Hypnotic Ego Strengthening Sheryll Daniel, Ph.D. sheryll@pobox.com American Society of Clinical Hypnosis San Antonio, TX October 2013
Faculty Disclosure Sheryll Daniel, Ph.D. I have no real or apparent financial interest, or conflict of interest, regarding any of the material in this presentation. I will not be discussing any investigational or off-label uses of medications or medical devices in this presentation.
Why Use Hypnosis in Treatment? Understand, acknowledge and tolerate wounds Distance from painful past events and create room for a more positive present and future Selective attention to strength, joy, mastery Imagine what can be; make it real through imagery, spending time with it
Why Use Hypnosis in Treatment? Notice, appreciate and reinforce strengths The medium is the message: Things can be different than I have known them to be, or knew they could be; I have capacities I did not know I had Enhancement of curiosity
The Language of Hypnosis Communication by the therapist is kind, mindful Ericksonian approaches: language is permissive, empowering Language offers, suggests and opens possibilities
Ego-Strengthening Ability to tolerate own emotional responses, including ambivalence Ability to tolerate and choose responses to external life events Ability to self-soothe in response to troubling situations and emotions Ability not to be either paralyzed or compelled by own emotional responses
Ego-Strengthening Increasing understanding of own triggers for reactivity Ability to take responsibility for own moods and feelings Increasing independence/insulation from demands of id, constraints of superego Development of healthy boundaries
The Role of Ego Strength in Medical and Dental Settings Supports ability to tolerate procedures Facilitates pain management Supports capacity to face the future in the face of grave or uncertain prognoses Supports a collaborative, active approach to the patient role
Specific Hypnotic Techniques for Ego-Strengthening Reduction of anxiety Reduction of other difficult feelings Recalling a feeling that is incompatible with the difficult feeling Self-soothing in session Post-hypnotic suggestion for self-soothing
Specific Hypnotic Techniques for Ego-Strengthening Positive uses of selective attention This situation is not my entire life This feeling is not all of me Even in this moment, I can have other experiences Age progression to after the difficult situation is over
Specific Hypnotic Techniques for Ego-Strengthening Metaphors for boundaries Metaphors for decreased reactivity Time distortion for decreased reactivity Age progression Age regression Enhancement of desired or adaptive emotional responses
Ego-Strengthening in Medical and Dental Settings Reduction of anxiety Direct or indirect suggestion of capacity to handle the procedure Age progression to after the procedure is finished; see how you handled it Permission to need and accept help Suggestion that resources needed in the future can be sought out and utilized