Author Archives: Shervan K Shahhian, LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, The Most Comprehensive Online Library Regarding Mental Health, Psychology and Parapsychology in the World.

Doctored Degree in Clinical Psychology (PSYD) (ABD) All But Dissertation, a Masters (M.A.) in Clinical Psychology, a Bachelor's Degree (B.A.) in Psychology, a Associate Degree (AA) in Liberal Arts with an emphases in Psychology, Certification in Anger Management, Certification in MRT-Moral Reconation Therapy®, Certification in Clinical Hypnotherapy, and Certification in Advanced Hypnotherapy.

Understanding Hypnotic Resistance:

Hypnotic Resistance:
Hypnotic resistance refers to when a person resists entering hypnosis or resists suggestions given during hypnosis. It doesn’t always mean that the person cannot be hypnotized - it often means there are psychological, emotional, or situational barriers at play.

Common Forms of Hypnotic Resistance

Conscious Resistance - The person deliberately resists, often because of:
Fear of losing control
Distrust of the hypnotist
Misconceptions about hypnosis (e.g., “I’ll be made to do silly things”)

Unconscious Resistance - More subtle, often protective:
Anxiety about what might be revealed
Inner conflicts (part of them wants change, another part fears it)
A need to test or retain autonomy

Situational Resistance - External or contextual influences:
Distracting environment
Lack of rapport with the hypnotist
Internal preoccupation (stress, intrusive thoughts)

How Resistance Manifests

Difficulty relaxing or focusing
Laughing, joking, or intellectualizing
Claiming “it’s not working” while subtly following suggestions
Arguing or questioning the hypnotist mid-process
Rapid eye opening or refusal to close eyes

Working with Hypnotic Resistance

Rapport building: Establish trust and safety before induction
Educating: Clarify what hypnosis is (and isn’t) to reduce misconceptions
Utilizing resistance: Ericksonian hypnosis often “joins” the resistance, turning it into part of the process (“That part of you resisting might be the part that most needs to be heard…”)

Indirect suggestion: Using stories, metaphors, or permissive language instead of direct commands

Testing & feedback: Giving the subject choice and agency (“You can go as deep as you’re comfortable with…”)

In clinical and therapeutic settings, resistance is rarely seen as a problem to crush, but rather as useful information - a signal of inner conflict, fear, or the need for more trust.
Shervan K Shahhian

How Hypnotic Resistance Manifests:

Hypnotic resistance is when a person — consciously or unconsciously — opposes entering hypnosis or resists suggestions given during trance. It’s not always defiance; often, it’s a protective response.

Here are the main ways it manifests:

1. Before Induction (Pre-hypnosis resistance)

Skepticism or disbelief — “I don’t think this will work on me.”
Overanalyzing — trying to logically evaluate everything the hypnotist says.
Fear of loss of control — reluctance to “let go” or trust the process.
Testing the hypnotist — intentionally withholding cooperation.

2. During Induction

Surface compliance — the person pretends to go along but keeps a mental guard.
Excessive fidgeting — moving, coughing, or shifting to avoid relaxing deeply.
Keeping eyes open — resisting the natural closing of eyes when guided.
Inner dialogue — thinking “this isn’t working” instead of following suggestions.

3. During Trance / Suggestion Phase

Literal interpretation — resisting by taking suggestions overly literally.
Contradictory responses — saying “I can’t imagine that” when invited to visualize.
Emotional block — discomfort with vulnerable feelings or memories emerging.
Selective hearing — ignoring or rejecting specific suggestions.

4. Post-hypnosis

Denial of depth — claiming “I wasn’t hypnotized” even though signs were present.
Amnesia resistance — refusing to “forget” or undoing post-hypnotic suggestions.
Rationalizing — explaining away the effects to maintain control.

Clinically, resistance may not be “bad.” It usually signals the person’s need for safety, autonomy, or clarification. Skilled hypnotists often work with resistance — using it as feedback — rather than fighting it.

Shervan K Shahhian

Understanding Hysteria:

Hysteria:

“Hysteria” is an old psychological and medical term, no longer used today, but historically very influential.

Origins

Ancient Greece: The word comes from the Greek hystera (meaning “womb”). Hippocrates and later physicians thought symptoms of hysteria came from a “wandering uterus” inside women’s bodies.
Middle Ages / Renaissance: It was linked to witchcraft, demonic possession, or spiritual weakness.
19th century medicine: Doctors described hysteria as a disorder — mostly in women — causing fainting, paralysis, seizures, emotional outbursts, or strange bodily symptoms without clear physical cause.

In Psychology & Psychiatry

Jean-Martin Charcot (1800s, Paris): Studied hysterical seizures, showing they were psychological, not neurological.
Sigmund Freud & Josef Breuer: Treated hysteria with hypnosis and developed the “talking cure,” which laid the foundation for psychoanalysis. Freud proposed that hysteria came from repressed traumatic memories.
20th century: The concept evolved into what we now call somatic symptom disorders, conversion disorder, or sometimes dissociative disorders.

Today

The term “hysteria” is no longer a clinical diagnosis (it was officially dropped in DSM-III, 1980).
Modern psychology recognizes that the symptoms once called “hysterical” often come from trauma, stress, or unconscious processes.

In psychology, the idea of hysteria has gone through a major transformation.

1. Classical View (1800s — early 1900s)

Jean-Martin Charcot (Paris neurologist) studied patients with dramatic paralysis, fainting, seizures, and loss of speech without medical cause. He treated them with hypnosis, showing symptoms could be influenced psychologically.
Sigmund Freud & Josef Breuer: Saw hysteria as rooted in unconscious conflict and repressed trauma. Their case studies (like Anna O.) became the foundation of psychoanalysis. They described hysteria as the “conversion” of emotional distress into bodily symptoms.

2. Mid-20th Century

Hysteria became an umbrella label for puzzling symptoms with no physical explanation.
It carried heavy gender bias (diagnosed mostly in women, often dismissed as “emotional” or “irrational”).
Critics in psychology and psychiatry pushed for more precise, less stigmatizing diagnoses.

3. Modern Psychology (since DSM-III, 1980)

The term hysteria was dropped, replaced with more specific categories:

Conversion Disorder → psychological stress manifests as neurological symptoms (e.g., paralysis, blindness, seizures without medical basis).
Somatic Symptom Disorder → excessive distress about physical symptoms.
Dissociative Disorders → when trauma or stress causes disruptions in memory, identity, or consciousness.

4. Psychological Understanding Today

What used to be called “hysteria” is now seen as the mind-body connection under stress and trauma.
Symptoms are not “faked” but are real expressions of psychological distress.
Modern therapy focuses on trauma-informed care, stress regulation, and integration rather than labeling someone as “hysterical.”

Shervan K Shahhian

Understanding Mesmerism:

Mesmerism:

Mesmerism refers to the theory and practice introduced by Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815), an Austrian physician, who believed that living beings were influenced by a subtle, invisible natural force he called “animal magnetism.”

Core Ideas of Mesmerism

Animal Magnetism: Mesmer proposed that an invisible universal fluid or magnetic force flows through all living things, and disruptions in this flow cause illness.
Healing Practice: He claimed that by using magnets, passes of the hands, or even his own personal energy, he could restore balance and health.
Trance States: Patients often entered altered states of consciousness (similar to hypnosis) during Mesmer’s treatments, experiencing convulsions, relief, or calmness.

Historical Significance

Mesmer gained both fame and controversy in Paris in the late 18th century.
In 1784, a commission (including Benjamin Franklin and Antoine Lavoisier) investigated his claims and concluded that the effects were due to imagination and suggestion, not a magnetic fluid.
Although discredited as a physical theory, Mesmerism laid the groundwork for the development of hypnosis.

Evolution

James Braid (1840s): Rejected the “magnetic fluid” idea but kept the practical aspects, coining the term “hypnotism.”
Modern Hypnotherapy: Builds on Braid’s psychological framework rather than Mesmer’s fluid theory, though Mesmer is often credited as the originator of hypnotic practice.

Shervan K Shahhian

Understanding Altered States of Consciousness, (ASC):

Altered states of consciousness:

Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) are mental states that differ significantly from ordinary waking awareness. They can occur spontaneously, be induced intentionally, or result from physiological/psychological conditions. In an ASC, a person’s perception, sense of self, time awareness, emotions, and thought processes may shift noticeably.

Common Features

Changes in perception (visual, auditory, or bodily distortions)
Altered sense of time (time speeding up, slowing down, or losing track of it)
Enhanced or reduced self-awareness (ego-dissolution, heightened introspection)
Emotional shifts (euphoria, fear, detachment, bliss)
Different thought patterns (fluid, symbolic, dreamlike, or hyper-logical)

Examples of Altered States

Natural states

Dreaming (REM sleep, lucid dreaming)
Daydreaming
Hypnagogic/hypnopompic states (between waking and sleep)

Induced states

Hypnosis
Meditation (mindfulness, transcendental states, Zen absorption)
Trance states (shamanic journeys, religious ecstasy, possession trance)
Flow state (deep absorption in activity)

Substance-related states

Deadly Psychoactive drugs (psychedelics, dissociatives, stimulants, depressants)
Alcohol or other intoxicants

Physiological or extreme conditions

Sensory deprivation/overload
Near-death experiences
Extreme fasting, pain, or sleep deprivation

Theories & Uses

Psychology: Studied for understanding consciousness, creativity, trauma, and mental health.
Therapeutic use: Hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelic-assisted therapy show promise in treating PTSD, depression, and addiction.
Spiritual/Religious: Many traditions see ASCs as paths to enlightenment, healing, or connection with the divine.
Neuroscience: ASCs involve measurable shifts in brainwave activity (alpha, theta, gamma states) and neurochemical changes.

Shervan K Shahhian

“Hypnotism” comes from Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep:

“Hypnotism” comes from Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep.

Here’s the lineage:
In the mid-1800s, Scottish surgeon James Braid coined the term “neuro-hypnotism” (from the Greek Hypnos, meaning sleep) to describe the peculiar trance-like state he was observing in patients.
Later he shortened it to “hypnotism.”
Braid originally thought this state was a form of artificial sleep, which is why he borrowed from the name of the sleep god.
However, he later realized hypnosis is not actually sleep but a special state of focused attention and suggestibility.

So the word “hypnotism” has its root in Hypnos, but the practice itself is closer to a waking state than to real sleep.

Here’s the connection between Hypnos in mythology and hypnotism:

Hypnos in Greek Mythology

Hypnos = god of sleep.
Son of Nyx (Night), twin brother of Thanatos (Death).
Lived in a dark cave where the sun never shone, surrounded by poppies (a symbol of sleep/dreams).
His touch or words could calm gods and mortals alike, sending them into deep rest.
He was gentle, unlike his brother Thanatos - his power was about relaxation, release, and altered states, not finality.

Why Braid Chose “Hypnotism”

When James Braid saw patients in trance states, their relaxed appearance, closed eyes, and dream-like quality reminded him of sleep → so he linked it to Hypnos.
The metaphor fit well: just as Hypnos could lull even Zeus to sleep, the hypnotist seemed to have power to shift consciousness and bypass resistance.

Symbolic Parallels

Entrance to another state → Hypnos guided mortals into dreams, hypnosis guides the mind into trance.
Suggestibility → In myths, Hypnos influences behavior by softening consciousness; in hypnosis, suggestions bypass ordinary awareness.
Between waking and death → Hypnos stands between alert life and Thanatos (death), just as hypnosis stands between wakefulness and unconscious sleep.

Later Misunderstanding

Because of the name, many thought hypnosis was literally sleep (even today people say “you look asleep in hypnosis”).
But modern science shows hypnosis is a focused waking state, not true sleep - though it shares the same imagery of rest, surrender, and altered awareness that Hypnos embodied.

So: Hypnotism inherits both the imagery and the mystery of Hypnos - a gentle power to lead the mind across the threshold of ordinary awareness.
Shervan K Shahhian

Animal Magnetism, and the early theory of Hypnosis:

“Animal Magnetism” :

“Animal Magnetism” was one of the earliest theories of hypnosis.

It was proposed in the late 18th century by Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815), a German physician. Mesmer believed that:

All living beings were influenced by a universal fluid or energy, which he called “animal magnetism.”
Illness arose when this fluid was blocked or out of balance.
Healing could occur by restoring its natural flow, often through gestures, passes of the hands, or the use of magnets.

Mesmer’s dramatic “magnetic” sessions often put patients into trance-like states, with convulsions, fainting, or calm relaxation. While his theory of an invisible magnetic fluid was eventually discredited, the altered states of consciousness he induced laid the foundation for later study of hypnosis.

Over time, James Braid (1795–1860) reframed these phenomena scientifically, coining the term hypnotism in the 1840s, moving the field away from “animal magnetism” toward psychology and suggestion.

Here’s a clear timeline showing how Mesmer’s animal magnetism evolved into modern hypnosis:

18th Century — Mesmer and Animal Magnetism

1770s–1780s — Franz Anton Mesmer proposes animal magnetism, a universal life force.
He uses magnets and hand passes to “realign” this force.
Patients often enter trance-like states, some showing dramatic reactions.
1784 — A French Royal Commission (including Benjamin Franklin) investigates and concludes the effects are due to imagination and suggestion, not magnetic fluid

19th Century — Hypnotism Emerges

1810s–1830s — Marquis de Puységur (Mesmer’s student) notices patients can enter a calm, suggestible sleep-like state (he calls it artificial somnambulism).
1840s — James Braid, a Scottish surgeon, studies these states scientifically.
Rejects Mesmer’s “magnetic fluid.”
Coins the term “hypnotism” (from Hypnos, Greek god of sleep).
Defines hypnosis as a psychological state involving focused attention and heightened suggestibility.
Mid-1800s — Hypnosis used for anesthesia in surgery before chemical anesthetics become widespread.

Late 19th — Early 20th Century — Psychology & Therapy

Jean-Martin Charcot (Paris) studies hypnosis in hysteria patients; treats it as a neurological condition.
Hippolyte Bernheim & the Nancy School emphasize suggestion as the key therapeutic factor.
Sigmund Freud experiments with hypnosis before developing psychoanalysis.

Mid-20th Century — Ericksonian Revolution

Milton H. Erickson (1901–1980) transforms hypnosis into a flexible therapeutic tool.
Moves away from authoritarian commands toward indirect suggestion, storytelling, and metaphor.
Develops Ericksonian Hypnosis, influencing psychotherapy, family therapy, and NLP.

Modern Day

Hypnosis is seen as a natural altered state of consciousness involving focused attention, relaxation, and openness to suggestion.
Widely used in clinical psychology, medicine, dentistry, trauma recovery, pain management, and habit change.
Scientific research focuses on brain imaging, attention, and the mechanisms of suggestibility.

In short:
Mesmer (mystical energy) → Braid (scientific hypnotism) → Charcot/Bernheim (medical & psychological study) → Erickson (therapeutic art) → modern evidence-based hypnosis.

Shervan K Shahhian

The History of Modern Hypnotherapy:

The person most often called the father of modern hypnotherapy is Milton H. Erickson (1901–1980).

Erickson revolutionized hypnosis by moving away from the rigid, authoritarian “You are getting sleepy…” style and toward a flexible, conversational, and highly individualized approach. He used storytelling, metaphors, and indirect suggestions, tailoring each session to the patient’s personality, needs, and unconscious communication style.

That said, the title is sometimes also given to James Braid (1795–1860), the Scottish surgeon who coined the term hypnosis and brought it into medical practice in the 19th century. Braid is often called the father of hypnotism, while Erickson is credited with shaping modern hypnotherapy.

Here’s a short timeline tracing how James Braid’s early work in hypnosis evolved into Milton Erickson’s modern hypnotherapy:

Early Foundations

18th century — Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815):
Promoted “animal magnetism,” an early theory of hypnosis. Though discredited, he popularized trance-like healing practices.

Scientific Beginnings

1840s — James Braid (1795–1860):
Coined the term hypnotism (from Greek hypnos, “sleep”).
Shifted hypnosis from mystical “magnetism” to a psychological and physiological phenomenon.
Emphasized focused attention and suggestion, laying the groundwork for hypnosis as a medical practice.

Medical Integration

Late 19th century — Jean-Martin Charcot (1825–1893):
Studied hypnosis in relation to hysteria and neurology in Paris.
1880s–1900s — Hippolyte Bernheim & Nancy School:
Focused on suggestion as the core of hypnosis, using it therapeutically.
Early 20th century — Sigmund Freud (1856–1939):
Briefly used hypnosis, then moved toward free association and psychoanalysis.

Modern Shift

1930s–1980s — Milton H. Erickson (1901–1980):
Considered the father of modern hypnotherapy.
Reframed hypnosis as a natural, everyday state of focused attention.
Developed indirect hypnosis: using metaphors, stories, and indirect suggestions instead of direct commands.
Stressed tailoring techniques to each client, emphasizing collaboration and the unconscious mind’s resources.

In short:

Braid: Defined hypnosis as a scientific process (attention + suggestion).
Charcot & Bernheim: Expanded hypnosis into medicine and psychology.
Erickson: Revolutionized it into a flexible, therapeutic art, forming the basis of modern hypnotherapy.

Shervan K Shahhian

Hypnotism, what is it:

Hypnotism is a state of focused attention, heightened suggestibility, and deep relaxation in which a person becomes more open to positive suggestions or guided experiences.

It’s not mind control or magic — rather, it’s a natural mental state that most people drift into at times (like getting “lost” in a book or movie). A hypnotist or hypnotherapist uses verbal cues, imagery, and pacing to guide someone into this state.

Core elements of hypnotism:

Induction — The process of guiding someone into hypnosis (through relaxation, fixation, or other techniques).

Suggestion — Positive or neutral ideas offered while in hypnosis to influence thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.

Deepening — Moving the subject into a deeper level of focus and receptivity.

Awakening — Bringing the person gently back to normal waking awareness.

Uses today:

Clinical therapy for pain management, phobias, or breaking habits.
Performance improvement in sports or creativity.
Self-hypnosis for relaxation or personal growth.

Shervan K Shahhian

Most famous Hypnosis techniques of Milton H. Erickson’s:

Most famous Hypnosis techniques:

Milton H. Erickson’s most famous hypnosis techniques were very different from the old stage-style hypnosis — they were subtle, conversational, and often disguised inside everyday interactions.

Here are his hallmark methods:

1. Indirect Suggestions

Instead of commanding, Erickson made suggestions in a casual, permissive way.

Example: Instead of saying “Close your eyes,” he might say, “You may notice that your eyes are getting heavier… and you might feel comfortable letting them close whenever you wish.”
Why it works: It bypasses resistance because the client feels they have choice.

2. Embedded Commands

Placing a subtle directive inside a larger sentence or story.

Example: While telling a story, he might say, “…and as you sit there, you might begin to feel more relaxed…”
Why it works: The unconscious picks up on the command hidden inside natural speech.

3. Metaphors and Storytelling

Erickson told elaborate stories or anecdotes that paralleled the client’s problem and hinted at solutions.

Example: To help someone gain confidence, he might tell a story about a stubborn plant that learned to grow toward the light despite obstacles.
Why it works: Stories bypass conscious resistance and deliver change ideas indirectly.

4. Utilization

He used whatever the client brought to the session — their mood, environment, body language — as part of the trance process.

Example: If a client was fidgeting, he might say, “You can let those little movements remind you that change is already happening inside…”
Why it works: Instead of fighting distractions, he incorporated them, making every experience part of the hypnosis.

5. Confusion Technique

Using paradox, vague language, or unexpected shifts to overwhelm conscious thought, allowing the unconscious to take over.

Example: “You can think about not thinking, and notice how that thought changes while you’re not thinking it…”
Why it works: The conscious mind gets tied in knots, opening the door for suggestions.

6. Pacing and Leading

First match the client’s current experience (pacing), then gradually guide them to a new state (leading).

Example: “You’re sitting here, hearing my voice, feeling the chair… and you might also begin to notice a sense of calm spreading…”
Why it works: Builds rapport and creates a smooth bridge from the familiar to the desired change.

7. Double Binds

Offering two choices, both leading to the desired outcome.

Example: “Would you prefer to go into trance with your eyes open for a moment, or closed right away?”
Why it works: Gives the illusion of choice while moving toward the therapeutic goal.

Erickson often blended several of these techniques seamlessly — for example, telling a metaphorical story (metaphor) in a relaxed conversation (indirect suggestion), pacing the client’s mood, and embedding commands along the way.

Shervan K Shahhian