Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

In her private practice Dr. Meiselman has treated a wide variety of problems with a combination of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, insight oriented psychotherapy, and hypnosis. She has experience with eating and weight problems, smoking cessation, pain reduction, insomnia, habit change, and preparation for medical procedures, including childbirth. She is especially experienced in four areas:

1. Anxiety and stress management. Dr. Meiselman advises clients on general anxiety reduction strategies and uses hypnotic suggestions of relaxation and pleasant imagery to teach them how to induce tranquil mental states with self-hypnosis. She also provides individualized relaxation/ positive suggestion tapes. Stress induced medical problems are often ameliorated with this approach.

2. Fears and phobias. Common fears, such as airplane travel and stressful social situations, often respond to cognitive-behavioral therapy plus the use of hypnosis to enhance the relaxation response and create imagery of mastering the feared situation.

3. Performance anxiety. Dr. Meiselman frequently works with individuals who are preparing for important examinations, such as the bar, professional licensing, and graduate school admission exams. She also has experience with preparation for public speaking, court appearances, sports and musical performances, and other anxiety provoking social events.

4. Exploration of childhood memories. In the context of ongoing psychotherapy, hypnosis may be used to explore events and emotional reactions earlier in life. Dr. Meiselman has often served as an adjunctive therapist for clients who wish to use hypnosis in addition to their established psychotherapy.