The relationship between hypnosis and psychoanalysis has always been complex, and often acrimonious. When Freud abandoned hypnosis as both the foundation of his theory building and his clinical intervention of choice, the two approaches and the theories associated with them have often seemed separated by enormous rifts, theoretical, clinical, and political. Yet throughout their considerable estrangement for over more than a century, each has much to offer to the other. In this contribution, I briefly review efforts by psychoanalysts to conceptualize and understand hypnosis,
offer an introduction to the relatively new post-modern intersubjective approach to psychoanalysis,
and demonstrates how the relational concepts associated with that perspective can be of significant
help in preparing patients for hypnosis, and in crafting interventions geared to the dynamics of the
individual patient, which enhance the likelihood of clinical success.

Over 50 years of empirical data demonstrate unequivocally that psychotherapy can cause harm as well as good. Two therapist factors increasing harm risk are inadequate assessment of patients’ vulnerabilities and certain attitudes/affects. Adding hypnosis as a technique within psychotherapy heightens risk for harm because: (a) trance can unexpectedly expose patient vulnerabilities (through loosening reality orientation, lessening structure, generating unfamiliar sensations and perceptions, and intensifying access
to interior information such as emotions and imagery); and (b) trance can unexpectedly increase
porousness to therapist’s attitudes/affects (through heightening mental receptivity to the internal states of others). A century of clinical data from psychoanalysis offers guidance for protecting against such risks. Concepts of structure, interiority....

The VA Evidence Synthesis Program (ESP) was established in 2007 to provide timely and accurate
syntheses of targeted healthcare topics of importance to clinicians, managers, and policymakers as they
work to improve the health and healthcare of Veterans.

This systematic review aimed at evaluating the efficacy, acceptability and safety of guided imagery/hypnosis (GI/H) in fibromyalgia. Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and SCOPUS were screened through February 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing GI/H with controls were analysed. Primary outcomes were ≥50% pain relief, ≥20% improvement of health-related quality of life, psychological distress, disability, acceptability and safety at end of therapy and 3-month follow-up.

Because it induces a state of reduced awareness and deep relaxation, hypnosis is thought to be efficient at relieving stress and anxiety. This study examined whether hypnosis may alter the pattern and time evolution of maternal and fetal stress. Here we report a 23-yrs-old primigravida woman at 31-weeks’ gestation who underwent daily sessions of hypnosis during one week. An A (baseline)-B (intervention) – A0 (return to baseline) design was used. Each study phase lasted one week.