Relational Hypnosis for Chronic Pain and Functional Disorders (Eric Spiegel, Ph.D.)

Website: https://eric-spiegel-phd.ce-go.com/relational-hypnosis-for-chronic-pain-and-functional-disorders

Event Title: Relational Hypnosis for Chronic Pain and Functional Disorders

Dates: 09/13/2024 & 9/20/2024

Location: Virtual

CE: 8.0

Contact: Eric Spiegel, espiegelphd@gmail.com

Abstract:
Pain is inherently a relational experience. As Yapko (2020) and others note, effective hypnotic suggestions come from our relationships with our patients. As David Patterson (2014) shares, when asked by prospective patients if he can ‘fix’ their pain with hypnosis he replies “I don’t know if I can fix your pain, but I can help you change your relationship with your pain.” This is a workshop all about identifying and utilizing the wealth of verbal and non-verbal interpersonal healing interactions ’embodied’ in the therapeutic relationship in the service of modeling and helping patients develop a healthier somatic relationship with their bodies. On the first day of this workshop, applying principles of attachment, participants will learn how somatic experiencing is an expression of self-relationship that develops from – and healed through – central relationships with attachment figures. We learn how to be with ourselves through how our central figures relate to us. Participants will learn how to incorporate the ‘basic ingredients’ of an attuned therapeutic alliance into varied hypnotic suggestions for pain relief. From there, we will explore the association between affect, soma, and relationship, and how relationship connection and safety can help release and ease trapped emotions in the body. On the second day of this workshop, we will examine a variety of pain syndromes and functional disorders to consider how relational hypnosis treatment can be subjectively and effectively be utilized in the treatment of each.

Learning Objectives:

1. Utilize principles of attachment & relationship to create a hypnotic scene for the purpose of modulating pain.
2. List 5 questions from a relational assessment of chronic pain.
3. Explain how to integrate principles of relational alliance-building & active-alert hypnosis in the treatment of chronic pain.
4. Explain how to directly or indirectly utilize the therapeutic alliance in creating a hypnotic suggestion of safety in the treatment of a functional disorder.
5. Differentiate hypnotic treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) from traditional chronic pain.
6. List one relational hypnotic suggestion each in the treatment of a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) & functional neurological disorder (FND) (respectively).