Hypnosis extends back to ancient temples of the Greek Gods and comes from the Greek word “Hypnos” meaning deep sleep.
Anton Mesmer theorized in the 18th century that disease was caused by imbalances of a physical force. He would put people in a trance like state to help them overcome their disturbances. This was called mesmerism.
Later, Dr. James Braid pioneered the term “neurhypnotism” meaning nervous sleep, later shortened to hypnosis. Braid concluded that hypnosis enhanced a subject”s concentration on a thought which would rid one of a physiological disorder.
By the late 1880s, Jean Martin Charcot, a neurologist emphasized suggestibility used in hypnosis helped one to balance the nervous system. Later Sigmund Freud developed hypnosis in his practice to deal with psycho-social illness.
However, it wasn’t until the 1900s that Milton Erickson, as a seventeen year old boy, demonstrated the power of the mind to over come polio. He went on to become an amazing doctor and a master hypnotherapist. Erickson used Hypnotherapy as a highly effective tool in treating sensory alterations and pain control.
Today hypnotherapy is a recognized practice throughout the United States, acknowledged and utilized by professionals. Certified hypnotherapists work with medical and health care professionals, and are trained to help with specific challenges and self-sabotaging habits.
