George H. Estabrooks (Hypnosis Mind Control)

[xunconscioussoulx]

Hey all! I don't know how many of you are familiar with Dr. Estabrooks but I would suggest giving his materials a read. It really puts the beliefs of hypnosis for the time, into perspective. He did a lot of work studying the military application of hypnosis and claimed to have induced multiple personality disorder in people in order to use them as messengers, spies etc etc. He also mentioned Milton Erickson in many if not all of his works. He had a great respect for Erickson. He (Erickson) claimed that hypnosis could not be used for manipulation etc and that Erickson did tests to prove this. According to Estabrooks, Erickson failed at his attempts at making a subject do something against his moral character because of Operator- Attitude. Anyway, there's much more to it. I bought Estabrook's book called "Hypnotism" at a antique store for about a dollar. Best dollar I ever spent. Really shows hypnosis during the 40's and 50's. Very cool. Obviously the information isn't reliable but it's a fun read.

I know there's a BIG debate in hypnosis as to whether or not you can control or at least manipulate someone's personality using hypnotic procedures and techniques. What are your personal beliefs around this and what have you experienced to persuade you to come to that conclusion?

Be well !

[Poodle]

That's a find. Depending on if it's a hardback or paperback will determine it's value and, of course, condition. If you don't want it for your library you may consider putting it up for sale.

Estabrooks has never been one of my favorites or even of real interest. Just something one has to learn in this business. I know he was a Professor at Colgate. You do need to understand though that during WWII the USA and it's allies were using every psychiatrist or psychologist they could find to help us win the war by any means possible. Unfortunately, hypnosis is not mind control. We were taught how to do mind control in the Instructor's class and it has nothing to do with hypnosis in any shape or form. Also in that class was a psychologist that came and took the courses just so he could help one lady that had MPD. It's not really taught in hypnosis so one evening after class I felt sorry for him and explained to him how to get his client well again.

It's interesting that you believe The Manchurian Candidate to be true while I well know as a practicing hypnotherapist and instructor of hypnotherapy that it is indeed not true but I certainly don't have to adopt your beliefs. I don't believe in all of history in the USA that a criminal has got out of the pen with that claim.

What Erickson was referring to is how quickly someone's morals can change -- given the situation. Our Moderator, Skip, has referred to it as a couple of teens in the front seat making out and the guy says to the girl: Want to jump in the backseat? Ooops, morals just may have changed there.

Enjoy the Forum~Pood :pood:

[Grane]

A lot of what is done to induce dissociative disorders has less to do with hypnotism and more to do with trauma-based mind control. Totally different animal.

[Poodle]

to have the UC mind do totally different from the conscious mind. That's not quite multiple personalities although he does go on at length how to cure them. Thankfully, now it's much easier. He also claimed most people could not be hypnotized and we know that's untrue today. I don't understand how he hypnotized anyone -- his language was continually sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep. Did the larger percentage of people do as he said and just went to sleep? :confused:

[Don]

Unfortunately, when you live on a map, it's often difficult to recognize that the map is not the territory. Estabrooks was writing over 60 years ago. Born in 1885, he would have been heavily influenced by the experience of WWI, the Great Depression, and WWII. I would say that his style both of writing and his personal beliefs were based on the milieu and simply reflect concepts at the time.

The concept of a "Manchurian Candidate," although fictional, was believed to be easily possible. Today, certain aspects of the training of U.S. "Special Forces" such as the Navy Seals, Army Green Berets, etc., are based on preventing them from becoming such agents should they be captured.

I don't think Estabrooks was simply telling people what they wanted to hear in order to make money. He really thought it was true, just as people who built bomb shelters thought it would protect them in case of nuclear war.

They believed the map was real.

[Poodle]

please re-read. My post is in support of Estabrooks as first poster wrote that he created MP's and Erickson said it was impossible. I wrote the MP's that he created were not the typical type we write about today.
My only complaint was if his 'subjects' that failed to enter a hypnotic trance went to sleep instead as that was his language - sleep, sleep, sleep.

He was undoubtedly very advanced for that time. His history of hypnosis is fascinating and possibly the best I have ever read. He was obviously a few steps ahead of Hull in that he viewed each person as an individual and did not want to create one-size-fits-all recordings.

His book "Hypnotism" is a fascinating book on it's own and shows us how far we have progressed. He worked with some problems and believed that somnambulism was not necessary....fascinating for that period of time.

Another thing that Estabrooks did with very certain people was to use the 'hypnotic seal'. He did not want to take a chance on anyone changing or ruining what he had accomplished. I know it was used a lot in the older days by even dentists but it now seems to be a lost art form as we know how to 'break' that seal easily now.

It's an excellent book and I recommend that all practicing hypnotherapists/instructors read it.