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What Motivates Professionals to

Learn and Use Hypnosis in Clinical
Practice?
a b a
Joseph Meyerson , Marc Gelkopf , Gaby Golan & Ewa
c
Shahamorov
a
Tel Aviv University, Israel
b
University of Haifa, Israel
c
Private Practice, Rishon Lezion, Israel
Version of record first published: 15 Nov 2012.

To cite this article: Joseph Meyerson , Marc Gelkopf , Gaby Golan & Ewa Shahamorov
(2013): What Motivates Professionals to Learn and Use Hypnosis in Clinical Practice?,
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 61:1, 71-80

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 Intl. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 61(1): 71–80, 2013
Copyright © International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
ISSN: 0020-7144 print / 1744-5183 online
DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2013.729437

WHAT MOTIVATES PROFESSIONALS

TO LEARN AND USE HYPNOSIS
IN CLINICAL PRACTICE?
Joseph Meyerson1

Tel Aviv University, Israel

Marc Gelkopf
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University of Haifa, Israel

Gaby Golan

Tel Aviv University, Israel

Ewa Shahamorov

Private Practice, Rishon Lezion, Israel

Abstract: The authors devised and validated a questionnaire assess-

ing the various possible motivations for learning and using hypnosis
and administered it to 125 Israeli psychologists, physicians, and den-
tists who study and/or use hypnosis in their clinical work. The results
suggest that most professionals were motivated by a desire to improve
their professional performance and that a majority of profession-
als were primarily influenced in their desire to learn hypnosis by
colleagues in academically or clinically oriented settings.

The myths surrounding hypnosis are well known (Pintar & Lynn,
2008) and among other things provide fuel for the popular interest in it.
But what causes practitioners to choose hypnosis, either as part of their
therapeutic armamentarium or as a central career move (Vermetten,
2002)?
In the development of any professional career, it is often assumed
that attitudes, expectations, beliefs, and opportunities significantly
influence career choices (Flores et al., 2003). We therefore believe
that a hypnotherapist’s attitudes, expectations, and opportunities are

Manuscript submitted July 28, 2011; final revision accepted January 31, 2012.
1 Address correspondence to Joseph Meyerson, Hypno Clinic, 21 Unitzman St., Ap.

910, Tel Aviv, 69360, Israel. E-mail: hypnoclinic10@gmail.com

71
 72 JOSEPH MEYERSON ET AL.

important factors in the choice of hypnosis as a central tool for advanc-

ing one’s professional endeavors.
There is surprisingly little literature available that attempts to inves-
tigate what motivates practitioners to study and employ hypnosis
(Strauss, 1997). This lack of information is especially apparent in view
of the interactional basis of the hypnotic experience, which stresses that
the personality factors of the hypnotists, not only those of hypnotized
subjects, influence the hypnotic process (Bányai, 1991, 1998; Diamond,
1984, 1987; Livnay, 1996).
Due to the lack of relevant empirical research, we need to probe
the literature for more subtle indicators to further explore this topic.
According to Finegold and Edelstein (1986), the fears of handling
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power, of failing, of the unexpected, and of peer criticism are the major
reasons preventing novice therapists from employing hypnosis in their
work. We may thus assume that therapists who are not intimidated
by the unexpected and unknown, who feel at ease with competition,
and who are not afraid to exert influence are more likely to study and
employ hypnosis in their work.
It has also been suggested that good hypnotherapists share the char-
acteristics of good therapists (Lazar & Dempster, 1984; Strauss, 1997).
It would thus not be farfetched to assume that hypnotherapists may
be driven by similar motivations as psychotherapists in choosing a
clinical specialization. In this regard, Murphy and Halgin (1995) have
suggested that familial distress, a desire to resolve personal problems,
as well as a wish to pursue opportunities for professional advancement
are central motivators for psychotherapists in their choice of a clinical
field of expertise.
Based upon these assumptions, our clinical experience, and the
questioning of students and professionals, including supervisors, we
decided to investigate why Israeli hypnotherapists wanted to learn and
employ hypnosis in their work.
In the current study, we examined demographic factors, professional
status, and previous encounters with hypnosis as well as attitudes and
expectations. The first step was to create and validate a questionnaire.
This questionnaire was then administered to professionals (psychol-
ogists, physicians, and dentists) who practice and/or are studying
hypnosis and hypnotherapy.

Method
Setting up the Questionnaire
The questionnaire was developed in several stages. Based on the rel-
evant hypnotherapeutic and psychotherapeutic literature, as well as on
questionnaires previously used to assess attitudes towards hypnosis
(Capafons, Cabañas, Espejo, & Cardeña, 2004; Coldrey & Cyna, 2004;
 MOTIVATIONS BEHIND USING HYPNOSIS IN PRACTICE 73

Thomson, 2003), we identified a number of motivational tendencies

toward learning and using hypnosis among practitioners. In addition,
we conducted a 30-minute discussion group with beginning students
of hypnosis (n = 10). From this information we constructed a list of
27 items assessing the reasons for studying and using hypnosis. We then
queried a sample comprising 28 highly experienced members of the
Israeli Society of Hypnosis (IsSH), of whom 11 were instructors and
supervisors. Then we conducted a final panel to discuss the infor-
mation received. This panel led to the construction of a final 16-item
questionnaire.
In addition, the final battery included demographic (age, gender,
country of origin) information, basic professional and hypnotherapeutic
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history, domain of expertise items, and questions related to opportuni-

ties and influences that affected the decision to study and use hypnosis.
We also added two questions querying whether their professional and
personal expectations regarding the use of hypnosis had been fulfilled.
(The questionnaire can be obtained from the first author.)
Scaling
We administered the questionnaire to 125 participants. A varimax
rotation gave us five factors with an eigenvalue above 1.0.
The first factor consisted of six items found to be related to self-help
and personal development (SHPD; Cronbach’s alpha = .85). The sec-
ond factor consisted of three items related to intellectual curiosity (IC;
Cronbach’s alpha = .70). The third factor consisted of three items related
to the expansion of professional identity (EPI; Cronbach’s alpha = .69).
The fourth factor consisted of three items related to improvement of
professional performance (PP; Cronbach alpha = .40). The fifth factor
included only one item and described the desire to improve one’s abil-
ity to provide mental health help. All items had a within-factor loading
of at least .50.
Setting and Participants
The three professional groups who are allowed to study and apply
hypnosis in accordance with the law of hypnosis passed in 1984, namely
physicians, dentists, and psychologists, were queried.
Due to our desire to assess professionals actively involved in study-
ing and working with hypnosis, all participants were Israeli profes-
sionals who had attended meetings of the IsSH and/or had taken
basic-level and advanced-level courses between 2007 and 2009. Of the
157 questionnaires distributed, 125 were completed (79.6 % response
rate).
Of the 125 participants in this study, 60 (48%) were women and
65 (52%) were male, with a mean age of 49.42 (SD = 10.5, range =
22–77). The participants were physicians (n = 60; 48%), psychologists
(n = 44, 35%), and dentists (n = 21, 17%); 56 (44.8%) were licensed
 74 JOSEPH MEYERSON ET AL.

hypnotherapists, and 69 (55.2%) were still unlicensed but were allowed

to practice hypnosis under supervision.
Based on a scale that assessed the frequency of use of hypnosis in
their clinical practice, 39 (31.2%) participants declared they used hyp-
nosis in 0% to 5% of their work, 30 (24 %) in 6% to 25 % of their work,
22 (17.6%) in 26% to 50%, and 34 (27.2%) in more than half of their
professional work.
Of the 125 participants, 40 individuals (32%) had taken advanced
courses in hypnosis. With respect to their self-evaluation of their mas-
tery of hypnosis, 59 (47.2%) stated they had a beginner’s or low level
of expertise in hypnosis, 27 (21.5%) had a medium level, and 36 (28.8%)
had a high or very high level. Three (2.4%) did not answer this question.
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Results

Influences
When queried as to what individual, if any, had most influenced their
decision to study and use hypnosis, 43 (35.2%) declared there was no
such individual, 67 (54.9%) stated it was a colleague, 5 (4.1%) mentioned
a friend or a family member, 5 (4.1%) indicated a stage hypnotist, and 2
(1.6%) named a person in the media.
When asked what kind of exposure to hypnosis had most affected
their decision to study and use hypnosis, 48 (40.7%) declared they were
motivated during their studies, 24 (20.3%) declared they were moti-
vated by their exposure to hypnosis during psychotherapy or medical
treatment, 18 (15.3%) declared having been influenced by professional
literature, 11 (9.3%) by popular literature, 9 (7.6%) by movies or plays,
and 8 (6.8%) by other sources.
Forty-four (38.6%) declared they had first heard of hypnosis before
the age of 12 years, 25 (21.9%) between the ages of 12 and 18 years, 25
(21.9%) between the ages of 18 and 25 years, and 20 (17.5%) after the age
of 25 years.
Three (2.5%) declared having taken an active interest in hypnosis
before the age of 12 years, 29 (7.6%) between the ages of 12 and 18 years,
16 (13.6%) between the ages of 18 and 25 years, and 90 (76.3%) after the
age of 25 years. Of those 90 whose interest began after age 25 years, 57
(67.8%) declared having taken an active interest before reaching their
forties.
Interestingly, we found a positive correlation between age of first
exposure and age at which the individual actively began studying
hypnosis (r = .39, p < .001).

Reasons for Learning and Using Hypnosis

Based upon the different motivational factors, the major reasons
stated by the participants for learning and using hypnosis were to
 MOTIVATIONS BEHIND USING HYPNOSIS IN PRACTICE 75

Table 1
Comparative Means Regarding Different Reasons for Learning Hypnosis per
Profession

Physicians Dentists Psychologists

(n = 59) (n = 20) (n = 43) ANOVA

Factors Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD F(2,124)

Improved Professional 4.05 0.7 4.06 0.7 3.38 0.8 11.71∗

Performance
Provide Better Mental 3.95 1.1 2.85 1.3 4.40 0.7 15.67∗
Health
Intellectual Curiosity 3.28 1.0 3.07 1.0 3.36 0.9 0.62†
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Self-Help & Personal 2.84 1.0 2.61 0.9 2.63 1.0 0.73†
Development
Expanding 2.19 0.9 2.56 0.8 2.29 0.8 1.44
Professional Identity
∗p < .001. † p < .10.

“improve professional performance” (M = 3.93, SD = 1.2), to “provide

better mental health” (M = 3.81, SD = 0.8), and to “satisfy intellectual
curiosity” (M = 3.27, SD = 1.0). The mean scores per profession are
presented in Table 1.
After analyzing each factor using an analysis of variance (ANOVA),
we found significant differences between the professional groups for
“improvement in professional performance” and “providing better
mental health.” The results of post hoc Scheffe analyses show that
physicians and dentists scored higher than psychologists on “improv-
ing professional performance,” and psychologists scored higher than
others on the “providing better mental health” factor.
Being motivated by attempting to “provide better mental health”
was positively correlated with the number of years that had elapsed
since taking a basic-level course (r = .25, p < .01), whether the individ-
ual had taken advanced courses (t[124] = 3.3; p < .001), and fulfillment
of the individual’s professional expectations (r = .28, p < .01).
There are also some nonsignificant tendencies worth noting, namely
that psychologists scored slightly higher on the “intellectual curios-
ity” factor, and physicians scored higher on the “self-help and personal
development” factor. Dentists scored higher on the “expanding of
professional identity” factor.

Licensed vs. Nonlicensed

Licensed participants (n = 56) were more motivated by attempting
to improve their ability to provide mental health (t[113] = 2.09, p <
.05) than were those without a license (n = 68).
 76 JOSEPH MEYERSON ET AL.

Fulfillment of Expectations Regarding Hypnosis’s Contribution to the

Profession
The fulfillment of expectations regarding the contribution of hyp-
nosis to the participant’s profession was positively correlated with the
percentage of use of hypnosis in clinical practice (r = .51, p < .001), with
increased motivation to provide better mental health (r = .28, p < .01),
with number of years since taking a basic-level course (r = .34, p < .001),
and with having taken advanced courses, t(124) = 3.44, p < .001 (with
course, M = 4.43, SD = 0.6; without course, M = 3.58, SD = 1.2).

Fulfillment of Expectations Regarding Contribution of Hypnosis to Personal

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and/or Interpersonal Life

Interestingly, fulfillment of expectations regarding the contribution
of hypnosis to the participant’s personal life was not found to corre-
late with either of the motivational factors, with percentage of use of
hypnosis, or with any of the other variables in the present study.

Discussion

Although hypnosis is broadly accepted by major professional organi-

zations and is implemented in diverse medical and psychotherapeutic
facilities and fields (Lynn, Rhue, & Kirsch, 2010), it is still perceived as
a marginal practice by the mainstream professional community (Nolen-
Hoeksema, Fredrickson, Loftus, & Wagenaar, 2009). Keeping this in
mind, we set out to examine what causes clinicians to specialize in hyp-
notherapy and thus to choose hypnosis as a subject of study and to use
it in their practices.
The results of our study indicate that the major motivation for
studying and using hypnosis by Israeli professionals appears to be
“improved professional performance” followed by the “wish to pro-
vide better mental health.” It seems that physicians and dentists who
use hypnosis are driven mainly by a desire to improve their profes-
sional performance, which includes the desire to improve their way
of functioning in their profession as well as their desire to improve
interpersonal communication with patients and their wish to provide
patients with better medical care (see “Scaling” section). Psychologists,
on the other hand, are mostly driven to study and use hypnosis in their
practice because they wish to improve their ability to provide better
mental assistance to their patients.
In line with Bloom’s (1997) observations and teaching experience, it
seems that Israeli doctors, dentists, and psychologists study and employ
hypnosis mainly because they wish to be better providers of medical
and mental health to their patients.
 MOTIVATIONS BEHIND USING HYPNOSIS IN PRACTICE 77

We also found that clinicians who use hypnosis extensively in their

practice as well as participate in advanced courses were primarily moti-
vated to provide better mental health. In addition, this motivation
was also significantly correlated with a sense of satisfaction regard-
ing the contribution of hypnosis to one’s profession. Based on these
results, we can reasonably assume that continued practical experience
accompanied by supervision and advanced studies in hypnosis and
hypnotherapy can contribute to professional satisfaction and the desire
to continue to develop professionally.
We further found that, although “self-help and personal develop-
ment” can be a significant motivator in choosing a therapeutic spe-
cialization (Murphy & Halgin, 1995), these are not the most important
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motives for studying and using hypnosis. These results may also be
related to the fact that hypnotherapy students are usually not typi-
cal university students, but rather are studying in “adult education”
settings (Bloom, 1997). Indeed, according to the Israeli law governing
hypnosis, the study of hypnosis is only permitted after an individ-
ual has completed basic studies in medicine or psychology. The search
for self-help tools may be less predominant among people in this
age group, who possibly are more interested in seeking professional
advancement and success.
Regarding the different sources that may potentially influence an
individual’s decision to study and use hypnosis, it appears that,
although hypnosis has its place in the culture through its appearance
in novels, television shows, and films (Pintar & Lynn, 2008), profes-
sional knowledge imparted by colleagues is the most predominant
source of influence. It seems that academic and clinical settings are
most important in conveying the message that hypnosis can be a signifi-
cant addendum to clinicians’ professional armamentarium. This finding
is in line with earlier studies assessing attitudes and beliefs about
hypnosis that have suggested that experiential exposure to hypnosis
and establishing knowledge of hypnosis based on scientific sources
are responsible for more positive attitudes and correct beliefs about
hypnosis (Capafons et al., 2005; Capafons et al., 2008; Martín et al.,
2010).
Although it seems that clinicians really begin to learn about hyp-
nosis because of their colleagues, there may also be some residual
influence from childhood. Indeed, more than one third of the respon-
dents had been exposed to hypnosis early in life. Nevertheless, without
assessing other professional groups, we cannot know whether these
results are specific to hypnotherapists. Furthermore, it also seems there
is a critical window (between the ages of 25 and 40) for studying
hypnosis. Most hypnotherapists actively studied hypnosis after age
25 and before reaching their forties. This information may be relevant in
planning projects intended to improve clinicians’ attitudes and beliefs
 78 JOSEPH MEYERSON ET AL.

regarding hypnosis (Barling & De Lucchi, 2004; Hawkins & Bartsch,

2000; Thomson, 2003).
We can conclude that the present study is an additional and modest
step in understanding what motivates professionals to learn and use
hypnosis.

Limitations
The first limitation of this study is that we examined only the
conscious self-reported attitudes of participants (Oppenheim, 1992).
It would be important to investigate the unconscious motivations of
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clinicians using projective means (Császár, Bányai, & Gősi-Greguss,

1996). Secondly, we studied individuals who attended meetings of the
IsSH and were thus especially interested in learning about and acquir-
ing practical tools for professional advancement. Other professionals
who may be less interested in their continued education about hypno-
sis should also be included in further research, as should professionals
outside of Israel.

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Was motiviert Professionelle, Hypnose für die Praxis zu lernen und

anzuwenden?

Joseph Meyerson, Marc Gelkopf, Gaby Golan und Ewa Shahamorov

Abstrakt: Die Autoren entwickelten und validierten einen Fragebogen, um
die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten der Motivation für das Erlernen und die
Anwendung von Hypnose zu erforschen und wandten ihn bei 125 israelis-
chen Psychologen, Ärzten und Zahnärzten an, die Hypnose lernen und/oder
bei ihrer klinischen Arbeit anwenden. Die Ergebnisse lassen vermuten,
daß die meisten Professionellen von dem Wunsch angetrieben werden, ihre
 80 JOSEPH MEYERSON ET AL.

Professionalität zu verbessern und daß ein Großteil der Professionellen

primär von Kollegen aus akademischen oder klinisch orientierten Settings
in ihrem Wunsch, Hypnose zu erlernen, beeinflußt wurden.
Stephanie Reigel, MD

Qu’est-ce qui motive des professionnels de la santé à apprendre l’hypnose et

à l’utiliser en pratique clinique?

Joseph Meyerson, Marc Gelkopf, Gaby Golan et Ewa Shahamorov

Résumé: Les auteurs ont conçu et validé un questionnaire visant à évaluer
les divers motifs possibles d’apprendre et d’utiliser l’hypnose, et ont admin-
istré ce questionnaire à 125 psychologues, médecins ou dentistes israéliens
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qui étudient l’hypnose ou qui l’utilisent dans le cadre de leur travail clin-
ique. Les résultats indiquent que la plupart de ces praticiens étaient motivés
par le désir d’améliorer leur rendement professionnel et que cet intérêt pour
l’apprentissage de l’hypnose avait d’abord été influencé par leurs collègues
des milieux universitaire ou clinique.
Johanne Reynault
C. Tr. (STIBC)

¿Qué motiva a los profesionistas a aprender y utilizar la hipnosis en su

práctica clínica?

Joseph Meyerson, Marc Gelkopf, Gaby Golan, y Ewa Shahamorov

Resumen: Los autores diseñaron y validaron un cuestionario para evaluar
las posibles motivaciones para aprender y utilizar la hipnosis, y lo adminis-
traron a 125 psicólogos, médicos, y dentistas Israelís que estudian o utilizan
la hipnosis en su trabajo clínico. Los resultados sugieren que la mayoría de
los profesionistas están motivados por el deseo de mejorar su desempeño
profesional, y que la mayoría de los profesionistas estuvieron influenciados
principalmente en su deseo de aprender hipnosis, por colegas en contextos
académicos o clínicos.
Omar Sánchez-Armáss Cappello, PhD
Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi,
Mexico