Varieties of Double Bind

Abstract

This paper begins with an autobiographical account by Erickson of the experiences from childhood that led to his use of the double bind in hypnosis and psychotherapy. Erickson presents a number of examples of the use of the double bind in everyday life and a few case studies of its use in psychotherapy. In the second half of this paper, Rossi summarizes the characteristics of Erickson's clinical approach to the double bind. He outlines several varieties of the double bind and offers an exploratory analysis of the operation of the double bind in terms of Russell's Theory of Logical Types. A clear differentiation is drawn between Erickson's therapeutic double bind and Bateson's schizogenic double bind. The ethics and limitations in the use of the double bind in psychotherapy are proposed together with suggestions for further research.