Erickson evolved/changed

• Erickson's Analysis? by Larry Meisel, 5/29/98
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    • Some more thoughts by Larry Meisel, 6/5/98
      
      

I researched a few alterations over time in Erickson's work. I think these are published somewhere, but I can't recall where right now (a paper in one of the congresses, I think). I looked at Erickson's early, mid, and later writings for the way he conceptualized: cure, symptoms/problems, use of suggestion, and so on. Bottom line: in all areas but one he gradually changed from using redundant, direct suggestion and psychoanalytically based conceptions to the style you read in the books by Zeig, Rossi, Gilligan, Yapko, Lankton, etc.

The one area that did not change in all the years: Cure. For Erickson, it was always the reassociation of experiential life so that people could have the resources they needed in the context where they were required.

All in all, then, you can definitely see an influence of the prevailing thought on his style and his ideas back in the 30s and 40s.

I hope that helps clear that up some.

• reassociation of experiential life -- and (initial) association? by David Cook, 7/20/98
  • Response to Reassociation by Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D., 7/21/98
    • Association/Reassociation by David Cook, 7/23/98
• Reassociation query by Marķa Noel Berthet, 9/30/98