Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis [Hardcover]

Michael D. Yapko (Author), Michael D. Yapko (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 18, 2003 | ISBN-10: 041593589X | ISBN-13: 978-0415935890 | Edition: 3rd

Trancework, the most comprehensive guide to learning the fundamental skills of clinical hypnosis, is now available in an updated and improved third edition. Yapko clearly and dynamically introduces readers to a broad range of hypnotic methods and techniques that will greatly enhance the effectiveness of preferred modes of therapy. Chapters are filled with new and practical information, including extensive academic references, sample transcripts, thorough summary tables of key points, and interviews with leading figures in the field-Jay Haley, Theodore X. Barber, Ernest R. Hilgard, David Spiegel, Jeffrey Zeig, and Karen Olness, among others. This new edition specifically addresses the growing emphasis within psychotherapy on proving efficacy through empirical data, the controversy of repressed memory that has divided the profession, and the advances in cognitive neuroscience that are stimulating new research.
For newcomers, Trancework is an authoritative primer, demystifying hypnosis and offering step-by-step instruction for integrating it into clinical practice. Those familiar with hypnotic procedure will welcome Yapko's presentation of influential theories, controversies, treatment approaches, and rich case material. All readers alike are guided through personal and professional enrichment as they discover the art and science of clinical hypnosis as presented in this essential guide.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Yapko has made the best text on hypnosis even better. His commitment to sound science, clarity of reason and pragmatic applications is communicated with a passion in this new edition of Trancework. The freshness of information and skills, built on the wisdom of former editions, make this a state-of-the-art book for every therapist who wants to be (and shouldn't we all be?) a state-of-the-art practitioner.' - George W. Burns, clinical psychologist, Author, 101 Healing Stories and Standing Without Shoes

About the Author

Michael D. Yapko is a clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist in private practice. He is a national and international trainer in brief therapy approaches to psychotherapy and director of The Milton H. Erickson Institute of San Diego. Yapko is internationally recognized for his work in the active treatment of depression, the use of clinical hypnosis and his advancement of the use of outcome-focused, short-term psychotherapy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 620 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 3rd edition (July 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 041593589X
• ISBN-13: 978-0415935890
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #219,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist residing in Fallbrook, California. He is internationally recognized for his work in clinical hypnosis and outcome-focused psychotherapy, routinely teaching to professional audiences all over the world. He has been invited to present his innovative ideas and methods to colleagues in over 30 countries across six continents, and all over the United States.

Dr. Yapko has had a special interest which spans more than three decades in the intricacies of brief therapy, the clinical applications of hypnosis, and treating the disorder of major depression. He is the author of ten books and editor of three others, as well as numerous book chapters, and articles on the subjects of the brief therapy of depression and the use of clinical hypnosis in strategic psychotherapies.

Dr. Yapko is a member of the American Psychological Association, a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a member of the International Society of Hypnosis, and a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. He is a recipient of The Pierre Janet Award of Clinical Excellence, a lifetime achievement award from the International Society of Hypnosis, and The Milton H. Erickson Award of Scientific Excellence for Writing in Hypnosis from the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. He is also a recipient of The Milton H. Erickson Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Psychotherapy.

On the personal side, Dr. Yapko is happily married to his wife, Diane, a pediatric speech-language pathologist. Together, they enjoy hiking in the Great Outdoors in their spare time.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is what it says, August 12, 2006

By 

J. Barr (Westerville, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis (Hardcover)

I've studied hypnosis with Stepp, Bandler, and Dobson and read just about every book by Bateson, Haley, Watzlawick,Zeig, Hilgard,Rossi, and Weitzenhoffer as well as the collected works of Milton Erickson....I wish I had found this book early on. It's a great foundation book that everyone who studies and uses hypnosis as a tool should have in their library. Yapko is obviously influenced by the Erickson approach to hypnosis but this doesn't prevent him from providing the alternatives and how they might be appropriately used depending on how the client presents. If you are new to hypnosis YOU NEED TO BUY THIS BOOK.

I am not a psychotherapist,psychologist,or psychiatrist(and for some people that's enough for you to completely discount this review) but I use hypnosis as a tool in my practice as a performance counselor and I'm a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists. I've received a lot of prejudice and discrimination from members of clinical groups in the past... Although Yapko writes for a clinical audience I found nothing in the book demeaning to those of us who are hypnotists practicing in environments other than healthcare.

It's always great to find a book which is what it claims to be...in this case "An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis." If you are new, this book will give you a strong start. I'd recommend reading it before any training in hypnosis...and then reading it again.

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary range and depth of consideration of the topic, February 10, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis (Hardcover)

I am a psychologist in private practice and am quite experienced with hypnosis. In fact, I do trainings in the subject locally. I have been using Dr. Yapko's excellent text, Trancework, in my clinical courses for years, and was eagerly awaiting the new and updated edition ever since I received an announcement from the publisher that it was in press. I had high expectations, and not only did Dr. Yapko meet them, he exceeded them. This new edition is unbelievably thorough, well referenced with almost up-to-the-minute research findings, and comprehensive in its review of the field. Dr. Yapko has added new chapters on the cognitive neuroscience of hypnosis and effective treatment planning, as well as many new sections on important clinical issues. His approach is so sensible and practical! The endorsements from many key people in the field certainly lend support to my opinion. I also love the mini-interviews with key figures in the field as well as all the structured exercises and points to discuss in each chapter. They make the book both enjoyable to read and valuable to use as a guide to developing hypnotic skills. But most of all, Dr. Yapko's ability to give clarity to the concepts and issues of the field while providing step-by-step structures for integrating hypnosis into clinical practice is nothing short of brilliant. One of the chapters is his transcript of a session with a woman only 42 years old who is dying of cancer and wants hypnosis for pain management. It's quite intense. I ordered the DVD from Dr. Yapko's website, www.yapko.com, and watching it is a very moving experience. It was especially helpful to read along in the book as I watched in order to better understand some of the subtleties of Dr. Yapko's interventions. If there's a weakness in Trancework, I have no idea what it would be. I simply cannot say enough good things about this book. It is superb!

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweeping, accessible overview of the hypnotic process., July 16, 2005

By 

Richard A. Voit "Rick Voit, Ph.D." (Brunswick, ME USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis (Hardcover)

Rick Voit, Ph.D. Co-author: Hypnosis in Clinical Practice: Steps for Mastering Hypnotherapy. (Routledge)

Trancework is a wonderful achievement in presenting a thorough conceptual framework and understanding of trance states, hypnotic communication and the rationale for technique. Through its clear language, thorough review of research, and the introduction of powerful and novel teaching formats, Yapko carefully carries the reader from this well-established framework into very practical applications for psychotherapy. Its progressive building of concepts and logical applications results in a comprehensive discussion of how hypnosis and hypnotic language serve as natural extensions of the therapeutic process to basic skills and clear-cut guidelines for the integration of hypnosis into practice.
This book certainly provides the reader with many practical ideas for hypnotic language, induction procedures and clinical treatment planning. Yet, this reviewer believes the book's strength lies in how effectively it lays the groundwork for why these methods make sense. His sections on the concepts behind trance and hypnosis, human suggestibility and responsiveness, brain function, and various contexts in which hypnosis is practiced give the reader a depth of understanding that fully restore this meaning to an extent that few other texts achieve.
This is a book with few if any weaknesses. If anything, it may have attempted to do too much and yet, should any of its elements be removed, it would not be the complete work that it is. Yapko's thorough examination of the myths surrounding hypnosis and how they reflect misinterpretations of the process involved serve to illuminate the alternative truths involved. He most effectively dispels myths about hypnosis by examining ways in which responsiveness and suggestibility create the potentials through which we induce trance. This assignment of responsibility and further discussion of normal hypnotic phenomena allow the reader to grasp the purpose of techniques as means of utilizing, not manufacturing, trance behavior. In short, it successfully replaces the mindset of "doing hypnosis" with one of "being hypnotic."
Unlike many other introductory books, Trancework carefully and clearly examines those conditions and characteristics in people and in the therapeutic setting that lay the groundwork for hypnotic communication. I would recommend this book for students of hypnosis at any level of training. For the serious beginner, there is probably no more comprehensive and user-friendly text available. It has been my experience that many professionals who have completed advanced levels of training have not gained a comprehension of the hypnotic process sufficient to comfortably apply their skill with any range or effectiveness. In Trancework, these readers will discover an opportunity to expand their knowledge base while increasing the breadth of their hypnosis skills.
Because of its clarity and scope, this book would be of great interest to someone seriously curious about hypnosis.