Format: Audio MP3 file download $16 - Compact Disc $20

Presenter: Robert Pendergrast, PhD

This workshop, facilitated by an academic primary care pediatrician, examines the theory and practice of incorporating hypnosis into clinical encounters with children. This will maintain a focus on child development, emphasizing that all hypnosis encounters with children and teens must enhance their own internal mastery and competence to deal with medical or psychological challenges. A major point of discussion will be the concept of utilization of the child?s own trance state and recognition that the process of clinical history taking and counseling can be hypnotic without doing hypnosis and that change occurs when the clinician reflects the child?s own skills and curiosity in this hypnotic conversation.

Clinical settings to be discussed will be relevant to primary care pediatricians and other child health providers, such as brief utilization of hypnotic language in primary care, or utilization of hypnosis to prepare for procedures or hospitalization. The use of hypnosis as a tool for adolescent behavior change, and its intersection with Motivational Interviewing, will also be discussed, relevant to an audience of child psychologists or other behavioral health professionals. Specific emphasis will be given to the decision to utilize hypnosis in a short office visit versus scheduling a longer block of time for a more structured hypnotherapy appointment. These topics will be illustrated by using video clips from the presenter?s own practice, with ample time for discussion with participants. It is hoped that participants will leave the workshop prepared to more easily integrate hypnosis into child health encounters.