Hypnosis and Children

Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy Program

DCH 806

Breyer State University

Professor: Elgin Gossalter, BA, PGDip, Ph.D., ND(C)

Syllabus

COURSE OVERVIEW: Greetings and Welcome! “Hypnosis and Children” is a Doctorate Level course in the curriculum for the Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy Degree.  It will be a pleasure and an honor to instruct you in this course which will represent an essential foundation for your studies in the doctorate program, since a sound knowledge of the specific application of hypnosis in pediatrics is very important for many professionals in the field of hypnotherapy.

Though the sporadic use of hypnosis with children and adolescents has its roots way back with Mesmer, it is a field that has received relatively little clinical attention since then; however, in the 1970's, case studies and observations suggested that children were easier to hypnotize than adults, and that hypnosis could be used in the treatment of behavioral and physical problems in children quite as and sometimes even more effectively than with adults.

I am convinced that you will find this course very helpful in your everyday life as a clinical hypnotherapist, considering that the media coverage that hypnosis has received in recent years certainly encourages more and more parents to seek out professionals in our field so as to non-invasively treat the ailments of their children. Even if you do not wish to specialize in pediatric hypnotherapy, the basic knowledge of the theories in this field will round up your professional expertise. I would like to encourage you to explore the course books in depth, underline the important concepts and eventually discover your own favorite techniques in the interaction with your young patients. Be assured that I am fully aware of the demand that DCH 806 puts on you in terms of reading and assignments; you will see, however, that it will be worthwhile, I have no doubt about this. I am pleased to have you in this course and will endeavor to be available and of assistance whenever you need me for any questions you may have. I would like our interaction to be an open, pleasant and profitable one.

TIME FRAME: “Hypnosis and Children” is a five-semester hour course and it is allotted 10 weeks of time. For the successful completion of the course, all requirements will have to be met by the end of the tenth week.  The first day of week one will begin the day that you register for the course, or the day which you notify me that your textbooks have arrived and you are ready to begin your studies.  Please be cognizant of the time frame and organize your time well. Though this may vary from person to person, on average, a daily dedication of two to three hours of concentrated academic work are necessary to gather the knowledge necessary for the adequate study of the material and personal research and reflection on the subject. Only on rare occasions extensions of time are permitted and this will not be the case unless you have good justification. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded five semester hours of credit.

TEXTBOOKS: There are 2 required textbooks for this course.

Book 1: Therapeutic Hypnosis With Children And Adolescents, W. Wester II, L. Sugarman: Publisher: Crown House Publishing (February 15, 2007), ISBN-10: 1845900375, ISBN-13: 978-1845900373

Book 2: Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy with Children: Third Edition, K.Olness, D.P. Kohen: The Guilford Press; 3 Sub Edition (April 19, 1996), ISBN-10: 157230054X, ISBN-13: 978-1572300545

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EXAMINATIONS: There are two examinations for this course, a mid-term exam and a final exam.  The mid-term exam covers the material in the first book: “Therapeutic Hypnosis With Children And Adolescents” The final exam covers the material in the remaining book: “Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy with Children: Third Edition”

The mid-term examination must be taken by the end of the 5th week in the course.
The final examination must be taken by the end of the 10th week in the course.

Both exams are programmed and located in the classroom. The examinations are “open book”, yet demand a thorough knowledge of the material covered. They are either composed of an essay or of the objective type. You will have 3h (three hours) to complete your exam, once you access it from the classroom.  To access the exam, please follow the detailed instructions given in the “assignment” section of the DCH 806 in the classroom.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: There are 3 written assignments for this course, all of which are located in the DCH 806 classroom for their detailed description.

GRADING: The grading modalities and scale for this course are as follows:

Assignments 2 and 3: 15% of the final score each          (30%)
Midterm exam: 30% of the final score                           (35%)
Final exam: 30% of the final exam                                (35%) 

90-100 %    =    A
80-89 %      =    B
70-79 %      =    C
Below 70% =    Fail

Before submitting any document, please make sure to check your work for possible spelling and/or grammar mistakes since at undergraduate level, it is expected of you to use a correct and coherent language style.

Also, please keep in mind that plagiarism of any kind is unacceptable! Whenever you use some author’s intellectual property, copyrighted or not, do not omit to adequately quote the source; no exceptions!

The non-respect of this item would count against you.

COMMUNICATION: Please feel free and at ease to communicate with me whenever you feel my advice or opinion could be helpful. I am available as a teacher, coach, and mentor to assist you in meeting your goals for this course.  Primarily, communication is through email. I will usually be answering your e-mails within 1 to 3 business days. However, I am also available for conversation by telephone or can meet with you one-on-one in the chat room at your request.  Please keep my email address handy so that you can contact me at chc@pdh.com.br. If at any time during this course you change your email address, please be sure to notify me right away.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Having said all this, let me introduce myself. I am Elgin Gossalter, BA, PGDip, Ph.D., ND (C). I started my academic education reading psychology at Oxford, then moved to Paris, where I specialized in applied foreign languages and co-owned and managed 3 language schools for over 10 years. In the early nineties, I left Europe and went to live in Brazil; one of the purposes being the discovery of the wealth of natural healing methods existing in the South American continent. Here I also formalized my acquired knowledge with two Postgraduate Diplomas, one in Methodology and Research and the other in Parapsychology and Mental Sciences. I then concluded my Ph.D. in Clinical Hypnotherapy, and now devote my study time to finishing my second doctorate, this one in the field of Naturopathy (ND) while continuing professionally active, both in my private hypnotherapy practice and in language tuition.

My special interests of research lie in the Mind-Body relation and neuroscience in general. This year my first book, “An ABC of Pain” will be published. Apart from detailing pain pathways and pain physiology, the book repeatedly highlights the necessity of an integrative approach to medicine and, for that matter, all human ailments.

During my 30 years of experience in teaching, I have always loved my rich and challenging interactions with my students. I shall be happy to be there for you with the intent of making the learning experience unique and unforgettable.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: In this course you will be learning about and studying:

1. The concepts and principles related to pediatric hypnotherapy
2. Giving the child and adolescent a degree of mastery over their body
3. Developmental considerations
4. Approaches to induction methods in pediatrics
5. Hypnotic ability in children
6. Mind-body techniques
7. Pediatric hypnosis in palliative care
8. Biofeedback and child hypnotherapy
9. Key psychological and medical applications of pediatric hypnotherapy in:
1. pain management,
2. surgery and emergencies
3. persistent cough,
4. gastrointestinal symptoms
5. anxiety/panic symptoms
6. Habit disorders
7. Depression
8. Behavior disorders

INFORMATION: If you have any questions regarding this program, you may address them to admassistant@breyerstate.com. An administrative faculty member will respond to all questions.

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