Medication is often used as a ‘front-line’ response to depression and other depressive disorders, so it’s important to explore other effective treatments for helping people overcome depression. Dr Michael Yapko is internationally recognised for his work in clinical hypnosis and outcome-focused psychotherapy and has a passion for teaching therapists how to use the power of hypnosis to effectively support people in overcoming depression.

In this 30-minute interview, Dr Yapko also shares:

  • How he became interested in hypnosis as an intervention for working with depression
  • What is hypnosis
  • The most common myths that pervade about hypnosis
  • How hypnosis can help in the treatment of depression and other mood disorders
  • The basics of a hypnotic intervention
  • Hypnosis principles that therapists can effectively use in their work with clients
  • His views on the pharmaceutical companies positioning drugs as a front-line intervention for depression

Listen to the podcast audio above or watch the video below.


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Click here to download the PDF transcript of this interview.

Click here to download the PDF for Michael Yapko’s 100 Hour Hypnosis Training in Brisbane 2013

 About the presenter:

Dr Michael Yapko Clinical PsychologistMichael D. Yapko, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist residing in Fallbrook, California (near San Diego).  He is internationally recognised for his work in clinical hypnosis and outcome-focused psychotherapy, routinely teaching to professional audiences all over the world.  He has been invited to present his innovative ideas and methods to colleagues in 30 countries across six continents, and all over the United States. He regularly conducts clinical trainings all over Australia.

Dr. Yapko has had a special interest which spans more than three decades in the intricacies of brief therapy, the clinical applications of hypnosis, and treating the disorder of major depression.  He is the author of 13 books and editor of three others, as well as numerous book chapters, and articles on the subjects of the brief therapy of depression and the use of clinical hypnosis in strategic psychotherapies. His books include:  Mindfulness and Hypnosis: The Power of Suggestion to Transform Experience, Depression is Contagious: How the Most Common Mood Disorder is Spreading Around the World and How to Stop It, Treating Depression with Hypnosis: Integrating Cognitive-Behavioral and Strategic Approaches, Breaking the Patterns of Depression, and his classic textbook on hypnosis, Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis,  now in its new 4th edition. More information about Dr. Yapko’s work is available on his website:www.yapko.com.

Dr. Yapko is a member of the American Psychological Association, a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a member of the International Society of Hypnosis, and a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.  He is a recipient of The Pierre Janet Award of Clinical Excellence, a lifetime achievement award from the International Society of Hypnosis, The Milton H. Erickson Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Psychotherapy, the American Psychological Association Division 30 Award for Distinguished Contributions to Professional Hypnosis,  and twice a recipient of  The Arthur Shapiro Award for The Best Book on Hypnosis (2002, 2007)  from the Society of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.

On the personal side, Dr. Yapko is happily married to his wife, Diane, a pediatric speech-language pathologist.  Together, they enjoy hiking in the Great Outdoors in their spare time.

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