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The realization
of an an enhanced state of mental clairity is a goal of both philosophy
and hypnosis. And before hypnotherapy can be successful in producing subconscious
mental clarity it may first be necessary to achieve better conscious clarity.
My approach to achieving better conscious mental
clarity is the practical application of philosophical method.
Philosophical techniques are to some extent used in the "pre-talk"
or interview phase before the start of my hypnotic sessions, but
sessions devoted expressly to philosophical counseling are also
available and can range from general philosophical discussions
to consultations aimed at addressing particular concerns,
confusions or angst that may interfere with the client's
general state of happiness. I also conduct
philosophy discussion groups on an ongoing basis.
While I subscribe to the characterization by
Gerd Achenbach, who started the modern philosophical counseling
movement when he opened his practice in Germany in 1981, that
philosophical counseling is "therapy for the sane," this
characterization must be considered to be a bit hyperbolic because
probably all forms of psychological therapy can be used on behalf of
individuals who are far from being "insane," which is an
awful word anyway that ought to be reserved for cases in which
persons suffer from very extreme types of psychological disorder in
which their contact with reality and, perhaps more important, their
ability to function in it is severely impaired. The phrase "therapy
for the sane" should be interpreted more for effect: the goal
of philosophical counseling is to assist clients to obtain mental
clarity and personal empowerment, sometimes employing the context
and the backdrop of broader philosophical perspectives.
My orientation towards philosophy is pluralistic and
multi-perspectival. Perspectivism provides a dynamic point of
interconnection with the use of "reframing" in
hypnotherapy which was first developed by the renowned psychiatrist
and hypnotherapist, Milton Erickson. A philosophical example of
reframing is provided by Anthony Robbins in Unlimited Power,
in which he recounts the story of an army general who told his
troops who were under heavy attack by the enemy that "We're not
retreating, we're just advancing in another direction." (from
Anthony Robbins, Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal
Achievement, Simon and Schuster, 1986, p.257). If the general
simply said that he is retreating he would have signaled to his
troops, as well as send an internal message to his own psyche that
his army had been defeated, but by reframing the event he put the
entire episode in a more positive perspective that provided both
motivation and hope that victory was still attainable. The fact that
the army is in retreat is not changed by the reframing, but it does
powerfully alter its meaning. Philosophy has been described
as the pursuit of meaning, and the general's reframing of the
situation is an example of finding positive new meaning in an
otherwise negative situation. I prefer to think of philosophy as the
search for rational perspective. And if philosophy is the search for
rational perspective then the general was also a philosopher.
Alongside the art of reframing, the
traditional philosophic art of dialogue remains a paramount tool of
philosophical counseling. Plato's Dialogues, for many,
remain as the most vivid representation of the nature of
philosophical discourse. In truth (from my perspective) this is a
false impression. Dialogue is essential, but Plato's Dialogues
and the Socratic Method which they exemplify demonstrate the
legalistic process of "leading the witness" forcing a
necessary conclusion that is based upon the contrived nature of the
argumentation and the definitions that unfold in its course. The
rigidity of the old philosophy has been greatly loosened by the
development of pragmatism and the general movement in the twentieth
century towards non-absolutist and relativistic frames of reference.
That those like myself who have been influenced by these
philosophical movements reject absolute definitions and moral rules
existing outside of contextual reality does not mean that we reject
truth or morality. But definitions and rules are, in the final
analysis, only guideposts which while valuable are always subject to
revision. The rejection of categorical thinking means that greater
understanding of nuance and the subtleties of wisdom are required.
Certainly, there is no more powerful tool to help achieve greater
understanding than the fine art of dialogue.
The form of dialogue that I favor steers away
from the character of the debating society that Plato's Dialogues
sometimes seem to suggest, and maximizes the establishment of
rapport and the fostering of a multi-perspectival understanding of
the philosophical issues involved. Certainly, the less polemical
approach is more suitable for philosophical counseling. The ebb and
flow of the Tao, enabling and empowering both sides of a
philosophical argument so that each better understands the other is
in harmony with the pluralistic and multi-perspectival point of
view, which values as many positions as possible so that reframing
and the application of other techniques may facilitate the emergence
of new and more persuasive perspectives. While dialogue is not
ego-less, developing the capacity to understand the other side and
to discover new and challenging points of view requires a lessening
of egoistic interference. But Open Dialogue is more illusive than
Socratic Method, and the Truth or Good may not be viewed as taking
the form of an eternal and unchanging ideal. The Open Dialogue is as
well-suited for this task as any method of philosophy, but we must
be eager to use all methods that are at our disposal.
Philosophical counseling is well-suited for
individuals who find questions themselves an integral part of the
solution. Sometimes a question posed as the answer to a question can
be downright annoying, but in philosophy the freedom to question can
sometimes be the best therapy.
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Surrounding
Communities
Integral Hypnosis is conveniently located in Newton, MA near the Mass Pike and Route 128 and is within a 1/2 hour drive of the following Greater Boston, MetroWest, North Shore and South Shore communities:
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& DIRECTIONS
| Arlington |
Bedford |
Belmont |
Boston |
| Brookline |
Burlington |
Cambridge |
Chelsea |
| Concord |
Dedham |
Everett |
Framingham |
| Lexington |
Lincoln |
Lynnfield |
Malden |
| Medford |
Melrose |
Natick |
Needham |
| Newton |
Norwood |
Quincy |
Saugus |
| Somerville |
Stoneham |
Sudbury |
Wakefield |
| Waltham |
Watertown |
Wayland |
Wellesley |
Weston |
Westwood |
Winchester |
Woburn |
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