[Hypnosis-based therapeutic communication : doing rather than trying]

Communication is an integral part of care. In clinical situations, patients develop a state of heightened suggestibility akin to hypnotic trance, in which every word may soothe or, conversely, amplify pain and anxiety. Hypnosis-based therapeutic communication harnesses this state: through simple verbal and non-verbal strategies that require neither formal hypnosis nor equipment, it turns ordinary exchange into a therapeutic tool. Several randomized trials show that it reduces pain and anxiety during invasive procedures. This article sets out its principles and suggests practical tools - avoiding negations and minimizations, favoring positive suggestions, synchronizing, distracting, complimenting - gathered into a «pocket card» ready for use at the patient's bedside.