Hypnosis: Psycho-Philosophical Perspectives And Therapeutic Relevance

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This is an edited volume with selected papers by eminent hypnotherapists and philosophers. The book is divided in three parts. Part I discusses the history and theoretical aspects of hypnosis, mind-body continuum, and consciousness as a key psychological entity in the context of hypnosis.

Part II presents elaborate clinical case studies and research papers which bring out specific procedures of hypnosis delineating the principles of trance induction, imagery and suggestions in different medical and psychological problem situations. Finally, Part III offers some Indian philosophical views on consciousness to the scientific community that is faced with a challenge to unravel functioning of consciousness.

Hypnosis is a promising field of enquiry and this book can be a good resource for curious aspirants, practicing hypnotherapists, and researchers.

Renu Sharma is Ph.D in Psychology and is currently serving as Reader in the Department of Psychology, The M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara. She is also the faculty and coordinator of the course "Diploma in Clinical and Applied Psychology" run by the department. She is a practicing hypnotherapist and has several publications to her credit.

B. M. Palan, MD taught Physiology at Medical Colleges for 20 years, headed the Psychosomatic Medicine and Hypnotherapy Clinic, S. S. G. Hospital, Vadodara and guided M D/Ph.D students at The M.S. University of Baroda for more than 10 years. He is also a Yoga Teacher. He is the first doctor in India to have obtained Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis from the American Board of Medical Hypnosis. He is conducting self-development and stress management workshops (tranceformation" and Towards Success and Excellence) in various industrial and academic organizations since 1986.

Dr. Palan has contributed widely at national and international level in the academic journals and books in the areas of stress management, psychosomatic medicine, yoga and hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis: Psycho-philosophical perspectives and therapeutic relevance is being published as a compilation volume of selected papers presented at the "Seventh National Conference on Hypnotherapy: The Therapy of New Millennium" held at The Maharaja Sayaji Rao University of Baroda, Vadodara during January 9-11, 2009. These articles present a practical way of some key aspects of Hypnotherapy for medical and psychological health practitioners, besides an insight on psycho-philosophical issues.

Since 1990s, several techniques for behaviour modification have been researched. Hypnotherapy too, has been extensively explored in the West, and has emerged as an effective tool in behavioural change, opening several new exciting possibilities in the field of psychology, psychiatry and medicine. Proof of its efficacy in the medical field has made hypnotherapy one of the prime methods used in complementary medicine, and this is one of the reasons of its popularity. Hypnotherapy is flexible, briefer and time efficient, making it a treatment of choice in today's fast times. It is no longer an "alternative" form of therapy but rather has challenged traditional therapies by becoming more goal oriented, clearly focussed and centered on the development of the patient's existing strengths and abilities.

In India, Dr. Hrishikesh Jana (1928-2006) may be considered as the pioneer of medical hypnosis. He established Indian Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis in early seventies. The first National Congress of Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine was organized at N. H. L. Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad in 1984. Subsequently five other national conferences were organized at different institutes of India, for example in Government Medical College, Baroda 1986 and 1994), and at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi (1988) and at National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bangalore (1997). Seventh National Conference was successfully organized in January 2009 at The M. S. University of Baroda. This book is compilation of some selected papers presented during the Conference.

The conference emphasized mind-body continuum as a singularity, so that psychopathology as well as its reversal through psychodynamic manipulations that bring about transformation in the body systems could be understood within the current scientific knowledge. Part I of the book contains papers on the history and theoretical aspects of hypnosis/ hypnotherapy. Part II of the book has papers on case studies highlighting the hypnotherapeutic practices.

**Contents and Sample Pages**