Hypnotic Techniques Without Hypnosis in the Treatment of Dual Personality

Hypnosis creates multiple personality: Myth or reality?

“…Several writers (Bowers, Brecher-Marer, Newton, Piotrowski, Spyer, Taylor & Watkins, 1971;Gruenewald, 1971Gruenewald, ,1977Horton & Miller, 1972) warn against unintentional shaping of behavior and reinforcing ideas of multiple personality that a patient might have. Gruenewald (1977) maintains that a therapist's interest in, or curiosity about, the dramatic aspects of multiple personality may reinforce further splitting, especially if hypnosis is used to contact the dissociated parts.…”

On multiple personality: Comments on diagnosis, etiology, and treatment

“…With the exception of a paper by Bowers, Brecher-Marer, Newton, Piotrowski, Spyer, Taylor, and Watkins (1971), most of the papers written about the treatment of multiple personality address issues of technique, especially use of hypnosis and hypnosis-related techniques (Alexander, 1956;Allison, 1974;Brandsma & Ludwig, 1974;Gruenewald, 1971;Howland, 1975). This is understandable, but also somewhat unfortunate.…”

Hypnotic treatment of multiple personality: A case study.

“…Although hypnosis has been considered the treatment of choice for hysterical dissociative reactions (Ellenberger, 1971), others (Bowers et al, 1971;Gruenewald, 1971) have cautioned against the use of hypnosis with multiple personality because of concern that indiscriminate use would work against the goal of personality integration. Specifically, contacting alternate personalities hypnotically may be understood by the client as the therapist's sanctioning of the dissociative process.…”