Hypnosis to Facilitate Uncomplicated Birth

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Apr 2004 by Mehl-Madrona, Lewis E

(1) Identification, acceptance, and resolution of fears.

(2) Identification of states of high anxiety-tension, then teaching more effective coping styles.

(3) Identification of negative beliefs about birth and parenting, then challenging those beliefs through visualization, hypnosis, and cognitive therapy techniques.

(4) Identification of low maternal identity, then improving that identity.

(5) Consideration of strengths and stresses of the woman's support system. Needed interventions included:

(a) Couple's therapy to decrease stress, increase husband's emotional availability, improve lifestyles, etc.;

(b) Individual counseling for the husband to address his unique concerns (when indicated);

(c) Network therapy (environmental intervention with the mother's friends, which can be done in childbirth classes);

(d) Therapy with the mother and her mother to facilitate transition and change of that relationship;and/or,

(e) Helping the woman with no psychosocial support to establish needed relationships and resources.

On a broader level, these findings may presage a time when all medicine is practiced more holistically, with mind-body interventions seen as important. When the way medicine is practiced changes to reflect our new understanding of the interactive nature of all aspects of the patient's life on health and disease, we will have come far.

1 Ratings for psychosocial variables may requested from the author.

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