Some Case Examples - PAGE 2
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Panic, Phobias - Cat & Dog - Driving, Insects, Creepie Crawlies and Flying Things, Pregnancy & Childbirth , Sexual Dysfunction, Skin Complaints , Stress, Self - Presentation
Panic A young woman on UK work permit for 1 year had been suffering such bad panic attacks for two months that her parents flew from the other side of the world to look after her. It was apparent that an exhausting work regime and irregular hours, coupled with worries about how to continue a serious relationship after her return home had contributed to the collapse. A few hours formal and informal work was done and a number of exercises were created to reconnect her with a sense of physical and psychological stability. Her boyfriend was also trained to help her in doing these in the most beneficial way. The situation was got back under easy control after two weeks. Happily she was able to return home, secure an immigration visa for her partner and get married shortly afterwards.
Phobia - Cats A young woman scientist presented with a very complex set of cat phobias and was intrigued to discover that these arranged themselves into an ordered heirarchy ranging from black ones walking away - through white fluffy ones - with the very worst being the one you couldn’t see at all. We had an intriguing time exploring this - but in three sessions the whole thing lost its interest and she was able to pass a whole summer in a household with SEVEN cats without a further moment’s thought !
Phobia - Dogs A young man was so disturbed by the proximity of dogs that he was beginning to make his girlfriend - a former dog lover - nervous about the whole business herself. Some hypnotic work on the interesting demeanour and behaviour of a small menagerie of animals - including lions, tigers and elephants coupled with some intrepid assignments in the field - well - on Clapham Common actually - resulted in the eradication of both their worries after three sessions.
Phobia - Insects, Creepy Crawlies and Flying Things A young woman was faced with the prospect of a round-the-world trip with considerable periods in the tropics amongst her worst nightmares. Experiences with home-made plastic mechanical butterflies and elastic powered cotton reels (???!!) built up experience through which she was finally able - after a few sessions - to handle all sorts of slimy and wriggly creatures whose mere sight had formerly provoked sheer panic.
Pregnancy and Childbirth
1. A first time mother-to-be, worrying excessively about the birth and very fearful of the possible pain, after three sessions, enjoys a month of tranquility leading up to the birth and sleeps through 5 hrs of contractions until just before the delivery..
2. A young couple was anxious to conceive a child after having failed in seven years of marriage and after medical treatment. The whole process had become rather fraught with difficulty. Both were treated through two sessions of hypnosis each, supported by appropriate tape recorded suggestions. A year later a card was received announcing the arrival of a daughter !
3. A woman of late child-bearing years, having already lost two pregnancies and despairing of a successful outcome, was highly conflicted by the medical procedures she was undergoing and the difficulty occasioned, for herself and her partner by the regular abdominal injections her husband had been trained to administer. Hypnotic work was done with her - and a set of ‘ unnecessarily ‘ technical and complex procedures for doing the injections was taught to the husband without her knowledge.
This was aimed at changing the experience for both - without them realising it. She managed to sustain the course of treatment and to go successfully to term. The photo of the mother with the new arrival was delightful !
Sexual Dysfunction
A young man 32, in good physical health and with a robust frame, with an easy disposition and evidently attractive to women, presents with total inability to achieve sexual release with women by any means. In all other respects he is totally functional sexually. He is profoundly distressed.
He was instructed in a series of exercises and practices to change his awareness and attune him more closely with his own spontaneous processes. A course of suggestion under hypnosis prepares him with expectations of surprising responses when least expected. After a period of intensive work, that part of him that wasn’t able to stop himself from escaping his difficulties now can’t stop him from seeking and experiencing pleasure with his partners. This man had suffered prodigiously from his difficulty over 25 years. Full normal function was achieved over the course of 8 sessions. This was a very tricky case requiring trust and commitment from the client - both of which he demonstrated admirably - and deep thought and considerable ingenuity in the therapy. In the end it wasn’t only the client who achieved surprising responses when least expected. Therapists have every reason to be grateful for the co-operative power of the client’s unconscious.
Skin Complaints
A woman of 23 had suffered whole body psoriasis from the age of four. There had only been one period of almost complete remission when she was hospitalised for six weeks and bombarded with treatment. Two hours of hypnosis achieved a complete recovery which was only interrupted subsequently with a small recurrence on her back during her first pregnancy. The intervening years have seen no further problem. Though one of the more remarkably rapid ' cures ', the condition usually responds well.
An Important Historical Note - Ichthyosiform Erythrodermia
Since birth, most of a boy's body was covered with hard black horn - like reptilian armour. Minor flexions caused cracks from which exuded evil-smelling serum. Skin grafts from the unaffected palm to other areas had only short run success before these too became hard and horny. With no other course offering any prospect of success, Albert Mason, a young anaesthetist was permitted to attempt change through hypnosis. It was suggested that the boy should experience, imaginatively, horny skin falling away to be replaced by pink, healthy skin beneath. Fortunately the boy responded deeply and well. Beginning with the left arm, the treatment was applied with 50% to 90% success to the whole of the rest of the body - a patch at a time. Theoretically, such a cure is impossible, since the condition arises from the lack of oil-secreting sebaceous glands that keep the skin supple and normally enable the skin to flake off and renew itself !
( reported in A.A Mason 'A Case of Congenital Ichthyosiform Erythrodermia of Brocq Treated by Hypnosis ' British Medical Journal, 23 August 1952, pp 422-3 )
Stress
A young Irishman, of pleasant appearance, reported extreme nervousness in the presence of women. Regard or encouraging smiles, even from a distance, caused a wish to escape and paralysing shyness; close proximity caused shaking - touch caused an experience like the discharge of an electric shock !
During the first session the client both indicated and demonstrated that he had no ability to relax at will in any way - and indeed he had no real idea of what a state of relaxation was ! Subsequent work to rectify this caused the subject to moan prodigiously - and at first, a little disconcertingly. Close examination of his expression showed that what he was experiencing was sheer pleasure ! A few weeks later, in the local supermarket, he was observed in a very easy state with a remarkably pretty girl on his arm !!! Judging by their general conduct and demeanour, it wasn't his sister !
Self Presentation
An imaginative young West Indian business-woman, wishing to rise quickly in her sales career - was held back in her ambitions by her abject fear of public presentation, especially from a stage or rostrum.
Though she had never done it before - and so far as I am aware, has never engaged in it since, she discovered that very deep sea diving could be invaluable in overcoming this difficulty. She sent a happy postcard shortly afterwards proclaiming that she was now landing her fish regularly and without difficulty - and had been promoted ! Sometimes going much deeper can get you higher !
" Self " - Presentation ??
A young male advertising executive reported poor success with women - which he failed to understand in the light of his personal appearance, acumen and career prospects. He asked for help in turning himself into a ' more marketable presentation package '. Gradually his personal sales-pitch was substituted with a somewhat re-interpreted agenda. Having conceded that what he was doing wasn't working, he agreed to undertake a learning experiment and was surprised by the substantial effects both on himself and others of very simple but genuine behaviour. His behaviour and ways of judging potential partners underwent a substantial shift as he understood the destructive nature of his previous thinking and actions. He realised that had come just in time to avoid a disastrous personal life !
Copyright Keith Bibby © December 2009