When Don Gotler was undergoing two procedures preparing him for treatment for his esophageal cancer last year, his doctor asked if he wanted to take part in the hospital’s new hypnotherapy program. Combined with anesthesia, he was told, the hypnosis would help alleviate anxiety and post-surgery pain.

“I thought, ‘What the heck, why not give it a try?’ ” Gotler said. The hypnotherapist met with him before the procedure and stayed with him in the operating room, helping him with breathing and imagery techniques.

About 250 patients at the hospital have undergone hypnotherapy prior to surgery at New Milford since hypnotherapist Alexandra Chalif and Dr. Courtney Chambers, a surgeon, teamed up to provide it beginning in early 2010. Now the two are compiling data to quantify its effectiveness.

What’s unusual about the use of hypnosis at New Milford Hospital, Chalif said, is that it’s conducted in the operating room. When hospitals do offer hypnosis, she said, patients usually meet with the hypnotherapist before going into the operating room.

See http://www.courant.com/health/connecticut/hc-hypnosis-surgery-0707-20110706,0,1867210.story for more on the study.

All the best,
Brian
http://www.briandavidphillips.com