An American psychiatrist, a specialist in hypnotherapy and psychotherapy.

He came from a poor family, and at the age of 17, after graduating from High School he suffered from polio.  The doctors predicted that he will spend the rest of his life stuck to his bed and require constant care.  Because he could not move due to paralysis (he could only move his eyes, and that with great difficulty) he spent his whole days training his senses.  Gradually, step by step, he learnt his body anew.  Eventually, after a few years he could finally move again, although with great strain. For the rest of his life he used a walking stick.  In The future, he would very successfully base his professional work as a doctor and hypnotherapist on these experiences.

He came across hypnosis for the first time during his second year of studies.  This subject interested him so much that he began it’s systematic and in-depth exploration.  He worked on introducing hypnosis into psychotherapy.

During his whole life, Erickson struggled with health issues, including strong allergy and a recurrence of polio.

In 1975 he established the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.

His methods of work gained publicity thanks to the publications of Jay Haley.  Erickson himself was the co-author of 5 books and more than 130 articles.

In his work, Milton Erickson used ambiguous language rich in confusing phrases, changing of meaning and various Metaphors.

Thanks to his studies, Milton H. Erickson has earned great credit for the understanding of the hypnotic phenomenon.  He believed that a therapist should adjust his approach to the individual needs and possibilities of his client, instead of trying to force him into some schemata and chosen therapeutic approach.

The scientific achievement of M.H.Ericson is used with success in holistic Coaching.