Hypnotic Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Guideline for Clinical Psychologists

Description

Page: 702-705

Uparikar D. Premkant¹ and Kirar Shivani² (Department of Clinical Psychology, Amity University Raipur, Chhattisgarh¹ and Clinical Psychology Trainees, Amity University Raipur, Chhattisgarh²)

The purpose of this paper is to provide practicing psychologists with thorough, evidence-based guidelines for the therapeutic use of hypnotic psychotherapy, also known as clinical hypnosis. It highlights the use of hypnotic treatments in the treatment of a range of psychiatric disorders and explains their composition, workings, and therapeutic uses. To provide clinical psychologists with applicable guidelines for application, this narrative review summarizes empirical findings from meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and peer-reviewed publications published over the last 15 years, retrieved from databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. The article describes the phases of hypnotherapy, the essential components of hypnotic induction, and how hypnotic techniques can be combined with traditional cognitive-behavioural therapy. Hypnotic psychotherapy is effective for chronic pain, anxiety, depression, IBS, and trauma symptoms. Research supports its use as a supplement or standalone treatment for acute and chronic illnesses. However, patient hypnotizability, therapist training, and study methodological discrepancies continue to be problematic. CBT is considered the gold standard; however, hypnotherapy can have similar or better outcomes when used correctly. Hypnotic psychotherapy presents a significant complementary strategy within clinical environments, especially when tailored to individual responsiveness and integrated with cognitive-behavioural techniques. Continuous education, standardized procedures, and rigorous additional research are vital to enhance its standing in the realm of evidence-based psychological practice.