Hypnosis Re-Imagined: How Milton H. Erickson Changed Our Minds

Milton H. Erickson, M.D., is widely acknowledged as one of the most creative and influential therapists of the 20th century. Almost singlehandedly, Dr. Erickson re-defined how hypnosis and hypnotic phenomena are conceptualized and applied in clinical practice. His remarkable influence on the field was highlighted by a recently published international survey of hypnosis practitioners in more than 30 countries, the majority of whom defined themselves as primarily “Ericksonian” in their theoretical and practical orientation. Furthermore, there are more than 100 institutes around the world that bear his name and promote his approaches, with The Milton H. Erickson Foundation headed by Dr. Jeffrey Zeig as the “hub of the Erickson wheel.” What is it about Erickson the man and Erickson the pioneering psychiatrist that has left such an enduring mark on the fields of clinical hypnosis and psychotherapy? This conversation between two experts in hypnosis will consider the range of possible answers to these intriguing questions.