Ericksonian Psychotherapy

Volume 2: Clinical Applications

by Jeffrey K. Zeig

The Second International Congress on Ericksonian Approaches to Hypnosis and Psychotherapy, help in Phoenix, Arizona in Decmber 1983, saw over 2,000 participants from 19 countries attending presentations, workshops, demonstrations and panels led by a faculty of some 125 leading practitioners of Ericksonian psychotherapy. The Congress and its far-ranging program were a striking indication of the continuing influence and growth of the therapeutic legacy of Milton H. Erickson.

Now the two volumes of Ericksonian Psychothearpy make avalible the proceedings f this important Congress. In these volumes, contributors from many different areas of practice show how they have incorporated Ericksonian principles and techniques into their work with clients suffering from a broad range of disorders. They demonstrate the increasing impact of Ericksonian methodology, and its application in many fields of therapy.

Volume 2 on Clinical Applications makes available 39 stimulating papers demonstrating how over the years Erickson's influence has spread to such diverse areas as family therapy, childbirth, specific medical treatments, and even the integration of hypnosis into everyday life.

Section 1 presents Keynote Addresses by Jay Haley, who reviews Ordeal Therapy, and Cloe Madanes, who discusses an unusal topic: Finding a Humorous Alternative. Successive sections cover Family Therapy, Naturalistic Approaches, the use of Paradox, and Ericksonian Approaches with Specific Populations - the chronic patient, agoraphobics, smokers, adolescents, rape victims, and others. Special sections are devoted to Alcoholism, Cancer Treatment, Sexuality, and Pain Control. The final section presents a number of Case Studies.

Milton Erickson's influence continues to grow - an increasing number of practitioners are creating new clinical applications for Ericksonian techniques.

Ericksonian Psychotherapy provides a rich and varied collection of clinical and theoretical work by practitioners who are exploring new areas of therapeutic use for Ericksonian methodology.