Adult life, career and fame.
We ended the first part with the story of the physical, psychological and spiritual recovery after the attack of poliomyelitis, which Milton Erickson experienced at the age of 17.
After regaining the ability to walk, Erickson attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned degrees in psychology and medicine. There he also formally began studying hypnosis in Clark Hull's laboratory. However, since his ideas were somewhat different from Hull's (he felt that he did not take enough account of the needs of individual patients), Erickson independently undertook thorough scientific research into the nature of hypnosis.
He was equally disillusioned with the theories of established psychoanalysts such as Freud and Jung. Erickson believed that these psychologists were too concerned with theory and too little with individual patients. Contrary to Freud, who believed that the unconscious could be a dark and negative force, Erickson believed that the unconscious contained much wisdom and could be used to solve practical problems.
His approach to therapy, now known as Erickson's hypnotherapy, focused on harnessing the individual's inner resources for change and improvement. He put the client's unique experience and skills first. Instead of focusing on past traumas or problems, Erickson believed that individuals are inherently equipped with the potential to solve problems. Freud was devoted to the study of the past, which is unchangeable.
"Each person is unique. Therefore, we must tailor psychotherapy to the uniqueness of the individual's needs, rather than trying to squeeze him into the Procrustean bed of hypnotic theories about human behavior."
In 1928, he received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine with an emphasis in neurology and psychiatry. Between 1929 and 1948, Erickson held several positions at state hospitals that allowed him to do active research. He continued his research in the field of hypnosis while honing his practical therapeutic skills. Even then he was a prolific writer, focusing mainly on case studies and experimental work. His earlier writings greatly contributed to the general understanding of hypnosis and are included in The Collected Works of Milton Erickson, MD
By the end of the 1930s, Dr. Erickson recognized for his work in the field of hypnosis and respected in psychiatric circles.
During World War II, Erickson performed physical and mental examinations of soldiers. Eventually, US intelligence asked him to meet with other experts to better understand the psychological and mental factors involved in combat communications. In this role he collaborated with Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, with whom he developed lasting friendships. In the decades that followed, these scholars collaborated on many projects.
In the late 1940s, Erickson developed post-polio syndrome, which caused further loss of muscle mass and pain. At that time, Erickson, his wife Elizabeth, and their five children moved from Detroit to Phoenix, Arizona, believing that the weather conditions would be favorable for his treatment. There, Erickson established himself in private practice and worked from home for the rest of his life.
Despite almost constant, intense physical pain and a progressive loss of mobility that led to him being confined to a wheelchair in later years, Dr. Erickson extremely active. In Phoenix, Erickson became an active member of the Society for Clinical and Educational Hypnosis (SCEH). This organization promoted research and taught doctors how to use clinical hypnosis.
Due to personality conflicts and strong feelings about the most effective ways to bring clinical hypnosis to practicing physicians and dentists, Erickson split from SCEH and formed the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) in July 1957. He was the founding editor of the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis for a decade and had at least one article in each issue.
In the fifties and sixties of the last century, dr. Erickson published extensively, traveled extensively and lectured both at home and abroad, continued research, and was in high demand as a practicing psychiatrist. It was a productive period during which he developed and perfected his unique style of hypnotherapy, which attracted the attention of other prominent figures.
In the 1970s, when he was confined to his home due to his physical condition, Dr. Erickson still held educational seminars for professionals on a daily basis and continued to see some patients. His ongoing collaboration with Gregory Bateson drew the interest of some to Erickson's unique communication skills and therapeutic approaches.
In 1973, Jay Haley published the book Uncommon Therapy, which first introduced Erickson and his approaches to those outside the clinical hypnosis community. Erickson's fame and reputation spread rapidly, and so many people wanted to meet him that he began holding teaching seminars. These continued until his death.
When he died on March 25, 1980, at the age of 78, his seminars were booked through the end of that year, and demand exceeded another year's schedule. dr. Erickson left a written legacy of more than 140 scientific articles and five books on hypnosis, which he co-authored.
In the last (third) part, we will present the extraordinary and still living legacy of one of the most original and innovative thinkers in the field of psychiatry and psychotherapy in the 20th century.