Finally, concerning transference, Schore (2003; 1994) holds that trauma induces a type of transference distortion and that it is a right-brain phenomenon (2003, p. 28; see also Blonder, Bowers, & Heilman, 1991, and Cahill, 1996). He even goes so far as to proffer that “traumatic pain is stored in bodily based, implicit procedural memory in the right brain and therefore communicated at a nonverbal, psychobiological level” (p. 84). Hypnosis, therefore, is well suited to engaging this transferential state.
Freud viewed transference phenomena as integral in engaging the patient in hypnosis, a view supported in later research and writing (Bachner-Melman & Lichtenberg, 2001; Nash & Spinier, 1989; Greenberg & Land, 1971 ). We believe that the trust and availability apparent in the patient were largely due to these transference phenomena aided by the de facto hypnosis requirement for it as described above and the positive transference conveyance provided by the presence of the original therapist.
This quality or ambience of the hypnosis sessions should not be understated (Banyai, 1998; Bohart, 1993; Bromberg, 1991; Lynn, Weekes, Neufeld, & Zivney, 1991 ; Vanaerschot, 1997). The Hypnotic Experience The hypnotic experience has three main components: absorption, dissociation and suggestibility. There is an interesting parallel between these and the PTSD symptoms which has been defined as a pathological state of hypnosis (Putnam, Helmers Horowitz & Trickett, 1995).
Also it has been observed that between 25 and 50 percent of patients with symptoms of multiple personality (a typical diagnosis of dissociated cases in the last few years) had a history of physical and sexual abuse in childhood. In many ways this type of abuse may be conceptualized as a chronic case of PTSD. These patients had uniformly high hypnotizability. There are also studies correlating high hypnotizability and a history of [severe] punishments in childhood.
Maybe the dissociative experience protects against psychic destruction serving as a defense against trauma. In some cases like in that of multiple personality, the dissociative experience becomes the primary symptom. Hypnosis was used in these patients in order to explore the severity and quality of the client’s dissociation, to reframe the trauma, to work with traumatic memories, to ease the [personality) integration and redirect related symptoms (Ganaway, 1995; Spanos, 1996).
Given that the hypnotic state is started spontaneously in traumatic situations therapists who use hypnosis must be ready to help the patient restructure those [traumatic] memories and feelings rather than to relive them. The person can be validated with fresh points of view and with a sense of control over those difficult memories and situations (Spiegel & Cardena, 1990).
The idea is to create a new sense of unity after an experience that produces deep [psychic] destruction (Ross & Norton, 1989; Smith, 1991). Hypnosis can help the therapeutic process by inducing a controlled dissociated state. This can allow the patient to learn about his/her control capability already demonstrated by the possibility of accessing memories that modify the [negative] experience providing boundaries and making it less threatening (Friedrich, 1991; Kluft, 1989; Rhue & Lynn, 1991).