I think it is helpful to provide a definition of hypnotherapy as well as hypnosis before moving on and answering this question from this essay. Linnenkamp Doyle writes, “Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis to treat illness,” which she documents in her case study. This medical idea of ​​hypnosis requires further exploration in terms of how it has evolved and sparked debate among medical and dental practitioners. Mesmer, Braid, Esdaile and Elliotson are arguably four very important hypnotherapists, all emphasizing the medical aspect of hypnotherapy. Mesmer, for example, dedicated his 27 Propositions of 1779 concerning animal magnetism. Closer to modern times, in his book Hypnotherapy, Dave Elman not only focuses on relaxation (a topic which is relevant to this essay), but also puts forward the fundamental medical idea of ​​hypnosis, focusing specifically on factors such as the use of anesthesia in subjects under hypnosis before they undergo dental or medical procedures. This medical and dental use of hypnosis, which allows the transition from hypnosis to hypnotherapy, has also introduced the related problem of people falsely claiming to have special skills in this area. For example, Dr. Zimmerman, Chairman of the Council for Medical and Dental Hypnosis, wrote to the British Medical Journal in 1968, expressing concern that "hypnotherapeutic quacks" had invaded and jeopardized medical procedures and dental. Zimmerman writes that "it has come to the attention of this Society that courses in hypnotherapy are being offered to medical and dental practitioners by persons who do not possess any recognized professional qualifications." Zimmerman adds to this a request for validation from the official society of doctors and d...... middle of paper ......s identified, analyzed, and made me understand the different definitions of hypnosis . He also demonstrated the psychological and physiological effects of the role of relaxation. Works Cited Hypnotherapy: A Handbook Michael Heap and Windy Dryden (Milton Keynes: Open University Press) Hypnotherapy Dave Elman (New York: Westwood Publishing, 1983) Hidden Depths: The Story of Hypnosis Robin Waterfield (New York: Brunner-Routledge, 2003) The British Medical Journal, 'Hypnotherapy' D Zimmerman (Vol. 3, No. 5616 (24 August 1968), p. 501) Hypnotherapy A Practical Handbook Helmut Karle and Jennifer Boys, (New York: Free Association Books, 1987) http: //web.archive.org/web/20040710162753/http://www.unbf.ca/psychology/likely/readings/mesmer.htmFranz Mesner (27 propositions, 1779) http://www.brainandhealth.com/Brain- Waves.html