Hypnosis for Chronic Pain Management
I first became interested in hypnosis for the management of chronic pain after being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and then neuralgia following nerve injury caused by cycling. The neuralgia was particularly debilitating, and did not respond to medication or to a nerve block injection. I went through several years of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) and finally in desperation turned to hypnosis. I had come across Dr. Milton Erickson before in management courses which touched on Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), and remembered that he had numerous health issues that caused him pain, including Polio as a teenager, and later in his life Post Polio Syndrome, which caused him swallowing and speaking difficulties, pain and other issues. My teacher and mentor Dr. Rob McNeilly, has told me that when he visited Dr. Erickson later in Dr. Erickson's life, Dr. Erickson was unable to see people in the mornings because it took him several hours of self treatment on waking to be able to function properly. Still, clients and students were beating a path to his door. I found this and still find it an inspiring story.
I found a hypnotherapist who practiced the Ericksonian approach to hypnotherapy, and began an amazing process of practice, learning and discovery. I was taught self hypnosis and found that I was able to change the nature of the sensation that I felt, to something that was much less intrusive and all-consuming. I have also used self-hypnosis to improve the quality of sleep and to assist with relaxation.
Since then I have studied the work of Professor Ernest R. Hilgard of Stanford University, ProfessorJoseph Barber of Washington University, and more recently Professsor Mark P. Jensen of Washington University, in the management of chronic pain by hypnosis.
Today my life and the lives of my loved ones are no longer dominated by my pain, through a combination of therapies including hypnotherapy. I can teach you what I have learned, and there's a possibility that it might help you too.
What differentiates me? I know what it feels like to suffer from strong chronic pain with no hope that it will ever stop, I know how it taints everything and robs us of any enjoyment, I know how it affects relationships. I have found a way through it. Perhaps you can too.
The evidence.