NOVEMBER 2011, Volume 39 Number 2, Abstract 1
THE TREATMENT OF WARTS WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM “THE SIMPSONS”: A CASE EXAMPLE OF THE TREATMENT OF AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY
Elke Kellis,Registered Psychologist, Melbourne
The following case example illustrates how clinical hypnosis can be highly effective and successful in the treatment of warts in a young boy. The case demonstrates that children can be highly hypnotisable and make excellent subjects for hypnotic interventions. It also highlights that careful preparation is of key importance, particularly in thoroughly educating the subject about warts and how treatment will work as well as in assisting in the selection of useful material to be included in the induction and suggestions stages of the hypnotic interventions. It is argued that a creative application of material generated by the child can greatly facilitate the therapeutic process of the hypnotic intervention. Possible applications of this process in other areas of medicine are also briefly discussed. It is concluded that clinical hypnosis in the treatment of warts in children can be considered a treatment of choice due to its non-invasive and painless nature and effectiveness.