New directions in hypnosis research: strategies for advancing the cognitive and clinical neuroscience of hypnosis

In August of 2015, the International Society of Hypnosis and Confederation Francophone d’hypnose et Therapies Breves co-sponsored a 1-day meeting among hypnosis researchers, just before the International Congress of Hypnosis in Paris, France. One of the goals of the meeting was to discuss the state-of-the- science of hypnosis research from the purview of clinical and cognitive neuroscience. The purpose of this article is to summarize the key issues that were raised during the discussions, including the points of agreement and disagreement among the participants (all of whom are authors on this article). Here we first briefly summarize what we view as (i) the most important research findings and developments in the field during the past two decades and (ii) the most salient challenges facing contemporary hypnosis research. Next, we summarize our discussion concerning directions for future hypnosis research and collaborative endeavors that could expand upon recent advances, ad- dress emerging challenges, and facilitate a reemergence of hypnosis research as a vital field within cognitive and clinical neuroscience.