IC01 Short Course 23 - Working with Creativity: Milton H. Erickson's Ecology of Inner Resources - Liliana Cane, PhD
Milton H. Erickson, who endowed psychotherapy with an attitude of openness and creativity,
conceptualized symptoms as an access way towards unconscious creative resources. Listening
to the client's symptoms with an open and creative attitude can lead to a transformational
dialogue that modifies the ecology of inner resources. Deep and long-term healing are activated
in short-term interventions.
Milton Erickson's approach typically featured finding hidden personal resources and extending them into situations where they would help the client. We will first see a portion of this basic, but valuable, strategy in a video of Dr. Erickson; then have the opportunity to practice this strategy in a structured practice session.
From Freud to Erickson to the current practice of psychotherapy, the nature of human problems has remained the same. What has changed is which problems we consider are within the realm of psychotherapy to elucidate. When Erickson introduced the concept of directive therapy, the field changed, not only in terms of how to do therapy, but also in terms of what are the issues a therapist must address. Is there a place for the concept of evil, for the practice of justice, and for the spiritual realm in therapy? What do we know today that we didn't know a hundred years ago? How can we preserve the existence of the therapist as humanist, social activist and systemic thinker?
The influence of Milton H. Erickson, M.D. can now be seen around the globe. The strength of the Erickson movement, the proliferation of Ericksonian Institutes, and the millions of lives that have been transformed are the product of dedication and leadership. By reviewing the actions of Erickson and those who followed, we become better oriented to new possibilities. The call to leadership is for any who wish to make a difference in this world.
IC07 Topical Panel 11 - About Milton H. Erickson, MD - Betty Alice Erickson, M.S., Stephen Gilligan, Ph.D., Stephen Lankton, M.S.W., Ernest Rossi, Ph.D.
Waking Hypnosis was first described by Wells in 1924. Dr. Rosen will give examples of Milton Erickson having used it in his seminars. Participants will explore ways of maximizing their response to autosuggestions and then there will be discussion and practice of potential applications in everyday life.
Giulia’s story began almost 30 years ago while Milton Erickson was still with us. He offered amusingly bizarre suggestions to us about what to do with her. Those suggestions lead to several metaphors which helped her to create an escape plan from the “zoo” in which she was trapped.