Colorado Institute of Behavioral Medicine - Psychotherapy, Hypnotherapy, Continuing eduction, Boulder, CO

Colorado Institute of Behavioral Medicine
GREG FREEDMAN MD, CCHt

MIND | BODY | SPIRIT
PSYCHOTHERAPY - HYPNOTHERAPY - TRAINING

OFFICE: 303.901.0983
FAX:303.494.1709
Boulder, CO 80307
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Info for Referring Health Professionals

GENERAL HEALTH CARE SUPPORT

Stress Reduction

Stress reduction is important because stress is a major factor in the cause and maintenance of many physical and emotional disorders (Selye, 1976; Girdano, et. al. 1993). Stress reduction has been related to improvement in conditions such as angina, hypertension, asthma, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, back pain, fibromyalgia, migraine, Raynaud=s Disease, TMJ syndrome, and Trigeminal Neuralgia (Kroger, 1977; Philips, 1988; Ornstein and Swencionis, 1990; Sarno,1991; Girdano, et. al. 1993; Temes, 1999; Caudill, 2002; Grant, 2003). 1 Stress reduction has also been related to improvement in emotional and psychological conditions, such as insomnia, anxiety, phobias, depression, overwhelm, and procrastination (Bakal, 1992; Girdano, et. al. 1993; Goleman and Gurin, 1993; Scaer, 2001). Hypnotherapy is one of the most effective methods of long term stress reduction. It is so effective because it works on several levels, such as facilitating physical relaxation, re-training/re-patterning of the nervous system, developing effective coping skills, changing thought patterns and habits of worry, and creating psychological safety. For more information on CIBM’s stress reduction programs, see Relaxation / Stress Reduction/ (link). For information on CIBM’s hypertension program, see Direct Behavioral Medicine Services/Hypertension (link).

Health Behavior Modification

One of the most important ways hypnotherapy supports medical and complementary treatments is through addressing clients compliance with prescribed regimens and lifestyle adjustments. Many clients have difficulty adopting or maintaining lifestyle habits that support their healing (Cheek and Le Cron, 1968; Kroger, 1977; Roth, 1984; Roth, 1989; Cash and Pruzinsky,1990; Roth,1991; Bakal, 1992; Kaplan and Sadock, 1998; Bakal, 2001; Grant, 2001; Glanz, et. al., 2002; Grant, 2003; Grant, 2004). Hypnotherapy is particularly effective in helping clients manage issues of lifestyle and habit, including weight loss, smoking cessation, exercise, and dietary modification (Cheek and Le Cron, 1968; Kroger, 1977; Grant, 2001; Grant, 2003; Grant, 2004). For information on CIBM=s smoking cessation program, see Direct Behavioral Medicine Services/Smoking Cessation (link).

Weight Loss

Weight is one of the most complicated issues to address because it involves many factors, including lack of primary nurturing, control of overwhelming emotions, need for protection, habits/lifestyle issues, anxiety patterns, self image problems, and metabolic issues (Lowen, 1967; Cheek and Le Cron, 1968; Kroger, 1977; Roth, 1984; Roth, 1989; Cash and Pruzinsky,1990; Roth,1991; Kaplan and Sadock, 1998; Grant, 2001; Grant, 2003; Grant, 2004). Some weight loss clients are able to alter their lifestyles, lose weight and keep it off. However, many clients persist in cycling between losing and gaining. Still other clients are not able to stay with prescribed dietary and exercise regimens long enough to make any progress with weight loss. One major reason clients are not able to lose weight and keep it off is that the subconscious roots of their weight problems are not addressed (Cheek and Le Cron, 1968; Kroger, 1977; Grant, 2001; Grant, 2003; Grant, 2004). Research and clinical observation agree that whenever there is a disagreement between conscious intention and subconscious intention, the subconscious prevails - always (Cheek and Le Cron, 1968; Kroger, 1977; Cheek, 1994; Barber, 1996; Grant, 2001; Grant, 2003; Grant, 2004). This is why the effectiveness of many treatments is decreased by subconscious resistance. Such resistance can result for many different sources, including developmental issues (Lowen, 1967; Erickson, 1980; Bradshaw, 1990; Holmes, 1993; McWilliams, 1994; Summers, 1994; McWilliams, 1999) and past trauma (Herman,1997; Levine, 1997; Rothschild, 2000; Scaer, 2001). Hypnotherapy facilitates resolution of these underlying sources of resistance. As a result, clients are able to make sustainable lifestyle changes that allow weight mastery, as well as mastery in many other areas of life. Hypnotherapy works best as part of a multi-disciplinary approach to weight loss, which includes dietary and any appropriate medical counseling.

Emotional Issues

Patients of ten seek help from their primary care physicians or health care practitioner for emotionally related concerns, such as insomnia, anxiety/nervousness, phobias, panic attacks, low energy, loss of interest in life, and muscle tension and soreness. One of the reasons people consult their health care practitioners (HCPs) is the common belief that people only see psychiatrists or psychotherapists if they are mentally ill or crazy. As a result, many patients are reluctant to see mental health practitioners even when referred by their physician.

One of the challenges of working with emotional issues in primary care is that patients often want more than psychiatric medications, they want some sort of counseling. Unfortunately, primary care settings generally do not support patient counseling because of time limitations. Further, most primary health care providers have not been trained in effectively counsel, and many are not interested in doing counseling.

Hypnotherapy can support management of patients’ emotional problems in two general ways. First, basic hypnotherapy training can quickly provide primary care practitioners with tools for time efficient and effective counseling for patients with mild to moderate emotional problems. Second, hypnotherapy referrals are often more acceptable to patients than psychotherapy referrals. One of the reasons for this is that hypnotherapy can be presented in several ways other than as psychotherapy. Some examples are as health related education, stress reduction or coaching for stress reduction, and medical relaxation. Some patients are comfortable with thinking of hypnotherapy as a way to learn to use the power of their own mind to improve health, reduce stress, change unwanted health related habits, and resolve emotional difficulties.

Resistance and Improved Treatment Responses

Subconscious resistance can be a major factor that interferes with treatment response for many types of treatment (Cheek and Le Cron,1968; Reich, 1972; Kroger, 1977; Rossi and Cheek, 1988; Bakal, 1992; Cheek, 1994). Hypnotherapy facilitates reduction or removal of subconscious factors that can interfere with the effectiveness of treatment, allowing clients to experience improved responses and longer lasting effects. Subconscious resistance can occur at the levels belief and meaning (Rossi and Cheek, 1988; Goleman and Gurin, 1993; Barber,1996; Turk and Gatchel, 2002), secondary gain (Cheek and Le Cron,1968; Kroger,1977; Cassem, 1991; Turk and Gatchel, 2002; Grant 2003), motivation (Goleman and Gurin, 1993; Cheek, 1994; Barber,1996; Turk and Gatchel, 2002), and associated traumatic imprinting/conditioning (Herman, 1997; Levine, 1997; Rothschild, 2000; Bakal, 2001; Scaer, 2001). In addition, by addressing issues such as belief, meaning and secondary gain, motivation is increased to follow home self healing exercises and other regimens (Philips, 1988; Turk and Gatchel, 2002).