12 May History of Hypnotherapy
The use of hypnotherapy can be traced as far back as the ancient times of both Asia and Egypt. But, most modern use was greatly influenced by a physician from Austria named Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer. He believed in magnetic fluid. He thought that it was why all living processes existed, which included how the planets move. By studying the ebb and flow of tides, Dr. Mesmer first discovered that the way the way that the planets aligned can be linked to the symptoms of many problematic medical conditions.
As time went on, this belief became a huge intellectual movement during the late 18th century in Europe. It was promoted by the magnetists and was eventually called animal magnetism in the year 1775. The word mesmerize was also coined as a result of this intellectual movement. Dr. Mesmer also utilized fixation of a particular group’s attention as a way to put people into a trance. His career started by discovering animal magnetism, which gave him the reputation of being a healer and a quack.
It has been documented that his discovery was able to make a girl who was born blind see; however, she was in a state of confusion and was too frightened to fully explain her personal experiences. He continued to work on his discovery, but the girl’s parents asked that he put their daughter back into a state of blindness, the same way that he found her. He eventually moved away from Austria and went to France. In France he took advantage of his notoriety by hosting banquets and providing miracles. Although he was a quack, it is also important that he is remembered as a healer who discovered this original concept.
Where Does Hypnosis Get its Name?
Hypnosis did not get its name until James Braid got the public to understand what trances were all about. He did not agree with Mesmer’s whole concept of animal magnetism. However, he did believe that hypnosis had something to do with sleep. Keep in mind that the Greek God of sleep is called Hypnos. As a result, the root term managed to latch on. There are those who feel that there were other words that could have been used for this particular concept since sleeping and being in a hypnotic trance are not the same thing.
The Beginning of Hypnotherapy
Dr. Milton Erikson made a huge change to hypnotherapy. He did a lot to greatly impact how hypnotherapy evolved. The way that he went about things was totally different from everyone else. It was more of an indirect approach. He believed that the traditional concept was more of a direct method. A lot of present day hypnotherapists continue to use his approach.
His particular approach is still used during present time via Eriksonian Hypnotherapy. This branch of hypnotherapy believes that all types of patient behaviour are incorporated into the sessions.
Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: Today and the Future
Hypnosis continues to evolve, especially when it comes to therapy. A lot of different types of homeopathy or natural healing incorporate hypnotherapy as a credible and reliable resource. After all, hypnotherapy is considered to be a form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. It is an adjustable skill that can be easy and difficult, depending on how you want to look at it. It will continue to evolve and help society. It will also continue to be perceived by different people as being both scientific and mystical.
To learn more about the power of hypnotherapy or to book a Los Angeles hypnotherapy appointment, contact Hypnosis-LA today at: (310) 994-9532.
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