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PrintMilton Erickson - The Ericksonian Handshake
The legendary ‘Ericksonian handshake' whereby Erickson would send someone into deep trance works along a basic human principle. It taps into the natural human 'reorientation response', triggered by shock or surprise. This occurs with 'the handshake' as a familiar social pattern is interrupted. It is described in ‘Haley on Erickson' another fantastic book.Erickson’s true legacy
Although Milton Erickson has been dead for over twenty years, when we really absorb the best books written about his working methods we can extrapolate ways of working which go way beyond mere technique or dry theory.
Brief therapy, solution focussed therapy, systemic family therapy, child psychology even sports performance training have all been influenced by Milton Erickson’s work and ideas.
Now that Milton Erickson is becoming so well known it is sometimes forgotten that when he started out as a young psychiatrist back in the 1920’s he was really a maverick. Because so many elements of his work contradicted standard psychological dogma it took him a while for him to become recognised as a leading clinician. It was only because his results were so consistently good that he rose to prominence.
Erickson wasn’t interested in constructing an edifice of psychological theory and trying to get people to fit the theory. He looked to see what people were like first, then he worked with them as unique individuals.
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