Hypnotism

Hypnosis provides a rich paradigm for those seeking to understand the processes that underlye consciousness. This book describes the latest advances in understanding hypnosis and similar trance states by researchers within the neuroscience of consciousness.

<em>The Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis</em> is the long overdue successor to Fromm and Nash's <em> Contemporary Hypnosis Research</em> (Guilford Press), which has been regarded as the field's authoritative scholarly reference for over 35 years. This new book is a comprehensive summary of where field has been, where it stands today, and its future directions. The volume's lucid and engaging chapters on the scientific background to the field, fully live up to this uncompromising scholarly legacy. In addition, the scope of the book includes 17 clinical chapters which comprehensively describe how hypnosis is best used with patients across a spectrum of disorders and applied settings. Authored by the world's leading practitioners these contributions are sophisticated, inspiring, and richly illustrated with case examples and session transcripts. For postgraduate students, researchers and clinicians, or anyone wanting to understand hypnosis as a form of treatment, this is the starting point. <p/>Unequalled in its breadth and quality, <em>The Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis</em> will be the definitive reference text in the field for years to come.

Research over the past decade has helped to demystify hypnosis and meditation, bringing these practices into the scientific and clinical mainstream. Yet, while hypnosis and meditation overlap on many levels, few scientific accounts have explored their complementary rapprochement. Despite cultural and historical differences, hypnosis and meditation share common phenomenology, cognitive processes, and potential therapeutic merits. <p/>This book provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the bridging of hypnosis and meditation. The authors adopt a trans-disciplinary approach considering cultural, historical, and philosophical perspectives to elucidate contemporary questions in cognitive, neurobiological, and clinical science. The book explores the relationship between hypnosis and meditation in five progressive sections: <p/>Part 1 investigates historical, cultural, and philosophical issues to contextualize the scientific study of contemplative practices. <br>Part 2 presents a range of views concerning the similarities and differences between hypnosis and meditation. Part 3 explores the psychological and cognitive mechanisms at work. <br>Part 4 integrates recent brain imaging findings to unravel the neural underpinnings. <br>Finally, part 5 examines how juxtaposing hypnosis and meditation can enhance clinical applications. <p/>Hypnosis and Meditation is a valuable resource to both specialists as well as interested lay readers, and paves the road to a more unified science of how attention influences states of brain, body, and consciousness.

Shor, Robert

Sugarman, Laurence

<p>The age-old notion of 'hypnotic induction' receives a fresh look from notable scholars from Canada, England, Sweden, and the USA in this book. These scholars represent a breadth of theoretical perspectives: cognitive-behavioral, Ericksonian, psychoanalytic, and trance-state. It is well known that a wide range of hypnotic induction protocols is used to prepare individuals to enhance their receptivity to test or clinical suggestions. However, despite its popularity of use, it appears that little is known about its relevancy and boundary conditions either for testing for hypnotisability or for enhancing clinical efficacy. In this volume, the authors reflect on issues surrounding its definitions, relevancy, possible components, and approaches; they also suggest considerations and strategies for optimizing inductions. This book will be of benefit to both newcomers to the field and seasoned researchers and clinicians alike - it can stimulate new thinking and research about this important, but often taken for granted, notion of hypnotic induction. This book was originally published as a special issue of the <i>American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis.</i></p>