Champagne, Cyrille

The psychological foundations of Ericksonian hypnosis - 2024.


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The practice of Ericksonian hypnosis is now widely accepted as a functional wellness technique. But the mechanisms underpinning it and enabling it to function, as well as its potential applications, all require clarification. Understood as a simple variant of hypnotism techniques, its uniqueness as a method of psychological support often remains obscure. Consequently, it is difficult to situate Ericksonian hypnosis within the framework of therapeutic and wellness practices. This shortcoming is to the detriment of both the public and the professionals operating in the field of counseling and therapy. In this article, we attempt to shed light on the mechanisms mobilized and targeted by Ericksonian hypnosis, and the underlying psychological theories. We also summarize the current academic knowledge on hypnosis and hypnotism. We then indicate the implicit psychological foundations of the Ericksonian method, where psychodynamics, conditioning, and dissociation are brought together in a constructivist perspective of human beings and counseling. We list the main functions for which it is intended, and which justify its specificity as a method. Finally, we indicate some academic advances that came after Erickson, particularly in cognitive sciences and psycho-traumatology, confirming the relevance of Ericksonian hypnosis and its alignment with current trends in counseling and therapy.