Every once in a while, I read a book on hypnosis that is so eloquent, so well organized, so understandable, and written with such clarity and sensitivity that I wish I had written it myself. That’s how I felt reading Hypnotize Yourself Out of Pain Now (Second Edition) by Bruce Eimer, Ph. D. This is the quintessential book on self-hypnosis for pain management.

Eimer first covers types of pain, pain physiology, pain and neurology, and pain gate control theory, explaining how hypnosis can reduce chronic pain by shutting down the neurological transmission of sensation to the pain. brain from the site of previous injuries. . He also discusses how to assess pain and how to assess one’s coping strategies.

The book then turns to the topics of hypnosis and self-hypnosis. Eimer familiarizes the reader with basic information about hypnosis and then teaches eight methods of inducing self-hypnosis, including eye fixation, arm drop, pencil drop, and the eye-rolling method. Each induction comes with a script that the reader can record.

Next, the author provides an introduction to pain management, covering the “six D’s” of pain management: deep relaxation, decatastrophizing, directing, distracting, distorting, and dissociating. He tells the reader how to match the pain management method to the type of pain, and provides self-hypnosis and self-suggestion processes in each “D” category. For example, with Decatastrophizing, Eimer discusses questioning self-talk, reframing the meaning of pain, performing cognitive analysis of thought processes, and using autosuggestions such as “I can still enjoy things.” The pain management skills in this book include behavioral coping strategies, cognitive interventions, and relaxation methods.

This book also covers ways to refine self-hypnosis, as well as advanced self-hypnosis processes such as instant relaxation, a self-healing ritual, mindful meditation, ideomotor signaling, and ego state therapy. I’ve counted over 50 pain management exercises in this book, so there is sure to be at least one that will help any reader willing to invest the time to learn and practice self-hypnosis. The book comes with a companion CD that covers what hypnosis is, pain perception and hypnosis, relaxation with hypnosis, classification and reduction of discomfort, pain relief and imagery, healing imagery, therapeutic touch and energetic healing, comfort transfer and stress management.

Bruce Eimer is a clinical psychologist practicing in Philadelphia with over 20 years of experience treating chronic pain. He writes from his personal experience as a survivor of chronic pain. While this book is written for anyone with chronic pain, it is also an excellent reference for hypnotherapists working with pain reduction. As a survivor of chronic pain, I believe this book holds great promise to improve the lives of many.