Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis

by Michael D. Yapko

Book Overview

For more than four decades, Trancework has been the definitive textbook for thousands of professionals around the world undergoing training in the art and science of clinical hypnosis.

Now in its 6th edition, this classic text continues its legacy of encouraging sound and insightful clinical practice based on established scientific research. This latest edition incorporates "up-to-the minute" new studies and emerging topics within...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1032656255
• ISBN13: 9781032656250
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 490 Pages

Customer Reviews

Trancework

I have read multiple books on hypnotherapy and hypnosis. This is by far the best of the lot. Yapko's presentation of all the nuances of hypnotherapy and separating myth from reality is brilliant. The book takes you on a scholastic journey of hypnotherapy holding your hand all along. I wish I had read this book before as it would have saved me lot of time and energy trying to make sense out of theories and concepts that other books provide in a disjointed fashion. A "must have" book for a serious student of Hypnotherapy.

It is what it says

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.

A sweeping, accessible overview of the hypnotic process.

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 wou

Excellent Intro text for Hypnosis study

This book is a great text to use for learning about hypnosis or to teach hypnosis to students. It is thorough, covering every significant issue that a typical hypnosis practitioner would deal with, and it presents a careful, balanced examination of many issues that are often misrepresented by either proponents or critics of hypnosis and hypnotherapy. The current edition (3rd) seems very well organized and conceptualized, and is pretty well updated about neuroscience correlates of hypnotic states. Yapko clearly wishes to make hypnosis a well-respected healing practice, and attempts to present hypnosis in a well-developed context that allows readers to see the many potential benefits of using hypnotic techniques as well as the possible hazards of misrepresenting or misapplying hypnosis. This is a well-researched, comprehensive, and well-rounded presentation of hypnosis which should serve many hypnosis practitioners well. It is hard to find a book on hypnosis of this quality, with most books on the topic focusing more on techniques and exalting the power of hypnosis than on addressing the many professional issues and contexts that practitioners will have to work with. The only significant fault in this book I can point out is the title, as Yapko proceeds to explain why he is not happy with the word "trance" as a descriptor for states of consciousness appearing during hypnosis. Perhaps he will decide on a new title the next time this text is updated. Meanwhile, Trancework is a book that sets a high standard for Hypnosis texts.

Extraordinary range and depth of consideration of the topic

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!