Brief hypnotherapy with passive children

Abstract

This is a report of the successful use of hypnotic suggestions aimed at encouraging self‐assertion and self‐acceptance in 51 children aged from 6–15 seen in a general medical practice with psychogenic enuresis or abdominal pain, school phobias, behavioural problems or chronic anxiety. All children treated were passive, timid and unassertive. The psychodynamics of passivity and of assertive therapy are discussed. Thirty‐nine children were rated at a two‐year follow‐up as completely recovered; twelve made no permanent improvement. The average total time spent on treatment was only one and a half hours so this approach to hypnotherapy may be of interest to general medical practitioners as well as child psychiatrists and therapists. Copyright © 1997 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis

Chronic abdominal pain in children: what to do following the medical evaluation

“…Sokel et al [32] reported that all six of their functional abdominal pain patients were able to use self-hypnosis to reduce or remove pain so that they were able to resume normal activities within a mean period of 17.6 days. Browne [33] reported that seven children with functional abdominal pain were treated with brief hypnotherapy and subsequently rated at follow-up as improved. Finally, Ball et al [34] found that children with long-standing functional abdominal pain that was refractory to conventional therapy had a decrease in their complaints of pain during and following relaxation and mental imagery.…”

Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disorders

“…In four of five patients, abdominal pain resolved within 3 weeks of a single session of self-hypnosis instruction. Browne (1997) reported that 7 children with RAP were treated with brief hypnotherapy and subsequently rated at follow-up as improved. Browne (1997) reported that 7 children with RAP were treated with brief hypnotherapy and subsequently rated at follow-up as improved.…”