Milton H. Erickson, M.D. is generally acknowledged to have been the world's leading practitioner of medical hypnosis. His "strategic therapy," using hypnotic techniques with or without actually inducing trance, allows him to get directly to the core of a problem and prescribe a course of action that can lead to rapid recovery.This book provides a comprehensive look at Dr. Erickson's theories in practice, through a series of case studies covering the kinds of problems that are likely to occur at various stages of the human life cycle. The results Dr. Erickson achieves sometimes seem to border on the miraculous, but they are brought about by a finely honed technique used by a wise, intuitive, highly trained psychiatrist-hypnotist whose work is recognized as a major contribution to the field.

"A chalice of wisdom for our time."—Ernest L. Rossi, Ph.D., C.J. Jung Institute of Los Angeles Milton H. Erickson has been called the most influential hypnotherapist of our time. Part of his therapy was his use of teaching tales, which through shock, surprise, or confusion—with genius use of questions, puns, and playful humor—helped people to see their situations in a new way. In this book Sidney Rosen has collected over one hundred of the tales. Presented verbatim and accompanied by Dr. Rosen's commentary, they are grouped under such headings as Motivating Tales, Reframing, and Capturing the Innocent Eye.

"...Provides students and professionals with clear examples of the evolution of clinical hypnotic phenomena. Two major innovations in this volume are the utilization theory of hypnosis and indirect forms of suggestion...Each chapter includes an essay by Ernest Rossi which clarifies and elaborates on the relevant issues of Dr. Erickson's work just illustrated. In these essays Dr. Rossi analyzes Dr. Erickson's approach in order to uncover some of the basic variables that can be isolated and tested by future experimental work...A number of graduated exercises are offered as a guide to aid hypnotherapists to develop their own skills in the clinical arts of observation, hypnotic induction, and the formulation of indirect suggestion..."--inside flap.

First Published in 1985. Milton H. Erikson M.D.(1901-1980) was generally acknowledged as the world's foremost authority on hypnotherapy and brief strategic therapy. This volume presents the complete transcript of a five day seminar with Milton Erickson. The reader will experience Erickson talking about his method of therapy, demonstrating his techniques, telling one fascinating anecdote after another- anecdotes which often produce feelings of cognitive dissonance and surprise, but eventually illuminate new ways of seeing patients and thinking about psychotherapy.

Milton H Erickson is one of the most studied people in the field of hypnosis and psychotherapy. Hundreds of thousands of words have been written analyzing his therapeutic methods and words with miles and miles of film, audio and videotapes. In Milton H Erickson MD: An American Healer read about the man Milton H Erickson, rather than his psychotherapeutic techniques. Told from the perspective of three of his children, this book uniquely explores the personal side of this world-famous psychiatrist. It is a remarkable spiritual journey. As a part of his life-long struggle to overcome the physical effects of polio, Erickson acquired prodigious observational and interactional skills, as well as a powerfully calm healing presence. With photographs, stories and a DVD of one of his clinical sessions, this book brings to light the quiet spirituality of an extraordinary healer.

The first chapter provides a succinct biography of this extraodinary man, describing how Erickson overcame numerous adversities in early life, and how these events shaped his development as a highly innovative thinker. Commentaries on Milton Erickson, M.D. examines the practical and theoretical aspects of Erickson's methods, including his therapeutic posture, expectation of change, emphasis on the positive, acknowledgement of more than one solution to a problem, blocking of symptomatic behavior, change in relation to the therapist, use of anectodes, and willingness to "let go" of patients. A Review of Ordeal Therapy focuses on a controversial therapeutic technique successfully used by Erickson. Haley cautions the reader, however, of the care with which this powerful technique should be exercised. A fascinating dialogue between Jay Haley and John Weakland,