Hypnosis today exists in an uneasy situation in France. The object of fascination and fantasy for the general public, it is regarded with suspicion, and even mocked, in scientific circles. In the English-speaking countries, Israel and the rest of Europe, the therapeutic worth of hypnosis is recognised and studied.
The goal of this book is to demystify hypnosis and reveal its value. Hypnosis is not an amusement-park attraction, it serves therapeutic purposes: it can be used in childbirth, to stop smoking, to overcome anxiety, and even in surgery.
How is a hypnotic state defined? How does a hypnosis session unfold? What are the fundamental workings of hypnosis? The present work also addresses several ethical issues: Who practises hypnosis? What training do hypnotists undergo? Are there any dangers or contraindications?
Finally, the author reviews the current state of scientific research on hypnosis and what it has enabled us to understand about the workings of the brain.
This is a comprehensive, clear and practical work, illustrated by numerous clinical examples.

Patrick Bellet is a physician and the founder-president of the Confédération francophone d’hypnose et de thérapies brèves and of the Milton H. Erickson Institute of Avignon-Provence.
A lecuturer in the medical school of the University of Paris-XIII Bobigny, he has been a teacher trainer in Ericksonian hypnosis and brief therapies for the past fifteen years.