Hypnosis, Rumination, and Depression:Catalyzing Attention and Mindfulness-Based Treatments

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, mental health practitioners, encouraged by rigorous empirical studies and literature and meta-analytic reviews, have increasingly appreciated the ability of hypnosis to modulate attention, imagination, and motivation in the service of therapeutic goals. This article describes how hypnosis can be used as an adjunctive procedure in the treatment of depression and rumination symptoms, in particular. The focus is on attention-based treatments that include rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive control training, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. The authors provide numerous examples of techniques and approaches that can potentially enhance treatment gains, including a hypnotic induction to facilitate mindfulness and to motivate mindfulness practice. Although hypnosis appears to be a promising catalyst of attention and mindfulness, research is required to document the incremental value of adding hypnosis to the treatments reviewed.

Hypnosis, Attachment, and Oxytocin:An Integrative Perspective1

“…Finally, one of the most visible points of contact between clinical hypnosis and attachment theory is their overlapping theoretical framework. For example, both clinical hypnosis and attachment theory refer to several concepts of humanistic psychology, such as the unconditional positive regard, the nonpathologizing view of individuals, and the subject-centered attitude in therapy (Bioy & Michaux, 2007;Lynn, Barnes, Deming, & Accardi, 2010;Mikulincer & Shaver, 2010;Megglé, 2002;Rogers, 1942Rogers, , 1966. Moreover, both fields insist on the critical importance of affective attunement, mirroring, and tailoring in the construction of adequate relational contexts (Ainsworth et al, 1978;Halfon, 2007;Spiegel & Spiegel, 2004;Wallin, 2007).…”

Mindfulness-Based Hypnosis: Blending Science, Beliefs, and Wisdoms to Catalyze Healing

“…Lynn and colleagues (2006) have proposed that "hypnosis and mindfulness-based approaches can be used in tandem to create adaptive response sets and ameliorate maladaptive response sets" (p. 145). Moreover, hypnosis can be used to catalyze mindfulness-based approaches (Alladin, 2006(Alladin, , 2007Lynn et al, 2010;Yapko, 2011). Hypnosis can also be used as a substitute for relaxation techniques.…”

“…This integrated approach is referred to as mindfulness-based cognitive hypnotherapy (MBCH) as it assimilates cognitive hypnotherapy with mindfulness strategies. Although MBCH is not as holistic as IP, it is an attempt to broaden the comprehensiveness of hypnotherapy as a valid form of psychotherapy (Alladin, 2006(Alladin, , 2007Lynn, Barnes, Deming, & Accardi, 2010;Lynn, Das, Hallquist, & Williams, 2006;Yapko, 2011). A case study is first described to illustrate the need for importing other perspectives into our models of understanding and treating emotional disorders.…”

Hypnosis as neurophenomenology

“…Such potent subjective alterations could potentially be adapted to derail habitual patterns of conceptual judgment and support non-judgmental meta-awareness of the present moment. Investigators have already begun experimenting with using suggestion-based approaches to foster states of mindful meta-awareness for therapeutic purposes (Lynn et al, 2006, 2010). Yet, efforts to improve meta-awareness via targeted suggestion are still nascent, and the precise wording of such suggestions would require fine-tuning based on the specific goals of the investigator.…”