A "guided fantasy" technique is described to relieve insomnia in children without the use of chemotherapy or the more conventional forms of hypnotherapy. In children at an age where fantasy is a spontaneous everyday response, relaxed sleep is induced through listening to a story from a tape that is created from the child's favourite fantasy figures and everyday likes and interests. The 'guided fantasy' is presented by the parents as a novel bedtime story rather than as a therapy procedure by the therapist. The child is allowed to feel he has a controlling influence in putting a favourite figure to sleep within the story, and so is gently led to accept sleep himself by choice. No active therapist is involved so there are no dangers of expected transference or abreaction.

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A review of the research evidence suggests that labelling the nonfluent child as a stutterer may not always be warranted. Premature labelling may even lead to deleterious effects on the development of a child's self-concept and progressive socialization. The responsibility rests with adults as significant others in the child's conceptual world to both appreciate and anticipate the reactions that any overt or covert action of labelling might precipitate.

The heterophobic orientation toward treatment of homosexuality is discussed. A case report is presented where homosexuality apparently "spontaneously remitted" and heterosexuality was instated while the patient underwent treatment for stuttering. The change in sexual orientation is interpreted as possibly adventitiously induced through generalization effects from treatment of the relevant phobic aspects of the stuttering problem to the associated social aspects of the sexual problem.

A comprehensive program derived from clinical experience combines positive suggestive therapy with the widely used pleasuring techniques of Masters and Johnson in treating lack of arousal in women. Complete steps for two hypnotic inductions per session incorporate the use of: (a) an integration of Hartland’s ego-strengthening suggestions with Stanton’s formulation of rational-emotive therapy in suggestion form; (b) ‘success imagery’ in being warm, spontaneous and responsive; (c) Wolberg’s suggestions paraphrased to remove limiting and inhibiting influences; (d) the author’s ‘direct positive suggestions’ to reawaken sensation and awareness; (e) instruction for seven ‘sensation awareness exercises’ adapted from Copelan, and (f) instruction in daily use of self-hypnosis to reinforce success imagery and release tension-related inhibiting influences. Progression is made from therapy focussed on the woman only to a ‘mutual pleasuring program’ involving her partner within 3–6 sessions. Prior to mutual pleasuring instruction is given in masturbation in accordance with the Masters and Johnson procedure. The value of self-awareness thus gained is indicated, but actual practice is left optional. Follow-up is maintained at treatment termination by telephone contact until both partners report satisfaction in the relationship.