Cheers Jimmy 🙂

“Finally, I would add, part of the way I present myself and my college, is one that likes to froth at the mouth a bit about matters such as these. Whereas this is a trivial issue to many of my professional peers, I like to pick up on how hypnosis gets portrayed publicly, and heck, I market myself accordingly […]”

Haha, awesome. Thanks for the straight forward, honest, and in depth answer.

I do think we were talking past each other a bit, as I actually agree with almost everything you said above. That’s to be expected though.

For what it’s worth, I find pacing to be *most* worthwhile for views I vehemently disagree with – but not as an attempt to “make friends”.

Cheers, and a good day to you as well

Jimmy

Thank you Alexa, that was/is my aim. Thanks also for sharing your experience, I have been inundated with messages from hypnotherapists sharing similar experiences and thoughts.

My best wishes to you, Adam.

Hello Caroline, thank you for taking the time to respond.

Re: “Google defined (Not necessarily the authority, agreed!) as ‘noun’

– the induction of a state of consciousness in which a person apparently loses the power of voluntary action and is highly responsive to suggestion or direction. Its use in therapy, typically to recover suppressed memories or to allow modification of behaviour, has been revived but is still controversial.”

It would probably be remiss of me, as a teacher of this subject, to use google or dictionary definitions as a source of guidance or tuition for my field.

Strong scientific evidence from the fields of neuroscience, cognitive psychology as well as specific hypnosis research has rendered virtually every component of this google description incorrect and misleading.

Though a discussion on the definition of hypnosis is something we simply cannot do justice to or even attempt to exhaust here in a soundbite on a comments section of a blog, for those reading this wishing to get into it and see the huge diversity in attempts to define hypnosis, then visit this thread at my hub and join the discussion: http://www.adamshypnosishub.com/topic/9/defining-hypnosis

Re: “also the suggestion that it is not a therapy, simply a tool or skill available to therapy.”

Absolutely. In fact the prolific hypnosis and placebo researcher Irving Kirsch even suggests that hypnosis not be used by anyone not trained in a separate therapy and then hypnosis be used as an adjunct to that therapy and not necessarily be a stand alone field at all.

Re: “One does not, therefore need to be a therapist to use the tool of hypnosis.”

Quite right, and no such suggestion has been made here at all.

However, I am a hypnotherapist, researcher in the field of therapeutic hypnosis, author of hypnotherapy related books, hypnotherapy podcaster, broadcaster, hypnotherapy trainer and lecturer, so it makes sense that I’d comment upon the impact of media representations of hypnosis upon the world of hypnotherapy, no?

Re: “In the broader sense, perhaps we are subject to hypnotic messaging that impacts our behaviour, and history points to the devastation that may result.”

Hmmm… I’m not so sure. Again, this implies that we are not capable of rejecting suggestions delivered in hypnosis and I believe the evidence currently available to us as of today suggests to the contrary of this.

Also, what devastation are you referring to that has been caused directly by hypnosis? I.e. Not the ill-intention/behaviour of the hypnotist, but hypnosis per sé?

Re: “Perhaps, this person does serve hypnosis in reminding us of our personal responsibility when using it”

I think that is incredibly charitable and generous of you Caroline, and a great positive way to frame it.

With my best wishes to you, Adam.

– the induction of a state of consciousness in which a person apparently loses the power of voluntary action and is highly responsive to suggestion or direction. Its use in therapy, typically to recover suppressed memories or to allow modification of behaviour, has been revived but is still controversial.
synonyms: mesmerism, hypnotism, hypnotic suggestion, autosuggestion

It seems to me that the nature of hypnosis rests within this definition,in the word ‘apparently’ and also the suggestion that it is not a therapy, simply a tool or skill available to therapy. One does not, therefore need to be a therapist to use the tool of hypnosis. Therapy does not own hypnosis, and yes within therapy there is hopefully a collaborative relationship. Still, it is I find, often simply the intention behind the use of the tool of hypnosis that creates a meaningful outcome. In the broader sense, perhaps we are subject to hypnotic messaging that impacts our behaviour, and history points to the devastation that may result. Perhaps, this person does serve hypnosis in reminding us of our personal responsibility when using it , although I do not support his actions as stated.

Thank you Linda, best wishes to you, Adam.

Thank you for taking the time to write and say so Joanne.

My very best wishes to you, Adam.

Hello Jimmy, thanks for that, I appreciate you explaining and clarifying.

Ok….

Re: “It comes off like you see it as a debate that’s been settled and Keith is just behind the times/hasn’t done his homework.”

Well, that was not wholly my intention. Adhering to science is not really about ‘being right.’ It is more about examining what the majority of the evidence says, then being able to make predictions based upon those results. However, we’ll always yield in our stance if something supercedes the evidence we’ve been adhering to. SO it is flexible and dynamic.

As far as I am aware, and it is worth bearing in mind that I read academic papers under parasols for fun when on holiday with my family, there is no evidence to support the stance insinuated by Keith Barry. My article is attempting to be an intelligent critique of the claims made, the subject matter and not about him as a person.

Re: “Furthermore, it comes off like you see it as so *obvious* that you can’t really empathize with someone like Keith who thinks he can hypnotize his way out of speeding tickets”

It may seem that way, but I have not said as much and it was never my intention to suggest that. It is “obvious” to me because I am very familiar with my own stance and with the current evidence base supporting our field.

Re: “as if in your worldview he must be either dishonest or delusional”

Again, in relation to his stance on hypnosis, I do not think this at all. The only leaning I have regarding anything “dishonest” here is in relation to knowingly breaking the law.

Re: “if you did I would have expected you to pace them.”

Ok, again, my intention here was to offer some intelligent critique and not really make friends with him or his stance. With regards to “pacing” his stance, I am not sure why I would ever do that if I simply disagree with it.

Re: “so I was asking if you actually did see these kind of things and chose not to pace them for some reason.”

No, not really, I don’t adopt his stance or attempt to see things from his perspective and it is not really something I consider; to “pace” something which I vehemently disagree with.

I do recognise that Keith Barry is an entertainer and so has a different set of objectives than me when it comes to how we wish to portray hypnosis to the public, that does not mean that I agree with that portrayal of hypnosis.

Finally, I would add, part of the way I present myself and my college, is one that likes to froth at the mouth a bit about matters such as these. Whereas this is a trivial issue to many of my professional peers, I like to pick up on how hypnosis gets portrayed publicly, and heck, I market myself accordingly and would LOVE to have the stage that someone like Keith Barry has when it comes to being able to communicate about this subject matter to the masses.

Best wishes to you Jimmy, I hope I have answered your questions. Have a great day, Adam.