Hypnotic Ego-strengthening: Where We've Been and the Road Ahead.

The use of hypnotic ego-strengthening techniques in psychological and medical treatment has been widespread in the fields of psychotherapy, nursing, dentistry, medicine, psychiatry, and related fields. The term "ego-strengthening" became part of the clinical hypnosis literature with the publication of John Hartland's ego-strengthening script in the 1960's. Since then numerous clinicians have utilized and modified Hartland's script, and developed other ego-strengthening scripts as well. Research has demonstrated that ego-strengthening suggestions and scripts can enhance treatment effects. Early versions of ego-strengthening suggestions tended to be verbal and authoritarian in nature while later developments added imagery and emphasized projective/evocative scripts with the purpose of accessing internal resources. Currently, in most hypnosis case studies and research articles, some form of ego-strengthening is an important aspect of the treatment plan.