The Father of Modern Hypnosis

The Marquis de Puysegur was a follower of Mesmer. He differed from Mesmer, though, in that he felt that a receptive state could be reached in a gentle manner. He used "mesmeric passes," to induce a trance and then gave direct suggestions or commands.

And what about Dr. Ambrose-August Liebault? Another Frenchman. He was the first to realize that deep trance was not necessary to make beneficial changes. He and his followers formed the "Nancy School" and treated patients at the Nancy Hospital with hypnosis. They used direct suggestions to eliminate symptoms and had many successes. The medical establishment were very suspicious and tried to discredit their findings, because it wasn't profitable to cure disorders without medicines. Some of the treatments included post-hypnotic suggestions, hallucinations, and insensibility to pain. Liebault is sometimes called the "Father of Modern Hypnosis."