It Takes Two to Tango: Some Thoughts on the Neglected Importance of the Hypnotist in an Interactive Hypnotherapeutic Relationship

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Abstract
Hypnotists can vary in their ability to produce meaningful trance experiences. Certain hypnotists produce more meaningful trance experiences than do others. Therapeutic hypnosis is regarded as a “dual phenomenon” occurring within an intense interpersonal relationship. This interactive dimension is important as is the unique contribution made by the hypnotist. A brief historical survey demonstrates the causal attribution of hypnotic effects. The theoretical literature on the reciprocal nature of hypnotic experience emphasizes the importance of the interpersonal functions of hypnosis, the hypnotic relationship per se, and the impact of the hypnotist. Recent research investigating interactional parameters supports these conclusions and suggests future empirical directions. Finally, an emergent interactional theoretical framework is presented which views hypnotherapeutic skill primarily as a function of the hypnotherapeutic ability to create a facilitating “holding” environment for the patient's internal experience.