Dr. Fredric Mau’s Insights on Hypnosis, Trauma, and Neuropsychology
Dr. Fredric Mau, a clinical mental health counsellor and expert in hypnosis, explores the neuropsychological foundations of trauma and how hypnosis can serve as an optimal treatment modality. His presentation, The Neurology of Horror, delves into how trauma affects the brain and why hypnosis offers a unique, effective means of intervention by directly engaging subconscious neural mechanisms.
Neurological Mechanisms of Hypnosis and Trauma
Trauma has profound effects on the brain, primarily impacting structures like the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. The amygdala, responsible for processing fear and emotional memories, becomes hyperactive in individuals with trauma, leading to heightened emotional reactivity and intrusive memories. The hippocampus, which plays a role in contextualizing and integrating experiences into long-term memory, often experiences volume reduction in cases of PTSD, leading to fragmented and disorganized recollections of traumatic events. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex—the brain’s rational decision-making centre—tends to show reduced activity, making it harder for trauma survivors to regulate emotions or reframe their experiences logically.
Hypnosis engages these same neurological structures but in a way that promotes neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself. Functional MRI (fMRI) studies show that hypnosis shifts brain activity, particularly by modulating the default mode network (DMN)—the network associated with self-referential thoughts, memory processing, and emotional regulation. Under hypnosis, the anterior cingulate cortex (which is involved in attention and emotion regulation) increases activity, helping patients focus inward and process trauma without excessive distress. Simultaneously, hypnosis can downregulate amygdala activity, reducing the fear response associated with traumatic memories.
Hypnosis vs. Traditional Cognitive Therapies: A Neurological Perspective
Traditional cognitive-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), rely on conscious cognitive restructuring, which engages the prefrontal cortex to help individuals rationalize their experiences. However, in cases of severe trauma, the logical mind often cannot override the deeply ingrained fear responses embedded in the limbic system. This is why many trauma survivors struggle with persistent symptoms despite undergoing standard therapy—because the trauma is stored at a subconscious, emotional, and sensory level rather than a logical one.
Hypnosis, by contrast, bypasses the prefrontal cortex and works directly with the subconscious mind—where emotional memories, conditioned responses, and implicit associations are stored. Research on memory reconsolidation (the process through which memories become malleable when recalled) suggests that once a traumatic memory is accessed under hypnosis, it can be reprocessed in a safer, more adaptive way. This is particularly significant because trauma memories often remain “stuck” in their original distressing state. By allowing patients to revisit and modify these memories in a hypnotic state, their emotional impact is reduced, and the trauma is integrated more functionally.
Clinical Applications and Neurological Benefits of Hypnosis for Trauma
Dr. Mau’s work supports hypnosis as a powerful tool for addressing conditions such as PTSD, anxiety disorders, phobias, and dissociative disorders. Hypnosis facilitates changes at a neurological level, reinforcing new neural pathways that support healthier emotional processing. Key techniques that contribute to these benefits include:
- Solution-Focused Regression – Encouraging patients to revisit traumatic events safely, modifying their perception of past experiences through guided visualization.
- Metaphorical Reframing – Engaging the right hemisphere of the brain, which processes imagery, emotion, and nonverbal communication, allowing individuals to symbolically transform their trauma.
- Somatic Integration – Helping individuals reconnect their mind and body by addressing physiological trauma responses stored in the brainstem and autonomic nervous system.
These techniques promote synaptic pruning and neuroplastic changes in the brain, replacing maladaptive trauma responses with healthier coping mechanisms. Over time, individuals show increased prefrontal cortex activity (improving emotional regulation) and decreased amygdala hyperactivity (reducing fear-based responses).
Conclusion
Dr. Fredric Mau presents compelling neuropsychological evidence that hypnosis is not just an alternative therapy but an ideal treatment for trauma. By engaging the emotional and subconscious brain directly, hypnosis helps patients reprocess traumatic experiences at their neurological roots, making it far more effective than traditional therapies for deeply ingrained trauma responses. His research underscores the power of hypnosis in facilitating long-term, brain-based healing, positioning it as a crucial tool in modern trauma therapy.