Clinical hypnosis in rehabilitation

Abstract

It is the restoration of the physical and psychological functional capacities of individuals who have suffered functional losses because of traumatic injury or illness that is at the essence of rehabilitation. The rehabilitation process is a bio-psychosocial endeavor as well as a model of holistic health through its interdisciplinary nature. Rehabilitation is also about learning to adapt to disability and achieve accommodation for deficits. One of the primary contributions of hypnosis to rehabilitation is its potential for facilitating change and accelerating learning. In this article, the phenomenon of hypnosis will be discussed to provide the reader with a basic understanding of what hypnosis is and how it can be used in mind-body medicine and specifically how it can be used in rehabilitation. The research will be discussed as well as the psychophysiological correlates of the hypnotic state. How hypnosis has been used with various medical conditions (stroke, amputation, etc) or functional problems (ambulation, ADLs, etc) is reviewed as well as how hypnosis can facilitate the patient’s attainment of rehabilitation goals. An argument is made that self-hypnosis allows patients to develop an experience of “self” that reflects mastery and competence. An extensive reference list is provided for the serious student.