Product Description

Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson, M.D. Volume II

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32758 in Books
• Published on: 1996-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 284 pages

Customer Reviews

A classic on the linguistic techniqes of Milton Erickson
This book (Volume I) is worth reading by anyone interested in hypnosis. The authors present the major linguistic techniques that Erickson used to induce and maintain hypnosis, as well as his methods of doing hypnotherapy. They approach Erickson from the discipline of linguistics, so the reading is a bit technical at times, but perfectly understandable if you stick with it. They review the same material many times to make it very clear to the reader. I wish there were an accompanying audiotape of Erickson so that the reader could hear the analogical markings that Erickson uses with his speech to clients. Anyone seriously interested in Erickson's approach to hypnosis should read this book.
Volume II is nearly incomprehensive to someone who does not have a Ph.D. in linguistics. The authors in Volume II appear incapable of expressing their valuable ideas in simple English, which may be a sign that they really don't understand what they are saying well enough to communicate it to others. Rather than spending your hard-earned money on Volume II, you might read other authors like Steve Gilligan (Therapeutic Trances) who covers the same material in plain English rather than quasi-mathematic formulas and mumbo-jumbo about 4-tuples, etc.

An Excellent Book
This is a great book if you are interested in the more analytical and theoretical side of hypnosis and/or hypnosis used in therapy. -- A linguistic perspective. --

Volume I covers the model overall
Volume II goes a little more into dealing with incongruent clients, and a linguistic model of representation. [the 4-tuple, R-Operator and C-Operator]

THE GOOD -- [Although] It is not a very quick read... because everything in this book is actually useful. You will not want to rush through this one, and it is a book you will want to go back to. It does a good job covering the Milton Model, the language patterns and non-verbal communication.

This book is not for everybody though...

THE BAD -- Personally, there isn't anything I dislike about this book, but I do realize that some people have different interests and reasons for wanting to learn about hypnosis. First of all, this book is probably not for beginners. If you are, it would take a little longer to finish thoroughly. An book on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) that covers both the Meta-model and the Milton Model (consider "Introducing NLP", by Joseph O'Connor et al. -- it has a green cover) will provide a great introduction/pre-read to this book.

One of the very few "MUST HAVE" books about persuasion
Rated as an 8 ONLY because of its difficulty, this ranks as one of the few references that the serious student of hypnosis and persuasive language really MUST HAVE, and should read. The exhaustive list of presuppositions in language is, itself, a goldmine of information and study, and can reward diligent study and practice with exponential elevations in skill.

If you want to know how Erickson did what he did, which even he admitted often escaped him, this book reveals the structure behind the master's skill.

If you buy only a few books about hypnosis or persuasion, make this one of them