Hypnotherapeutic treatment for anxiety-related relational discord: a short-term hypnotherapeutic protocol

Abstract

Hypnotherapeutic interventions are currently used to treat both anxiety disorders and relational discord between couples, yet few hypnotherapeutic interventions specifically address anxiety disorders within the context of a romantic partnership. This article explores a short-term hypnotherapeutic treatment protocol designed for couples' therapy in which the relational dynamic has been impacted by one partner's anxiety disorder. Anxiety not only causes suffering for the anxious patient, but can negatively impact intimate relationships as well. The hypnotherapeutic treatment protocol advanced in this article is specifically designed to address relational discord which is fueled by the presence of one partner's anxiety, and complements more standard individual treatment for anxiety disorders. Strategies to assess for the presence of relational discord with individual patients presenting with an anxiety disorder are included, as well as implications for longer-term couples' treatment.