apist provides during a hypnotherapy session.
Self-hypnosis is also an effective stress relief
method, particularly for people who have chronic
health conditions that cause discomfort or pain.
Often the hypnotherapist will make a recording of
the first session for the person to replay at home.
A person who practices hypnosis may be a doc-
tor, nurse, psychologist, psychotherapist, dentist,
naturopathic physician, or certified hypnotist. Most
states do not regulate hypnotherapy, so it is impor-
tant to fully understand the hypnotherapist’s edu-
cation, credentials, and experience even when the
hypnotherapist is a certified or licensed health
practitioner. It is important to feel a high level of
trust in the hypnotherapist. Hypnosis itself is gener-
ally a safe practice, though it can allow people to
recall circumstances that are emotionally painful.
Once those emotions surface, the person may need
professional guidance to address them.
See also BIOFEEDBACK; MIND–BODY INTERACTIONS.
integrative medicine An approach to the prac-
tice of medicine that uses conventional and com-
plementary therapies in conjunction with one
another. In the United States integrative medicine
typically refers to physicians (MDs and DOs) who
practice conventional medicine that incorporates
complementary therapies, such as ACUPUNCTURE
and herbal remedies, or who work in close associ-
ation with complementary practitioners such as
massage therapists and chiropractors.
Doctors in the United States who practice inte-
grative medicine typically use complementary
methods that clinical studies have shown to pro-
vide therapeutic benefit or at the least have not
shown to cause harm. Hospitals often use integra-
tive methods such as MEDITATIONand VISUALIZATION
with people who are undergoing major surgery or
CANCERtreatment. The ORNISH PROGRAMfor CARDIO-
VASCULAR DISEASE (CVD) presents an integrative
approach that has obtained Medicare approval, a
step that speaks to the effectiveness and accept-
ability of its methods.
See also HOMEOPATHY; MEDICINAL HERBS AND
BOTANICALS; NATUROPATHY; TRADITIONALCHINESE MEDI-
CINE(TCM).78 Alternative and Complementary Approaches