Irving Kirsch

Steven J. Lynn

Judith W. Rhue

Hypnosis has always captured the attention of some of the most creative thinkers in the field of psychology. Today, hypnosis and hypnotic phenomena are studied with state-of-the-science neuroimaging techniques, and hypnosis has informed cognitive science (and vice-versa) in meaningful ways. In this second edition of the landmark Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis, editors Steven Jay Lynn, Judith Rhue, and Irving Kirsch have undertaken a significant revision and update to their classic text, first published over ten years ago. It is divided into six sections: Foundations and General Considerations, which includes chapters on the history of hypnosis and measures of hypnotizability; Theories of Hypnosis, in which hypnosis is examined within the context of various therapeutic constructs; Hypnotic Techniques, which includes a how-to primer for trained therapists to conduct hypnotic inductions, as well as chapters about the integration of hypnosis with mindfulness strategies; Treating Psychological Problems and Populations, which discusses the use of hypnosis in treatment for depression, PTSD and Anxiety; Health and Sport Psychology, which examines hypnotic treatments for pain control and surgery as well as for maximizing athletic performance; and finally Further Issues and Extensions, which addresses, among other things, popular and cross-cultural conceptions of hypnosis. Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis, Second Edition is the comprehensive resource for clinicians, researchers, and anyone interested in the theory and practice of clinical hypnosis.

Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis

Steven Jay Lynn

Scientific and popular interest in dissociation and dissociative disorders has grown significantly in the past decade. Responding to the need for an authoritative reference on this topic, Steven Jay Lynn and Judith W. Rhue present an unusually comprehensive volume, covering the major aspects of dissociation--from the predominant models and diagnostic and treatment approaches, to significant research, clinical, and conceptual issues. Illuminating reading, Dissociation confronts many of the controversies and debates surrounding the topic. Founded on research and grounded in theory, it is an important addition to the scholarly literature. Laying the groundwork for the rest of the book, the first section discusses current theoretical and research perspectives on dissociation. Chapters set forth results of the latest research alongside actual clinical examples. In the second section, chapters present practical information designed to assist clinicians in diagnosing and treating clients suffering from dissociative disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, and the consequences of sexual victimization and cult involvement. Fostering an appreciation for the ways in which social and cultural factors affect the expression of dissociative symptoms, this section also illustrates the ways in which transference and countertransference can affect dissociative symptoms and the treatment of multiple personality disorder, (MPD). The third section, on current issues and controversies, provides invaluable information for all clinicians who encounter clients with dissociative disorders. Chapters probe such questions as whether trauma causes dissociative pathology, whether and under what circumstances pseudomemories of child abuse can be created, the relationship between conversion and dissociative disorders and their respective placement in diagnostic classification schemes, and areas of possible rapprochement between those who believe in MPD and those who are skeptical of the disorder. Offering the most significant contribution to scholarly coverage of dissociation to date, this highly provocative volume offers valuable insights for the clinician, as well as many new theories, hypotheses, and syntheses of the research literature. As such, Dissociation will be welcomed by anyone who encounters dissociative disorders in clinical practice. It is also a useful primary text for researchers and students of psychotherapy in a broad range of helping professions.

Clinical and Theoretical Perspectives

Dissociation

It has been said that "hypnosis is a collection of techniques in need of a unifying theory." (James A. Hall, Hypnosis: A Jungian Perspective). While the varied substrates of these techniques preclude the formation of any one theory of hypnosis, this volume presents a "state-of-the-science" view of existing theories of hypnosis. Written by eminent scholars and researchers, this uniquely authoritative resource also provides a wealth of information about the history of hypnosis, clinical and research perspectives on hypnosis, and the strengths and weaknesses of empirical methods used to address crucial theoretical questions. The streamlined organization of the volume facilitates the reader's ability to contrast and compare research findings and concepts across theories. In the introductory chapters, the editors describe hypnosis paradigms and schools of thought, including major points of convergence and divergence, as well as a broad vista of different perspectives on the history of hypnosis. The theoretical chapters that follow present definitive statements by an international array of eminent scholars who are at the forefront of conceptual advances in the realms of clinical and experimental hypnosis. Their contributions, written in lively first-person narratives, explore current thinking about hypnosis and represent important clinical and research traditions that extend beyond the territory of hypnosis to mainstream psychology. Providing a thorough discussion of hypnotic phenomena, the book tackles tough questions such as whether hypnosis evokes an altered state of consciousness; whether hypnotic behavior is involuntary; whether hypnotizability is stable, trait-like, and modifiable; and whether hypnotic and non-hypnotic behavior can be distinguished in meaningful ways. The diversity of viewpoints, including competitive ones, illuminates the debates which have expanded the frontiers of knowledge about hypnosis. In the concluding section, the editors compare and contrast these theories, discuss pertinent research issues, and lay out an agenda for future research. Given its stellar list of contributors and the unique niche it occupies as the first authoritative survey of its kind, THEORIES OF HYPNOSIS is of value to anyone interested in the topic. The editors' ten years of experience teaching hypnosis to psychology and medical students has resulted in a book with enormous appeal to students and instructors, as well as clinicians and researchers. A wide variety of professionals--academics, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, dentists--will find it an authoritative introduction and invaluable reference to this still-growing, ever-fascinating field.

Judith W. Rhue

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