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• Hypnotically Informed Psychotherapy

  • When
    Saturday, January 10, 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  Hypnotically Informed Psychotherapy

  
  

  Live, Interactive, Virtual

  Saturday, January 10, 2026 

  10:00AM - 1:00PM EST

  The Clinical Hypnosis Society of New Jersey is pleased to welcome our society President Rob Staffin, PsyD, ABPH for what we hope to be one of many workshops on this topic.    

  Whether you have a background in hypnosis or are simply curious, this course will provide a brief overview of hypnosis and then offer examples of how the principles that underlie the processes of hypnosis can be woven into one’s clinical practice regardless of one’s theoretical orientation.

  INTENDED AUDIENCE: Social Workers, Psychologists, Mental Health Counselors, Graduate Students (with a letter from their university), Marriage and Family Therapists, Physicians, Nurses and Dentists practicing within the scope of their license.  

  Students and non-licensed professionals are required to submit proof of their status and supervisor. 

  KNOWLEDGE/SKILL LEVEL OF PARTICIPANTS:  Introductory. No previous hypnosis training is required.

  ABOUT THE PRESENTER

  

  Dr. Robert Staffin is a clinical psychologist who lives and practices in Teaneck, New Jersey.  He received his doctorate from Yeshiva University’s Frekauf Graduate School of Psychology in 1990.  His research was in infant social development.  Since completing his doctorate, he has worked in hospitals and clinics with children and adults.  In 2003 he and his partner, Gail Talcoff, MSW, co-founded Staffin & Talcoff Associates, Inc.  He is an adjunct clinical supervisor for both Yeshiva University and Rutgers University.

  Dr. Staffin has been teaching hypnosis nationally and internationally for over 20 years.  In addition to being an approved consultant for the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, he is the president of the Clinical Hypnosis Society of New Jersey and a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychological Hypnosis. He is the author of More Common Therapy: The experiential psychotherapy of Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D.

  COURSE DESCRIPTION

  Hypnosis has a rich academic and clinical history. The clinician who understands the underpinnings of hypnosis, e.g., how to fixate attention, depotentiate conscious sets, and cultivate unconscious searches, is better able to identify, elicit, and utilize these naturally occurring “states” to make their clinical work more impactful.

  Much of what skilled clinicians do can be viewed through a hypnotic lens. This program will highlight how what you are likely doing already can be done with greater strategic and mindful intent.  

  Whether you have a background in hypnosis or are simply curious, this course will provide a brief overview of hypnosis and then offer examples of how the principles that underlie the processes of hypnosis can be woven into one’s clinical practice regardless of one’s theoretical orientation.

  COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  At the conclusion of this session participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the concept of influence as it is used in the social psychology literature.

  2. List the five steps in facilitating a hypnotic elicitation.

  3. Identify the six core competencies of Ericksonian Therapy.

  
  

  TIMED AGENDA (3 hours of Education/Instruction)

  10:00-10:05 AM        Welcome/Overview/Objectives

  10:05-11:00 AM        Setting the stage                                                    Unconscious Thought Theory, Spread activation, Issues of influence, Embodiment, Implicit rapport

  11:00-11:40 AM        What is hypnosis?                                                  Some definitions, Hypnosis as both process and “state,” hypnotic phenomena 

  11:40-12:00 AM        Steps in facilitating a hypnotic “elicitation.”      Fixate attention, Depotentiate conscious sets, Cultivate an unconscious search, Activate unconscious processes, Manifestations of hypnotic responsiveness

  12:00-12:50 PM         The Core Competencies                                      Tailoring, Utilization, Strategic, Destabilization, Experiential, Naturalistic

  12:50 pm - 1:00 pm   Wrap up/Summary/Evaluation

                               

  CERTIFICATES OF ATTENDANCE

  CHSNJ Certificates of attendance are included in the cost of the workshop.  Certificates of attendance will be emailed to professionals who attend the entire program, provide their license number, and return the CHSNJ program evaluation. The CHSNJ certificate provides information about continuing education credits and approvals. 

  CONTINUING EDUCATION APPROVALS: 

  ASCH

  This program has been approved by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Standards of Training Committee to be used toward Membership and Certification requirements: 3 credits 

  
  

  The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis-Education and Research Foundation (ASCH-ERF) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Education and Research Foundation (ASCH-ERF) designates this live activity for a maximum of 3 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

  This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (886386995-7390) for 3 continuing education contact hours. 

  This course is approved by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and as such is an approved continuing education course per Florida’s AC-Rule 64B-4-6002 American Society of Clinical Hypnosis-ERF is designated as an Approved PACE Program Provider. 

  The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Education & Research Foundation Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit.  Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement. 10/1/2021 to 9/30/2027.  Provider ID#217022

  
  

  SOCIAL WORKERS 

  “This course, Hypnotically Informed Psychotherapy, Approval #10142025-229, provided by Clinical Hypnosis Society of New Jersey is approved for continuing education by the New Jersey Social Work Continuing Education Approval Collaborative, which is administered by NASW-NJ. CE Approval Collaborative Approval Period: Tuesday, October 24, 2025 through August 31, 2026. New Jersey social workers will receive 3 CE credits for participating in this course.”
  

  
  

  PSYCHOLOGISTS, LPC, MFT

  CREDITS

  3 CE Hours for Psychologists

  Instructional level: Introductory

  Rutgers Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Rutgers Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

  Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0123.

  LMFT/MFT and LPC/LAC Licensed in New Jersey: Programs approved by the American Psychological Association are acceptable sources of continuing education credits. Please see https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/regulations/Chapter-34-Subchapters-10-31-Professional-Counselors.pdf, Section: 13:34-15.4 APPROVAL OF COURSES OR PROGRAMS on page 27. For all other professional licenses and certifications, please reference your issuing state board regulations regarding reciprocity of continuing education credits.

  CANCELLATION POLICY:  

  A full tuition refund, less a $50 fee, will be made for cancellations up to 14 days cancellation fee will be granted up to 14 days prior to the workshop. After that, there is no reimbursement.

  COMPLAINTS AND GRIEVANCES

  All grievances must be in writing to chsnj1986@gmail.com. A reply will come within 5 business days.

  "New Jersey social workers not pleased with a grievance resolution provided by the Clinical Hypnosis Society of New Jersey may appeal to the approving entity or their jurisdictional board."

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• Treatment Planning in Clinical Hypnosis

  • When
    Saturday, February 21, 2026
  •  
    11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  The Clinical Hypnosis Society of New Jersey is pleased to offer the fourth in the series of conversations based on the book, Introduction to Clinical Hypnosis: the basics and beyond, edited by Dr. Gary Elkins. 

  Join us on Saturday,  February 21, 2026 as we welcome Don Moss, PhD and Eric Willmarth, PhD presenting "Treatment Planning in Clinical Hypnosis." 

  This program will be held virtually on Zoom from 11AM to 1PM EST.

  The Clinical Conversations are free to members of ASCH, its component sections, SCEH, ESH, and ISH.  There is a $15 fee for nonmembers.  All proceeds go to fund the Stephen R. Lankton Scholarship Award.

  PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

  Planning treatment in clinical hypnosis always involves a balancing between applying the accumulated knowledge in the field and responding to the dynamic interaction with the patient in the present moment. This presentation will outline the knowledge and the craft that should be applied in planning clinical hypnosis, and the communication with patients to obtain their informed consent. The authors also acknowledge that the principle of utilization prevails in treatment sessions, and the intended itinerary for a session may shift abruptly, based on what the patient presents in the moment.

  TIMED AGENDA

  11:00 – Overview of the Webinar, Introductions

  11:15 – The Patient’s Presentation and Complaints

  11:30 – Group Discussion:  Memorable Patient Presentations in your Clinical Practice

  11:45 – The Use of Evidence Based Protocols in Treatment Planning

                 Case Narrative:  IBS

  12:00 – Breakout Session Discussion:  Attendees’ Use of Evidence Based Protocols

  12:10 – Cautions and Contraindications

                 Recognizing Medical Conditions Requiring Attention

                 Case Narrative:  The Artist with the Broken Heart

                 Case Narrative:  Successful Hypnosis with Hypertension

  12:20 – Treatment Planning: The Science and the Art

  12:35 – Utilization: Seizing the Moment

                 Case Narrative:  Pain

                 Case Narrative:  Fire Alarms

  12:40 – Therapeutic Use of the First Session

  12:45 – Group Discussion

  12:50 -- Closing

  LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  At the conclusion of this program the participant will be able to:

  • Understand hypnotic dimensions of the patient’s decision to seek help and the patient’s experience of the first therapeutic encounter;
  • Explain the initial assessment and screening process, to determine the patient’s appropriateness and readiness for clinical hypnosis treatment;
  • Explain the value and strategy of coordination with the patient’s medical providers.
  • Execute a thorough case assessment to elucidate the information necessary to develop a quality treatment plan; and
  • Design treatment plans for patients/clients who present with anxiety and bowel disorders.

  ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

  Dr. Donald Moss is Professor and Dean, College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences, at Saybrook University, Pasadena, CA. He is a health psychologist, certified in hypnosis and biofeedback. He is the education chair and president for the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH). He previously served as the president of SCEH, president of Division 30 (hypnosis) of the American Psychological Association, and president of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback.

  Moss is co-author with Fredric Shaffer of A Primer of Biofeedback (AAPB, 2022), and co-author with Angele McGrady of Pathways through Long-Term Health Conditions: Lifestyle Medicine for your Wellbeing (Pavilion, 2025), Integrative Pathways: Navigating Chronic Illness with a Mind-Body-Spirit Approach (Springer, 2018), and Pathways to Illness, Pathways to Health (Springer, 2013).

  Moss is co-editor of several scholarly books, including The Integration of Psychotherapy and Psychophysiology (Oxford University Press, 2024), Evidence-Based Practice in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (AAPB, 2023), Mindfulness, Compassion, and Biofeedback Practice (AAPB, 2020),  Physiological Recording Technology and Applications in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (AAPB, 2019), Foundations of Heart Rate Variability: A Book of Readings (AAPB, 2016), and Handbook of Mind-Body Medicine in Primary Care (Sage, 2003).

  Moss is also the author or co-author of over 80 book chapters and scholarly journal articles on topics in health psychology, psychophysiology, hypnosis, and research best practices. He is currently an associate editor of the journals Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback and Frontiers (Psychology), and a consulting editor for the journals International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Annals of Palliative Medicine, and International Journal of Psychophysiology.

  
  

  

  With over 40 years of clinical hypnosis experience, Eric K. Willmarth has worked in a large pain management practice for the past 38 years.  As a clinical psychologist, he has integrated hypnosis, biofeedback, and psychotherapy on a daily basis. Dr. Willmarth is the current president of the Michigan Society for Clinical Hypnosis and is a past president of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis, and the Society for Psychological Hypnosis, APA’s Division 30.   He is currently the Director of the Applied Psychophysiology Program in the College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences, Saybrook University. Eric serves on the ASCH Clinical Hypnosis Education and Training Committee and has presented on hypnosis-related topics nationally and internationally for decades. He continues to enjoy learning from each of these experiences. 

  
  

  
  

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• Neurophysiology of Hypnosis

  • When
    Saturday, March 28, 2026
  •  
    11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  The Clinical Hypnosis Society of New Jersey is pleased to offer the next in the series of conversations based on the book, Introduction to Clinical Hypnosis: the basics and beyond, edited by Dr. Gary Elkins. 

  Join us on Saturday,  March 28, 2026 as we welcome Dr. Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse and Dr. Mathieu Landry presenting the "Neurophysiology of Hypnosis."  

  This program will be held virtually on Zoom from 11AM to 1PM EDT.

  The Clinical Conversations are free to members of ASCH, its component sections, SCEH, ESH, and ISH.  There is a $15 fee for nonmembers.  All proceeds go to fund the Stephen R. Lankton Scholarship Award.

  PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

  Hypnosis is increasingly recognized as a powerful adjunct in clinical practice, particularly in pain management, oncology, and anxiety disorders. Yet, its underlying neural mechanisms have only recently begun to be elucidated through neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies. This presentation will summarize current evidence on how hypnosis modulates brain activity and connectivity across key networks involved in consciousness, attention, and pain processing.

  
  

  Findings show that hypnosis alters the balance between internal and external awareness networks, disrupts activity within the Default Mode Network, and engages regions such as the anterior cingulate and insular cortices that mediate emotional and sensory components of pain. Differences between highly and low hypnotizable individuals further highlight distinct attentional and inhibitory mechanisms that may influence clinical responsiveness.

  We will also review neurophysiological data supporting the use of hypnosis in acute and chronic pain, oncology care, phobias, and functional neurological disorders. Finally, emerging approaches combining hypnosis with virtual reality will be discussed as promising tools to enhance patient comfort and engagement in clinical settings.

  By linking neurophysiological mechanisms to clinical outcomes, this talk aims to help clinicians better understand how hypnosis can be integrated into everyday care to optimize therapeutic efficacy and patient well-being.

  TIMED AGENDA

  11:00am -11:30am The neural mechanisms of hypnosis 

  11:30am -12:00pm The impact of trance on internal and external     awareness networks

  12:00pm -12:20pm Clinical applications of hypnosis

  12:20pm-12:45pm Linking neurophysiological mechanisms to clinical outcomes; integrating hypnosis into clinical practice to enhance efficacy 

  12:45pm – 1:00pm Q & A 

  LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Describe the key brain regions and neural networks involved in the hypnotic state, as revealed by functional neuroimaging studies (fMRI, EEG, PET).

  • Explain how neuroimaging evidence links specific neurophysiological changes during hypnosis to its clinical benefits.

  • Evaluate the strengths and limitations of current neuroimaging approaches in distinguishing hypnotic responsiveness from other states of consciousness.

  ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

  Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse is a neuropsychologist, Associate Professor, and PhD in Medical Sciences. She is interested in modified states of consciousness (hypnosis, virtual reality/hypnosis, trances from traditional practices). A researcher within the Interdisciplinary Algology Center at the University Hospital of Liège, she also leads the Conscious Care Lab, a research unit of GIGA Consciousness at the University of Liège. Her objectives are to develop research paradigms in order to assess the contribution of tools involving techniques such as hypnosis, virtual reality, as well as various trance practices for the overall well-being of patients (chronic pain, oncology, intensive care, etc.), and to study their neuronal correlates to better understand the underlying processes of these particular states.

  Dr. Mathieu Landry is an Assistant Professor in the École de psychologie at Université Laval and a Principal Investigator at the CERVO Research Center. His research explores the neural mechanisms of attention, distraction, and altered states of consciousness such as hypnosis, using advanced neurophysiological methods (EEG, MEG, intracranial recordings) and computational modeling. His interdisciplinary program bridges cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and data science to better understand how attentional control and conscious states influence perception, pain, and decision-making.

  
  

  
  

  
  

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