Nancy School

The Nancy School was an early French school of psychotherapy founded in 1866 by Ambroise-Auguste Liébault in the city of Nancy. Hypnosis played a great part in the treatment methodology.

Ambroise-Auguste Liebeault suggested in a monotonous but penetrating a tone they feel better with suggestions regarding health, digestion, circulation, coughing, etc. He had hundreds of cures.

He was follower of the theory of Abbé Faria.

A professor from the University of Nancy, Hippolyte Bernheim arrived to expose him and instead was convinced. Hippolyte Bernhiem conducted much research into this subject. Prior to Sigmund Freud, Suggestion was the only known method of psychotherapy. This was used extensively with good results. Bernheim joined Liebeault and they conducted a clinic together. In 20 years, they treated over 30,000 patients together with suggestions under hypnosis. They had such amazing success that doctors from all over Europe came to study under them, including Emile Coue and Sigmund Freud.

The Nancy school was based on psychology and verbal suggestion using light hypnosis with no amnesia effect.