[From systematic desensitization to cognitive changes under hypnosis]

The systematic desensitization (Wolpe) is an effective technique for the treatment of symptoms linked to anxiety. The clinical experience shows that hypnosis can replace relaxation and shorten the therapeutic process. The hypothesis of a cognitive restructuring produced by the repeated visualization of the stimuli, and the role of the post-hypnotic suggestions could better explain the therapeutic change than does the counterconditioning model.