In order to understand the origins of The International Society of Hypnosis it is useful to first place hypnosis in the proper scientific context. Clinical hypnosis has been the subject of research and investigation for as long as modern science has been conducting empirical research. The scientists conducting this research have approached hypnosis from many different perspectives, and while not always in agreement theoretically, they shared both a fascination with the topic and respect for one another’s research efforts. It was this shared interest that encouraged collegial collaboration and the birth of a society.
The earliest studies of hypnosis in western medicine that received worldwide attention originated with the work of a Viennese doctor, Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). He theorized that disease was caused by imbalances of a physical force, which he called animal magnetism. Mesmer believed that cures could be achieved by redistributing this magnetic fluid -- a procedure that typically resulted in pseudoepileptic seizures known as "crises".
Mesmer’s claims of miraculous cures from the iron wands in a baquet of iron filings was investigated by a Royal Commission in France, chaired by Benjamin Franklin, in 1784. The interest in Mesmerism did not stop in spite of the commission’s verdict that the cures were the result of the “pure gold of imagination”. Instead, this phenomenon continued to be investigated with great vigor.
In France, there were two competing schools of thought on hypnosis. The Nancy School, founded by Ambroise-Auguste Liébeault (1823-1904), a French family physician, is considered by many the father of modern hypnotism. Liébeault subscribed to the work of James Braid (1795-1860), a Scottish ophthalmologist, who had begun his own research on Mesmer’s magnetism.
Braid perceived the experience of his patients to be a psychological phenomenon resulting from suggestion, and coined the term “nervous sleep” or Neuro-Hypnosis to note the neurological basis. While Braid is often credited with originating the term hypnosis, there is evidence that the prefix “hypn” existed in French prior to Braid.
In the Nancy school, first Hippolyte Bernheim (1840-1919) and then later Emil Coué (1857-1926) focused on ego building and suggestion in hypnosis, and considered hypnosis to be a natural phenomenon. This was in opposition to the theories of another physician, Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893).
Charcot, Chief of Neurology at the Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, considered hypnosis to be pathological, a form of induced hysteria. He took issue with the School of Nancy. However, because of his powerful position, his paper in l882 at the Académie des Sciences rehabilitated hypnosis as a subject for scientific study. In addition, Pierre Janet, a General Practitioner and psychologist who studied under Charcot, laid the early foundation for dissociative reactions and ego states with his important paper in 1889 on the desagregation mentale of the ego.
There were many other important contributors to the rising interest in researching the scientific basis of hypnosis and its therapeutic effects, not mentioned in this brief overview. The focus here has been on the competing schools of natural versus pathological hypnosis in France. It was in this scientific climate that the First International Congress for Experimental and Therapeutic Hypnotism was held in Paris, France August 8-12, 1889. Attendees included Jean-Martin Charcot, Hippolyte Bernheim, Sigmund Freud and Ambroise-Auguste Liébeault. This was followed by another international hypnotism congress in August 12-16, 1900.
It was not until 1959, however, that an international society was formed. Canadian physician, Bernard B. Raginsky was the founding president of the International Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, paralleling the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH) which had been founded in 1949 in the United States. SCEH produced a journal which after its 6th volume was called the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.
The founding secretary of ISCEH was John C. Watkins, PhD, whose initial job was to gather an international community of researchers into the ISCEH fold. In 1960, during the World Mental Health Year, he was awarded a plaque recognizing his “wise and outstanding contributions to the development of this world-wide organization” by the 24 countries that were the national divisions of ISCEH. These were: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chili, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany (west), Great Britain, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, Union of South Africa, United States, and Venezuela.
The first congress held by the ISCEH in 1965, was again held in Paris--a tribute to France’s long history of leading the way in hypnosis research. That congress was called The International Congress for Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine. Initially, efforts were made to hold International Society meetings every two years in different nations with affiliated societies sponsoring the conferences. While several were held in that format, the more successful were those specifically organized as international congresses, including Kyoto, Japan in 1967; Mainz, Germany in 1970; and Uppsala, Sweden in 1973.
It was at the congress in Uppsala, another city long associated with hypnosis research, that the society underwent a constitutional and a name change to The International Society of Hypnosis (ISH). Its presenters included Ernest Hilgard, Martin Orne, Ainsley Meares, Josephine Hilgard, Kay Thompson, Herbert Spiegel, John Hartland, Per-Olaf Wikstrom, P. Brugnoli, and Erika Fromm to name just a few of the stellar lineup of professionals from around the world. Ernest Hilgard served as the first president of this reorganized society. The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis was designated as the official journal of the society, and was edited for 30 years by Martin Orne. In addition, awards (link to awards) were created to honor the outstanding contributions of hypnosis researchers and clinicians from around the world, which bear the names of historically significant persons.
International Congresses of Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine traced their lineage from the first congress on hypnotism in 1889 as did the renamed ISH. A congress has been held every three years since Uppsala, Sweden, the 6th ISH congress. Philadelphia, USA was the 7th ; Melbourne, Australia the 8th; Glasgow, Scotland the 9th; Toronto, Canada the 10th; Leiden, The Netherlands the 11th; Jerusalem, Israel the 12th (not held until 1992); Melbourne, Australia the 13th; San Diego, USA the 14th; Munich, Germany the 15th; Singapore the 16th(not held until 2004); Acapulco, Mexico the 17th; Rome, Italy the 18th. ISH has boasted a membership of 1600 members, and 40 constituent societies from around the world.
In an ever changing world of economic and political upheavals, with vast technological and administrative challenges, the ISH remains dedicated to its mission to stimulate and to improve research, discussion, and publications pertinent to the scientific study and clinical application of hypnosis. It continues to encourage cooperative relations among scientific disciplines with regard to the study and applications of hypnosis, and to bring together persons who use hypnosis, and to set standards for professional training and adequacy in the field.
References
Ewin, D. (2005). Basic Workshop on Hypnosis, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, slide presentation as part of the Standards of Training for ASCH.
Gravitz, M.A. & Gerton, M.I. (1984). Origins of the term hypnotism prior to Braid. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 27, 107-110.
Hilgard, E. (1993). History of Research Centers and Professional Hypnosis Societies in the United States. IJCEH, July 1993, pp.173 – 190.
Loriedo, C & Monacelli, G. (2010). From “magical sleep” to new hypnosis. In,Nardone,G., Loriedo, C., Zeig, J.L.,Watzlawick,P.L.,, Hypnosis and Hypnotic Therapies”, Zeig & Tucker, 2010 (in press).
Spiegel, D. (2006). Editorial, Am J Psychiatry, September 2006; 163: 1646.
Watkins, J. (2010) Personal communication to ISH.
van der Kolk, B.A. & van der Hart, O. (1989).Pierre Janet and the breakdown of adaptation in psychological trauma. Am J Psychiatry, Dec 1989; 146: 1530 - 1540.
