The Answer Within: A Clinical Framework of Ericksonian Hypnotherapy

Rating:
Summary: An in-depth study of Ericksonian technique
Review: "The Answer Within" is the single most exhaustive clinical text on the hypnotic techniques of the late Milton H. Erickson, M.D. and will prove to be a valuable resource in your study and practice of Ericksonian Hypnotherapy. I rated it three-stars only because it is extremely dry and tedious in places, and it presupposes an elementary understanding of psychotherapeutic technique. Not very user-friendly or pretty to look at, but simply superb in the coverage of the full spectrum of hypnotic skills and techniques that will mean the difference between you're simply becoming a COMPETENT Ericksonian Therapist and a YOU'RE BECOMING A MASTER.

Of particular note are the sections on multi-embedded metaphor, their delivery, utilization, and improvisation. This section alone is worth the cost of the book! Clear-cut explantions of traditional hypnotic phenomena and their elicitation, e.g. catalepsy, amnesia, hypermnesia, Deep Trance Identification, anesthesia, analgesia, age regression, time distortion, and positive & negative hallucination, accompany direct, naturally occuring techniques as employed by Erickson, which you will find yourself easily employing within moments of finishing each section. The most traditionally misunderstood and misapplied hypnotic phenomenon, amnesia, is covered in excellent thoroughness, and will convince you that amnesia is not only a the simplest of phenomena to elicit, but why it is arguably THE MOST IMPORTANT resource a therapist has access to with every single client. Filled with actual case histories and therapeutic transcripts, "The Answer Within" provides real-world, down-and-dirty techniques to access the most powerful and effective resource available to the client in therapy -- the unconscious mind.

One area that I have scarcely seen addressed by other simliar tomes is covered in great depth in "The Answer Within", that of the Diagnostic Framework and its use in designing the most effective treatment plan for the client. Where I might have previously intuited my way through the construction of the actual intervention, now I have a very clear, step-by-step blueprint of the selection of induction technique, vital skills and resources to achieve the desired outcome with every single client.

At last the magic of Dr. Erickson is revealed and placed into our hands with astonishing practicality. What seemed to be mindless rambling and storytelling by a seemingly absentminded old sawbones is revealed in "The Answer Within" as a highly structured, clinically effective, theoretically sound, and readily applicable set of skills and learnings that EVERY PRACTICING HYPNOTHERAPIST SHOULD NOT BE WITHOUT! You can understand why this is so important, can't you? Get "The Answer Within" and see for yourself how much more effective your hypnotic communication will become!

Which reminds me of my friend, John. He was reading a review of a book someone found particularly REMARKABLE, when his mind wandered to thoughts of his future in hypnotherapy. Almost without thinking, he simply knew that he had *found the one book he couldn't live without*. He wondered if this book wouldn't REALLY help him achieve the mastery he so desired, and could see himself easily implementing the very elegant, very powerful skills he had read about. He didn't know if he would improve his practice of hypnotherapy only *a LOT*, or *more than he ever imagnined*, but he knew *this was the most important thing he could do for himself and his clients.* And then he just forgot all about it and had a lovely roast beef dinner. And you know, the very next day, he *ordered this book NOW* and spent every day thereafter revelling in the *treasure trove of knowledge* he had been given. He didn't even mind the sensations in his left hand, the smell of the room around him, or even the long-winded droning of that reviewer. He just knew he had done *the right thing*. And he just had to let that amused little smile building at the corner of his mouth *come right on out*. :-)

Excellent, get it today, but ONLY if you're serious about becoming a Master Ericksonian Hypnotherapist.

Rating:
Summary: You Cannot Practice Hypnotherapy Without this Seminal Work!
Review: "The Answer Within" is the single most exhaustive clinical text on the hypnotic techniques of the late Milton H. Erickson, M.D. and will prove to be a valuable resource in your study and practice of Ericksonian Hypnotherapy. I rated it three-stars only because it is extremely dry and tedious in places, and it presupposes an elementary understanding of psychotherapeutic technique. Not very user-friendly or pretty to look at, but simply superb in the coverage of the full spectrum of hypnotic skills and techniques that will mean the difference between you're simply becoming a COMPETENT Ericksonian Therapist and a YOU'RE BECOMING A MASTER.

Of particular note are the sections on multi-embedded metaphor, their delivery, utilization, and improvisation. This section alone is worth the cost of the book! Clear-cut explantions of traditional hypnotic phenomena and their elicitation, e.g. catalepsy, amnesia, hypermnesia, Deep Trance Identification, anesthesia, analgesia, age regression, time distortion, and positive & negative hallucination, accompany direct, naturally occuring techniques as employed by Erickson, which you will find yourself easily employing within moments of finishing each section. The most traditionally misunderstood and misapplied hypnotic phenomenon, amnesia, is covered in excellent thoroughness, and will convince you that amnesia is not only a the simplest of phenomena to elicit, but why it is arguably THE MOST IMPORTANT resource a therapist has access to with every single client. Filled with actual case histories and therapeutic transcripts, "The Answer Within" provides real-world, down-and-dirty techniques to access the most powerful and effective resource available to the client in therapy -- the unconscious mind.

One area that I have scarcely seen addressed by other simliar tomes is covered in great depth in "The Answer Within", that of the Diagnostic Framework and its use in designing the most effective treatment plan for the client. Where I might have previously intuited my way through the construction of the actual intervention, now I have a very clear, step-by-step blueprint of the selection of induction technique, vital skills and resources to achieve the desired outcome with every single client.

At last the magic of Dr. Erickson is revealed and placed into our hands with astonishing practicality. What seemed to be mindless rambling and storytelling by a seemingly absentminded old sawbones is revealed in "The Answer Within" as a highly structured, clinically effective, theoretically sound, and readily applicable set of skills and learnings that EVERY PRACTICING HYPNOTHERAPIST SHOULD NOT BE WITHOUT! You can understand why this is so important, can't you? Get "The Answer Within" and see for yourself how much more effective your hypnotic communication will become!

Which reminds me of my friend, John. He was reading a review of a book someone found particularly REMARKABLE, when his mind wandered to thoughts of his future in hypnotherapy. Almost without thinking, he simply knew that he had *found the one book he couldn't live without*. He wondered if this book wouldn't REALLY help him achieve the mastery he so desired, and could see himself easily implementing the very elegant, very powerful skills he had read about. He didn't know if he would improve his practice of hypnotherapy only *a LOT*, or *more than he ever imagnined*, but he knew *this was the most important thing he could do for himself and his clients.* And then he just forgot all about it and had a lovely roast beef dinner. And you know, the very next day, he *ordered this book NOW* and spent every day thereafter revelling in the *treasure trove of knowledge* he had been given. He didn't even mind the sensations in his left hand, the smell of the room around him, or even the long-winded droning of that reviewer. He just knew he had done *the right thing*. And he just had to let that amused little smile building at the corner of his mouth *come right on out*. :-)

Excellent, get it today, but ONLY if you're serious about becoming a Master Ericksonian Hypnotherapist.

Rating:
Summary: You Cannot Practice Hypnotherapy Without this Seminal Work!
Review: I am not going to write a great deal about this book. It speaks for itself and stands on its own. The Answer Within is also the answer that every practicing hypnotherapist must have. Must.
With out the in depth knowledge of the precise techniques, so carefully detailed and skillfully analyzed by the Lankton's, especially the insightful and highly practical prose of Carol Lankton, it would take a life time to develop half of the knowledge contained in this delightfully written text.

The great care and skill shown by Carol and Stephen Lankton make this text come alive and thereby allows the wealth of knowledge it contains flow easily to the reader.

Although this book is specifically targeted to skilled professionals, the concepts, useful & practical concepts, can be grasped and used by the layperson.

I also believe that there is little or no chance of harm or any difficulty arising by a non professional studying this work. In fact, if you spend the time to grasp and understand the basic framework and specialty specific vocabulary, it is one hell of a read.

I recommend it to any person that is studying or practicing hypnotherapy - it is a MUST HAVE! To the interested layman - you can gain a keen insight into a world of treatment and knowledge of your inner self that you probably did not existed in this shape or form. Amazing!

Buy the book. Grow. Learn. Find YOUR Answer. This is the seminal tome.