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“Do you still think therapy is just telling stories?” As Erickson posed this question to a student psychiatrist, on reviewing this book, the question arises: Is this book just a collection of stories? It is quite easy to read this work, enjoy it, and not be really sure about its real substance. I think, however, that is exactly what the author, Dr. Sidney Rosen, intended. As the title suggests this book is a compilation of tales utilized by Dr. Milton Erickson, an early pioneer in the field of hypnotherapy, in his work with patients and students. These “tales” are a mixture of personal anecdotes, case history material, and metaphorical imagery. Dr. Rosen's elaborations and the context he provides add further clarity and dimension. Taken as such, the book is highly interesting, entertaining, and often moving; this in itself, is a lot to receive from any book. Listening carefully, however, there are many cues suggesting there is much more here than meets the eye: an old analytic adage, not exactly alien to the field of hypnotherapy.
Rosen lets us know through the voices of well-known figures, that Milton Erickson, while unknown in traditional psychiatric circles, was considered by many to be a brilliant individual whose work revolutionized psychiatric treatment. Erickson's impact on Rosen, who was a Horneyan-trained analyst before becoming a hypnotherapist, is subtly revealed. Glimpses of their very personal and professional relationship are allowed to emerge in an almost casual fashion, and our appetite becomes whetted on a personal as well as clinical level. We want to know more, and Rosen increases our curiosity for what follows by referring the reader to another more didactic work for a formal presentation of Ericksonian principles. Rosen seems to be telling his readers, sit back and enjoy, relax, there is nothing too serious going on here! The reader, then curious but relaxed, is in a maximally receptive state to receive what follows. We learn at the onset that Er