The Historical Role of Hypnosis in the Theoretical Origins of Transference

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group
Issue: Volume 52, Number 2 / April 01, 2004 Pages: 113 - 131 URL: Linking Options DOI: 10.1076/iceh.52.2.113.28096
The Historical Role of Hypnosis in the Theoretical Origins of Transference
Melvin A. Gravitz

Abstract:
There has been a gradual evolution of the important construct of transference from ancient to modern times. Long before Franz Anton Mesmer, there were philosophers, theorists, and health professionals who emphasized the impact of interpersonal relationships on well-being and illness. While basically conceptualizing animal magnetism as a dynamic physical fluid, Mesmer was also aware of the impact of rapport and affect in the enhancement of magnetic treatment. Later neo-mesmerists, notably Puységur and Deleuze, built on such theories. That emphasis continued through the 19th century to the time of Freud, whose construct of transference was derived from his personal experience with hypnosis and which has since become an integral part of modern psychodynamic theory and treatment.
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