What Braid Really Said: The Original Meaning of Hypnotism

This short article reviews Braid’s concept of hypnotism in his later writings and attempts to correct certain widespread misconceptions among hypnotherapists, about the original nature of hypnotism. Continue reading

Online Preview of The Discovery of Hypnosis, The Complete Writings of James Braid, The Father of Hypnotherapy (2009)

The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid, the Father of Hypnotherapy (2009) can now be browsed and searched free online with Google Books. Copies are available for purchase from Anglo-American Books, Amazon, and The National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH). Continue reading

Braid’s Theory of Hypnotic Suggestion

This is an excerpt from The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid (2009) which provides a brief outline of Braid’s original theory of hypnotic suggestion. Continue reading

Hypnotic Sleep Therapy: Some Basic Instructions

This short excerpt from the Coping with Noise project self-help manual, provides very simple advice on using relaxation techniques and hypnotic methods to overcome insomnia and other sleep-related problems. Continue reading

The Principal Writings of James Braid, The Father of Hypnotherapy

This short article describes the principal writings of James Braid, the founder of hypnotherapy, all of which are reproduced in the new book The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid (2009), edited by Donald Robertson with a preface by Dr. Michael Heap. Continue reading

James Braid: His Work and Writings by John Milne Bramwell

This is a short excerpt from Dr. John Milne Bramwell’s influential account of James Braid’s life and work, published in 1896. Bramwell’s introduction to the work of Braid is included as a preface to Braid’s collected writings in the new edition The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid (2009). Continue reading

Contents of The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid

This short article outlines the contents of the new book The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid, the Father of Hypnotherapy (2009) published by the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) and edited by Donald Robertson. Continue reading

The Original Theory of Hypnotism & Suggestion

This is a short excerpt from the writings of James Braid, the founder of hypnotherapy, explaining his theory of hypnotism and suggestion, with a brief introduction explaining his role in the history of hypnotherapy and the recent republication of his collected works. Continue reading

Braid’s Rejected Essay:Practical Essay on the Curative Agency of Neuro-Hypnotism

This reproduces a fragment of probably the first text ever written on hypnotism, James Braid’s “Rejected Essay” for the British Association from 1842 entitled “A Practical Essay on the Curative Agency of Neuro-hypnotism.” Continue reading

The Original Philosophy of Hypnotherapy (from The Discovery of Hypnosis)

James Braid, the founder of hypnotherapy, drew upon the dominant school of philosophical psychology in his day, called Scottish “Common Sense” realism, in formulating his theory of hypnotism and opposing it to Mesmerism. This article is an excerpt from the book The Discovery of Hypnotism: The Complete Writings of James Braid, the Father of Hypnotherapy. Continue reading