Hope and Resiliency: Understanding the Psychotherapeutic Strategies of Milton H. Erickson, MD

by Dan Short, Betty Alice Erickson, Roxanna Erickson Klien

Overview

One would expect that writing over 300 professional papers and hypnotizing over 30,000 subjects would make Erickson, who is probably best known for his contributions to hypnosis, family therapy and brief therapy, the subject of much intense study. Here his philosophy gets a much broader treatment than normally found in books about his techniques and theories. The authors, all experts in Erickson studies, begin with a brief biography and then turn to his ideas about the human condition, mental health and healing, and the role of clinician. They then describe his six core strategies, including distraction, partitioning, progression, suggestion, reorientation and utilization. They close with information on putting the knowledge of Erickson's approach to use, including in self-development exercises. The list of references is especially helpful for those who wish to read in further detail. Annotation © 2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781904424932
Publisher:	Crown House Publishing
Publication date:	11/28/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	212
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

	Foreword	iii
	Preface	xi
	A Biographical Sketch of Milton H. Erickson	xv
	Overview	xv
	Family background	xvi
	Childhood	xvii
	Late adolescence	xvii
	Professional beginnings	xx
	Post-polio syndrome	xxii
	The later years	xxiv
Part I	Foundations of Healing and Health	1
Chapter 1	Introduction	3
Chapter 2	The Human Condition	7
Chapter 3	Mental Health and Healing	15
Chapter 4	The Role of the Clinician	21
Chapter 5	A Philosophical Framework	27
	Summary	32
Part II	Clinical Strategies	33
Chapter 6	Introduction to the Six Core Strategies	35
Chapter 7	Distraction	41
	Red herring	45
	Questioning and presupposition	47
	Emphasis on detail	49
	Therapeutic amnesia	51
	The general application of distraction	54
Chapter 8	Partitioning	57
	Symptom definition	59
	Formal diagnosis	60
	Prognostic splitting	63
	Dividing conscious	67
	Dissection	73
	Partitioning of time and space	75
	The general application of partitioning	78
Chapter 9	Progression	81
	Geometric progression	86
	Progressive desensitization	89
	Pattern interruption	93
	Cognitive progression	97
	Forward progression	103
	The general application of progression	105
Chapter 10	Suggestion	109
	Cooperation versus control	115
	Direct suggestion	118
	Indirect suggestion	122
	Permissive suggestion	129
	Interspersal and repetition	133
	The confusion technique	139
	The general application of suggestion	147
Chapter 11	Reorientation	153
	Insight	157
	Reframing	161
	Externalization	168
	Reorientation in time	175
	The general application of reorientation	181
Chapter 12	Utilization	185
	Simple bind	191
	Double bind	196
	Utilization of a minor problem	207
	Symptom prescription	209
	General application of utilization	218
Chapter 13	Conclusion	221
	About the book	221
	Contraindications	223
	Putting the knowledge to use	224
Appendix A	Self-Development Exercises	227
	Distraction	227
	Partitioning	228
	Progression	230
	Suggestion	232
	Reorientation	233
	Utilization	234
	References	237
	Index	251