Citation

Otani A. Am. J. Clin. Hypn. 2020; 63(2): 95-111.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis)

DOI

10.1080/00029157.2020.1765726

PMID

33118876

Abstract

Hypnosis has long been successfully used in the treatment of trauma and related disorders. In this paper, I describe a hypnosis-informed approach to PTSD using mindfulness. The Mindfulness-Based Phase-Oriented Traumatic Therapy (MB-POTT) follows the phase-oriented tradition that was originally proposed by Pierre Janet, later expanded by Daniel Brown and Erika Fromm using clinical hypnosis. MB-POTT comprises four distinct, yet recursive, stages: (1) therapeutic alliance building and symptom stabilization, (2) formation of a narrative about the trauma, (3) re-creation of meaning of life after trauma, and (4) future symptom management. In explaining these categories, I delineate the nature of mindfulness, both similarities and dissimilarities to hypnosis, with an emphasis on techniques that resemble hypnotic approaches (e.g., ego state therapy, ego-strengthening). Finally, I provide a case study in which MB-POTT was implemented with a client who suffered from PTSD after a near-fatal industrial accident.

Language: en

Keywords

Trauma; Mindfulness; Loving-Kindness Meditation; Mindfulness-Based Phase-Oriented Trauma Therapy (MB-POTT)