November 2006, VOLUME 34, NUMBER 2, Abstract 5
THE PLACE OF HYPNOSIS IN PSYCHIATRY: ITS APPLICATIONS IN TREATING ANXIETY DISORDERS AND SLEEP DISTURBANCES
Tom Kraft, Private practice
David Kraft, Researcher
“I do not generally view hypnosis as the therapeutic agent, but rather as the catalyst for communicating therapeutic ideas or facilitating therapeutic experiences.”
This is the view of Yapko (1993), which endorses our view of the role of hypnosis in the treatment of emotional disorders. Hypnotherapy can be used extensively for a wide range of conditions in the field of psychiatry: It is valuable for the treatment of anxiety disorders, sleep disturbances, eating disorders, depression, psychosexual disorders, addictions, and particularly, in the treatment of phobic disorders (Waxman, 1980). Hypnotherapy is advantageous, as it allows patients to face their fears in a relaxed and safe environment; in hypnotherapy, patients are able to explore problem areas together with the therapist (Kraft, 2000). The purpose of this article is to focus on the treatment of anxiety disorders, including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a range of sleep disturbances.