NOVEMBER 2000, VOLUME 28, NUMBER 2, Abstract 7
The Meaning of Trauma: Hypnosis and PTSD
Christine Ffrench, Psychologist
The onset and course of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a reaction to an event must be viewed in light of the personal meaning of the trauma to the individual. This report details the therapeutic process involved for a 27-year-old male who had been the victim of an armed robbery and subsequently developed PTSD. A combination of hypnosis and cognitive behavioural therapy was employed to facilitate integration of the trauma and promote his ability to deal with it. Under hypnosis, the idiosyncratic nature of his reaction became apparent and he was able to abreact the affective component of the event. The case illustrates the importance of understanding the nature of the meaning of the trauma to the client and the efficacy of hypnosis in dealing with it.