ABSTRACT
One of the more significant contributions Erika Fromm has made to psychology is in the area of self-hypnosis. Beyond having pioneered the field, she has at the same time advanced the application of phenomenological psychology. Although countless clinicians had utilized self-hypnotic techniques for many years, they have not been systematically explored. Erika Fromm and her colleagues began their research in the early 1970s at the University of Chicago, examining self-hypnosis (SH) by taking an experiential rather than a behavioral approach. By taking this tack, the Chicago group could more completely study aspects of the self that could unfold and come to fruition in the practice of self-hypnosis. A number of questions were posed: What are the contours and boundaries of the SH experience? How does SH compare to traditional, hypnotist-present hypnosis? Can SH be taught by establishing guidelines based on traditional hypnosis? Is there a learning curve involved in the assimilation of SH techniques? What type of individual is more susceptible or skilled in SH?
