When hypnotists don’t see eye to eye

Press, 5 July 1983, Page 21

When hypnotists don’t see eye to eye

By

GARRY ARTHUR

A conflict has developed in Christchurch between two schools of psychology — those trained and qualified as clinical psychologists to treat people’s emotional problems, and others who are practising psychology without clinical qualifications. The man at the centre of the conflict is Warren J. Stewart, who has been practising as a hypnotherapist from rooms in Cathedral Square for the last two years. Although he uses the honorific “Dr” on his office name-plate and in his advertising, he is not a medical doctor; he is an experimental psychologist with a Ph.D. from the University of Tasmania. His doctoral thesis dealt with the effects of drugs on the behaviour of rats. Dr Stewart is not a clinical psychologist and is not qualified to work as a psychologist in a hospital, but he calls himself a “consultant psychologist” — a term which the clinical psychologists consider implies that he is either a clinical psychologist or has medical training. Dr Stewart set himself up in Christchurch as an expert in the

treatment by hypnosis of a wide range of personal, health, motivational, and sexual problems. Here, too, he has drawn criticism. Mr John Bushnell, a clinical psychologist in the department of psychological medicine at Christchurch Hospital — and secretary of the New Zealand branch of the Australian Society of Hypnosis — says Dr Stewart has not had the orthodox training in the use of hypnosis which his society provides for those clinical psychologists, doctors, and dentists who use hypnosis as an adjunct to their professional work. Dr Stewart is a member of a different group — the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapy. Mr Bushnell describes it as a lay organisation of people with no professional qualifications in hypnotherapy. He says clinical psychologists are concerned that Dr Stewart is offering treatment for a wide range of emotional disturbances for which he does not have appropriate training. He has made a formal complaint along those lines to the New Zealand Psychological Society. Dr Ross St George, the society’s presi-

dent, confirmed from Massey University that the complaint had been received, and that Dr Stewart had been informed. He said that the matter would be discussed at this month’s meeting of the society’s council.

Mr Bushnell says the concern about Dr Stewart is that he does not have the training to recognise the severity and the nature of the problems he is attempting to treat. “Hypnosis has to be used in the context of understanding a person's problems and towards achieving an end worked out in consultation with each individual,” he adds.

Dr Stewart replies that he does have training in dealing with people. “I’ve done a lot of psychological training, and I’ve taught in a medical school.”

His masters degree included a paper on counselling and behaviour modification, and he also studied physiological psychology. At the University of Tasmania he tutored fourth-year students in clinical psychology, and at Latrobe University (Melbourne) he tutored in both experimental and clinical psychology. He worked at a clinic which specialised in sexual problems. At Hobart he dealt with suicide problems, and also taught child development courses. While at Newcastle University he lectured on physiological psychology, personality, and behaviour modifica-

tion, to third-year students. Dr Stewart did his Ph.D. at the University of Tasmania on the effects of drugs on the behaviour of animals. He says he also has a masters degree in education — (“that’s with people”) — and he taught educational psychology at the University of Canterbury. Dr Stewart’s diploma in clinical hypnotherapy was issued by the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists. He is associate editor of its journal. He disagrees with Mr Bushnell’s description of the society as a lay organisation. “No way,” says Dr Stewart. “At least half of its members are psychiatrists, psychologists, and medical practitioners. The organisation is aimed at promoting hypnosis and setting standards. For example, we turned down two clinical psychologists at Carrington Hospital in Auckland 18 months ago.” Dr Stewart says his society is made up mainly of practising hypnotherapists, while the Australian Society of Hypnosis is made up mainly of clinical psychologists interested in applying hypnotherapy experimentally. He adds that there is a third organisation — the Australian Hypnotherapists Association — which is mainly made up of lay people. It is the oldest of the three. His society — the A.S.C.H. — was formed by people wanting professional standing.

He says he is a clinical psychologist because he deals with clinical problems. He agrees that he has never worked in a hospital, but fails to see that that is necessary. “I’ve worked in university clinics,” he adds. “Psychology has a large experimental base. I’ve done 35 papers — mostly experimental, but some clinical.” He does not call himself a “clinical” psychologist because he thinks “consultant” sounds better and is appropriate for the work that he and his partner do in assessing prospective employees for business. He claims that psychology has a poor reputation in New Zealand, and says “consultant psychologist” does not have the same “stigma” as “clinical psychologist.” Dr Stewart says he gets a lot of referals from doctors in general practice. He named three G.P.s who have referred patients with anxiety problems, depression, overweight, and some sexual problems.

His training for treating people with sexual problems came from his university course in behaviour modification, plus his experience at the Latrobe University clinic where he counselled people on such matters as premature ejaculation, impotence, and frigidity. Dr Stewart has been accepted as a member of the New Zealand Psychology Society, to which clinical psychologists also belong, but he has had his problems with the society. Two years ago it complained that his advertising material was grossly misleading and unprofessional.

“I was asked to comment,” says Dr Stewart. “I gave them references to follow up, and nothing more was heard of it.” Mr Bushnell says clinical psychologists are still concerned about Dr Stewart’s emphasis on the selling of self-hypnosis tape recordings as a kind of panacea, suggesting that the patient’s life will change simply by listening to the tapes. Members of the Psychology Society also complained about his newspaper advertising regarding the use of hypnosis for breast enlargement. (“I think they were just bloody jealous,” he comments.) Dr Stewart says that was a free research study involving eight women, half of whom increased the size of their breasts by from Icm to 2.5 cm. He says the use of hypnosis for this purpose was based on the possibility that stress could have inhibited breast development in the first place. A current advertising brochure still offers for sale a self-hypnosis tape on the subject of breast and figure development. “Controversial, why not!” it says. “You can shape your body, including the breasts. Learn to be more proud of your figure.” “I don’t think many people in New Zealand are aware how important hypnosis is,” says Dr Stewart. “I use hypnosis with virtually every person I see. I believe I’m good at hypnosis, and I’ve been asked to go to Australia twice to talk about it.” He would not be in hypnosis if he did not believe it was more effective than other psychological techniques.