Psychological shocks and creative moments in psychotherapy.

Milton H. Erickson's use of psychological shock is illustrated with five of his case histories with and without the use of hypnosis. The author outlines a number of principles for the safe and successful use of such shock therapy. Erickson's concept of psychological shock is then integrated with the author's views on the facilitating of creative moments as the essence of psychotherapy. A basic theoretical issue is discussed: Is hypnotherapy (and psychotherapy in general) to be concerned with the actual synthesis of new psychic structures or does it deal primarily with the creative reutilization of previous learnings?