This book is a great text. Having read it, I have started recommending it students I teach on the BSc (Hons) in Clinical Hypnosis. Eimer's ease in explaining the context regarding types of pain, the physiology of pain, pain and neurology, the pain gate control theory, before then explaining the neurology of how hypnosis can reduce chronic pain is of real value. His writing is underpinned by sound ethics and he also discusses how to evaluate pain and how to evaluate coping strategies. From a practical perspective the basic information about hypnosis, self-hypnosis and the development of pain management skills include behavioral coping strategies, cognitive interventions, and relaxation methods. Accompanied by a companion CD it is an excellent reference for hypnotherapists and psychologists who work with pain management.

For anyone suffering from chronic pain, this book provides a thorough understanding of what pain is and how it presents itself and then what the reader can do to help themselves through the application of self-hypnosis. It is well structured, starting with an in depth explanation of the nature of pain that is dealt with in a manner that is accessible and clearly written. The second section leads the reader through various exercises that build skills in self-hypnosis and pain management. There are a number of methods for inducing hypnosis provided so that it should be possible for anyone to find something they can feel comfortable with and achieve positive results. This is also true of the strategies and suggestions available to the reader. The different questionnaires in the book allow the reader to measure their experience of pain and how that changes as they make progress. This makes it almost a workbook rather than simply a theoretical text on the subject.

The research for this book has obviously been extensive and Eimer evidences a comprehensive understanding of the field by providing copious references and a recommended further reading list.

This is an impressive work that will also provide a valuable reference for any professional working with clients with chronic pain.

This exceptional book and CD comprehensively describe ways that self-hypnosis can aid pain management. Readers are encouraged to identify hypnotic pain management strategies that will best meet their needs, and use them skilfully. This helps reduce the powerlessness reported by many people with ongoing pain.

There is basic information about pain, hypnosis and exercises to help readers assess their pain and levels of coping. Part two includes learning self-hypnosis, self-hypnotic coping strategies and ways to change the pain experience.

The material is ordered in a way that readers can build on their knowledge and develop coping strategies. The book offers a range of hypnotic and pain management approaches. Management of inner conflicts and ongoing pain are particularly well covered. The CD offers additional pointers and exercises.

Regrettably, the information on selecting practitioners almost exclusively cites American sources.

Excellent an encouraging self hypnosis book inspired by the author's personal pain recovery techniques. The book is really reassuring. A valuable self hypnosis tool. It gives real practical self hypnosis tools for the reader who needs cheer, encouragements, and guidance, it has sound, detailed advice for an all-important issue. How to handle pain, using the 6 D's. Deep relaxation, decatastrophsing, direction, distraction, distortion and dissociation. Each is handled as a part of self hypnosis.

The author covers of the basic knowledge of how the conscious and subconscious work together. He makes even more reassuring noises when he talks about new ways that the conscious and subconsiocus co operate with each other; find that in chapter 8. Vital in teaching how the conscious and subconscious mind operates together for healing.

Eimer has made available a book that provides all you need to know about relaxation and the importance of making comfort in the body. I enjoyed all the chapters, since they cover all the fundamentals around hypnotherapy. E.g. Not all Tools are for Everyone and the Issues of Conflict between the parts. Importantly, the author reassures his readers particularly people with a heavy reliance on medical drugs that the book does not compete with their doctor.

The chapters on how to hypnotise yourself are basically teaching the reader how to consider pain from an attitudinal point of view. He asks you to decide what attitude you will practise towards your own pain. He also asks you to consider what personal skills and internal resources you can bring forward to use to either distract or dissociate yourself, using your imagination for healing purposes.

An inspirational book for use by anyone who wants to use hypnotherapy to hypnotise themselves out of pain now. It has all the material is there, it just seems that the presentation of the text, its layout etc, sizing, spacing and size of font could be altered to provide lots of breathing space for a reader with chronic pain to imagine themselves deeply receiving the positive effects of their practical response to the exercises.

This wonderful book could be improved greatly by having much more white space throughout the text. Issues of desirability for those who have not been exposed to hypnotherapy could also be to be addressed.

The more I read the text, the more I found that the CD helped a lot to access the written material in the book. It was considerable contrast to the text in that it provided the gentle walk way into the healing process, was extremely user friendly and showed the reassuring heart of the author. It went to the heart of the matter and allowed the reader time to become acquainted with the text base elements of the book.

Again, in the gentlest way, my question is who is the book for. The book is encouraging, and opens up the possibility for pain sufferers, that pain no more may be their experience. And that they deserve that. If it is someone with pain, then for him or her, I wish the size of font was a little bigger for people with eyesight issues. I wish the density of text was a little less for people with eyesight issues or who might be intimidated with lots of words on a page. I wish a section, which actually visually shows how pain may be created. Lots more visual guidance may be needed so it moves the visual reader who also is feeling pain in the body. I offer you some guidance later about how to get the most out of the book. I am so glad that the CD is provided so that the person with pain can begin to explore the exercises he writes about so well.

Tips for Getting The Most Out Of This Book:

• A section on how to get the most out of this book. E.g. with suggestions how to read the book one a day, three times a day, am, noon, pm before bedtime. /that you may want to set yourself a simple goal of taking one or two ideas at a time and practise them.


• Asking the reader to read the sections out loud instead of reading them silently to make the book more effective.


• More reassuring Signposting Tips in boxes like: allow yourself time to work on one or two tools or approaches at a time. They already exist in the body of the text.


• Create obvious toolboxes, and advanced toolboxes to draw reader's attention towards.


• Visual illustrations throughout the text, to help people practise the visual elements of the work.


• Maybe boxed sections for research and researchers to assist hypnotherapy practitioners record their experiences with the techniques.


• A 'Just Do It' section with its activities.

I sense an authentic kindness from the author which holds the readers interests, while showing that self healing, self assessment and healing planning need no be dull, arduous, or an awesome task. Written with authentic, humane, authority. A highly recommended text when the tips are taken on board. I thank the writer for writing this work!

With all the recent press and television coverage of people having operations without anaesthetic but choosing the route of Hypnosis instead, I decided to try it for myself. Not to the level of having an operation mind, as I think I would prefer to be totally out for that one, but when Hypnotize Yourself Out of Pain Now! appeared on the potential book of the month review list I thought why not? What have I got to lose?

Reasonably priced, this one is packed full of useful information and exercises for self hypnosis and deep relaxation and comes with a CD too. Both the book and the recording can be used together, however, the CD has also been designed to stand alone.

Bruce Eimer also knows how to write a guide on a relatively complicated subject that is reader friendly and understandable. An interesting section on Pain Description is recommended as a starting point to progress onto the exercises to relieve the symptoms.

Another aspect of this powerful book is the self suggestions that appear throughout and some useful pointers on how to use them effectively. Using similar aspects in my practice of complimentary therapies, self suggestions or affirmations are a powerful tool for mind and body wellbeing and the proposed suggestions Bruce Eimer highlights in this book are just as important in the practice of self hypnosis.

One of those books you can dip in and out of when you feel the need, I would suggest that readers take some time out to familiarise themselves with the first part of the book as it provides the reader with an excellent baseline of pain theory, one's own ability to cope with pain and a comprehensive introduction to explaining what Hypnosis actually is. As a result, the guidance provided in the following parts and chapters will make more sense and become simpler to follow at those times of need.

Taking my own advice into consideration I decided to try a couple of the exercises when I woke up with a stonker of a headache as a result of starting medication for high blood pressure. I was amazed and after a few failed attempts to get myself in a relaxed state of mind to progress with a couple of the exercises proposed and allowing myself to actually relax with the aid of the fantastic CD that came with it the pain actually did subside and I felt invigorated to face the day ahead pain free.

So Bruce, you aptly named the book Hypnotise Yourself Out of Pain Now! and I am sure readers will not be disappointed. He is not advocating this as an alternative to traditional medical practices with pain management; however, this one should be kept by the medicine tin as a compliment to anyone wishing to relieve themselves of pain following such a programme written by someone who I think knows their craft inside and out. This could be the best '£12.99 you would spend if the results are as a positive as I experienced following Bruce's advice.

A great self help book for anyone who wants to learn how to master pain relief.

It is a well constructed, easy to apply book that comes with a CD full of practical exercises. Free of jargon and techno-babble, this book puts the control into the hands of the reader to tap into the power of the mind and shows, step-by-step, how to use hypnosis to help to relieve pain.

It is a valuable and useful manual for pain relief techniques.

Once in a while, I read a book on hypnosis that is to eloquent, so well-organized, so understandable, and written with such clarity and sensitivity that I wish I'd written it myself. That's how I felt about 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 topics such as types of pain, the physiology of pain, pain and neurology, and the pain gate control theory, explaining how hypnosis can reduce chronic pain by closing off the neurological transmission of sensation to the brain from the site of previous injuries. He also discusses how to evaluate pain and how to evaluate one's coping strategies.

The book then moves into the topics of hypnosis and self-hypnosis. Eimer acquaints the reader with basic information about hypnosis and then teaches eight methods of inducing self-hypnosis, such as eye fixation, arm drop, pencil drop, and the eye-roll method. Each induction comes with a script which the reader can record.

Next, the author provides a primer on pain management, covering the “six D's” of pain management: Deep Relaxation, Decatastrophizing, Direction, Distraction, Distortion, and Dissociation. He tells the reader how to match the pain management method to the type of pain, and gives self-hypnosis processes and self-suggestions in each “D” category. For example, with Decatastrophizing, Eimer discusses how to dispute self-talk, reframe the meaning of pain, conduct cognitive analysis of thought processes, and use self-suggestions 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, mindfulness meditation, ideo-motor signaling, and ego state therapy. I counted over 50 exercises for pain management in this book, so there is surely at least one that will help any reader who is willing to invest the time to learn and practice self-hypnosis. The book comes with a companion CD covers what hypnosis is, pain perception and hypnosis, relaxation with hypnosis, rating and lowering discomfort, pain relief and imagery, healing imagery, therapeutic touch and energy healing, comfort transfer, and stress control.

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

Absolutely an excellent resource for both therapists and for those who experience chronic pain. The suggestions and exercises provide a great variety of ideas for the novice and the experienced practitioner alike. This is an excellent book.

Hypnotize Yourself Out of Pain Now is described as a “powerful, user-friendly program for anyone searching for immediate pain relief”, and it is all of this. It is also the most comprehensive and effective program for lasting pain relief that I have ever found.

Bruce Eimer combines over 20 years of knowledge, skills and experience, with the empathy and understanding of someone who has developed these effective methods through learning to manage his own chronic pain.

Those who suffer chronic pain have often spent a long time trying medical and alternative approaches without finding relief, and under such circumstances, it is understandable to lose hope and motivation to keep trying new methods. If this describes you, take heart - reading this book will really make a difference for you and will help you regain control of your mind and body.

If you are a professional working with those in pain, this book offers ways and means to help each individual using the combination of methods that will suit them best.

Bruce Eimer offers straightforward, honest, caring support alongside all the information, practical methods and different approaches you might need to reduce any kind of pain to manageable levels.

Although written as a self-help manual, Hypnotize Yourself Out of Pain Now is a fantastic resource for practising therapists as well as for anyone suffering from chronic pain themselves.

With so many self-hypnosis books currently on the market, this excellent account distinguishes itself by being clearly focused on a particular problem and written by someone who is not only a clinical psychologist, but who has himself suffered from chronic pain.

Bruce Eimer was injured in a major road accident in 1993, giving him first-hand experience of what his patients had been going through. As a result he pledged that he 'would do anything within his power to help other chronic pain sufferers cope'.

This experience gives the book a degree of commitment, focus and personal investment that should serve in itself to inspire and encourage fellow sufferers, as well as convince them of the benefits of hypnosis.

Because pain has both a sensory and an emotional content, Dr Eimer believes it is ideally suited to the kinds of relaxation, cognitive and imaginative techniques employed in the therapeutic use of hypnosis.

The book is absolutely bursting with practical self-help exercises which avoid overwhelming the reader by being contained within the framework of a clearly structured programme of self-treatment.

Having first offered information to assist in understanding 'the puzzle of pain', Dr Eimor provides comprehensive questionnaires which allow the reader to evaluate their own experience of pain.

A clear explanation is given of the basics of hypnosis followed by an account of the benefits of self-hypnosis and how this in itself can help to alleviate discomfort.

The reader is then able to select from the huge range of coping strategies that form the core of the book. These are brought together in a step-by-step approach combining self-hypnosis, coping exercises and the use of self-suggestion.

The book culminates by offering detailed scripts that can be used to probe more deeply into the underlying causes of pain.

This is both an accessible and exceptionally thorough guide which is not just a very good aid to pain-relief, but also one of the most lucid introductions around to the therapeutic uses of hypnosis in the treatment of everyday problems.