Nocturnal bruxism and hypnotherapy: a case study.

This article describes a case study of a hypnotherapeutic treatment of nocturnal bruxism. The author saw the client for a total of 7 sessions. Hypnotherapy was interspersed with an exploration of tacit and initially denied hostility in the client's life as well as aspects of a somewhat difficult childhood. At the end, the bruxism had disappeared. Follow-up 1 year later indicated that the bruxism had not returned, and the client had become more assertive in her relations with others and had more exploratory activities in her life directions. The latter had not been dealt with in therapy. Thus, there appeared to be a "ripple effect" of successful therapy from one part of her life into its other aspects.