ABSTRACT
Research on the efficacy of hypnosis with anxiety is clearly evidenced in many treatment protocols, which have been published utilizing controlled studies to test efficacy (O’Neill, Barnier, & McConkey, 1999; Sapp, 1992). Using hypnosis enhances the cognitive component used to manage anxiety and stress (Kirsch, Montgomery, & Sapirstein, 1995; Schoenberger, 1996) and for public speaking anxiety (Schoenberger, Kirsch, Gearan, Montgomery, & Pastyrnak, 1997). It has been proven effective in treating panic disorder with agoraphobia (Starfrace, 1994). It reduces anxiety and enhances well-being in pain/burn (Frenay, Faymonville, Devlieger, Albert,
& Vanderkelen, 2001; also see Chapters 3 and 4 on pain in this volume) and medical patients (Gruzelier et al., 2002; Kiecolt-Glaser, Marucha, Atkinson, & Glaser, 2001; Lang, Joyce, Spiegel, Hamilton, & Lee, 1996; Lu & Lu, 1996). Hypnosis has been proven effective with test anxiety as well (Sapp, 1991; Stanton, 1994) and with coping with school stress in students (Whitehouse et al., 1996).
