Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis

Book excerpt: Hypnosis has always captured the attention of some of the most creative thinkers in the field of psychology. Today, hypnosis and hypnotic phenomena are studied with state-of-the-science neuroimaging techniques, and hypnosis has informed cognitive science (and vice-versa) in meaningful ways. In this second edition of the landmark Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis, editors Steven Jay Lynn, Judith Rhue, and Irving Kirsch have undertaken a significant revision and update to their classic text, first published over ten years ago. It is divided into six sections: Foundations and General Considerations, which includes chapters on the history of hypnosis and measures of hypnotizability; Theories of Hypnosis, in which hypnosis is examined within the context of various therapeutic constructs; Hypnotic Techniques, which includes a how-to primer for trained therapists to conduct hypnotic inductions, as well as chapters about the integration of hypnosis with mindfulness strategies; Treating Psychological Problems and Populations, which discusses the use of hypnosis in treatment for depression, PTSD and Anxiety; Health and Sport Psychology, which examines hypnotic treatments for pain control and surgery as well as for maximizing athletic performance; and finally Further Issues and Extensions, which addresses, among other things, popular and cross-cultural conceptions of hypnosis. Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis, Second Edition is the comprehensive resource for clinicians, researchers, and anyone interested in the theory and practice of clinical hypnosis.