Tag Archives: psychotherapy

History of Hypnotherapy: Erickson

Milton Erickson was an American psychiatrist who believed that the unconscious mind was separate from the conscious mind. The unconscious mind, he believed, was always listening — so whether or not a patient was in a trance, a suggestion could make an impact on an unconscious level. Erickson also believed that a trance was not a special mental state — it was a common, everyday occurrence. Any person could at any time become so immersed in an activity that it blocked out all other stimuli. During these everyday trances, you might notice a person gazing off to the side, the … Continue reading →

When Your Therapist Does Harm (1)

Therapists are supposed to help us, right? Technically, yes. But as in any profession there are unscrupulous ones and people who suffer from emotional illnesses are more vulnerable than most to the dealings of a less-than-helpful therapist. Because a patient needs to feel completely comfortable with a therapist for positive changes to take place, the patient must learn to trust and open up to the therapist. In doing so, the therapist can observe what factors caused the illness, and what factors are keeping the illness going. In revealing their inner lives to their therapist, often in a manner in which … Continue reading →

The minefield of schizophrenia (2)

In this blog, we continue with simple, concise explanations of much of the language and terminology used by mental health professionals in the treatment of schizophrenia. • Hearing voices A type of hallucination in which the sufferer hears voices, or hears his or her own thoughts actually spoken aloud, or other sounds that no-one else can hear. Often several voices may occur at once, causing acute stress for the sufferer. The voices are invariable negative in tone. • Maintenance therapy Treatment which is aimed at the reduction of relapse and may include regular hospital in-patient admissions in an attempt to … Continue reading →