consider the “difficult” nature to bring about a difference?) the supervisee will bring his/her own of the therapist/client relationship feelings of helplessness and inad- particularly with regard to how this The second focal point relates to equacy to the supervisor. This ‘paral- has developed and any transference/ specific skills, strategies and inter- lel process’ enables the supervisor to counter-transference issues (focus 3). ventions adopted by the therapist in work through the process with the I imagine this would lead naturally to relation to the client’s “story”. Here supervisee during the supervision continue the discussion around how the discussion will be around possi- session. The focus within this area is Andy feels about this client (focus 4) ble techniques and strategies that will also on reviewing the effectiveness and so provide a fertile ground for achieve a particular goal. of the supervisory alliance, exploring further discussion related to areas any conflicts and if necessary revisit- where he ‘gets hooked’ by clients 3. Relationships (what kind of rela- ing the original contract. and/or in providing valuable informa- tionship is involved and is it work- tion about how this particular client ing?) 6. What is happening to the super- impacts on other people. visor as s/he listens and works with The third area of focus explores what is brought to supervision? Leading on from these insights, I the therapist-client relationship. It might then point out the current encompasses an understanding of The sixth area of focus concerns the parallel process attached to the super- the dynamic of the relationship, its supervisor and may include sharing visor/supervisee relationship (focus metaphors and boundaries, how it the experience of how the supervi- 5) supported by my own immediacy has developed and any transference/ sor’s thoughts, feelings and images (focus 6) and be able to explain how counter-transference issues. are stirred up by specific aspects of such parallel process dynamics can the interaction. This immediacy may be very effectively focused on in the 4. Reactions (what is happening to generate insights into the uncon- supervision with a view to finding a the supervisee as he/she is doing scious dynamics of the therapist- way forward in the client work (thus the work?) client relationship. perhaps diffusing his ‘irritability’ at

The therapist becomes the fourth 7. What organizational issues are area of focus. This is likely to include having an impact on the work? exploration of responses to presenting and underlying problems, responses to Finally there is a focus on the patterns and blind spots, approaches ‘Systems’ affecting the dynamics of to consistencies and inconsisten- the relationships – this may involve cies, to incongruence, to avoidance, class or cultural implications, training defence mechanisms etc. or employing organisations and the client’s family. 5. What is happening between supervisor and supervisee? Is this reflecting in any way what is happening between the supervisee Supervision in Practice and their work?

The next area of focus is the super- Lets imagine that the supervisee visor-supervisee relationship. Some- (Andy) is displaying signs of irritability times the very problem that the client because the supervisor (me!) will not has brought to the therapist is played tell him exactly what to do with his out in supervision. For example a difficult anger management client. client may ‘overwhelm’ a therapist with a wealth of information so that Working within the Inskipp and Proc- it is impossible to take it in rapidly tor “7 Eyed” process model, as a and the therapist may then ‘pour supervisor I might ask Andy to focus out’ to the supervisor all this infor- initially on his anger management mation and repeat the very process client (focus 1). Rather than discuss that s/he is struggling with in the any possible interventions (focus client sessions. Or the client may be 2) at this stage, I would ask Andy

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 21 this point!). Hopefully this will take process. I sometimes use this meta- strange” he said, “the people who the process full circle so that by the phor in therapy and perhaps it illus- live in this city, are people just like end of our discussion, Andy will have trates what I mean here too… that. If you seek opportunities, so much greater insight into what is you will also find them here”. happening with his anger manage- There was a traveller who trav- ment client and so discover the way elled for many days and weeks As we all know, therapy is a very forward for himself. over snow-capped mountains and rewarding but also very demanding through dry and dusty desserts profession. In setting out to work until he came at last to a city. By with problems, it can be no surprise Supervision as Coaching the gate of the that there are prob- city, there waited lems! We can get an old man and too involved or be A coaching dynamic could arise the traveller rode confused about within supervision when the focus over to him. the more supported what is happening is temporarily shifted away from and effective you are with a particular issues relating directly to the client “Tell me as a therapist, the more client, overlook an and aligned instead to the develop- Father” he said important aspect ment of the supervisee. Coaching is “What kind of successful your practice of the work or have used to enhance the performance people dwell in will be doubts about our of the practitioner with an empha- this city? What ability to be effec- sis on the attainment of practical opportunities are tive in certain situ- skills, self-assessment and positive there here?” And ations. There may feedback. Particularly valuable tech- the old man said, be moral, ethical niques in this context are those that “Tell me my son, what are the people or legal implications to consider. It encourage goal setting and generate like in the city you have left? What can sometimes be difficult, if not motivation. A common application of opportunities for advancement did impossible to be objective about your coaching techniques within supervi- you discover there?” The travel- own practice and the opportunity to sion is in developing practice build- ler replied, “Oh Father, they were discuss it in confidence with a suitable ing skills and these may well involve the most dreadful kind of people, person is invaluable. It makes sense - working to reconcile the almost inev- arrogant, mean, unkind and not at the more supported and effective you itable conflict arising for therapists all the sort of people who would are as a therapist, the more successful who have an inherent distaste for help me improve my life” where- your practice will be. the business of making money out of upon the old man said “It is most other people’s difficulties. unfortunate. I have to tell you that Sue McIntyre has been in continu- the people who dwell in this very ous full time practice since 1989 and The supervisor working within the city are just like that”. The traveller has been supervising therapists since coaching role seeks to provide learn- went on his way and did not enter 2004. She is an accredited hypno- ing opportunities for the supervisee the city at all. therapy supervisor with both the NCH to better understand their role in and the APHP and offers face-to-face professional practice and to perform A few days later, another travel- supervision as well as supervision by effectively. One of the ways in which ler came upon the city and came to telephone and Skype. this will be achieved is to enable the the very same old man waiting by supervisee to identity their potential the city gates. “Tell me Father,” he Sue would like to expand this aspect and resources. said “What are the people like in this of her practice and currently has city? What opportunities are there availability for supervisees. More here?” And the old man said, “Tell information at www.theconsulting- Conclusion me my son, what are the people rooms.co.uk or email sue@thecon- like in the city you have left? What sultingrooms.co.uk opportunities for advancement did So is Supervision a necessary nuisance you discover there?” The traveller or a value-added benefit? replied, “Oh Father, they were the most wonderful kind of people – I think that depends on how you kind, generous, warm hearted and choose to look at it and how much I found many opportunities there”. you are prepared to invest in the The old man shook his head. “How

22 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk tions of a given symbol is equally ‘Omen Nomen’: Naming important to an appreciation of the work as a whole, or whether there is a basic meaning for each word-symbol and the Nature of Life to which all others are subsidiary. The crucial reason for this is that “Since poets are dealing with words, and By Patrick Jemmer since each of these contributes to the total significance of the poem, it is incumbent upon the critic to find the basic meaning, the fundamen- tal tone, of each word-symbol, and to relegate other meanings to their Je suis le ténébreux, – le Veuf, – l’inconsolé, proper secondary role” [7]. Derrida Le Prince d’Aquitaine à la tour abolie: might well lament with Lacan “Words Ma seule étoile est morte, et mon luth constellé represent me, but are not for me …” Porte le soleil noir de la Mélancolie. [8] “ … It’s a nightmare! The certainty Gérard de Nerval: “El Desdichado” [1]. of reason is a tyranny which can only be sustained by the evils of repress- Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series guage that perfectly represents the ing or excluding what is uncertain, of articles exploring the interconnections real world. Such a language of reason what doesn’t fit it, what is different, between magic, religion, science and therapy, would absolutely guarantee that the reason is indifferent to the Other” [5], the last of which was published in the Winter presence of the world – the essence where “The Other is thus the place 07 edition. of everything in the world – would be of language, external to the speaker, transparently (re)present(ed) to an ob- and yet, since he or she is a speaker, et us continue with our serving subject who could speak of it internal at the same time” [8]. metaphor of Adam and Eve’s with complete certainty. Words would adventures in the Edenic literally be the truth of things – like Now “Man is man only through Garden of Language [2], [3] ‘Word made flesh’, as St John put language” [9], but even so, “Language Lwith the realization that “Men and it. Pure communion with the world does not provide us with a proper women want to live creatively, inten- – that is the seduction of logocentric identity: the words we use are used sively and successfully in the world. Reason” [5]. by other people, on television, in They long to fulfil the potential of books, in the media. The words do their nature ... What Adam and Eve We can negotiate the nature of not belong to us. They are alienating. sought from the tree of knowledge ... this language trap metaphorically Even when we want to say something was the practical wisdom that would by invoking Nerval’s “deliciously intimate, linked to our heart, like ‘I give them blessing and fulfilment” [4]. incomprehensible sonnet” [6] of loss love you’, we might be inhibited But now we learn that on succumbing (the first stanza of which is quoted because we have heard so many other to this Serpent-given “practical wis- above) in which “He has people say this. … It is dom” Humankind had already fallen compressed years of expe- as if the words are the into a philosophical trap in the form rience into a few words, The unconscious property of someone or of a “ … constant logocentric quest” but these words are the only comes something else. … They [5], in search of “the inexpressible, quintessence of that to exist after belong to the Other” the mystical” where “omen nomen experience, not a series of language is [8]. We must therefore nemoni hominis [est]” – “an omen to clues to events in his own naturally ask: what of no-one is the name of a man.” Now life” [7]. We find that in acquired humankind’s matura- the word “Logocentrism derives from “ … this richly connotative tion and development; the Greek logos, ‘the word by which piece, almost every word its move towards species the inward thought is expressed’ or is a symbol evoking a cluster of ideas individuation through language? How ‘reason itself’” [5], and Derrida argues and feelings, and, because of this, can we escape the “tyranny” of the that “Reason has been shaped by a the reader has frequently selected, “certainty of reason”? Well, Lacan’s dishonest pursuit of certainty which according to his lights, the meaning insight was that “‘The unconscious I have diagnosed as logocentrism” which is appropriate for him” [7]. The is structured as a language.’ … This [5]. The problem is that “Logocentri- problem with this is “ … to determine is Lacan’s most famous pronounce- cism desires a perfectly rational lan- whether each of several interpreta- ment. What does it mean? How can

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 23 NCH Specialist Advisors

Sue Adamson 01625 879000 Pregnancy and childbirth Caroline Barker 01903 237 666 Depression David Collingwood-Bell 01978 769178 Tinnitus Gill Drury 0800 0832125 or 01142 552252 Pregnancy and childbirth Lesley Goddard 01522 882765 Sports Performance Brid Hendron 07732177110 Dentistry Rae Jenson 01506 830 190 Weight management John Lawrence 01506 830190 Pain management (Including Phantom Limb) Alix Needham 020 7935 1965 Stress Hilary Norris-Evans 01249 740506 Confidence/self esteem Edwin Salter 01553 769437 Public Speaking Anne Thornton-Patterson 02089648591 Trichotillomania Penelope Walford 01923 282133 Smoking

24 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk the unconscious, which is instinc- Caution – Stop mimic the same struc- famous aphorism “’I think therefore tual and, by definition, unknowable ture found in the spectrum. Green is I am.’ What happens to this famous to the subject, be structured as a a short wavelength, red is long and Cartesian proof of self-identity in the language?” [5]. The answer to this is yellow lies midway. The brain searches structuralist view? The ‘I’ or unitary that “The unconscious functions by for a representation of the binary human subject – the very corner- signs, metaphors, symbols and in this opposition (go) +/– (stop), and finds stone of Western logic and philoso- sense it is ‘like’ a language. … But green and red and also the interme- phy – dissolves into a signifying Lacan’s point is that the unconscious diate colour term (/) caution, yellow” language-user. The ‘I’ is a language only comes to exist after language is [5]. And there are important implica- fiction, signified by use, not meaning, acquired” [5]. So the development of tions for this, since “This apparently and generated in much the same way the unconscious language is through simple binary contrast of substitution as metaphor or metonymy. Struc- “Generalized symbolic media [which] and combination generates higher turalism is unhelpful in explaining are communication devices that degrees of complexity and might be what motivates the language-using allow processes at a lower level in the said to account for the imaginative or subject, i.e., the individual. The logic control hierarchy to be transacted in symbolic use of language – in other of the system entirely surpasses and a higher level system” [10], that is “ words, the possibility of meaningful evades the subject’s reasons for using … the unconscious … is constituted fictions. For instance: paradigmatic language. Saying ‘to communicate by a series of chains of signifying substitution involves a perception of his personal thought’, is not good elements. Like an infernal translating similarity which can generate META- enough. How did ‘personal thought’ machine, it turns words into symp- PHOR – ‘a tower of strength’, ‘a glar- get into the system, anyhow?” [5]. toms, it inscribes signifiers into the ing error’ – descriptions that are not Furthermore, we are able to go on flesh or turns them into tormenting literally true. Syntagmatic combina- to answer the question: “What, then, thoughts or compulsions” [8]. tion involves a perception of contigu- is the ‘universe,’ the bigger, smarter ity which can generate METONYMY source that chooses the words for us?” What is the nature of this “infernal (naming an attribute or adjunct of [12]. And the forthcoming answer is translating machine”? Well, first of the thing instead of the thing itself that my “universe” is “ … a state of all, “Saussure bequeathed a decisive – ‘crown’ for royalty, ‘turf’ for horse- the language-brain conditioned by binary model to postmodern theory. racing) or SYNECDOCHE (naming my consciousness, existing only in Language is a sign system that func- the part for the whole – ‘keels’ for interaction with it. This is the cove- tions by an operational code of ships” [5]. Thus in Lacanian terms “It nant. So that what writes is neither binary oppositions” [5]. Now, such is through language that the child ‘I,’ nor ‘language,’ but I-in-language, oppositions consist of ” … a pair enters the social world, – the symbolic the self-process of experience and of contrasted terms, each of which order – as an ‘I’ … But desire mapped onto the depends on the other for its meaning. with a crucial differ- The world of language-web, physical There are many such oppositions, and ence for the male and brain and virtual brain they’re all governed by the distinc- female subjects” [5]. language can acting together” [12]. tion, either/or. If we accept this, it We will return to this hardly be grasped establishes conceptual order. Binary male-female dichot- by the newborn However, what if there oppositions classify and organize the omy-zeugma later. and yet it will act are circumstances objects, events and relations of the which are “undecid- world. They make decision possible. Now “the meaning- on the whole of the able” in terms of these And they govern thinking in everyday ful fiction” of the “ … child’s existence binary oppositions, life, as well as philosophy, theory and Symbolic order refers where “Undecidables the sciences” [11]. Moreover, we might to the system of pre-existing social disrupt this oppositional logic. They like to think that “The human mind structures into which the child is born, slip across both sides of an opposition functions in model binary sets – noise/ such as kinship, rituals, gender roles but don’t properly fit either. They are silence, raw/cooked, naked/clothed, and indeed language itself. Identity more than the opposition can allow. light/darkness, sacred/profane and assumed at the Imaginary phase is And because of that, they question so on. Minds working logically (that finally constructed by the Symbolic the very principle of ‘opposition’” is culturally) unconsciously duplicate order, the realm of the Father who [11]. Let us turn our attention to Cain nature” [5]. For example, “Why have prohibits the mother-child ‘incest’ the “wretched one” (whose name we chosen the colours green, yellow relationship. Language belongs to connotes “created” or “acquired,” as and red for our traffic-light system? the Father, that is, to the patriar- well as alluding to “smithcraft”) who Because it is a ‘fact of nature’ that chal order of the phallus” [5]. Under was the elder son of Adam and Eve our colour code signals for Go – these assumptions, let us consider the and was considered a gracious gift

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 25 from God [13]. Or was he? For there which he or she hears as a child will escape. This applied to philosophi- are other sources which suggest that be incorporated, forming a kernel of cal language as well. The vocabulary “the serpent not only desired Eve but insignia which are unconscious … of metaphysics (being, truth, centre, actually had sexual relations with her [This explains] how the subject has origin, etc) has to be recognized as a that produced Cain” [14]. But what- ‘become’ what a parent prophesied vocabulary. It’s a set of words, and they ever his genesis, he slew his younger or how he or she has repeated the cannot escape the play of the trace. brother Abel (“breath” or “nothing- mistakes of a grandparent” [8]. Now Now if the trace is a constant sliding ness” [13]): so the “Created” murdered “A word does not reveal its meaning between presence and absence, those “Nothing” and was banished by God. so simply. Rather, it leads on to other philosophical words cannot establish In this logo-myth we can read the words in a linguistic chain, just like full, replete presence. Lacanian “ … power and organiz- one meaning itself leads to others” ing principle of the [8] and once again we This strikes at the very roots of Western symbolic, understood see that “…the sound metaphysics, because it’s the claim to as the networks, social, A mother who departed from the heart full presence which underpins meta- cultural, linguistic, into keeps telling her of God and embraced physical concepts and Tprocedures” which a child is born. son ‘What a bad the whole space of this [11]. Further, we read in Genesis 4 These precede the birth world; but as soon as that “{15} … the LORD put a mark of the child, which boy you are!’ may it turned out to be evil, on Cain, lest any who came upon him is why Lacan can say end up with either then the sound again should kill him” [16]. We find that that language is there a villain or a saint. retreated back” [15]. “The Mark of Cain, or cross, symbol- from before the actual izes a hammer, for Cain was a Worker moment of birth. It is So in the light of this in Metals” [17], and even today, T “… there in the social structures which are can we understand that ”In Husserl’s taw [the cross] survives as tav, … its at play in the family and, of course, in view, to express oneself is to be behind name is still understood in Hebrew to the ideals, goals and histories of the the sign … To attend to one’s speech, mean ‘mark,’ … According to legend, parents. Even before a child is born, to assist it. Only living speech in its this branding, final letter, tav, was the parents have talked about him or mastery and magisteriality, is able to the ‘mark’ mentioned in the biblical her, chosen a name, mapped out his assist itself; and only living speech book of Genesis as being placed by or her future. The world of language is expression and not a servile sign” God upon Cain” for his protection can hardly be grasped by the newborn [11]. Thus ”The voice is the privileged [18]. And, interestingly, despite subtle and yet it will act on the whole of the medium of meaning … This is phono- snake-lore in the passages we read child’s existence” [8]. centrism: the voice is the centre” [11]. about Satan, “A monstrous Serpent The implication is that for an “expres- on his Belly prone, / Reluctant, but Thus “If the child is captured in an sive” sign (as designated by Husserl) in TvaineT: a greater powerT / TNow image, he or she will still assume “If living intention is to animate it, Trul’dT him, TpunishtT in the shape signifiers from the speech of the it will need the presence of its living he Tsin’dT, / According to his doom: parents as elements of identifica- producer. he would have spoke, / But hiss for tion. As a mother raises the baby to hiss TreturndT with forked tongue / see its reflection, she might say … So, what’s the privileged form of the To forked tongue …” (Paradise Lost You look just like your father” [8]. expressive sign? The speaking voice, X: 514 – 519 [19]) we note that “S’s The importance if this is that “These superior to all other forms because it hissing sound need not always be are symbolic pronouncements since seems present (proximate, immediate) bad: In Jewish mystical tradition, the they situate a child in a lineage, in a to the silent, interior consciousness. Hebrew sibilant shin was equated symbolic universe. The baby is bound Husserl reproduces the phonocentric by sound with the element of fire to its image by words and names, by priority” [11]. The nominology of this and was exalted as one of the three linguistic representations. A mother story carries the hidden message that ‘mother’ letters“ [18]. And returning who keeps telling her son ‘What a “As we come into the world capable to Cain, and his mark, we find that bad boy you are!’ may end up with of destruction, we also come into the there is even a relationship between either a villain or a saint. The iden- world with creative capabilities” [13]. S and T, as described by Lucian in tity of the child will depend on how And this evokes the idea of “the trace” AD 100, in his ‘Consonants at Court,’ he or she assumes the words of the which suggests “ … that all language which “imagines a lawsuit between parents” [8]. Thus “The child does is subject to undecidability. The play two rival letters: the Greek S letter, not suddenly decide to put himself or of the trace is a kind of deforming, named sigma, and the T letter, herself in the shoe of some ancestor reforming slippage – an inherent tau. Speaking before the judges, S or family member. Rather, the speech instability which language cannot denounces T as an agent of dictators

26 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk wapURL: GJSEUGY. and repression: ‘They say it was T’s ever universal, timeless and stable. [7] Kneller, J W (1960) The Poet and His Moira: ‘El shape that tyrants copied when they Any meaning or identity (including Desdichado’. PMLA, Volume 75, Number 4, pp first set up the cross to crucify men. our own) is provisional and relative, 402 – 409. [8] Leader, D and Groves, J (2005) Introducing This vile device is called a stauros, and because it is never exhaustive, it can Lacan. Cambridge UK: Icon Books. it gets its name from tau’” [18]. Thus always be traced further back to a prior [9] von Humboldt, W; Cowan, M (translator) (1963) Humanist Without Portfolio: An Anthology of crucifying stauros, tool of redemp- network of differences, and further the Writings of Wilhem von Humboldt. Detroit tion through death, itself reminiscent back again … almost to infinity or the MI: Wayne State University Press. of Greek sauros, ‘lizard’, is born of ‘zero degree’ of sense. This is decon- [10] Dow, J W (1986) The Shaman’s Touch: Otomí Indian Symbolic Healing. Salt Lake City UT: hissing-S and protecting/crucifying- struction – to peel away like an onion University of Utah Press. T. Moreover, “ST can be expressed the layers of constructed meanings” [11] Collins, J and Mayblin, B (2000) Introducing hieroglyphically as $ symbolizing the [5]. In fact, “Undecidability disrupts Derrida. Cambridge UK: Icon Books. [12] Cornford, A; Dowker, D (editor) (1997) The serpent and the T, the cross or the the binary structures of metaphysical Alterran Poetry Assemblage 2.0: Cosmology: Tree of Life. It is the life (serpentine) thinking. It displaces the ‘either/or’ Intelligence and Infinity in Language. wapURL: 3TDLURD. force pushing thru the growing point, structure of oppositions. The unde- [13] Wisnewski Jr, R C (1998) St. John’s Episcopal threshold or ‘site’. The pairing of S and cidable plays all ways, takes no sides. Church Lenten Meditations and Great Stories T strongly accents foundation, the It won’t be fixed down. It leaves no of the Bible Written by Parish Parishioners and The Reverend Robert C Wisnewski Jr: Cain and ‘seat’ of consciousness. Set, the oldest certainty of privileged foundational Abel. wapURL: EI28KJZ. Egyptian god, forms the basis of all term against subordinated second [14] Aschkenasy, N (1986) Eve’s Journey. Pittsburgh: the other gods, and being so basic or term. The unfixing of this certainty PA: University of Philadelphia Press; Genesis of Eden Diversity Encyclopedia. wapURL: low he is considered evil” [17]. Thus is the unfixing of metaphysics” [11]. M5C6GIC. “It’s always possible to OVERTURN a And so it may seem that we Cain set [15] Bely, A (1922) Glossalolija: Poema o Zvuke, Hermann and Co Typographie: Epocha (Berlin); metaphysical binarism, to reverse its aside the Serpent, its life story stated Glossolalia: A Poem about Sound; Beyer Jr, T R hierarchy by privileging its second … Or are we Abel to? We continue this (translator) (2001). wapURL: I0LC241. term – for instance, to privilege body slippery Deconstructivist construction [16] Author Unknown (2008) Bible: Revised Stand- ard Version: Last Updated 18 February 1997. not mind, Man not God, the complex in the following article. wapURL: 5OKDC7K. before the simple, absence rather than [17] Author Unknown (2008) Freemasonry Watch: presence” [11]. Furthermore in figure References The Mark of Cain. wapURL: IEKSSF3. [1] de Nerval, G (1854) El Desdichado, in TLes [18] Sacks, D (2003) The Alphabet. Unravelling the of the “serpent and the cross“ we see ChimèresT; Études Littéraires. wapURL: Mystery of the Alphabet from A to Z. London how “… Derrida sets the trace across 857OBLU. UK: Arrow Books. [2] Jemmer, P (2007) ‘Lingua Creationis’ and The [19] Milton, J (1667) Paradise Lost. London UK: the Saussurean sign – an undecid- Creative Nature of Language. The Hypno- Samuel Simmons; LiteratureOrg The Online able presence-absence at the origin therapy Journal. Issue 3 Volume 7 Autumn Literature Library: Paradise Lost. wapURL: of meaning. Language is premised on 2007 (in press). 7QRMSCK. [3] Jemmer, P (2007) ‘Nomen Omen:’ Languaging NOTE: For brevity, all websites are referenced an interweaving movement between and the Nature of Names. The Hypnotherapy with unique 7-alphaneumeric “wapURL” what is there and not there. Language Journal. Issue 4 Volume 7 Winter 2007 (in addresses generated at http://wapurl.co.uk/. is always an interweaving, a textile” press). These were all checked and found to be avail- [4] Armstrong, K (1996) In the Beginning: A New able as of 0000H 12 October 2008. wapURL: [11], a style of text an interspersing Interpretation of Genesis. New York NY: Ballan- 7QRMSCK, for example, can be accessed via: of S and T. From a Deconstructivist tine. http://wapurl.co.uk/?7QRMSCK [5] Appignanesi, R and Garratt, C (2003) Intro- perspective we can read this parable ducing Postmodernism. Cambridge UK: Icon as saying that “It was incorrect to Books. suppose that anything reasoned is [6] Author Unknown (2008) Prosody Guide.

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hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 27 Wark’s rating using established crite- Hypnotherapy as an ria for research quality. More studies are published every year which poten- tially meet these criteria and might be Empirically-Supported included on a future list. Treatment (EST) I think it might be observed that certain hypnotherapy treatments for certain types of pain, anxiety, and weight loss are supported by the By Donald Robertson strongest evidence at present, by this standard. In total, three stud- ies (anxiety due to asthma, public I beg farther to remark, if my theory and pretensions, as to the nature, speaking, and taking a test) provide cause, and extent of the phenomena of [hypnotism] have none of the good evidence for the efficacy of fascinations of the transcendental to captivate the lovers of the marvellous, hypnotherapy as a treatment for the credulous and enthusiastic, which the pretensions and alleged occult anxiety. Assen Alladin’s recent study agency of the mesmerists have, still I hope my views will not be the less which provides support for the use of acceptable to honest and sober-minded men, because they are all level to hypnosis in the treatment of depres- our comprehension, and reconcilable with well-known physiological and sion is rated as meeting the “possibly” psychological principles. efficacious criteria. Most of the other – James Braid, Hypnotic Therapeutics, 1853 studies provide evidence relating to the treatment of acute or chronic ne of the most useful compelling evidence for its efficacy pain, and certain stress-related or articles to be published than many other modalities of psy- psychosomatic medical conditions recently was a review of chological therapy, apart from the such as insomnia, migraine and IBS. those studies on hypno- cognitive and/or behavioural treat- Wark even finds one study on hypno- Otherapy which were rated as meet- ments and some brief psychodynamic therapy for smoking cessation which ing the Chambless & Hollon (1998) approaches. meets the criteria for “possibly effica- criteria for empirically-supported cious.” treatments in the field of psychol- However, over the past decade, many ogy, known as ESTs for short. It may additional studies of a high quality This is consistent with a general trend not surprise many NCH members to have been published which provide in the literature, since the Victorian know that when the research litera- support for the efficacy of hypno- era, which tends to point toward ture on psychotherapy was previously therapy, including meta-analyses and hypnotherapy showing most promise reviewed by a task force of nineteen systematic reviews which collate data in the treatment of anxiety, insom- psychologists led by Prof. Dianne from multiple studies to form a more nia, pain management, and several Chambless most of the psychological general picture of the research find- stress-related medical conditions, therapies identified as “empirically- ings in this area. David Wark’s review with mixed findings in relation to its supported” (formerly termed “empiri- entitled ‘What we can do with hypno- use for the treatment of habits and cally-validated”) tended to be specific sis: a brief note’ identifies over thirty addictions such as over-eating, smok- forms of cognitive and/or behaviour additional studies on hypnotherapy ing and alcohol abuse. For example, therapy (CBT). Most forms of psycho- which he rates using the revised a committee of experts commissioned therapy, ranging from the more con- Chambless & Hollon (1998) criteria by the British Medical Association troversial and pseudoscientific ones for either “possible”, “probable”, or concluded in 1892 that, to some of the more “respectable” “specific” empirically-supported treat- and mainstream approaches, do not ments, depending upon the nature of The Committee are of opinion that meet these strict criteria for empiri- the evidence available (see the expla- as a therapeutic agent hypnotism is cal support. However, one study was nations below). I have compiled this frequently effective in relieving pain, identified which demonstrated that information into a new table which procuring sleep, and alleviating many cognitive-behavioural hypnotherapy you will find underneath. Of course, functional [i.e., psycho-somatic] (CBH) was “probably efficacious” for these are not all the possible appli- ailments. weight loss in obese clients. In this cations of hypnotherapy, simply respect, hypnotherapy might (tenta- the ones which currently have the However, we can now go beyond tively) be said to have garnered more strongest empirical support, based on those early clinical observations and

28 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk “Specific” empirically supported treatments 1. Anxiety about asthma attack Brown, 2007 2. Headaches and migraine Relaxation + image modification > wait list control Hammond, 2007

“Effective” empirically-supported treatments 3. Cancer pain Syrjala et al., 1992 4. Distress during surgery Hypnosis reduces distress and pain > controls Lang et al., 2006 5. Surgery pain (adult) Self-hypnosis reduces drug use > attention control Lang et al., 1996 6. Surgery pain (child) Hypnosis reduces pain + hospital time > control Lambert, 1996 7. Weight reduction Hypnosis + CBT > CBT, differences increase over Kirsch, 1996 time

“Possible” empirically-supported treatments 8. Acute pain (adult) Patterson & Jensen, 2003 9. Acute pain (children) Hypnosis > distraction for bone marrow aspiration Zeltzer & LaBaron, 1982 10. Anorexia Staged treatment with hypnosis > same without Baker & Nash, 1987 hypnosis 11. Anxiety about public speak- Hypnosis > CBT Schoenberger et al., 1997 ing 12. Anxiety about taking a test Self-hypnosis > discussion control Stanton, 1994 13. Asthma Hypnosis > attention control Ewer & Stewart, 1986 14. Bed wetting Suggestion with or without hypnosis > wait list Edwards & Van der Spuy, control 1986 15. Bulimia Hypnosis = CBT > wait list Griffiths et al., 1996 16. Chemotherapy distress Hypnosis > conversation + antiemetic medication Jacknow et al., 1994 17. Cystic fibrosis Self-hypnosis > wait list control Belsky & Khanna, 1994 18. Depression Hypnosis enhances CBT Alladin & Alibhai, 2007 19. Duodenal ulcer relapse Hypnosis + medication > medication only Colgan et al., 1988 20. Fibromyalgia Hypnosis > physical therapy for subjective symp- Haanen et al., 1991 toms 21. Haemorrhage Preoperative suggestion reduces blood flow Enqvist et al., 1995 22. High blood-pressure Hypnosis > wait list in reducing BP long-term Gay, 2007 23. Hip or knee osteoarthritis Hypnosis = relaxation > wait list control Gay et al., 2002 pain 24. Insomnia (primary) Hypnosis + CBT > medication long-term Graci & Hardie, 2007 25. Irritable bowel syndrome Hypnosis > psychotherapy Whorwell et al., 1984 (IBS) 26. Nausea & hyperemesis Hypnotic-like relaxation > control Lyles et al., 1982 27. Obstetrics Apgar score Hypnosis associated with higher Apgar score Harmon et al., 1990 28. Obstetrics pain Hypnosis shortens labour and reduces analgesic Jenkins & Prichard, 1983 use 29. Smoking cessation Hypnosis or relaxation > wait list controls for good Schubert, 1983 subjects 30. Trauma recovery Desensitisation = hypnosis = psychodynamic Brom et al., 1989 therapy > control 31. Wart removal Suggestion with or without hypnosis > control or Spanos et al., 1990 medication

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 29 primitive experiments and provide an meet the following minimum crite- Effective overview of the therapeutic usefulness ria. Studies should normally contain of hypnotherapy based on modern samples of at least 25 subjects who A treatment is termed empirically- research design meeting the highest are randomly assigned to treatment supported as being “effective” if standards of quality. and control groups, i.e., the study is a statistically significant superiority to randomised control trial (RCT). There control group measures have been These ratings are derived from the is a treatment manual or equivalent replicated with completely inde- review published by Wark (2008), (such as a hypnosis script) so that pendent samples or by independent in which the references and criteria the treatment can be replicated in research teams, and data support- are given in full. In brief, the main other studies. Treatment must be ing the treatment in question must criteria for the ratings are those set conducted upon a specific condition be shown to predominate if there are by Chambless & Hollon (1998), which which has been adequately assessed, conflicting data from other studies. they define roughly as follows but see and adequate outcome measures their article for a more specific and must be used which are subject to Specific detailed account of the criteria. suitable statistical analysis. The outcome must essentially show the A treatment can be considered empir- Possible treatment to be significantly more ically-supported as “specific” (i.e., effective than a placebo or no-treat- better than “non-specific” treatment) A treatment is “possibly” empirically- ment control group, or equivalent to if it has shown statistically significant supported if peer-reviewed studies another empirically-supported treat- ment.

Below are a list of members who have successfully completed the NCH accredited Supervisors course or have been granted the designation AccHypSup through accredited prior learning.

Peter Adamson Warrington & NW 01942 677 426 Martin Armstrong-Prior Leicester 0116 276 4911 Fiona Biddle Loughborough & London 0150 988 1411 Catherine Bremner S Alton, Hampshire 07762 799737 Shaun Brookhouse Manchester & London 0161 881 1677 Michael Cameron London 0208 445 1369 Nick Cooke U Birmingham 0121 444 1110 Tom Cottrell Edinburgh and Biggar 0131 2254437 Julian Davidson P Nottingham and Beeston 0115 9135104 Josephine Goss Scotland 01343 835705 Joy Gower Norwich 01603 700578 Kate Harvey E Nottingham 0115 948 0815 Val Hird York 01904 629 347 Pat Hoare Exeter, Devon 01392 410090 Christine Hyde R Clevelys 01253 864419 Christine Key Surrey 01932 560725 Simon Kilner Leeds 0113 278 8673 Stephanie Kirke V Thatcham 01635 869444 John Lawrence Linlithgow 01506 830190 Mary Llewellyn Doncaster 01302 743113 Theresa Long I Wimbledon 0208 241 7930 Lynn Martin Honiton, Devon 0208 457 2643 Gloria May London 0207 486 4553 Joe McAnelly S Newcastle upon Tyne 0191 286 1161 Maureen McCabe Salthill (Eire) 00 353 877730401 Susan McIntyre Burnham on Sea 01278 784490 Hilary Norris-Evans I Wiltshire 01249 740506 Paul Peace Sheffield 0114 235 1985 Su Ricks Daventry 01327 263355 Lynnzie Stirling O Edinburgh 0131 66 77 199 Josephine Teague Cambridge 01223 235127 Graham Thomas London 0207 286 0887 Joanne Waine N Bedford 01234 852930 Carole Wan S.Yorks & London 01246 416 544 Patrick Waterson Ballymena (NI) 028 25631415

30 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk superiority to a placebo (“sham”) therapy or another psychological Successful Website Design therapy in at least two independent studies.

References By Paul Howard Bolocofsky, D.N., Spinler, D., & Coulthard-Morris, L. (1985). ‘Effectiveness of hypnosis as an adjunct to behavioral weight management’, Journal of Clinical Psychology, 41. Chambless, D.L., & Hollon, S. ‘Defining empirically supported therapies’, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66. Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures. ‘Training in and dissemination of empirically validated psychol- ogist treatments: report and recommendations.’ Clin Psychol 1995;48:3–23. hen designing a web- your face. This can be too much Chambless DL, Sanderson WC, Shoham V, Bennett site you sometimes for your potential customer. Your Johnson S, Pope KS, Crits-Christoph P, et al. only have one chance customer is there to solve a problem ‘An update on empirically validated therapies.’ Clin Psychol 1996;49:5–18. and a few seconds to and blatant advertisements or flash- Chambless DL, Baker MJ, Baucom DH, Beutler LE, Wkeep the internet visitor from clicking ing banners may turn them off and Calhoun KS, Crits-Christoph P, et al. ‘Update on the back button on their web brows- they may just hit the back button empirically validated therapies, II.’ Clin Psychol 1998;51:3–16. er. Whether you are selling a Hypno- before they find what they are look- Wark, David M. (2008). ‘What we can do with therapy CDs or extolling the virtues of ing for. hypnosis: a brief note’, American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, July 2008 your practice, remember your website design represents your business. Rule 2. Make sure your website design makes it easy for the visitor For years, we have been told that the to find the navigation buttons. If a first 30 seconds are crucial to build- customer has to search for a navi- ing rapport and making a lasting first gation button to find information impression. There is no difference about the company or the navigation when designing your website than buttons are not working, the visitor that first meeting or telephone call may get frustrated and leave your Advertise in the with a client. You are making a first website. impression with the internet visitor Journal and be who has searched for what you are As a rule of thumb, your navigation seen by over 1800 offering in your website design. The buttons should be on the left side of first impression can make the differ- your web page because the major- Hypnotherapists ence between a paying client i.e. a ity of people read from left to right. conversion or just a visitor to your Think about reading a newspaper or a and Trainees. website. book. You look at the headlines then you read from the left to the right. Whole Page - £150 Here are just 5 simple rules to keep in However sometimes the design just mind when designing your website. wont lend itself to doing that. Ask Half Page - £90 yourself the question. What’s more Rule 1. Limit the use or do not use important - the design or getting Quarter Page - £45 flashy banners and advertisements at customers? the beginning of you website. There Half column - £30 is a time and place for the banners Rule 3. When visitors are brows- Back Page - 50% extra and advertisements and I have never ing your site, have a clear indication found one on my website. In other for the visitor of where they are on Inserts - £150 words I never use them but that’s a your website and how to get to other Series discounts available. personal choice. parts. There is nothing more annoying than You may want to put a link on each Please contact the Editor for clicking on a website to see cartoon page that the visitor clicks to take media pack 04/07. characters and advertisements for them to the home page or another other products flashing in front of page relating to the information

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 31 currently viewing. In other words do not confuse your visitor or your visitor Metaphor Corner may just click off the website totally.

Rule 4. When designing your website pay close attention to loading time, the time it takes your web pages to load. You can reduce loading time by reducing graphics on each page. A good website design should load in under twenty seconds.

The longer it takes the pages to load the more frustrating it can be to the When he got to the end of week three visitor. People want it yesterday not Pigeons the only thing that he could hear was today and definitely not tomorrow. his guitar. When he went outside he discovered to his surprise that not Rule 5. Use a font that is common I remember when a good friend of one pigeon was sitting on his roof. to all web browsers and easy to read. mine moved into his brand new home He tells me that every once in a while You have to think of your market. If just a couple of years ago. I helped a couple of pigeon sit on his roof but your target market is older individuals him move his furniture in and we as long as he does not feed them they you may want to increase the font. were just about finished is when the fly away after a couple of minutes. noise started; which sounded like Most of us are not going to get somebody walking on the roof. When By putting up with the noise and not younger and with age, we find our we went outside we could not believe doing the easy thing he now enjoys eyesight is not what it used to be. what we were looking at; there must the house that he has always dreamt have been 150 pigeons sat on the of. In addition, different web brows- roof and in the garden. ers display fonts differently. There- Gary Maddison fore, you want to use a universal The next day he spoke to his neigh- font compatible to the popular web bour and his neighbour told him that browser for better viewing. the lady that lived in the house before him would feed the pigeons every Perfect House Bonus Rule 6. Make sure the infor- evening. My friend contacted the mation on your website is up to environmental health at the council date, interesting and relevant to you. and they told him that the only way to You look around and realise you are Prospective clients want to know they get rid of the pigeons was not to feed in the beautiful grounds of a coun- are visiting a website that has up to them. That night the pigeons came try mansion. You gaze at the pano- date information and is relevant to and even though he did not want to ramic view. There are trees and well what they are searching for. feed the pigeons he did because the pruned shrubs, manicured lawns and noise he said was unbearable. But ornamental pools. You set off to These are just a few rules of website when he woke up the next day he felt take a closer look, wandering round design. There are many other things frustrated because he had given in the well kept pathways and between to adhere to when designing your and fed the pigeons. the tidy flower beds. Studying the website for optimal visitors. ornate statues, admiring the ordered Somebody then told him that if he herb garden and neat rose beds. The When designing your website look did something else when the pigeons perfume of the flowers is delicate, the at it from the clients point of view. came it would take his mind off the colours carefully put together. Would you want to visit this website? noise. That night when the pigeons Would you want to book an appoint- came he distracted his mind away from It is obvious that someone has put a ment from this website? If you answer the noise by playing on his guitar. At great deal of planning and thought “no” then correct the problems. the end of the week he went outside into this, everything is just so. It must and he discovered that half of the take a good deal of work to keep each pigeons had gone and by week two aspect so neat, so tidy, so immacu- only around 40 pigeons remained. late.

32 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk However, there is something missing. full of lightness and, yes, joy. happy scenes of your life, trips out, There is no-where to sit down and celebrations, holidays. There are even very little shade. Your mind clears and you can look up-to-date pictures of you enjoying forward. There is no going back. occasions, laughing, chatting, admir- You begin to notice how warm the ing the views. day is and you head for a clump of You take a deep breath, that’s better. trees and some shade and maybe a You are amazed at how much better But the pages don’t stop there, they seat to sit on where you can admire you feel and see, for the first time, a go on into the future. Here you are, the garden. little way beyond where the balloon visiting your family in their own was, a house. It is just the most homes, having a fun night out with As you reach the trees you realise you perfect house for you. your friends, enjoying yourself. Busy have somehow wandered out of the at work, efficient and in control, well tended grounds and into a more It is exactly how you imagined it inviting people round to your house, wild area. The grass is longer and the would be. There are lovely flowers in loving to have the company. Driving ground uneven. The trees and hedges the garden. The delicious scent wafts through the countryside at all differ- are not pruned. There are nettles and up towards you on a gentle breeze as ent seasons of the year, admiring the brambles. There are no pathways. you push open the garden gate, the beauty of it all. Confident and serene, birds are singing as you walk up the enjoying life and looking forward to You pause for a moment under the path, the door opens a little welcom- the new adventures it will bring. trees, in the deep pool of shade. There ing you and you walk right in. is still no-where to sit down. It will be interesting to see what Inside it is beautifully cool and light. happy pictures are going to be added Perhaps you shouldn’t be here. in the future. The near future and the Perhaps you should go back?………… You peep through the doorways but distant future. don’t explore everywhere just yet. Out of the corner of your eye you Margaret Wiggal see a hot air balloon. It lands on One of the rooms has a comfy chair the ground and stays there. You are in it and you do so want to sit down. drawn towards it, fascinated by its The whole house feels so comfort- bright colours. You hurry towards able and welcoming and the chair is it, pushing through the rough grass so inviting. You sit down. That feels under your feet and stumbling on the so good. uneven ground as you go hoping to get close before it takes off again. As you sit there you look around with surprise. The room is decorated exactly As you reach it you realise you are as you would have chosen, with orna- quite exhausted, partly by the rough ments and pictures very much to your ground and the warmth of the day taste. It is just perfect. and partly by the heavy rucksack on your back. You hadn’t really noticed Next to you there is a small table it before but you are carrying such a with a book on it. You pick up the heavy load and it is making you so, book and see it is a picture book. You so tired. wonder if it is a history of the house, but no, you see, with amazement, it QUOTE-NOTES Somehow you know exactly what to has pictures of you in it. There you do. You take off your rucksack and are as a child, a teenager, a student, you dump it into the basket of the growing up! They are happy pictures “Use what talents you possess; balloon, you don‘t need it anymore, and they bring back such lovely the woods would be very silent if and watch with great relief as the memories. You can conjure up the no birds sang except those that balloon takes off again. That was events as they took place, who was sang best. close. You were just in time. The there with you, how you were feeling balloon rises up into the air and you at the time; cheerful, mischievous, feel a huge sense of relief. That heavy proud, happy. Henry van Dyke” burden is gone. The balloon disap- pears over the horizon and you feel As you look through you see other

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 33 CPD Diary, Noticeboard Noticeboard and Classified Anyone interested in networking about hypnosis being used in demen- tia, learning difficulties, and neuro- feedback? [email protected]

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NCH CPD courses cost £60. Contact Hypnoke MkII, complete with flight Brenda/Margaret on 0844 736 5806 case. Excellent “as new” condition. IMPORTANT: Publication of a clas- for more information and bookings. £200(+postage). Contact Rob. sified ad, notice or CPD course does [email protected] not imply endorsement by the NCH. 2009 CPD programme TBA Next booking and copy deadline is 24th April 2009 Recession buster - put a classified ad Other CPD Courses FREE in any 2009 edition of the jour- nal. Contact the Editor for info: [email protected] If you would like to add a CPD course to the diary, please contact the Editor for pricing & availability. Vacancy - Development Director

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34 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk and suggests it is a perfectly natural Book Reviews step on the way to belief change.

None of the techniques discussed are rocket science, but that just makes the whole book even more accessible and practical. I particularly recom- mend it to anyone starting out who might be wondering how they can apply things they are learning outside hypnotherapy.

ISBN: 0954574834 RRP: £7.99 The Courage to Love: NLP in Business: A Practical Published by Communications in Principles and Practices of Handbook for Using NLP Action Self-relations Psychotherapy Easily and Professionally By Stephen Gilligan By Peter Freeth

Reviewed by Paul Kimberlee Reviewed by Tom Sedge

Man’s Search for Meaning I really enjoyed this book, which This is a book I read simply ages ago By Victor Frankl presents quite a different model that I still find myself quoting from. of hypnotherapy to the cognitive Reviewed by Jill Tonks approach I usually work with. It’s a simple and straightforward guide to implementing many basic NLP Dr. Gilligan suggests that problems techniques in a day-to-day business are often from neglected parts of setting. Written in a clean, clear and This book blew me away. It was writ- ourselves that we can begin to accept concise style, Peter has a real knack ten in the 50’s and is an account of and learn from to help with change, for seeing how to apply patterns in an Auschwitz survivor, Victor Frankl. an interesting idea. different situations, so much so that I What made the difference to those frequently found myself thinking “Of who survived such a traumatic expe- There are a lot of simple techniques course, why didn’t I think of that?”. rience and those who didn’t he puts for relaxation and acceptance which I down to meaning. think can be readily applied whatever One area that particularly caught my your therapeutic preference. eye was the importance Peter gives to He was an eminent Doctor before creating a state of confusion. In order and after his experiences, and what These is also some great informa- to take someone from a strongly- kept him going was writing the tion about centering yourself as a held belief or view to a contrary manuscript he was stripped of when therapist which I liked, and a great one, he states that it is first neces- he entered the camp - no mean feat I dissection of the different styles that sary to deliberately create confusion. can tell you - and working as a doctor therapists work from which I’ve found Starting with certainty, we introduce to typhus sufferers. quite useful. doubt, uncertainty and then confu- sion before reversing the process to There are some very moving and ISBN: 0393702472 reach a new viewpoint. How do to shocking bits in the book, but this is RRP: £22.00 this? Well one way is to get in rapport positive psychology before we knew Published by W. W. Norton & Co. and then becoming confused your- it as we do now. Victor Frankl goes self, leading the other person on the on to explore logotherapy in part 2 route you want them to follow. of the book which is meaning therapy which he went on to develop. Peter takes resistance as an excellent sign that the other person is already In terms of PTSD there are some imagining the thing they are trying interesting reflections on those who, to resist. He then paces the resistance being freed from the camp, thought

hypnotherapists.org.uk - Issue 1 Vol 9 - The Hypnotherapy Journal 35 their dreams were being realised but Utilising our mirror neurons allow and facial expressions, and how our in fact then realised their suffering us to interpret the expressions and unfiltered brain responses may not be was meaningless and went on to actions of those around us and to the ones that our conscious brains are experience a second nightmare of respond appropriately. By under- in agreement with or even aware of. being unable to integrate back into standing the intentions and emotions society. of others we are better able to under- Lacoboni writes with a fluent confi- stand ourselves within the context dent style that makes the most It is a powerful read, and consider- of those around us, to know how we complicated studies on parts of the ing only 1 in 28 people survived the exist by the experience of the response brain I had no previous knowledge of, camp, an amazing account of manag- we give and get from others. easily digestible. His passion for this ing hell on earth. subject and how it has the ability to One study in particular posed the be not only the foundation of how ISBN: 1844132390 question, “how do you know the we know who we are but how it also RRP: £7.99 difference between picking up a holds the potential to influence our Published by Rider & Co teacup because you want to take a lives, in a way that questions just how sip, or because you’re clearing the much control we really have over our table, and can mirror neurons tell the responses to the world. difference.” “It seems we’re wired to see other In a recent study published in PLOS people as similar to us, rather than Mirroring People Biology he and his colleagues found different,” Gallese says. “At the root, as By Marco Lacoboni some evidence that they can. The humans we identify the person we’re researchers used fMRI to examine 23 facing as someone like ourselves.” Reviewed by Dani Dennington participants as they watched videos of a hand picking up a teacup. In one ISBN: 0374210179 video, the teacup sat on a table amid RRP: £18.99 a pot of tea and plate of cookies - a Published by Farrar Straus Giroux This is a fascinating account of the signal that a tea party was under way research into Mirror neurons from and the hand was grasping the cup the first studies on macaque monkey to take a sip. In the other video, the brains back in the 1980’s right up table was messy and scattered with to the present day, detailing numer- crumbs - a sign that the party was ous research projects using fMRI over and the hand was clearing the brain imaging looking at everything table. In a third video the cup was from autism, addiction and advertis- alone, removed from any context. The ing through to the development of researchers found that mirror neurons speech and human empathy. in the premotor cortex and other Calling All brain areas reacted more strongly to Mirror neurons fire when you perform the actions embedded in the tea- Bookworms! an action, or think about perform- party context than to the contextless ing an action, they also fire when scene. you watch others perform the same action, especially if that action has “This suggests that the neurons are If there is a book or hypno- some relevance to your experience as important for understanding inten- therapy related product you a human being. tions as well as actions,” Lacoboni have used recently, why not says. send in a review? They help us understand what we read by internally simulating the action we “This neural mechanism is involun- Or maybe you’ve got a great just read in the sentence. The mirror tary and automatic,” he says - with metaphor you’d like to share. neurons simulate the action and so it we don’t have to think about what transform our bodily actions from a other people are doing or feeling, we Email your contributions to: private experience to a social expe- simply know. rience to be shared with our fellow [email protected] humans through language It is why we respond to TV adverts, and violence, people crying, touching

36 The Hypnotherapy Journal - Issue 1 Vol 9 - hypnotherapists.org.uk The Hypnotherapy journal Address: PO Box 149, Gravesend, DA11 8XL Phone / Fax: 01474 740724 / 0870 7627329 Email: [email protected] Editor: Rob Woodgate MNCH(Reg), HPD, NLP(Master Prac) Proofreader: Lisa Langhorn, 01932 860107 Printer: Meridian Printers, 51-53 West Street, Long Sutton, Spalding, Lincs. PE12 9BN

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