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INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Vol. 19, No. 2

Hypnosis in Cuba:  Current Tendencies and Future Directions
by Manuel Rodriguez Sanchez, Ph.D.; Julio Santana Marino, Ps. Lic; Maria Rodriguez Rodriguez, Ph.D.; Guillermo Piqueras Hernandez, and Liban Alvarez Ramirez Manzanillo, Cuba

The beginnings of hypnosis in Cuba started in 1958, when the first hypnosis society was founded by the Argentine professor, Dr. Duprat.  Another important moment was the formalization of the Cuban Hypnosis Society, in 1986, adjunct to the Sciences Academy, whose president is Braulio Martinez Perigod, Ps. Lic.

Three books have been written by Cuban authors on the topic of hypnosis:  Hypnosis: Theory, Methods and Techniques (authored by Martinez Perigod and Moises Asis); The Teaching of Hypnosis: Theoretic and Practical Course (authored by Garcia Benitez Diego, Ph.D.), and, I Do Believe in Hypnosis (authored by Alberto Cobian Mena).

Scientific events that have taken place in the country include, “The Cuban Hypnosis Society Congress,” in Havana, and recently, "Hipno Santiago 99," an international seminar on hypnosis with Cuban and foreign participants.  The main topics discussed at this meeting were biological basis of hypnosis, psychology and hypnosis, anesthetic and surgical procedures using hypnosis, forensic medicine, as well as other topics. The scientific program included plenary lectures, debates, workshops, symposia and posters.

Santiago de Cuba is one of the prominent locations of the clinical hypnosis development in Cuba.  Alberto Cobian Mena, Ps. Lic, is a professor who teaches hypnosis.

There is an outstanding development of hypnosis research at Manzanillo, where the local society is called "HipnoManz."  The main investigations carried out by the teaching and research staff are major surgery using hypnosis as the only anesthetic procedure, hypnosis for the treatment of hypertension, short term memory in hypnosis, clinical vital signs in hypnosis and in the "awake" state, learning under very deep hypnosis, and potentiating mental capacities (see Rev Neurol Espana, 1997, 25 (148), pp.1859-1862).  This group from Manzanillo also is distinguished because of the teaching of hypnosis, since a prestigious and well-known course, Hypnosis Techniques, is conducted by the new generation of Cuban professors. The course is directed to health professionals throughout the country.

It is a strategy of the Public Health Ministers in Cuba to promote and support the development of hypnosis, including the teaching of the subject for the health professionals in postgraduates courses and as a part of the Traditional and Natural Master Degree.  The practice of hypnosis is allowed only in state health institutions by certified professionals and under a strict code of ethics.  The most common uses of hypnosis are for the management of hypertension, headaches, skin diseases, pain control in surgery, Oncology and Gynecology, and in Dentistry.

Hypnosis-based psychotherapy has started to grow in the last years in Cuba, especially for the treatment of phobias, anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction.   However, this type of therapy still has a long way to go, and it constitutes a special clinical challenge in the future.

The most widespread induction methods are traditional techniques, even though there is a growing interest in Ericksonian approaches.

Cuban professionals are open to scientific exchange within the world of hypnosis on the basis of the ethics and fraternal principles that encourage them.

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