(This
blog was originally posted on March 20, 2017)
 |
| Photo by Rick Hustead |
In a previous blog titled Hypnosis
Is Not a Cure for Paranoia and Schizophrenia, I explored the complex issues
surrounding working with a client who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
According to Hypnosis Motivation Institute
founder John Kappas, Ph.D., since
schizophrenia is a medical and psychological illness, working with such a
client is generally considered “out of scope” for hypnotherapists.*
In an archived instructional video I watched during my hypnotherapy
residency training at HMI, Dr. Kappas worked with a woman who had multiple
personalities. Following are several emotional and behavioral clues this person
manifested which might indicate that she was in a dissociated state and should
be referred immediately to a licensed medical or mental-health professional
for further evaluation and/or treatment. (In addition to his expertise in
hypnotherapy, Dr. Kappas was a licensed psychotherapist, which was why he was
legally allowed to work with this client.)
Loss of time: The individual concedes that he or she does not know or is
unable to remember where he or she is/has been.
Dissociation with self: The client claimed to be a different person in
certain situations, such as when she was with her lover and even to be aware of
that other identity. “[Did] you notice how quickly she answered when I asked,
‘Are you aware of that other part of yourself?’ and she answered, ‘Yes’?”
Strict religious upbringing: This may induce guilt to the point that the
client repressed her (stated) sexual urges, Dr. Kappas observed.
Incongruent behavior: The individual may possess characteristics and
values of one type of (Emotional
or Physical) sexual personality but behave in a completely opposite way. The
client was actually a high Emotional Sexual personality, but she talked about
things that were more commonly associated with a Physical Sexual. She also
spoke like a Physical Sexual, he pointed out. “We see [one] personality and
hear another one,” he explained.
Confusion about why she did something.
In the dissociated state, this individual may experience things she thought
should be different,” Dr. Kappas said. “The client’s only escape [as an Emotional Sexual]
was to come outside of herself.” If there are a lot of religious ties and
guilt, and the person can’t or doesn’t think she can behave the way she wants
to, she will dissociate to compensate for the guilt. “This is very typical of an Emotional Sexual
female,” Dr. Kappas said.
*Business and Professions Code 2908: California law allows
access by California residents to complementary and alternative health care
practitioners who are not providing services that require medical training and
credentials. The purpose of a program of hypnotherapy is for vocational and
avocational self-improvement (Business and Professions Code 2908) and as
alternative or complimentary treatment to healing arts services licensed by the
state. A hypnotherapist is not a licensed physician or psychologist, and
hypnotherapy services are not licensed by the state of California. Services are
non-diagnostic and do not include the practice of medicine, neither should they
be considered as a substitute for licensed medical or psychological services or
procedures.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in
Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation
Institute in 2005. For more information
about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
© 2018
