Integrating ericksonian hypnosis and systemic couple therapy in the treatment of conversion disorders

Focusing on a systemic view of conversion disorders, this paper presents a particular system of family and couple interactive patterns that we have called narrative relationships. This theoretical framework is illustrated through a case example and the verbatim transcript of a hypnotic couple session, in order to demonstrate how systemic psychotherapy and Ericksonian hypnotherapy can happily meet and perfectly integrate. The hypnosystemic approach is based on the assumption that patterns of behaviour that take place in a family or couple system are not independent from the individual thinking of its members, and vice versa. Conversion disorders seem to be the context in which the individual and family drama provide the greatest evidence, to the point of making the story prevail over any subjective or intersubjective authenticity. The narrative relationship is characterized by: (1) communication patterns centred on the presence of 'secrets'; (2) a fantastic and dramatizing facade built on everyday life events; and (3) a pervasive tendency to transform all experiences into a narrative to be told continuously to interested and unconcerned listeners. The results of our clinical experience confirm that the therapeutic intervention demonstrates effectiveness mostly when the basic conflict and the symbolism embedded in the disorder is understood in terms of a specific system of relations. © 2011 British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis.