▁figure , ▁they ▁claim , ▁was ▁William ▁Joseph ▁Bry an ▁Jr ▁MD ▁( 1 9 2 6 - 1 9 7 7 ) ▁who ▁they ▁identify ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁full - time ▁medical ▁pract ition er ▁of ▁hyp nos is ▁in ▁the ▁USA . ▁ ▁Mil ton ▁H . ▁Er ick son ▁died ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁aged ▁ 7 8 , ▁leaving ▁four ▁sons , ▁four ▁daughters , ▁and ▁a ▁last ing ▁legacy ▁to ▁the ▁world s ▁of ▁psych ology , ▁psych iat ry , ▁psych other apy , ▁hyp n other apy , ▁ped agog ics ▁and ▁communic ations . ▁ ▁Hyp nos is ▁Er ick son ▁is ▁noted ▁for ▁his ▁often ▁un con vent ional ▁approach ▁to ▁psych other apy , ▁as ▁described ▁in ▁the ▁book ▁Un common ▁Ther apy ▁by ▁Jay ▁H ale y ▁and ▁the ▁book ▁Hyp n other apy : ▁An ▁Ex pl or atory ▁Case book , ▁by ▁Mil ton ▁H . ▁Er ick son ▁and ▁Ernest ▁L . ▁Ros si ▁( 1 9 7 9 , ▁New ▁York : ▁Ir ving ton ▁Publish ers , ▁Inc .). ▁He ▁developed ▁an ▁extensive ▁use ▁of ▁th era pe ut ic ▁met ap hor ▁and ▁story ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁hyp nos is ▁and ▁co ined ▁the ▁term ▁brief ▁ther apy ▁for ▁his ▁method ▁of ▁address ing ▁th era pe ut ic ▁change ▁in ▁relatively ▁few ▁sessions . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁Er ick son ' s