Austrian physician, Franz Mesmer (1734 - 1815), is seen as the modern father of hypnosis. It was from his name the word 'mesmerism' is derived. Mesmer was a brilliant man though much maligned by the medical world of his day. He developed the theory of 'animal magnetism', his theory that diseases are the result of blockages in the flow of magnetic forces in the body. Mesmer believed that he could store his animal magnetism in baths of iron filings then transfer it to patients with rods or by 'mesmeric passes'.

One of the most interesting, but undoubtedly the most long-winded, ways of putting someone into a trance was the mesmeric pass. Mesmer would wave his arms across the patients body while they stood very still, this often lasted for hours although strangely effective this method may well have had the effect of boring the patient into a trance!

Primarily a Scottish eye doctor, he developed an interest in mesmerism quite by chance. James found a patient in his waiting room staring into an old lamp. Braid noted the patients eyes were glazed. Fascinated, Braid gave the patient some commands, telling him to close his eyes and go to sleep. The patient did as he was asked and Braid's interest grew. Braid discovered that getting a patient to fixate upon something was one of the most important components of putting them into a trance.

Many people associate the swinging watch with hypnosis, and this device was popular in the early days as an object of fixation. Following his discovery realisation dawned that it was not necessary to go through all the palaver of mesmeric passes. Braid published a book in which he proposed that the phenomenon be called hypnotism, he later changed his mind about this name but too late; the name had stuck.

John Elliotson (1791 - 1868), a respected professor at London University, famous for introducing the stethoscope into England. Was forced to resign when also tried to champion the use of mesmerism. Although discredited Elliotson continued to give demonstrations of mesmerism in his own home to any interested parties, including author Charles Dickens who was a believer and user of mesmerism, this strategy led to interest continuing and a steady increase in literature on the subject.

Mesmer used a form of indirect suggestion to his patients simply suggesting something extra-ordinary would happen to them, he was a show man and used this to great advantage. With a long cape and a goatee beard Mesmer is responsible for the popular image of the hypnotist with magnetic eyes as seen in many films and shows.

Franz Mesmer (1734 - 1815)

John Elliotson (1791 - 1868)

James Braid (1795 - 1860).

A Brief History in the Development of Hypnosis

British Surgeon in India, James Esdaile (1808 - 59) worked in India, he recognised the great benefits of hypnosis for pain relief. Esdale performed hundreds of major operations including removal of eyes and amputations using hypnotism as his only anaesthetic. When he returned to England he tried to convince the medical establishment of his findings. As in the past the medical fraternity were unwilling to take his findings seriously, they laughed at him saying that pain was ‘character-building’ However it must be noted that they were very in favour of chemical anesthesia but they could control this and earn money from it. Because it was not accepted by the medical establishment hypnosis was destined to become an alternative form of medicine indeed even to this day it is seen as a complementary therapy

The French were also taking an enormous interest in hypnosis, such men as Ambrose Liébeault (1823 - 1904), J.M. Charcot (1825 - 93) and Charles Richet (1850 - 1935).
Frenchman, Emile Coué (1857 - 1926), moved away from conventional approaches and pioneered the use of auto-suggestion. His most famous afirmation, 'Day by day in every way I am getting better and better.' Hundreds of modern books have been written extoling the virtues of affirmations like this.

A man of enormous compassion, Coué believed that he did not heal people himself but merely facilitated their own self-healing. He knew it was hugely important to have the subject's participation in hypnosis.
Coues idea was that the imagination is always more powerful than the will. For example, if you ask someone to walk across a plank of wood on the floor, they can usually do it without a second thought. However, if you tell them to close their eyes and imagine the plank is suspended between two buildings high above the ground, they will start to sway and automatically put there arms out to the side just as they would if ‘walking the plank’.

Coue had found the placebo effect - the value of the power of suggestion: when patients really believe they are being given a powerful drug that will help them then the mind helps provid the cure. Research into placebos is quite remarkable, in some cases statistics indicate that placeboes can work better than many modern medicines. It seems the belief in the possibility of recovery from an ilness is a wonderfully powerful tool.

Emile Coué (1857 - 1926)

James Esdaile (1808 - 59)

Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939)

Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939) was very interested in hypnosis after witnessing it in action, initially using it extensively in his own work. Freud eventually abandoned the practice - for several reasons, not least that he wasn't all that good at it! He favoured psychoanalysis, which involves the patient lying on a couch and the analyst listening and showing no reaction at all to what the patient says. He believed that the evolution of the self the ego, super ego and id, working through stages of sexual development with he concluded, repressed memories of traumatic incidents the main cause of psychological problems. Freud developed a dream theory analysing the dreams of his patients for evidence of repressed/supressed memories.

Freud's early rejection of hypnosis delayed the development of hypnotherapy, turning the focus of psychology away from hypnosis and towards psychoanalysis. However, things picked up in 1930s in America with the publication of Clark Hull's book, Hypnosis and Suggestibility.

Freuds theories still remain controversial in many ways, the subject of much debate, but it should be remembered that Freud had no point of reference but his own work and his theories were his own. Freud viewed himself almost as a scientist. The things Freud had to teach us are still immensley valuable and indeed they are widely drawn upon today in modern psychotherapy. Freud was a hugely interesting man who had many idiosyncrasies of his own but he was fanatical about his research and his work, that in turn encouraged the continued investigation and exploration of the human mind..

Mesmer was much maligned by the jealous medical profession and ridicule led to public humiliation, it is a wonder that hypnosis managed to survive the skepticism and hostility it provoked at this time.
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The long process of being 'Mesmerised'

Eye fixation and the 'swinging watch'

Milton H. Erickson, M.D 1901-1980

An American psychiatrist whose speciality was in hypnosis and family therapy. Erickson was a highly skilled Hypnotherapist although he had dyslexia, colour blindness and was tone-deaf these ‘disabilities’ Erickson claimed helped him to focus on the behaviour and language patterns others may have missed. It is Ericksons style of delivery that is so remarkable, he used metaphor and story telling too with great intuative effect to impart the therapy.

Because Erickson believed the subconcious mind was always listening he often imparted suggestions while the patient was out of ‘trance’ his style has been emulated but has proved extremely difficult to replicate. His aproach was permissive, relaxed and indirect he let the patient feel as though they were doing only what they readily agreed to do, he would ask the patient to reveal only the things they really wanted to and allowed the client to feel they could dictate the pace.

Erickson was a huge influence on nuro-linguistic programming which is in part built on his worknig methods. So many people wanted meet him that he began to hold teaching seminars right up to the time of his death.