Dr. Donald Moss

Dean-Emeritus, College of Integrative Medicine & Health Sciences, Saybrook Univ. New book on self-care for chronic illness, Integrative Pathways (Springer).

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Don't miss an upcoming webinar on hypnosis interventions for sleep.

"Sleep Architecture, Brain Waves, and Hypnosis: How Hypnosis Can Help People Sleep Better"
Presented by Dyan Haspel-Johnson, PhD

Friday, May 8, 2026

9am-10:30am PT/ 11am-12:30pm CT/ 12pm-1:30pm ET

Live and Recorded for Homestudy

Half of all adults experience regular sleep disturbances, with significant portions of the population suffering from chronic insomnia, according to Rand’s 2023 Global Report.

Hypnosis can be very helpful with inducing relaxation, releasing anxiety, and controlling the spinning thoughts that often accompany insomnia through shifting and refocusing attention and having more control over somatic and emotional content (Jiang et al. 2016). Additionally, hypnosis has been shown to increase parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activation (the body’s rest/relief/safety response) (VandeVusse et al. 2010) making it naturally conducive to sleep. It has been this speaker’s experience that understanding sleep architecture and the specific components of sleep may enable the practitioner to design and deliver unique suggestions that can effectively target sleep and wake cycles.

One key commonality between hypnosis and sleep is the prevalence and importance of theta brain waves in both. Because of the activation of theta brain waves during the 1st and 2nd stages of sleep (Patel, et. al, 2024) and also during hypnosis (e.g., De Pascalis, 2024; Jensen, Adachi, and Hakimian, 2015), there may be value in exploring the use of hypnotic suggestions that target theta brain waves and the stages of sleep to improve sleep quality, depth, and health.

In this workshop, we will discuss the foundations of sleep in the body and brain, talk about some of the architecture of sleep and hypnosis, and learn how to address sleep/wake issues – especially insomnia – using hypnotic metaphors, language, and specific suggestions. Demonstration of a hypnotic intervention will be included.

This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 1.5 CEs for Psychologists, 1.5 IL CEUs for Counselors and Social Workers, or 1.5 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSWs, and LMFTs.

To register: https://t.co/RS2ADkMfK8

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Don't Miss Friday's Hypnosis Webinar:

"Creating Reliably Effective Hypnosis Interventions for Chronic Physical Symptoms" with Olafur S. Palsson, PsyD, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

April 10, 2026, at noon EDT

To register, go to: https://t.co/ZD9tT6cjpI

Overview: Chronic physical symptoms that have already proven unresponsive to the usual medical treatment methods can present formidable challenges in healthcare. Clinical hypnosis offers unique techniques for addressing medically unresponsive symptoms, but for the best effects the clinician often has to apply treatment differently than in other hypnosis applications. In this webinar, Dr. Palsson will provide participants with a detailed overview of a specific structure and set of essential elements for hypnosis treatment that together produce high probability of improvement in chronic physical symptoms. The success of this specific approach has been consistently demonstrated in twelve published research studies on gastrointestinal disorders, including IBS, chronic abdominal pain, inflammatory bowel disease, functional dyspepsia and esophageal disorders, but the same framework is equally applicable to other chronic health problems, such as migraine and fibromyalgia. It involves the preparation of the client for treatment, formulating the hypnosis sessions to contain key principles and sequence of steps that maximize therapeutic impact, and crafting suggestions and metaphors that effectively target psychological and physiological processes that influence body symptoms.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

I am pleased to announce a new Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, dedicated to Nature Immersion, Health, and the Community. I will head a team of guest editors for this issue, including Tamami Shirai, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego (and a Saybrook University graduate, and Kersten McEwan, University of Derby, United Kingdom. Papers must be submitted by September 2027. More details can be found at: https://t.co/KUmkl0nRqH

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

I am excited to announce my latest publication, an article in the journal Brain Sciences, on The Relevance of Heart Rate Variability for Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy. This article is part of the Special Issue Hypnotherapy: From Basic Research to Clinical Practice, edited by my friend and colleague, Dr. Giuseppe DeBenedittis of Milan, Italy.

The article is available with Open Access at:

https://t.co/RwwdwWfjOa

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Mark your calendars now for this SCEH Webinar on "The Impact of Language on Healing."

Presenter: Holly Forester-Miller, PhD, LCMHC.
January 9, 2026 at Noon Eastern.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Saybrook University Graduate, Dr. Myrna Saadeh White, Publishes New Book

"First-Time Parent, Expecting Better"

What a beautiful book, timely and practical for any woman or couple facing pregnancy. Myrna Saadeh White has experienced what she expresses in this book. Personally, she was born by an emergency C-section to a mother who had suffered seven miscarriages. She experienced a miscarriage herself and achieved pregnancy later in spite of challenges. Professionally, Dr. Saadeh White is also a counselor who has guided countless women and couples through fertility challenges, pregnancy, and mothering. She went on to earn a doctorate in mind-body medicine at Saybrook University from the first graduate program to provide this breakthrough degree. In "First-Time Parent, Expecting Better," she offers the reader practical wisdom distilled from research, her patients’ experiences, and her own life. I recommend this book highly. Buy it and read every page twice! [Available on Amazon].

Reviewed by Donald Moss, PhD, Saybrook University

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Mark your calendar and plan to join us at an upcoming event.
#HypnosisTraining #ClinicalHypnosis #EvidenceBasedPractice
https://t.co/odzfwKKbrf

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Vanderbilt University Integrative Medicine Faculty Address Hypnosis for Pelvic Pain

Don’t miss this upcoming webinar, sponsored by the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis:

November 14, 2025, at 12 Noon Eastern
Hypnosis for Pelvic Pain and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Lindsey McKernan, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Elizabeth G. Walsh, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Chronic pelvic pain and lower urinary symptoms are under-addressed and at times debilitating symptoms that predominate presentations of common pain conditions such as chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, and vulvodynia. These symptoms disproportionally affect individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB), and they often co-occur (Al-Shaiji et al., 2021). Genitourinary symptoms can significantly impact quality of life and psychological well-being and are often not well controlled by traditional medical therapies. Treatment and diagnostic testing often involve sensitive procedures that can be experienced as invasive and uncomfortable by patients. Hypnosis has been shown to be effective for addressing both acute and chronic pain, as well as procedural anxiety. While hypnosis has not been widely studied in the treatment of pelvic pain (Biurra et al., 2023), it shows promise particularly for improving quality of life and can reduce lower urinary tract symptoms associated with pain (McKernan et al., 2023).

This webinar will present a brief overview of the prevalence, impacts, and mechanisms of chronic pelvic pain and urinary symptoms. The speakers will then discuss applications of clinical hypnosis as an adjunctive treatment for chronic pelvic and urinary symptoms in an outpatient integrative medicine clinic and a urology subspecialty clinic. Providers will share recommendations regarding how to introduce and explain hypnosis for this application, and detailed examples of induction strategies, varied applications, and suggestions to target pain and symptom experiences for this undertreated population.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Related SCEH Webinar, October 3, 2025 at noon EST

Presenter: Ciara Christensen, PhD

Title: Bridging Hypnosis with Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: Preparation and Integration Strategies

To register: https://t.co/pis29xsGlJ

Overview: This webinar explores the intersections between hypnosis and psychedelic experiences, combining historical research with contemporary insights. Participants will learn how hypnosis can serve as a useful tool during the preparation and integration phases of a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP), enhancing the therapeutic potential of such experiences. We will begin by exploring the shared characteristics of hypnosis and psychedelics, emphasizing their historical use and the growing interest in their combined therapeutic applications. Drawing from both personal and professional experiences, I will illustrate how hypnosis can help prepare individuals for increased openness, which complements psychedelic experiences. We will also explore how hypnosis can be applied post-journey to integrate insights and solidify personal growth.
About the Presenter: Ciara Christensen, PhD, earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Washington State University in 2012. She is licensed as a clinical psychologist in Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Washington and has extensive experience in both hospital and private practice settings. Dr. Christensen is the former President of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH) and President-Elect of the American Psychological Association's Division 30, Society of Psychological Hypnosis.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Don't miss Hypnosis Webinar:

Hypnosis for the Curious: Everything You Need to Know about Hypnosis
Presented by Donald Moss, PhD, Lisa Lombard, PhD, Janna Henning, JD, PsyD, Barbara McCann, PhD, and Eric Willmarth, PhD

Friday, August 1, 2025

9am-10:30am PT/ 11am-12:30pm CT/ 12pm-1:30pm ET

Event held online via Zoom, link to access provided upon registration. Registration: https://t.co/RS2ADkMNzG

Many professionals are curious about hypnosis and consider utilizing it for their patients. Yet many also have a narrow idea of the potential applications of hypnosis. The webinar will provide an overview of the hypnosis applications that are well supported by outcomes research and clinical experience, including hypnosis-assisted therapies for medical disorders, mental health disorders, and other problems.

Next, a series of hypnosis practitioners will describe their experience using hypnosis for anxiety, depression, pediatric problems, trauma, chronic pain, digestive disorders, labor and delivery, preparation for medical procedures, management of cancer pain and the adverse effects of chemotherapy, and a variety of other disorders and problems. This webinar is supported by both the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and Division 30 of the American Psychological Association.

Zoom link will be available on course page in “My Courses” upon event registration.

This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 1.5 CEs for Psychologists, 1.5 IL CEUS for Counselors and Social Workers, or 1.5 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSWs, and LMFTs.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Don't miss this upcoming hypnosis webinar.

Using Science about the Unconscious to Promote Hypnosis and Psychotherapy

Presented by David Patterson, PhD, ABPP, ABPH

Friday, June 13, 2025
9am-10:30am PT / 11am-12:30pm CT / 12pm-1:30pm ET

Event held online via Zoom, link to access provided upon registration.

To Register: https://t.co/WBVP1tMK88

Workshop Description: 95% of cerebral processing is unconscious. The speaker is not advocating that psychotherapy should be conducted at an unconscious basis because this practice would likely lead to unreliable outcome, if not even sloppy practice. On the other hand, the speaker proposes that providing a strong foundation of theory and science for psychotherapy can be enhanced by enlisting unconscious processing. What’s more, recent science on neurophysiology has provided us with paradigms where the unconscious can be combined more effectively with conventional psychotherapy.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Don't miss this exciting hypnosis webinar:

May 9 , 2025, Noon Eastern Standard Time
Suggestive Communication with the Critically Ill
Katalin Varga, PhD, Professor, Eötvös Loránd
University (ELTE), head of the Department of
Affective Psychology, Budapest, Hungary

This webinar will present research results proving that appropriate communication strategies – which our team calls Psychological Support Based on Positive Suggestions- can improve medical care in various settings: intensive care, eye surgery, orthopedic surgery, obstetrics, and others.

To register: https://t.co/ZD9tT6cjpI

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Don't miss the Saybrook University Dean's Seminar,
May 8, 2025 at 8 PM Eastern, with presentations by Saybrook graduates of their doctoral research. An open session.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://t.co/HPBV7d7C0S
Meeting ID: 989 0154 2150

May 8 topics:

1. Exploring a Movement-and-Awareness Practice: Finding Calm, ‘I Can,’ and Feelings of Well-Being.
2. The Role of Mind and Spirit in Diabetic Wound Healing

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

My latest publication. A self-care and lifestyle guide for persons with chronic medical and emotional conditions. Available on pre-order from Amazon.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

@PavPub

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

My latest article was just published online: https://t.co/JuMMIdjCqB

The article, "Brain-Heart Interactions and Optimizing Psychotherapy," will be published in print in a special issue of the journal Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, on the topic, "Integrating Psychophysiology with Psychotherapy." I am editing that special issue with my friend and colleague, Dr. Patrick Steffen of Brigham Young University. My article summarizes what we know about mind-body practices and how they impact on the nervous system, enabling better emotion regulation, improved social engagement, and cognitive/mental flexibility.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Mark your calendars. Saybrook University presentation on brain-heart interactions and optimizing psychotherapy. November 25, 9-10 AM Pacific,
Join by ZOOM:
https://t.co/fHI0shqluR...
Meeting ID: 965 5577 8825
Passcode: 182085

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

Please share this with your friends and contacts, ages 15-30. Invite them to participate in an interesting research study.

[Dr. Donald Moss @DonaldMoss]

I have a new Podcast with Mattew Bennett in the Heart Rate Variability Podcast series. Matt interviewed me on the topic of my new book, Integrating Psychotherapy and Psychophysiology (Oxford University Press), which is out now on Amazon. The podcast is available at:

https://t.co/HxXCptsiQW