Imagine Yourself Well

Book excerpt: Imagine Yourself Well: Better Health through Self-Hypnosis is a remarkable view of hypnotherapy as a scientifically recognized treatment art. Based upon their extensive practice and clinical research in therapeutic hypnotic techniques, the authors have constructed an effective handbook articulating the therapeutic use of hypnosis by depicting word-for-word what transpires during a session. The fascinating series of carefully worded transcripts of hypnotic exercises will enable the reader to correct specific self-destructive habits (e.g., overeating and smoking), common psychological problems (insomnia and various phobias), chronic physical conditions (arthritis, back pain, high blood pressure, and migraine headaches), and performance anxieties (athletics and public speaking). The theory underlying clinical practice, including the key point that all hypnosis involves self-hypnosis, is explained in lay terms, and each exercise is grounded in sound cognitive, behavioral, or psychodynamic principles.