Hypnotherapy in the ER

[Bonnie H. Sher]

Does anyone currently work in an ER using hypnotherapy? What are some possible applications?
Thanks!

[Susan French]

Hi Bonnie,

There is a fabulous book titled "The Worst is Over" by Judith Praeger about the research that has been done on training first responders, paramedics, and people in the ER as what to say (or not say) to injured people.

Her premise, which is correct, is that when people are in shock, they are already in hypnosis. In that state, they are hypersuggestible. The case is made quite strongly for being careful what you say around injured people, including just casual talk between the workers.

She also talks a lot about the right things TO say. There's a ton of research data in that book as well.

Susan

[Bonnie H. Sher]

Thanks Susan. I'm on it.

Susan French said:

Hi Bonnie,

There is a fabulous book titled "The Worst is Over" by Judith Praeger about the research that has been done on training first responders, paramedics, and people in the ER as what to say (or not say) to injured people.

Her premise, which is correct, is that when people are in shock, they are already in hypnosis. In that state, they are hypersuggestible. The case is made quite strongly for being careful what you say around injured people, including just casual talk between the workers.

She also talks a lot about the right things TO say. There's a ton of research data in that book as well.

Susan

[Doreen Cohanim C.Ht]

Hi Bonnie,

I don't work in the ER, but I get clients who visited the ER, whom are referred to me, I have an office at the medical center in the Northridge Hospital that I see clients twice a week, with doctor supervisions.

People who are referred to me from the ER are people with phobia, chronic pain, anxiety and panic attacks,smoking cessation, weight loss, heart conditions, dibetics and preparing them for their up coming surgery

The only time I am called to go to the ER if my client is pregnant and she is having a complication, such as breech baby or the doctor says she needs to have a C-section, in most cases, no C-section take place and the breech baby goes back to a normal position using hypnosis and the client is released home few hours later.

I was only in one C-section surgery, when the wife wanted me to be their with the husband, and it was very hard thing to do, since only one person could be allowed in the husband or me, so I went in, hypnotize the client, came out to let the husband in, the good news was, they took my HypnoBirthing classes, so they husband new what to say when she was having the C-section, the baby girl now is two years old...

I also go with my clients to the room where they having IVF, when I spend about 20 minutes hypnotizing my client until the doctor comes in, and this is usually done by clients request only and It isn’t easy, especially if the doctor allows the hypnotist in and he makes an unnecessarily comments…

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht
www.EnterYourMind.com
www.HypnoCruise.com

[Nathan Thomas]

Hi
I interviewed Judith quite recently and she talked a lot about hypnosis in the emergency room, it was a fascinating interview with someone who knows this area back to front and inside out, and she tells some excellent stories and gives some brilliant tips, it is definitely worth a listen if you are interested in effectively using hypnosis in the ER.
You can find it here:

http://keystothemind.blogspot.com/2009/03/two-hypnosis-interviews.html

Hope you find this of value.
Nathan

[Doreen Cohanim C.Ht]

Thanks Nathan...

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht

[Bonnie H. Sher]

Thank you, Nathan. This has provided me with spot-on answers. I also felt that you handled the interview with great aplumb.

Nathan Thomas said:

Hi
I interviewed Judith quite recently and she talked a lot about hypnosis in the emergency room, it was a fascinating interview with someone who knows this area back to front and inside out, and she tells some excellent stories and gives some brilliant tips, it is definitely worth a listen if you are interested in effectively using hypnosis in the ER.
You can find it here:

http://keystothemind.blogspot.com/2009/03/two-hypnosis-interviews.html

Hope you find this of value.
Nathan

[Susan French]

Wow. Thanks Nathan. I'll give a listen right now. I loved the book, as I said, and think it's probably time for a second reading. I'm certain I will love this interview.

Susan

Nathan Thomas said:

Hi
I interviewed Judith quite recently and she talked a lot about hypnosis in the emergency room, it was a fascinating interview with someone who knows this area back to front and inside out, and she tells some excellent stories and gives some brilliant tips, it is definitely worth a listen if you are interested in effectively using hypnosis in the ER.
You can find it here:

http://keystothemind.blogspot.com/2009/03/two-hypnosis-interviews.html

Hope you find this of value.
Nathan

[Nathan Thomas]

Thanks all, the interview was extremely fun to do, Judith is certainly an impressive character.

[Gordon Leith]

Just happened to listen to lecture by Steve Gurgevich, Ph.D., professor at University of Arizona school of medicine. He was talking about hypnotizeability and belief, and how practice can increase hypnotizeability. Then he mentioned motivation and the ER patient who is motivated to become hypnotized rather than watch the doctor treat, say, a broken limb. He explains:"If you are using it in medical setting, you can simply do it. Motivation increases response. The doctor would look into the patient's face lying in the gurney in the ER and he would say, 'would you like to see me work on your broken arm or would you like to imagine that you are on a long beach relaxing and having a good time." The patient frequently would start imagining in an alternate state. The question, "Would you like to..." empowers the patient to take control of his or her situation in a very self-helping way.

[Brian David Phillips]

Drop a note to Seth-Deborah Roth http://www.hypnotherapyforhealth.com as she may have some insights that will be helpful.

[Doreen Cohanim C.Ht]

I just wanted to add that ER patients are hyper suggestible and therefore they go under quickly accepting the wonderful suggestions we can offer.

This is just from my few ER experiences that I had with close friends at the time I accompanied them to the ER waiting room, no matter how bad was the pain, others were consider saver cases, therefore we have waited for hours on top of hours, and my friends are difficult when it comes to hypnosis and letting friend do that to them, no matter how painful it could be.

So watching my friends suffering with agony as I was watching my friends, On one specific time with different situations I had offer to make it easier with their approval, and only then I was given a chance to prove that hypnosis works, so I did gave some suggestions that they pain is still exist but by friend is in control of it, therefore she could tolerate it until she was seen by the doctor, it helped and she was hypnotize so fast, knowing she was already in hypnosis during her pain, so it was easy…

Other case was, when I had a family member who had a saver pain after being released home few days or a week later from her actopic surgery, the pain was excruciating, I have been with her in ER waiting to be seen, she was literally doing flip flops with the pain she had, mind you that she even took heavy dose pain killer that didn’t help either, so while waiting and rubbing her back, I asked if it was OK to hypnotize her, she was in so much pain, that she said, I don’t care, just take this awful pain away from me… and I did, since then more people know about me, I was even allowed to be with her in the ER room, surprisingly after that she did not use any pain killer, she did use hypnosis and thanks to her I am working at the Northridge Hospital Medical clinic twice a week, It is still new, and I love working with patient using the regular patient room, only that my room have the carry on recliner that I bought specifically for hypnosis, even though I was able to used their bed, and for some reason my clients loved it any ways, while I didn’t like it at all, since their knees were puling down in an uncomfortable position, now they love it better, and in fact I am going to carry this recliner with me to Israel soon…

I hope this helps…

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht

www.HypnoCruise.com