Hypnosis in Human Sexuality Problems

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Apr 2005 by Araoz, Daniel

This is a general overview of the use of hypnosis in five aspects of human sexuality where problems or pathology may move patients to seek therapy. These are gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual preferences, sexual functioning and sexual mores. The article emphasizes two main hypnotic techniques that respect the patient's existential experiences regarding his/her own sexuality. The use of hypnosis proposed here is patient-centered, permissive and utilizing the patient's imagery and other inner resources. Several clinical vignettes illustrate the theoretical points with the intention of giving the reader an opportunity for identification with these cases.

Keywords: Gender identity, human sexuality, sexual functioning, sexual orientation

The behavioral use of hypnosis (for symptom alleviation) has been quite popular among those using clinical hypnosis. This is also the case in the field of human sexuality that for most people is limited to sexual functioning, as Wiederman (1988) indicated.

This paper suggests a wider and deeper understanding of human sexuality as being essentially different than that of other mammals because of our ability to self-reflect and introspect. Seligman (1993) proposed the rings metaphor, like those of an old cut-down tree, for human sexuality. In the old tree the innermost rings are the oldest or most primitive and the others appear as "later realities" of the growing tree. So too with human sexuality: One's identity precedes sexual orientation, preferences and so on, and the younger or newer aspects of sexuality build on the old ones. The complexity of human sexuality and its uniqueness lend themselves to the use of hypnosis to improve sexuality and to enjoy it more. Research (Carrese & Araoz, 1998) has shown that approaches including hypnotic techniques in sex therapy are more effective than those without hypnosis.

In this paper, I am referring to less traditional hypnotic techniques, more permissive and patient-centered than commonly used before Erickson's (Erickson, Rossi & Rossi, 1976) innovative methods. They have been referred to as new hypnosis (Araoz, 1995; 1998; Godin, 1992, Weitzenhoffer, 2000) because they combine Ericksonian techniques with cognitive-behavioral modalities (Bandura, 1969; Ellis, 1962), without however losing sight of unconscious psychodynamics which were the central focus of hypnosis since Freud's time. This "new" hypnosis avoids artificial and standardized inductions and starts from the mental activity of the patient, using his/her own mental resources. It emphasizes experiential, non-intellectual, ways of learning about oneself. In this article I limit myself to two of these techniques which have a wide range of application.

In using the new hypnosis for human sexuality there are four characteristics. First, it is centered on the patient, as just mentioned. second, it doesn't strive to necessarily make the unconscious conscious (Camino & Gibernau, 1997) but, respecting the unconscious, it encourages the patient to focus on the positive aspects of it and to trust it. Thus and third, it is constructive and positive (Araoz, Burte, & Goldin, 2001). And fourth, it utilizes the relationship in a systemic way to enrich the hypnotic experience of the individual identified as having a sexual problem, often involving the "patient's" partner (Araoz & Kalinsky, 1987).

This paper is a general overview of the use of hypnosis in human sexuality problems. As such it presents concrete illustrations of problems in each "ring" treated hypnotically, using brief clinical vignettes for the purpose of practical clarification.

Gender Identity

Sexuality, in humans, starts with one's sexual biology, which in most cases creates an identity designated as gender. Grand (2003), among many others, defines sex as biological and gender as psychological, thus recognizing with Fausto-Sterling (1993) three sexes (male, feminine, hermaphrodite) and five genders (the same three plus, masculine woman and feminine man). Gender needs a concise definition, as "the sense that one is a man or a woman, from a person's sexual orientation" (Drescher, 1998, p. 16). Early in childhood this is simple in most people ("I know I am a boy or a girl") and continues to develop later finding new meaning for sexual desire, sexual pleasure, and sexual union. This development of meaning moves from sheer physical drive and relief to sexuality as a spiritual symbol of the human being. Hypnosis helps people with questions and problems about their unique identity in three different ways. First, with hypnosis it becomes more economical and effective to explore and investigate the patient's questions about his/her doubts. Second, hypnosis allows the patient to experience what it would be like to be of the other sex and gender by the method of mental rehearsal. Third, if the patient comes to the decision of changing his/her sex surgically, hypnosis benefits the patient by keeping him/her motivated, to prepare for the surgical ordeal, to control pain and to adapt more fully to the new life that a sex change implies.