Some notes quickly jotted stating my opinions including a lack of interest in doing a literature review of controlled studies of hypnosis. I leave that to others. My energies now go to other things. But of course I'm glad to lead a discussion next week based on the below when hopefully we'll meet outside in clement weather. And glad to tell of the inducing technique to the extent I know it. Best wishes, Russ Anecdotal Impressions of Hypnosis  by a former Psychiatry Educator/Administrator Also Psychoanalyst/Psychotherapist/Psychopharmacologist Russell Gardner, Jr., M.D. (University of Chicago, 1962) Chaos Complex Systems Seminar (CCSS) September 7, 2021 Opinion based on education, training and experience as detailed below When a licensed clinician, I deployed hypnosis selectively and without great skill Have felt biased against it for ethical concerns: Hypnosis implies a power relationship in which the patient/client is subordinate to treater  For me as an M.D. the other person was patient never client Also “patient” implied that the person needed patience with their malady and its complexities I have felt that one ought to have a peer relationship with the money-exchange business-features a determinant A treater takes the patient’s money for expected benefit While practically true of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, each of which I learned and practiced, one should treat the patient with the respect of a potential peer The treater knew that that patient’s manifest wishes with for improvement was met with internal resistance My emphasis as a treater always aimed at focusing on and discussing those inhibitions, resistances, means of lessening expected pain I wanted that the patient should be respected peer; if subordinate now, the treatment should move to a position of full respected peer Stasis and lack of progress should be dealt with as resistance too Psychopathology typically hinged on variations of trauma and was what we currently know as post-traumatic syndrome  Pharmacology also is a power relationship Helped by concurrent psychotherapy with implied peer contract as in B.1. Am skeptical of most research in view of many of the very familiar concerns raised in CCSS on 9/7/2021  III. Personal Background (not a usual CV) 1966-1968: Clinical Research Branch, NIMH Backdrop for creation of NIMH and its clinical research emphases JFK from his family fostered new prioritizations (stemmed from maltreatment of his sister still in Wisconsin) He and family knew that too little systematic research was being done  Therefore NIMH received highest level emphasis and funding infusion Administrative roles in reviewing research grant proposals (including hypnosis!) Wrote “pink sheet” summaries of study section comments and decisions Attended discussion and decision meetings of the oversight committees Went on site visits with study section representatives  A guru then on hypnosis was Martin Orne He and associates at U Pennsylvania studied it— Was a valued NIMH consultant Other experts (and well-published advocates) at that time were Herbert and David Spiegel (father and son both of whom wrote books on hypno-treatment) Strongly advocated treatment, very enthusiastic promotors Met them at professional meetings and heard presentations Recall having one of their books but don’t recall more than skimming it 1968-1974: Junior faculty at Albert Einstein College of Medicine  At Montefiore hospital doing sleep movement research Also gained more education as a fellow in Consultation-Liason (CL) Psychiatry 1974-1984: Administrative: Professor and Chairman at U. North Dakota  Teacher/Administrator—Oversaw and hands-on for developing programs for preclinical behavioral sciences, 3rd year medical student clerkship, and a new residency in psychiatry in concert with Neurology program doing the same Clinically developed a CL team meant adapting a University program to satisfy a private hospital’s need Psychotherapy to a limited degree Demonstrated a limited session short term psychotherapy that included Called on for NIMH roles in Clinical Training in Psychiatry Served on a study section for grants in education then being funded which  for a time made me their chairman Became acquainted with most other administrative psychiatrists, traveling the country for committees and the like Sometime then and beyond (16 years total) was an oral examiner four times/year for the American Boards of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) on sequential examining teams (two Directors for eight years each)  Began a major role in the newly developing Psychiatry Residence In-Training Examination (PRITE)  This flowed from Sabbatical at Thomas Jefferson U program in Philadelphia Numerous multiple choice questions that had to be newly originated each year Separate from a parallel examination for the ABPN which committee I had already served on  1984-1999: Harry K. Davis Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UTMB, Galveston, TX At beginning, a vice-chairman (in view of my reputation to then) But I had wished for a clinical role so became director of Consultation-Liaison for the program Also did psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy; left program to retire when new chairman, funded by Big Pharma, moved to diminish psychotherapy  Could afford to retire and did, but found the barriers to Wisconsin licensure too high so now write creatively, do art, and walk five miles per day, living a good life