Which Intervention Path to Follow? Where Hypnotherapists Diverge

A Keynote Address by Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D.

​Virtually all therapists agree that a primary factor in good therapy outcomes is the quality of the relationship between therapist and client. Beyond recognising the importance of that essential foundation, however, therapists can and do differ sharply in the ways they define and then treat their clients’ problems. Ten therapists can listen to the same client interview, but then have ten different views of what the goals of treatment and the treatment approach should be. Are each of their ten approaches of equal merit? How is it that some hypnosis practitioners consistently obtain better results than others? Consider your reply to this question: How do you decide which treatment path to follow?

​ How you think about hypnosis naturally shapes how you’ll apply it. As a result, hypnotherapists clearly have some widely divergent ideas and practices. In this address, I will begin by exploring the process of goal setting in treatments. Specifically, I will consider some of the key distinctions (discriminations) we must make in our client interviews. Then I will discuss the treatment choice points and the potential applications of hypnosis based on our understanding of symptom structures. The merits of a process-oriented approach will be emphasised. Finally, how a process-oriented approach to hypnosis was used in the development of Claria, a digital app for mental health I developed for Mindset Health, will also be considered.

Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist residing near San Diego, California. He is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in applying clinical hypnosis in outcome-focused psychotherapies, especially in the active non-pharmacological treatment of depression. He has been invited to present his innovative ideas and methods to colleagues in more than 30 countries across six continents, and all over the United States. His highly practical YouTube lecture on “How to Recover from Depression” has now been viewed more than 5.4 million times. Dr. Yapko is the author of 16 books, three edited books, and nearly 100 journal articles and book chapters. His most recent book for professionals is the newly updated 6th edition of his classic hypnosis textbook, Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis (with co-author Shawn Criswell, Ph.D.). His other award-winning books on hypnosis include Process-Oriented Hypnosis: Focusing on the Forest, Not the Trees, Taking Hypnosis to the Next Level, and Mindfulness and Hypnosis: The Power of Suggestion to Transform Experience. His works have been translated into 10 languages. Dr. Yapko is also the developer of the popular digital hypnotherapy mental health app called Claria in association with the Australian digital therapeutic company, Mindset Health (www.mindsethealth.com). Dr. Yapko has been given lifetime achievement awards from the American Psychological Association, the International Society of Hypnosis, and The Milton H. Erickson Foundation. He was honored to be named a “Living Treasure” by the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. More information about Dr. Yapko’s work is available on his website: www.yapko.com.