39 Sleep and Hypnosis, 10:2, 2008 INTRODUCTION I n the past decade DNA microarray technology has made it possible to measure the expression levels of many thousands of genes simultaneously. This novel experimental approach has revolutionized research in molecular biology and become a new standard in personalized medicine (Eisen et al. 1998). Recent research has documented the use of DNA microarrays for assessing therapeutic responses to psychological relaxation and meditative practices on the molecular-genomic level (Dusek et al., 2008; Rossi, 2002, 2004, 2007; Rossi, 2005/2006). This has lead to calls for further research on the pathways of psychotherapeutic A Pilot Study of Positive Expectations and Focused Attention via a New Protocol for Optimizing Therapeutic Hypnosis and Psychotherapy Assessed with DNA Microarrays: The Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience Ernest Rossi 1 , Salvatore Iannotti 1 , Mauro Cozzolino 2 , Stefano Castiglione 2 , Angela Cicatelli 3 , Kathryn Rossi 1 We extend the use of DNA microarrays to explore a new psychotherapeutic therapeutic protocol, The Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience, an easy-to-learn approach to facilitating therapeutic hypnosis, psychotherapy, rehabilitation, meditation, and pastoral counseling. This pilot study assessed the hypothesis that a top-down creatively oriented positive human experience can modulate gene expression on the molecular level. A DNA microarray data analysis of the white blood cells of three human subjects was performed immediately before, one hour after, and 24 hours after The Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience. We documented changes in the expression of 15 early response genes within one hour that apparently initiated a further cascade of 77 genes 24 hours later. This could provide the mind/molecular genomic foundation of new therapeutic models for optimizing human consciousness, health, and well being via therapeutic hypnosis, psychotherapy, pastoral counseling, and psychiatry. This proof-of- principle pilot study now requires cross validation with more subjects with a variety of diagnostic classifications to document the validity and reliability of using DNA microarrays to assess our new creative psychosocial genomic therapeutic protocol in a variety of cultures. (Sleep and Hypnosis 2008;10(2):39-44) Key words: Creative Experience, DNA microarray, gene expression, therapeutic hypnosis. ORIGINAL ARTICLE Acknowledgement: Microarray experiments have been performed by the CRIBI Microarray Service at University of Padova, Italy (http://microcribi.cribi.unipd.it). 1 La Nuova Scuola Di Neuroscienze Ipnosi Therapeutica (The New Neuroscience School of Therapeutic Hypnosis), San Lorenzo Maggiore, Italy. 2 The University of Salerno, Italy. 3 Angela Cicatelli is at the University of Naples, Italy. Address reprint requests to: Ernest Rossi, 125 Howard Ave. Los Osos, California, 93402, USA Ernest@ErnestRossi.com, Tel. 805-528-0200 Fax 805-528-0700 Accepted August 8, 2008