Hypnosis

January 6, 2005 3:36 PM

I'm interested in hypnosis, but I can't see any useful information about it on the net - either free or as part of a sensibly priced course. Has anyone had any experience of anything useful?

I'm after proving to myself that it works rather than convincing women to strip every time they hear 'The Bird Song'. Although it could be a nice side effect.

posted by twine42 to Science & Nature (6 answers total)

Cory Doctorow has written about his positive experiences with a combination of hypnosis and therapy, if you want to google a bit.
posted by mecran01 at 4:06 PM on January 6, 2005

Almost the same question was asked on December 26.
posted by Handcoding at 4:11 PM on January 6, 2005

I have used a self-hypnosis method for relaxation and meditation for years and years. There's really no hocus-pocus about it.

I studied under a clinical hypnotherapist in Walnut Creek in high school (as a project) and he passed on a book with some decent scripts in it. It's called "Self hypnosis and other mind-expanding techniques" by Charles Tebbetts.

There is actually a bit of ESP hocus pocus crap in the book but the basic induction scripts are sound. Once I'd spoken them into a tape recorder a few times, I just ran with it and started writing my own.

What are you interested in this for? When you say useful information, what are you looking for? A training manual on how to hypnotize others? Yourself? To what end? What are your needs and goals here?
posted by scarabic at 5:27 PM on January 6, 2005

I used hypnobirth CD's to train in self-hypnosis before my daughter was born. They worked like a charm. Minimal discomfort, and I was in labor for 28 hours!
posted by tidecat at 6:50 PM on January 6, 2005

I'm a hypnotist. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have, either here or via email.

The best books on the subject I know of are "Trance-formations" by Bandler and Grinder and "Hypnotherapy" by Elman. The former is a better introduction.
posted by bac at 10:51 PM on January 6, 2005

Response by poster: Wow... I sleep, go to work, come back, and my question is still on the front page. How odd.

Basically, I'm sceptical of hypnosis yet at the same time I want to believe in it. I decided that I want to learn hypnosis just so that I can prove to myself that it works. I'm not entirely sure what I'll do with it when i come to a conclusion, but it's been bugging me for years, so I thought I'd see what you guys said.

I'll try the aforementioned books. Thank you guys.

Alex - I have no idea what the hell happened. I have absolutely no recollection of posting that, but I obviously did. How odd. It was 2003 though. :)
posted by twine42 at 11:14 AM on January 7, 2005