Editing Hypnotherapy (section)

=== Ericksonian ===
In the 1950s, [[Milton H. Erickson]] developed a radically different approach to hypnotism, which has subsequently become known as "Ericksonian hypnotherapy" or "Neo-Ericksonian hypnotherapy." Based on his belief that dysfunctional behaviors were defined by social tension, Erickson coopted the subject's behavior to establish rapport, a strategy he termed "utilization." Once rapport was established, he made use of an informal conversational approach to direct awareness. His methods included complex language patterns and client-specific therapeutic strategies (reflecting the nature of utilization). He claimed to have developed ways to suggest behavior changes during apparently ordinary conversations.<ref>"Deep Hypnosis and Its Induction," M. Erickson, ''Experimental Hypnosis'', Leslie M. LeCron (ed.), New York, Macmillan: 70-114<!-- I can't find this book online; if anyone could check this reference, I'd deeply appreciate it --></ref>

This divergence from tradition led some, including [[André Muller Weitzenhoffer|Andre Weitzenhoffer]], to dispute whether Erickson was right to label his approach "hypnosis" at all.<ref name="Weitzenhoffer 2000">{{cite book |vauthors=Weitzenhoffer AM |title=The practice of hypnotism|publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]]|year=2000|isbn=9780471297901|edition=2nd |location=|oclc=606253084}}</ref> Erickson's foundational paper, however, considers hypnosis as a mental state in which specific types of "work" may be done, rather than a technique of induction.<ref>"Deep Hypnosis and Its Induction," M. Erickson, ''Experimental Hypnosis'', Leslie M. LeCron (ed.), New York, Macmillan: 70–114.</ref>

The founders of [[neuro-linguistic programming]] (NLP), a method somewhat similar in some regards to some versions of hypnotherapy, claimed that they had modelled the work of Erickson extensively and assimilated it into their approach.<ref>{{cite book| vauthors=Grinder J, Bandler R |year=1976 |title=Patterns of the hypnotic techniques of Milton H. Erickson |volume=1 |publisher=Grinder & Associates |isbn=978-1-55552-052-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Gorton GE |year=2005 |title=Milton Hyland Erickson |journal=The American Journal of Psychiatry |volume=162 |issue=7 |page=1255 |doi=10.1176/appi.ajp.162.7.1255}}</ref> Weitzenhoffer disputed whether NLP bears any genuine resemblance to Erickson's work.<ref name="Weitzenhoffer 2000" />