Ericksonian Theory

Written By: Chris Perl

Erickson thought that trance, “a sleep like state (as of deep hypnosis) usually characterized by partly suspended animation with diminished or absent sensory or motor activity”¹, is an ordinary everyday happening. For instance; when driving home and not remembering part of the trip, while reading a book or listening to music, or in the act of challenging physical exercise, it is quite common to become fully engaged with the activity and enter a trance state. In such a trance one is isolated from all stimuli that are unimportant. These states are so normal and frequent that the majority of people don’t consciously regard them as hypnotic states.

When an individual’s awareness is very focussed due to a specific interest or an extraordinary event it is normal for them to look awestruck. In these cases they often seem to have a blank expression or appear distant. Their eyes may be shut or staring and their bodies may become as if paralysed. Some unconscious reflexes, such as breathing, may slow dramatically and the individual may appear completely unaware of their environment. They may remain in this state until the event has finished, their inner quest has been reached, or they have gained their new insight. Erickson maintained that in everyday life consciousness is in a constant state of dynamic interaction between the basic reality configuration and trance states.

Due to the fact that Erickson knew trance states happened quite naturally and often, he was always ready to make the most of them in a therapeutic context. He found lots of techniques for how to ameliorate the chance that a trance state would emerge. The techniques he created were both verbal and non-verbal, and Erickson developed the concept that natural experiences of amazement, being captivated and confusion are, in essence, just types of trance.

Obviously, there are a lot of different types of trance and most people are familiar with the concept of a "deep" trance. Early in his career Erickson was a trailblazer in researching the unique and wondrous phenomena that emerge in that state. He spent hour upon hour with each experimental subject, progressively deepening the trance.

That a trance could be considered "light" or "deep" implies a one dimensional continuum of trance depth, but Erickson would frequently work with numerous trances in the same client; for example suggesting that the “hypnotized” client act a certain way in the “awake" state, thus blurring the line between the hypnotic and awake state.

Erickson believed there are many states that can be worked with. This goes hand in hand with the idea that every state of consciousness is a trance, and that which we label "normal" waking consciousness is actually just a "consensus trance".

¹ Merriam – Webster online dictionary

Bipolar Disorder

Written By: Chris Perl

All of us have our highs and lows, our "good" days and our "bad" days, but if you're afflicted with bipolar disorder these ups and downs are significantly exaggerated. The symptoms of bipolar disorder can negatively impact your performance whether at school or work, hurt your personal relationships, and prevent you from living a normal daily life. Even though bipolar disorder is treatable, lots of people aren’t aware of the symptoms so don’t seek out the assistance they require. Bipolar disorder usually gets worse without treatment, so it is imperative to be educated about the symptoms. Recognizing the condition is the first crucial step towards getting the disorder under control.

Bipolarism causes severe changes in mood, energy levels, thinking, and behaviour – from the extreme heights of mania, to the intense depths of depression. More than just a transitory good or bad day the stages of bipolar disorder can last for days, weeks, or even months. And, compared to normal mood swings, the changes of bipolar disorder are so intense and severe that they inhibit one’s ability to function.

In the throes of a manic episode an individual might all of a sudden quit a job, go on exorbitant spending sprees, or feel completely rested and energized after only two hours sleep. In the depths of a depressive episode, the same individual could feel too tired and lethargic to get out of bed. In such an episode the bipolar might dwell in a world of self-hate and feelings of hopelessness.

The causes of bipolar disorder aren’t fully understood, although it does frequently run in families. The first manic or depressive episode of bipolar disorder frequently takes place in the teenage years or early adulthood. The symptoms can be very hard to see and quite hard to make sense of. The result is a lot of people with bipolar disorder are misdiagnosed or completely overlooked, which leads to unnecessary suffering.

We stress that with the appropriate treatment, which may include but is not limited to medication, and a good support system a person with bipolar disorder can live an extremely productive and rewarding life.

Got a Travel Phobia? Don't Be Scared ... Be Prepared!

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” - FDR

Phobias are more common than you could ever imagine. There are two types of phobias; general and specific. A general phobia is one that tends to produce anxiety across a range of situations and activities. One of the most common examples is Agoraphobia - The fear of, and anxiety about, being trapped in situations without the possibility of escape or ability to get help. This can be present with and without symptoms of panic. These phobias can seriously limit an individual’s lifestyle. Specific phobias involve fear of, and anxiety about, a very specific situation or thing. There are hundreds of these but some of the more common examples related to travel are Acrophobia (the fear of heights), Avivophobia (the fear of flying), Claustrophobia (the fear of tight spaces) and the fear of boats / cruise ships just to name a few.

Travel phobias are extremely common and the fear of flying is the most prevalent. Often phobias can limit careers and generally people are too embarrassed to talk about them. When other people become aware of a person’s phobia, the phobic individual often becomes the butt of jokes, which makes matters worse. As well, families will often accuse the individual of using the phobia as an excuse not to travel.

Someone with a flying phobia may start getting anxious days to weeks before a flight. Sleep may also be affected days before the flight. As well, one’s ability to enjoy the vacation is diminished because they become worried and stressed about the flight home. There are many treatment options and our clinic specializes in helping people overcome phobias. Our program is made up of:

1) Teaching the Relaxation Response – Ironically anyone that can whip themselves up into frenzy has the innate ability to relax completely; unfortunately, this relaxation response is not well developed in most of us as little children as we learn to get tense.

2) We have developed techniques to uncover the underlying problem or critical events that first imprinted the phobic response.

3) Sometimes using medication to help cut the cycle will, in conjunction with 1 & 2 make all the difference.

If you or someone you know suffers from a fear / phobia that has made an everlasting impact on how they live their life...We Can Help!

WE CHALLENGE YOU TO CHANGE FROM WITHIN!