Healing the Divided Self: Clinical and Ericksonian Hypnotherapy for Dissociative Conditions

6 out 5 stars Excellent! Healing the Divided Self is a necessary resource for any therapist or student of modern psychotherapy. I also would recommend it as a textbook for advanced psychology classes. I particularly liked how Phillips and Frederick integrated ego-state therapy and hypnotherapy with other forms of therapy such as psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral. Their use of case examples and sample scripts give the reader a sense of being in the therapy process and the ability to practice and replicate steps that initially would seem overwhelming to a novice therapist. Healing the Divided Self is a complete resource - covering the topic of dissociation and integration from diagnosis, the hypnotherapeutic relationship, the stages of personality integration, transference and countertransference issues, emergencies, the use of medication, and spirituality and the generative self. As a therapist, myself, I have found this book invaluable, not only with patients suffering with severe dissociative disorders, but with the "normal" range of daily disorienting experiences that split us from our adult achievements and confidence. Those working with less complicated cases, or simply personnel issues, know that all of us dissociate somewhat under pressure, stress, loss, or simply having buttons pushed by parents and loved ones. Anyone interested in gaining a greater understanding the very human experience of splitting from one's central, strong self, and how to help themselves and others, will benefit from reading Healing the Divided Self.Neil Fiore, licensed psychologist, former president of the Northern California Society of Clinical Hypnosis and author of The Road Back to Health: Coping with the Emotional Aspects of Cancer. [email protected]