The use of hypnosis in physical medicine and rehabilitation

Hypnosis and hypnotic strategies has been used for over 30 years in the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation by psychiatrists and psychologists to effectively intervene in and influence: the enhancement of the patient's attainment of rehabilitation goals; adjustment and grief reactions to disability and handicap; and pre-existing psychiatric conditions exacerbated by the disability or handicap. In this article I will focus on how hypnosis has been effectively utilized to enhance performance of functional ability, increase self-esteem, and potentiate brief psychotherapy for adjustment difficulties to injuries and disabilities through the use of case examples.