Milton Erickson is considered the father of modern hypnosis, now known as hypnotherapy. This American physician and psychologist pioneered the creation and application of new forms of hypnotherapy. His influence was decisive in advancing this technique, and he also excelled as a family therapist.
Milton Erickson was born in Nevada, United States, in 1901. During his time, hypnosis was still considered an esoteric or circus technique, but he managed to overcome these superstitions and transform it into a therapeutic tool with proven validity.
“You feel a poem, feel a painting, reach the sensation of a statue. “Feel” is a very meaningful word. We don’t sense merely with our fingers, but with our heart and mind”.
– Milton Erickson-
He didn’t want to align himself with a particular school of psychology. However, his work reflects the influence of various schools, especially behaviorism. He was the first president of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and gained significant prestige among psychologists of his time.
The Origins of Milton Erickson
Milton Erickson came from humble beginnings. He was the son of poor farmers and faced various health challenges from a young age. He experienced a delay in speech development and was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 4. Additionally, he was colorblind and suffered from tonal deafness.
One of the most difficult experiences of his life occurred when he was 17. At that age, he contracted polio and became completely paralyzed, able to move only his eyes.
Doctors had lost hope, but Milton still believed improvement was possible. To achieve it, he became acutely attuned to the sensations in his body to harness them.
Simultaneously, his condition forced him to become an excellent observer. While bedridden, he also tried to notice everything happening around him. This allowed him to detect and understand many aspects of non-verbal communication. With great effort, he learned to walk again by imitating his younger sister, who was taking her first steps.
Milton Erickson’s Education
Despite his significant limitations, Milton managed to graduate as a medical doctor and psychologist. During this period, he became interested in the suggestibility theories of Clark L. Hull. He was fascinated, which led him to delve deeper into the subject of hypnosis.
Over time, Milton Erickson became critical of Hull’s practices. Additionally, he studied the works of Sigmund Freud but also distanced himself from Freud’s fundamental approaches. This made him one of the most important proponents of systemic and family therapies.
Milton Erickson and Modern Hypnosis
For Milton, therapeutic intervention could not be a one-size-fits-all approach. He emphasized the value of uniqueness and individuality. Therefore, his basic principle was that each process was different and, consequently, should be approached in a specific way. In other words, he implemented different techniques with each patient.
For Milton Erickson, the key was to help his patients overcome the symptoms they complained about. To do this, he used all means at his disposal, even if they were unorthodox. He gained a reputation as a guru and even as a wizard.
Unlike Freud, Milton believed that the past was not of great importance. He thought that the crucial thing was to focus on the present and, above all, on solving current problems.
