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More About The Maryland Institute for Ericksonian Hypnosis
& Psychotherapy
by Richard Landis, Ph.D, C.T.S. From the Journal of the The Southern California Society for Ericksonian Psychotherapy and Hypnosis
The Maryland Institute for Ericksonian Hypnosis and Psychotherapy (MIEHP)
is a multi-service organization providing referral, clinical, consulting
and educational services to both the public and professional community.
Its "creator," Hillel Zeitlin, LCSW-C, wanted to create an outlet for his own growth and development as a therapist and teacher and a regional resource for Ericksonian training. He was inspired to name his organization for Milton Erickson for two reasons. He thought that Ericksonian methods are "pragmatic enough to mobilize changes in a short amount of time and profound enough to be able to touch the deepest parts of human beings." He also felt that beyond having blazed a wide trail for successive, and successful, therapists to follow, Erickson also was "kind of a hero - an example of someone who had transformed his personal pain into therapeutic resources for others."
Zeitlin used an interesting path in the establishment of this Institute. One of the Institute's first projects was a year-long training group Zeitlin taught in 1988. The Institute was not incorporated then. Zeitlin then began working in a larger framework. He had seen while he was doing his own training, many institutes of one kind of another come and go. Therefore, he was inspired to create one that grew "slowly and organically" and, in this way, insured its success. One of his main goals both in his own therapeutic orientation, and for the community, was to foster research and applications of creative therapeutic communication.
With these ideas in mind, Zeitlin structured a not-for-profit organization called "Choicework Institute." The Maryland Institute then officially became a project of that parent organization. It continues to focus on the training of professionals. The framework with the parent institute, however, now is in place for a more active organization. The MIEHP currently is the only project of the "Choicework Institute" but the established structure will facilitate the formation of other projects and groups in the future.
There currently are four active members of the board. Zeitlin, a licensed Clinical Social Worker, is both the director of the MIEHP and the director of the board of directors. Mildred Goldstone, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in a private practice in Washington, DC, also is the current president of the DC Psychological Association. Ron Kirsner, M.D., completed his residency in internal medicine and currently is a fourth year resident in psychiatry. He and Dr. Goldstone have worked with Zeitlin and the MIEHP since its inception. A newer member of the board is Eileen Buese, Ph.D., clinical psychologist in private practice in Bethesda, Maryland.
The MIEHP recognizes that the needs of mental health workers are ever changing. Originally, the group focused on training done by recognized leaders in the field. They sponsored a large number of workshops over the years, most of which featured internationally known speakers. This met one of their goals - that of promotion of wider understandings of the principles of Ericksonian psychotherapy and hypnosis.
The Institute now gears its traiing to the interest in specific therapeutic directions. Brief therapy is of increasing interest to all mental health workers. It fits well within the principles of Ericksonian hypnosis and psychotherapy because one definition of brief therapy, in the words of Zeitlin, "is hypnosis talking fast."
This year, MIEHP has expanded its offices to feature a training room and a group room in addition to therapy offices to enable them to develop their training further. Currently, their monthly Ericksonian supervision and practice groups meet both in their newly expanded Baltimore office as well as in their Washington, DC office. Next year, the Institute is planning a year-long series called "The Brief Therapy Skills Series." This will be a series of one and two-day workshops on hypnosis and psychotherapy led by Zeitlin.
The group also is planning once-monthly forums for the community. These meetings would cover common issues with topics such as dealing with grief, anxiety, attitude, generalized stress and other areas of interest to the public. The format would be structured so a short lecture would provide attendees with information about the psychological characteristics of the problem. Then there would be a demonstration of ways to handle that particular issue. The Institute also is planning a series of meetings for professionals in which videotapes would be shown. After the viewing, Zeitlin would lead discussions about the techniques and methods in which the presenters worked.
A smoking cessation clinic using creative and unusual methods has been developed. Up to 15 people can attend each session, consisting of a short informational lecture, followed by auricular acupuncture on willing participants. The acupuncture is done by a Russion physician, Dr. Gregory Giokhberg, on the outer ear structure. It seems to promote relaxation. Last, a hypnotic induction, structured to help people stop smoking, is given. Each person is entitled to attend up to six one-hour sessions. The program has ten graduates, all of whom, Zeitlin reports, have stopped smoking.
The Maryland Institute of Ericksonian Hypnosis and Psychotherapy
has lived up to its creator's vision. It is a regional resource for Ericksonian
training and an outlet for the professional community's growth and development.
It also is part of a larger structure furthering the dream of facilitating
creative therapeutic communication and more development of research - both
parts of Hillel Zeitlin's original dream.
Core Transformation®
A Profound Way to Overcome Personal Limitations
by Hillel Zeitlin, LCSW-C
The heart of the Core Transformation® process is a
specific method of communication which guides our inner parts into experiencing
their deepest aspiration or Core State. This typically awakens a sense of
wholeness, peace or oneness; the very experience of which
often literally transforms undesirable behaviors, feelings
or responses.
Can you imagine discovering within the behaviors, feelings
and responses that you like least about
yourself a gateway to your deepest self? Or that your
limitations might conceal a hidden aspiration for wholeness? That experience is exactly the outcome of Core Transformation®,
an easy to follow ten-step process for transforming
unwanted behaviors, thoughts and feelings by actually
embracing them-like a subterranean spring that when
released, cleanses the surface. This specific method for resolving
problems is often described as evoking a sense of wholeness,
peace or oneness.
Based on the pioneering work of internationally known NLP
trainer Connirae Andreas, Core Transformation®
is useful with all kinds of behaviors, from simple
limitations like biting your nails, to deeper issues
like trauma, anger, weight loss or abuse. When using the process
through time it cultivates, for many people, an underlying
sense of well-being, even when life is most difficult.
Recent research into intelligence suggests that our minds
are multi-modal. That is, rather than one continuous
consciousness, each of us actually contains many different
kinds of mental strategies. Different parts of us,
so to speak, surface to respond to changing life circumstances.
These "inner parts" evolved to bring to awareness, the
inner skills or resources that we might need in a given setting.
However, many of our inner parts get stuck in behaviors or ways of being
that are outmoded. For instance, an adolescent may begin smoking
cigarettes as a cool way to manage anxiety, but now as an
adult, it is just an ugly habit that threatens his
or her health. We may have learned as children to throw
a tantrum to get attention, whereas, as adults that same
behavior could land us in jail. Core Transformation® is a specific
method of communicating with those inner parts and inviting
them into alignment with our whole self.
In developing the Core Transformational® approach,
Dr. Andreas found that it is helpful to assume that all parts of us have a positive intention. Even if we may resist a given
behavior, such as overeating, it is likely that it
evolved to fulfill a worthwhile goal. This recognition
allows us to communicate respectfully with our inner
parts, and make allies of those parts that may have troubled us previously.
The heart of the Core Transformation® process is a specific
method of communication which guides our inner parts
into experiencing their deepest aspiration or Core
State. This typically awakens a sense of wholeness,
peace or oneness; the very experience of which often literally
transforms undesirable behaviors, feelings or responses.
Core Transformation® is a gentle and respectful process
that allows change to emerge from within a person,
rather than being imposed by outside influence. This
easy to follow procedure is useful as a therapeutic
procedure, for self-help or even as a personal meditation practice.
It can be experienced in private sessions and is described at length in the book Core Transformation: Reaching the Wellspring
Within by Connirae Andreas, Ph.D., with Tamara
Andreas (Real People Press, 1994).
For information, seminar brochure or for private sessions,
call 410-358-1381.
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