Main description:

The age-old notion of 'hypnotic induction' receives a fresh look from notable scholars from Canada, England, Sweden, and the USA in this book. These scholars represent a breadth of theoretical perspectives: cognitive-behavioral, Ericksonian, psychoanalytic, and trance-state. It is well known that a wide range of hypnotic induction protocols is used to prepare individuals to enhance their receptivity to test or clinical suggestions. However, despite its popularity of use, it appears that little is known about its relevancy and boundary conditions either for testing for hypnotisability or for enhancing clinical efficacy. In this volume, the authors reflect on issues surrounding its definitions, relevancy, possible components, and approaches; they also suggest considerations and strategies for optimizing inductions. This book will be of benefit to both newcomers to the field and seasoned researchers and clinicians alike - it can stimulate new thinking and research about this important, but often taken for granted, notion of hypnotic induction. This book was originally published as a special issue of the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis.

Contents:

Introduction: The Paradox of Induction 1. Hypnotic Induction: Enhancing Trance or Mostly Myth? 2. What Can a Hypnotic Induction Do? 3. Nuances and Uncertainties Regarding Hypnotic Inductions: Toward a Theoretically Informed Praxis 4. Conscious/Unconscious Dissociation Induction: Increasing Hypnotic Performance With "Resistant" Clients 5. Perspectives on Pathways to Induction: Confronting Unexpected Challenges 6. Induction Technique: Beyond Simple Response to Suggestion 7. A Comparison of Hypnotic Induction, Task Motivation, and a "Cold Start" Control Group on Hypnotizability 8. The Hypnotic Induction in the Broad Scheme of Hypnosis: A Sociocognitive Perspective