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Home / Recommended Books for our Hypnotherapy Training Courses

Here's a list (still in progress) of the books we refer to on our courses.

General Hypnotherapy

Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

3rd Wave CBT (Mindfulness-based CBT approaches)

Miscellaneous

The main books recommended for all students to read during their training are,

  1. Hartland's Medical & Dental Hypnosis: Fourth Edition (2001) by Heap & Aravind
  2. The Practice of Cognitive-Behavioural Hypnotherapy (in press) by Donald Robertson
  3. Essentials of Clinical Hypnosis: An Evidence-Based Approach (2006) by Lynn & Kirsch

See below for more information on these titles.

You do NOT have to buy all of these!
The books that are asterisked and underlined are recommended reading (or reference material for your bookshelf) for all those setting up practice as a hypnotherapist.

General Hypnotherapy

* The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid (2009) – Donald Robertson (ed.):

This is the complete edition of James Braid's writings, the founder of hypnotherapy in his own words with preface and commentary by Donald Robertson, principal of the UK College.

* Hartland's Medical and Dental Hypnosis: Fourth Edition (2001) – Michael Heap & Kottiyattil K. Aravind

This is the main general-purpose textbook we recommend for clinical hypnotherapy.

* Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors (1990) – Corydon Hammond

This is the best collection of scripts and techniques, containing excerpts from many different respected authors.

Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis: In Medicine, Dentistry, and Psychology, Second Revised Edition (2007) – William S. Kroger

A traditional clinical textbook by well-respected author with a broadly behavioural orientation.  Somewhat dated now, though.

* DSM-IV-TR: Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: 4th Edition (2000) – The American Psychiatric Association (APA)

The main reference book classifying psychiatric conditions. Or the new version which is DSM V.

The New Encyclopaedia of Stage Hypnotism (1996) – Ormond McGillThe main textbook of stage hypnosis, not recommended except as an example of this approach to hypnosis.

* Strategic Self-Hypnosis (2000)– by Roger Straus

The best book on how to teach yourself self-hypnosis. Written from a socio-cognitive (cognitive behavioural) model of hypnosis. Straus is good, clear, accessible writer.

Hypnosis and the Relief of Pain (1994) – Hilgard and Hilgard


* Hypnosis and Chronic Pain (2010) – Jensen

Cognitive-Behavioural Hypnotherapy

* Essentials of Clinical Hypnosis: An Evidence-Based Approach (2006) – Steven Jay Lynn & Irving Kirsch
An excellent introduction overview of the evidence-based / cognitive-behavioural approach to clinical hypnosis written by two of the most prolific researchers in the field.

* Cognitive Hypnotherapy: An Integrated Approach to the Treatment of Emotional Disorders (2008) – Assen Alladin
A recent textbook by a well-respected authority on cognitive hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy: A New Approach (1987)  – William L. Golden, E. Thomas Dowd & F. Friedberg
A small book providing a good introduction to a cognitive-behavioural approach.

Cognitive Hypnotherapy (2000) – Thomas Dowd
A good overview of Dowd’s approach which combines Beck’s cognitive therapy with hypnosis.

They Call it Hypnosis (1990) – Robert A. Baker
An excellent, very readable book, on the cognitive-behavioural theory of hypnotism; not a clinical textbook.

* The Clinical Use of Hypnosis in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (2006) – Robin A. Chapman (ed.)
A collection of articles by different authors.

Hypnosis & Behaviour Modification: Imagery Conditioning (1976) – William S. Kroger & William D. Fezler
An early textbook on behavioural hypnotherapy. Rather dated now, though.

Hypnotism: Imagination, and Human Potentialities (1974) – T.X. Barber, N.P. Spanos, & J.F. Chaves
A seminal review of the research supporting a cognitive-behavioural (non-state) theory of hypnosis.

Clinical Hypnosis & Self-Regulation: Cognitive Behavioural Perspectives (1999) – Irving Kirsch, Antonio Capafons, Etzel Cardeña-Buelna & Salvador Amigó
An important collection of articles on cognitive-behavioural approaches to hypnosis and self-hypnosis training.

* Hypnosis & Behavior Therapy: The Treatment of Anxiety & Phobias (1983) – Christopher Clarke & J. Arthur Jackson
An early and well-designed textbook on behavioural hypnotherapy; despite the title it also contains references to the cognitive and rational therapies of Beck and Ellis as used in hypnosis.

The Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis (2010) – Irving Kirsch, Steven Jay Lunn and Judith Rhue
An expensive, substantial textbook on clinical hypnosis edited by the leading “non-state” theorists and researchers – but covers all uses of hypnosis.

Casebook of Clinical Hypnosis  – by Lynn, Kirsch and Rhue
Many cases cited from all different models of hypnotherapy – giving good examples of treatment plans and the actual way that hypnosis sessions are structured.

Hypnotherapy Explained – Assen Alladin 
An excellent introduction to hypnotherapy and it’s clinical use by Dr Assen Alladin – including chapters treating migraine and depression.

Cognitive Hypnotherapy: An Integrated Approach to the Treatment of Emotional Disorders – Assen Alladin
Strongly recommended for the clinician’s bookshelf: covers CBH for migraine, insomnia, skin disorders, PTSD.

Handbook of Cognitive Hypnotherapy for Depression – Assen Alladin
An excellent small book by a leading clinician using CBH for Depression.

The Word as a Physiological and Therapeutic Factor – KI Platonov
An unusual and extraordinary book from the leading protégé of Pavlov who utilised a psychotherapy based hypnotic suggestions in an extensive way in Russian “polyclinics” – covering over 50,000 cases. Includes extensive experimental work using hypnosis.

* Conditioned Reflex Therapy – by Andrew Salter
A trail blazing book on behaviour therapy that began the behavioural revolution and can claim to be the origin of assertiveness training. Salter writes in a vigorous, fresh non-academic style. Includes many golden nuggets of wisdom gained from therapy on the frontline. Salter makes extensive use of hypnosis. Out of print. Highly recommended.

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Dummies (2006) – Wilson

A simple overview and introduction.

* Evidence-Based Practice of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (2009) – Deborah Dobson & Keith Dobson

A very thorough and up-to-date introduction to CBT, based on contemporary research evidence.

* Problem-Solving Therapy: A Positive Approach to Clinical Intervention (2006) – Thomas J. D’Zurilla & Arthur M. Nezu

The main generic manual for problem-solving therapy (PST).  Very easy to read and comprehensive for this approach.  A good model to integrate with hypnotherapy.

Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders: Science & Practice (2010) – David A. Clark & Aaron T. Beck

Beck’s new treatment manual for anxiety disorders (not phobias) based on his revised cognitive model of anxiety.  This is a very comprehensive book but does assume prior knowledge of cognitive therapy.

*The Oxford Guide to Behavioural Experiments (2004) – James Bennett-Levy (Editor)

Behavioural experiments are one of the most powerful elements of cognitive therapy – filled with several examples and case histories for each condition, this book provides a great resource for developing behavioural experiments as well as good summary of CBT.

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy (1980) – David Burns

A popular self-help book based on Aaron Beck’s cognitive therapy.

Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy: A Therapist’s Guide (1998) – Albert Ellis & Catherine MacLaren

This short book provides a good introduction to Ellis’ REBT approach.

* The Practice of Behaviour Therapy, Fourth Revised Edition (1990) – Joseph Wolpe

The principal textbook of behaviour therapy. Particularly relevant to hypnotherapy given the similarities with Wolpe’s systematic desensitisation.

* The Practice of Multimodal Therapy (1981) – Arnold A. Lazarus

A key textbook outlining Lazarus’ Multimodal Therapy (MMT). Very accessible.

The Case Formulation Approach to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy  – Jaqueline B. Persons

Highly recommended – focuses particularly on case formulation in CBT with numerous examples – and includes a good overview of the main cognitive, behaviour and emotion based theories in the CBT model.

Stress Inoculation Training  – by Donald Meichenbaum

A small yet complete manual on this flexible, transdiagnostic approach that is a good model for lay hypnotherapists when planning treatments.

Cognitive Behaviour Modification  – by Donald Meichenbaurm

An important book historically, clearly written with excellent material on self-instruction training by one of the best minds in CBT.

3rd Wave CBT (Metacognitive and Mindfulness Based Approaches)


Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Distinctive Features (2009) – by Rebecca Crane

Mindfulness and Acceptance – Expanding the Cognitive Behavioural Tradition – by Hayes, Follette and Linehan

* Mindfulness and Acceptance Based Behavioural Therapies in Practice  – by Susan Orsillo and Lizbeth Romer

Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression – by Adrian Wells

Miscellaneous

The Philosophy of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (2010) – Donald Robertson

The Archeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotionsby Panskepp & Biven

Meaning, Medicine & The ‘Placebo Effect’ (2002) – Daniel MoermanPlacebo – Mind Over Matter in Modern Medicine (2003)– Dylan Evans