MAY 2009, VOLUME 37 NUMBER 1, Abstract 4
PHASE-ORIENTATED HYPNOTHERAPY FOR COMPLEX PTSD IN BATTERED WOMEN: AN OVERVIEW AND CASE STUDIES FROM HONG KONG
Priscilla Sau Kuen Kwan, Registered Clinical Psychologist, Hong Kong
Violence against women by their intimate partners continues to be prevalent in Hong Kong. Trauma experts have developed phase-oriented hypnotherapy with clear treatment foci and procedures for recovery in response to complex trauma. Although hypnosis has been recognised as a promising intervention for ameliorating the suffering of victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or acute stress disorder, there has been no empirical investigation of its effectiveness on battered women with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). This report highlights evidence for the effectiveness of phase-oriented hypnotherapy for treating battered women with CPTSD within the Chinese population. The author recommends more rigorous local research in this area prior to widespread adoption in Hong Kong.