Therapy approaches, explained

Hypnotherapy

Clinical hypnosis narrows attention to one place, lets the surroundings recede, and then adds suggestions aimed at one specific goal. For some problems there is research behind it; for others there is only folklore.^[1,2]

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What is hypnosis? First, set the stage show aside

Have you ever been so absorbed in a book that you missed the station announcement and looked up to find you had gone past your stop? Or watched a stage hypnosis show, where people on stage squawk like chickens and forget their own names, and wondered whether they were really being controlled or just playing along? If attention can be steered like that, can it be used to help someone, or is it only a stage trick?

1The worldview

Focus, fading surroundings, response to suggestion: the three parts of hypnosis

To answer the opening question we need a definition that holds. The American Psychological Association's Society of Psychological Hypnosis (Division 30) defines hypnosis as a state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness, characterised by an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion. Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis in the treatment of a medical or psychological problem. The definition deliberately does not say why hypnosis works, because scholars still disagree: some see a special state of consciousness, others think expectation, imagination and social setting are enough to explain it, and recent work tries to integrate the two views.^[1,2,3]

Hypnotherapy has two traditions that are often run together. The standard (or Hilgard-style) approach comes from the laboratory: a fixed induction followed by directly worded suggestions ("your arm is getting lighter"), with tools such as the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale to measure how strongly a person responds. The Ericksonian approach comes from the psychiatrist Milton Erickson and favours indirect, permissive wording, stories and metaphors, tailored to each person's responses in the moment. Which is better has hardly been tested. A 2000 review found no empirical support for Ericksonian therapy's efficacy, nor for core assumptions such as indirect suggestion being superior to direct (though other scholars answered it); and in laboratory-evoked pain, directly worded pain-relief suggestions worked best.^[2,6,7,8]

One more thing shapes every conclusion: people differ a great deal in how strongly they respond to suggestion, and the difference is fairly stable. A study that followed the same people for 25 years found that scores retested decades later still correlated strongly. It also explains why stage shows look astonishing yet are not what happens in a consulting room: on stage, people go along with expectations and social pressure in front of an audience, for entertainment; in a consulting room, someone is gradually learning a practice for one specific goal. The response to suggestion is the same kind; the setting and purpose are not.^[3,4]

So the two scenes at the start each caught one part of hypnosis: the absorbed reader shows attention narrowing and the surroundings receding; the stage reactions show response to suggestion. The three parts in the definition are not stages that follow one another but parts that hold each other: attention narrows so that the surrounding noise and stray thoughts recede, and with the surroundings back, a suggestion more easily becomes the only thing in the foreground.

Focused attentionNarrow attention to one thing: an image, a voice, the breath
Fading surroundingsSurrounding sounds, bodily noise and stray thoughts recede into the background
Response to suggestionRespond more strongly to a given suggestion (such as "the abdomen warm and comfortable")

2The method

How does a hypnotherapy session run? From preparation to practising alone

To become treatment, the three parts need an orderly method. Back to the two scenes at the start: what the stage show lacks is the preparation before and the review after, and a consulting room always has both. A full run is roughly preparation, induction, suggestion, re-alerting and review, plus practice of your own; the induction mainly builds focus and fading surroundings, and the suggestion is the response part. Schools differ, but the backbone is similar; the therapist proposes, you agree before anything starts, and you can stop at any point.^[1,2,14]

1PreparationTalk through expectations and worries, confirm physical symptoms have been medically assessed, and set one specific goalFocused attention
2InductionUse breathing, eye fixation or imagery to narrow attention and let the surroundings fadeFocused attentionFading surroundings
3SuggestionAdd suggestions about sensation, imagery or coping, aimed at the goalResponse to suggestion
4Re-alerting and reviewReturn gently to ordinary alertness and talk over what you experiencedFading surroundings
5Practising aloneLearn self-hypnosis, or use a recording, in daily lifeResponse to suggestion

3The skills

What is in a hypnotherapist's hands? Seven ways of working, by the three parts

Pulled apart, the session above becomes these seven ways of working. They are not a checklist to use in full: the therapist picks some, depending on your goal and how you respond to suggestion. They are grouped by the part each mainly serves.

Focus: settling the frame and the attention

Clear up myths and gain agreement first, then narrow attention with a simple induction.

Clearing myths, then agreeing the frame
Back to the stage scene at the start: many people arrive picturing being controlled, falling asleep or being made to give up secrets, so the first step is talking expectations through. This is not politeness. One experiment found that the same procedure produced a much stronger response to suggestion when it was called "hypnosis" than when it was called "relaxation"; expectation is part of how it works. The definitions researchers use describe a person responding to suggestion, not a person who has been taken over, and the therapist agrees beforehand that you can open your eyes and stop at any time.^[1,2,5]
Hear it in a session
1. Client
  I have an MRI scan next week. Thinking about lying in that tube makes my heart race. A friend said to try hypnosis, but I'm a bit afraid of being controlled.
2. Therapist
  Let's be clear about what worries you first. What do you picture hypnosis to be?
3. Client
  Like on TV: someone clicks their fingers, you fall asleep, then do things you don't know about.
4. Therapist
  That's not what we do here. You'll be able to hear me throughout, and you can open your eyes and say "stop" at any time. What I offer are suggestions, and you take up as much as you wish at your own pace. Is that all right?
5. Client
  Yes.
6. Therapist
  Good. If it's comfortable, rest your eyes on a spot ahead and notice your breathing. The sounds and movement in the room can stay where they are; you don't need to deal with them.
7. Therapist
  Imagine yourself in a place that feels steady to you. You may notice that with each out-breath your shoulders can loosen a little. On the day of the scan you can come back to this place.
8. Therapist
  Now I'll count slowly to three and you can return to the room at your own pace and open your eyes. One, two, three. What was that like?
9. Client
  For a while I really half-forgot the room. But I'm not sure whether I went "in".
10. Therapist
  That's common. Let's treat it as a skill for now: practise with the recording a few times a day before the scan, and see next time how it went.
Notice: This is the opening of a session: preparation, a simple induction, one suggestion close to the goal, then re-alerting. The client is anxious about an MRI scan next week. The therapist asks about expectations and moves the "being controlled" picture back to "you are responding"; the agreement that she can stop at any time comes before the induction. The suggestion says "you may notice", leaving the client to decide how much to take up; afterwards the therapist asks about her actual experience, promises no result, and offers this as a practice rather than a one-off cure.
Method based on^[2,5]
Induction: narrowing attention
The induction is a procedure that leads you into focused attention: fixing your gaze on one point, noticing the breath, progressive relaxation or picturing a scene. Relaxation, guided imagery and hypnotic induction are in fact hard to tell apart: they can look alike, and the difference is that clinical hypnosis usually adds suggestions aimed at a specific goal, while the others tend to aim at a single result such as relaxation. The induction alone may bring some relief. The absorbed reading at the start is the everyday version, with no induction needed; an induction is just a deliberate, steadier way into the same kind of focus.^[1,2]

Fading surroundings: letting the room recede through imagery

Let one concrete, comfortable image fill attention so the surroundings recede.

Imagery and deepening: letting one image fill attention
After the induction, the therapist often invites you to picture one concrete scene (a safe, comfortable place, say) in as much detail as you can: what you see, hear and feel. When that picture fills attention, stray thoughts recede more easily, which is the fading of the surroundings. In pain work, suggestions can aim at changing the sensation itself rather than just telling you not to think about it. The images are, as far as possible, ones you choose rather than ones put into your head by someone else.^[2,8]

Response to suggestion: putting the goal in, then carrying it into life

Suggestions worded in different ways, gut-directed work, and how to practise alone.

Direct suggestion: stating the goal plainly
The standard approach uses directly worded suggestions aimed at one concrete goal, such as "the feeling in this area can become more and more comfortable". In laboratory-evoked pain, direct pain-relief suggestions given to people who respond strongly gave the most relief, and those who respond least gained little. But in real chronic pain a person's general responsiveness predicts the result only weakly, which is why clinics seldom screen for it.^[2,8]
Ericksonian: indirect, permissive, tailored
The Ericksonian approach avoids direct commands, using open wording ("you might notice…", "some people find…"), stories and metaphors, and making use of whatever you do in the moment, including drifting and doubt. This can feel respectful and meet less resistance. To be honest, though, the claim that indirect suggestion works better than direct was not supported in a 2000 review, and current evidence is not enough to say the style works better overall. Which to use is more a matter of fit between you and the therapist than of proven superiority.^[6,7]
Gut-directed hypnosis: putting the suggestion in the abdomen
Hypnosis for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most researched use. The method is to induce relaxation, then focus suggestions on the gut being comfortable and steady and on a sense of managing symptoms, with practice at home. The North Carolina protocol is one version: seven sessions delivered from a fixed script and tested in two studies. What separates it from plain relaxation is that the suggestions are aimed at the gut itself.^[13,14]
Hear it in a session
1. Client
  I've had irritable bowel syndrome for two years. The doctor has checked me and found nothing else. Medication only helps part of it.
2. Therapist
  I understand. Hypnosis can go alongside your doctor's treatment but not replace it; if your symptoms change in a new way, see your doctor first. Shall we look at what a typical week is like for you?
3. Client
  It's worst before work: cramps, and I keep thinking about where the toilet is.
4. Therapist
  Then let's make the goal very specific: the cramps before work. Imagine resting a hand lightly on your abdomen; some people notice a little warmth, and you needn't force it, just see whether it's there.
5. Therapist
  Picture that area as a steadily flowing river, and with each out-breath the flow can run a little more smoothly. You don't have to do anything, just notice.
6. Client
  (Afterwards) I felt a bit relaxed, but honestly I don't know if this really works?
7. Therapist
  That's a fair thing to say, and I don't want you to believe first. Let's both track your symptoms over the next few weeks, and if there's no change after a few sessions we'll rethink what to do. You can also practise daily with a recording.
Notice: This is a gut-directed session, showing response to suggestion. The therapist first confirms the symptoms have been medically assessed and explains that hypnosis goes alongside medical care, not instead of it. The suggestions centre on comfort and steadiness in the abdomen, worded as invitations rather than commands; the client is half-sceptical, and the therapist promises nothing, agreeing instead to use a symptom diary to see whether anything has changed after a few weeks, and to rethink together if not. Progress is usually partial and gradual.
Method based on^[2,14]
Self-hypnosis: taking the practice home
The aim of hypnotherapy is that you do not have to keep relying on the therapist. In chronic-pain studies, people typically learn self-hypnosis over about ten sessions and practise at home with recordings. Two kinds of result appear: for some people the pain keeps easing; for more, the gain is a self-management skill that brings temporary relief when needed. Many people kept practising even when average pain intensity had not clearly fallen, and found other benefits such as feeling more relaxed. Therapists also build in lines such as "the more you practise, the easier it becomes" to encourage use at home.^[2]

The dialogues are illustrative composites, not real clients; skills that stir strong emotion or touch on trauma should be done with a trained therapist.

Walking into the room: how does a course of hypnotherapy run?

Now you know how it sees a person and how it works. The next questions: what is it actually like, does it work, and what is it not for?

If you wanted to bring the opening question into a therapy room, know that hypnosis is usually not a one-off. The gut-directed protocol in research runs about seven sessions; self-hypnosis training for chronic pain about ten, with practice at home. The real length depends on your goal and how you respond to suggestion, and is agreed with the therapist.^[2,14]

1Expectations first, then the goalThe therapist asks what you imagine hypnosis to be, clears up myths and agrees one specific, observable goal, such as "the cramps before work", rather than "getting better".
2Confirm a doctor has assessed physical symptomsFor gut symptoms or pain, hypnosis should go alongside medical care, not replace it; any new change means seeing your doctor first.
3Induction, then suggestions aimed at the goalEach session is roughly induction, suggestion, re-alerting, then talking over the experience. You can open your eyes and stop at any time.
4Review, and use records to see whether anything changesUse a symptom diary or ratings to see whether anything has really changed after a few sessions; if not, rethink the approach.
5Practise self-hypnosis at homePractise daily with a recording or your own method, so the skill no longer depends on the therapy room.

What can hypnosis help with? The few that research covers

Hypnosis has been studied most for irritable bowel syndrome and for pain of various kinds, then for anxiety and pain around surgery and medical procedures, with some work on anxiety, depression and smoking whose conclusions are less consistent.^{[9,10,19,20,23,28]}

Irritable bowel syndrome
Chronic pain
Anxiety and pain around surgery or procedures
Anxiety (firmer when combined with other treatment)
Quitting smoking (mixed evidence)

Everyone is different. Please have physical symptoms assessed by a doctor first. The safety data come mainly from medical settings; if you live with a serious mental health condition, speak to your doctor or psychiatrist first. If you are thinking of hurting yourself or ending your life, please don't face it alone: call The Samaritans' 24-hour line on 2896 0000, or 999 in an emergency.

How firm is the evidence? Firmer for the gut and for pain, still thin elsewhere

There is a good deal of research on hypnosis, but quality and conclusions vary by problem, so "does it work?" has no single answer. Below, from firmer to more preliminary, is what the research found on each question and what limits it. None reaches "solid evidence".

Irritable bowel syndrome: looks helpful, and guidelines mention it
In a large analysis comparing psychological therapies, gut-directed hypnotherapy was one of the several that worked; in one small trial it did about as well as a special diet (the low FODMAP diet, which limits certain hard-to-digest sugars), and the gains held at six months; a UK clinic followed over 200 people, about seven in ten improved at first and most of those kept the gain for years, though that study had no comparison group. England's NICE guideline says people whose IBS has not responded to medicines after 12 months can be considered for psychological interventions including hypnotherapy, and the American College of Gastroenterology also suggests gut-directed psychological therapy. The limit: the pooled analysis found the trials at high risk of bias, so the benefit may be overestimated.^{[10,11,12,15,16]}
Chronic pain: better than usual care, with wide differences between people
A pooled analysis found hypnosis gave a moderate benefit for chronic pain compared with usual care, and for pain other than headache did slightly better than other psychological approaches, though the studies differed widely. Working on average does not mean working for everyone: for some people the pain keeps easing, and for more the gain is a skill that brings temporary relief. Hypnosis also reduces laboratory-evoked pain, but that is in healthy volunteers and cannot simply stand in for evidence on chronic pain.^[2,8,9]
Surgery and medical procedures: positive results, but thin evidence
In a trial of over 200 people having vascular and kidney procedures, pain stayed flat over the procedure in the hypnosis group but rose in usual care; in a 200-person breast-surgery trial, a 15-minute hypnosis session before surgery left people with less pain, nausea and fatigue afterwards than a listening-only comparison group. A pooled analysis of 26 studies also found suggestion-based interventions eased post-operative anxiety and pain. But its authors judged the strength of evidence weak because the studies may be biased, and both large trials were run by teams that research hypnosis, while in the breast-surgery trial the patients were not blind to their group.^[17,18,19]
Anxiety and low mood: promising, but few and varied studies
A pooled analysis of 15 studies found hypnosis reduced anxiety more than control conditions, and worked better combined with other psychological interventions than alone; ten studies of depressive symptoms also leaned positive. But the studies are few and varied. For dental fear, a review found mixed results, some with small or even slightly negative effects, while cognitive behavioural therapy has more evidence. The reasonable view for now is hypnosis as an option to combine with other approaches, not a first choice on its own.^[20,21,22]
Smoking: not shown to beat other methods
The Cochrane review included 14 trials with nearly 2,000 participants and concluded there is no reliable evidence that hypnosis helps people quit more than other methods or no treatment. Only one trial was at low risk of bias and ten were at high risk; the studies that did find a difference usually had methodological flaws. That does not mean it helps no one, only that the research has not shown it.^[23]

To be honest, though. Most studies compare hypnosis with no treatment or usual care; few compare it directly with other equally strong treatments; people know they are being hypnotised, so no one is blind to it; many studies are small and at high risk of bias (the pooled IBS analysis and the Cochrane smoking review both say so), and many were run by hypnosis researchers themselves. And expectation is part of how it works: the same procedure drew a much stronger response when called "hypnosis" than when called "relaxation", so it is hard to tell how much is specific to hypnosis. None of the results above should be read as evidence that hypnosis can "recover memories".^[5,8,10,23]

To be honest: hypnosis is not a window onto the past, and it is not the same for everyone

Back to the start: the dramatic stage scenes make hypnosis look all-powerful precisely because they leave out the following.^{[4,24,25,26,27,28]}

1It cannot reliably recover memories, and can help create false ones

A 1985 American Medical Association report found that memories obtained under hypnosis can include confabulations and false memories and are no more accurate, seeming if anything less reliable than recall without hypnosis, while leaving people more confident in what they "remember". Later experiments agree: both hypnosis and misleading questions increase memory errors, and together they produce the most. So we do not endorse using hypnosis or "regression" to "recover" forgotten experiences; if someone offers this, ask more questions. That is not to say your experiences do not matter, only that hypnosis is not a tool for telling what is true.

2Past-life regression is imagination, not memory

In a series of experiments, people who were hypnotised and told to "go back before birth" often described detailed past-life identities, but the content shifted with what the experimenter had told them beforehand: told the sex or race to expect, they were more likely to describe it; told that children in earlier times were often abused, their past-life identities reported more abuse. People seem to build a story from what they expect rather than recall a real past.

3People differ widely in response

Response to suggestion is a fairly stable individual difference. In the laboratory, people who respond least gain little from hypnosis; in real chronic pain, responsiveness predicts the result only weakly, and most people still gain something. This needs saying before treatment, so you do not conclude you are "not good at it".

4The practitioner's background matters more than the word "hypnosis"

Hypnotherapy is defined as the use of hypnosis to treat a medical or psychological problem, so what matters most is what training the person treating you has and what problems they are equipped to handle. Hypnosis is a technique that people from different backgrounds may use; ask about their core professional training, whether a professional body oversees them, and whether they are working within the scope they were trained for. We have not been able to verify the position in Hong Kong, so we make no claim about it here.

5Safety data come mainly from medical settings

In registered clinical trials, serious adverse events attributable to hypnosis were zero and other adverse events about 0.47%, a low figure. But several trials did not report adverse events, reporting varied widely, and the trials mostly treated medical conditions or the side effects of procedures rather than psychiatric problems. So for people with serious mental health conditions there is less safety data.

So hypnosis is a practice of handing attention to a guide, with real evidence for gut symptoms and pain; the stage image of being controlled with a click of the fingers, and the promise of recovering the truth, are both outside the evidence. A good therapist will tell you both.

Take this with you

Hypnosis is not someone opening up your head; it is you learning, for a clear purpose, to hand your attention to a guide. It can genuinely help with gut symptoms and pain, but any claim that it can "recover" the truth of the past is best left unbelieved.^[9,10,24,25]

Courses

Therapists who practise Hypnotherapy

TreeholeHK's counsellors and clinical psychologists use Hypnotherapy to fit what you need, alongside other approaches.

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Eddy ToPsychotherapistView profile

Other approaches that work with attention and imagery

Hypnosis sits close to several approaches, some by history and some by practice.

Psychodynamic therapyA shared history: Breuer and Freud first used hypnosis for hysterical symptoms; Freud later found not everyone could be hypnotised and moved to methods that do not depend on it. The psychodynamic tradition has since leaned on talk and free association rather than suggestion.^[29]
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)Hypnosis is often combined with CBT: research found its effect on anxiety was larger combined with other psychological interventions than alone. CBT works through thoughts and behaviour; hypnosis through suggestion and imagery.^[20]
MindfulnessBoth train attention but use it differently: hypnosis narrows attention onto a goal and suggestions the therapist offers; mindfulness invites you to notice, without judging, whatever arises in the moment.^[1]

Other therapy approaches

FAQ

Are clinical hypnosis and stage hypnosis the same thing?

Both use response to suggestion, but the setting and purpose are completely different. A stage show is entertainment, in front of an audience, with expectation and social pressure; clinical hypnosis is for one medical or psychological goal, in a consulting room, with your agreement. The dramatic reactions on stage tell you nothing about the effect in a consulting room, or the other way round.^[1,3]

Will I be controlled under hypnosis? Will I fall asleep?

The definitions used in research describe a person responding to suggestion: focused, with reduced peripheral awareness and more responsive, not taken over and not asleep. In practice the therapist can only offer suggestions, and how much you take up, and whether you stop, is up to you; the therapist should agree beforehand that you can open your eyes at any time. If you feel pushed along, you can ask to stop.^[1,2]

Can hypnosis recover forgotten or repressed memories?

Not reliably. A 1985 American Medical Association report found that memories under hypnosis can include confabulations and false memories and leave people more confident in them; experiments also found hypnosis increases memory errors. Past-life regression is likewise a story built from expectation. If you want to work on past experiences, look for a therapist trained in trauma therapy, using methods that do not rely on "digging" under hypnosis.^[24,25,26]

Do I need to be easily hypnotised for it to work?

Not necessarily. People differ widely in how they respond to suggestion, and the difference is fairly stable; in laboratory-evoked pain, the least responsive people gain least. But in real chronic pain this responsiveness predicts the result only weakly and most people still gain something, which is why clinics seldom screen for it.^[2,4,8]

How many sessions does hypnotherapy take?

It depends on the goal. In research the North Carolina protocol for IBS is seven sessions; self-hypnosis training for chronic pain is about ten, with practice at home. The real plan is agreed with the therapist, and if nothing changes after a few sessions the approach is rethought.^[2,14]

How do I find a hypnotherapist in Hong Kong?

Start by asking about their core professional training (as a counselling psychologist, clinical psychologist, doctor and so on), whether a professional body oversees them, and whether they treat within the scope they were trained for. Further down are TreeholeHK's therapists who use hypnosis; read their backgrounds before you book.^[1]

References

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2.Jensen, M. P., & Patterson, D. R. (2014). Hypnotic approaches for chronic pain management: Clinical implications of recent research findings. American Psychologist, 69(2), 167–177. doi.org/10.1037/a0035644
3.Lynn, S. J., Laurence, J.-R., & Kirsch, I. (2015). Hypnosis, suggestion, and suggestibility: An integrative model. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 57(3), 314–329. doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2014.976783
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22.Wolf, T. G., Schläppi, S., Benz, C. I., & Campus, G. (2022). Efficacy of hypnosis on dental anxiety and phobia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Sciences, 12(5), 521. doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12050521
23.Barnes, J., McRobbie, H., Dong, C. Y., Walker, N., & Hartmann-Boyce, J. (2019). Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019(6), Article CD001008. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001008.pub3
24.Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association. (1985). Scientific status of refreshing recollection by the use of hypnosis. JAMA, 253(13), 1918–1923. doi.org/10.1001/jama.1985.03350370114035
25.Scoboria, A., Mazzoni, G., Kirsch, I., & Milling, L. S. (2002). Immediate and persisting effects of misleading questions and hypnosis on memory reports. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 8(1), 26–32. doi.org/10.1037/1076-898X.8.1.26
26.Spanos, N. P., Menary, E., Gabora, N. J., DuBreuil, S. C., & Dewhirst, B. (1991). Secondary identity enactments during hypnotic past-life regression: A sociocognitive perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(2), 308–320. doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.61.2.308
27.Spanos, N. P., Burgess, C. A., & Burgess, M. F. (1994). Past-life identities, UFO abductions, and satanic ritual abuse: The social construction of memories. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 42(4), 433–446. doi.org/10.1080/00207149408409369
28.Bollinger, J. W. (2018). The rate of adverse events related to hypnosis during clinical trials. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 60(4), 357–366. doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2017.1315927
29.Breuer, J., & Freud, S. (1955). Studies on hysteria (J. Strachey, Ed. & Trans.). In The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 2). Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1895.)

Want someone alongside you?

You can do the exercises on your own. When you're stuck, a trained therapist can take you further.

Book therapy

Clearing myths, then agreeing the frame

Back to the stage scene at the start: many people arrive picturing being controlled, falling asleep or being made to give up secrets, so the first step is talking expectations through. This is not politeness. One experiment found that the same procedure produced a much stronger response to suggestion when it was called "hypnosis" than when it was called "relaxation"; expectation is part of how it works. The definitions researchers use describe a person responding to suggestion, not a person who has been taken over, and the therapist agrees beforehand that you can open your eyes and stop at any time.^[1,2,5]

Hear it in a session

Client
I have an MRI scan next week. Thinking about lying in that tube makes my heart race. A friend said to try hypnosis, but I'm a bit afraid of being controlled.
Therapist
Let's be clear about what worries you first. What do you picture hypnosis to be?
Client
Like on TV: someone clicks their fingers, you fall asleep, then do things you don't know about.
Therapist
That's not what we do here. You'll be able to hear me throughout, and you can open your eyes and say "stop" at any time. What I offer are suggestions, and you take up as much as you wish at your own pace. Is that all right?
Client
Yes.
Therapist
Good. If it's comfortable, rest your eyes on a spot ahead and notice your breathing. The sounds and movement in the room can stay where they are; you don't need to deal with them.
Therapist
Imagine yourself in a place that feels steady to you. You may notice that with each out-breath your shoulders can loosen a little. On the day of the scan you can come back to this place.
Therapist
Now I'll count slowly to three and you can return to the room at your own pace and open your eyes. One, two, three. What was that like?
Client
For a while I really half-forgot the room. But I'm not sure whether I went "in".
Therapist
That's common. Let's treat it as a skill for now: practise with the recording a few times a day before the scan, and see next time how it went.

Notice: This is the opening of a session: preparation, a simple induction, one suggestion close to the goal, then re-alerting. The client is anxious about an MRI scan next week. The therapist asks about expectations and moves the "being controlled" picture back to "you are responding"; the agreement that she can stop at any time comes before the induction. The suggestion says "you may notice", leaving the client to decide how much to take up; afterwards the therapist asks about her actual experience, promises no result, and offers this as a practice rather than a one-off cure.

Method based on^[2,5]

FAQ

Are clinical hypnosis and stage hypnosis the same thing?

Will I be controlled under hypnosis? Will I fall asleep?

Can hypnosis recover forgotten or repressed memories?

Do I need to be easily hypnotised for it to work?

How many sessions does hypnotherapy take?

How do I find a hypnotherapist in Hong Kong?

References

1.Elkins, G. R., Barabasz, A. F., Council, J. R., & Spiegel, D. (2015). Advancing research and practice: The revised APA Division 30 definition of hypnosis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 63(1), 1–9. doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2014.961870
2.Jensen, M. P., & Patterson, D. R. (2014). Hypnotic approaches for chronic pain management: Clinical implications of recent research findings. American Psychologist, 69(2), 167–177. doi.org/10.1037/a0035644
3.Lynn, S. J., Laurence, J.-R., & Kirsch, I. (2015). Hypnosis, suggestion, and suggestibility: An integrative model. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 57(3), 314–329. doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2014.976783
4.Piccione, C., Hilgard, E. R., & Zimbardo, P. G. (1989). On the degree of stability of measured hypnotizability over a 25-year period. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(2), 289–295. doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.56.2.289
5.Gandhi, B., & Oakley, D. A. (2005). Does "hypnosis" by any other name smell as sweet? The efficacy of "hypnotic" inductions depends on the label "hypnosis". Consciousness and Cognition, 14(2), 304–315. doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2004.12.004
6.Erickson, M. H., & Rossi, E. L. (1979). Hypnotherapy: An exploratory casebook. Irvington.
7.Matthews, W. J. (2000). Ericksonian approaches to hypnosis and therapy: Where are we now? International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48(4), 418–426. doi.org/10.1080/00207140008410370
8.Thompson, T., Terhune, D. B., Oram, C., Sharangparni, J., Rouf, R., Solmi, M., Veronese, N., & Stubbs, B. (2019). The effectiveness of hypnosis for pain relief: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 85 controlled experimental trials. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 99, 298–310. doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.013
9.Adachi, T., Fujino, H., Nakae, A., Mashimo, T., & Sasaki, J. (2014). A meta-analysis of hypnosis for chronic pain problems: A comparison between hypnosis, standard care, and other psychological interventions. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 62(1), 1–28. doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2013.841471
10.Black, C. J., Thakur, E. R., Houghton, L. A., Quigley, E. M. M., Moayyedi, P., & Ford, A. C. (2020). Efficacy of psychological therapies for irritable bowel syndrome: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Gut, 69(8), 1441–1451. doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2020-321191
11.Peters, S. L., Yao, C. K., Philpott, H., Yelland, G. W., Muir, J. G., & Gibson, P. R. (2016). Randomised clinical trial: The efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy is similar to that of the low FODMAP diet for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 44(5), 447–459. doi.org/10.1111/apt.13706
12.Gonsalkorale, W. M., Miller, V., Afzal, A., & Whorwell, P. J. (2003). Long term benefits of hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome. Gut, 52(11), 1623–1629. doi.org/10.1136/gut.52.11.1623
13.Whorwell, P. J., Prior, A., & Faragher, E. B. (1984). Controlled trial of hypnotherapy in the treatment of severe refractory irritable-bowel syndrome. The Lancet, 324(8414), 1232–1234. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(84)92793-4
14.Palsson, O. S. (2006). Standardized hypnosis treatment for irritable bowel syndrome: The North Carolina protocol. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 54(1), 51–64. doi.org/10.1080/00207140500322933
15.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2008). Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: Diagnosis and management (Clinical guideline CG61), recommendation 1.2.3.1. nice.org.uk
16.Lacy, B. E., Pimentel, M., Brenner, D. M., Chey, W. D., Keefer, L. A., Long, M. D., & Moshiree, B. (2021). ACG clinical guideline: Management of irritable bowel syndrome. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 116(1), 17–44. doi.org/10.14309/ajg.0000000000001036
17.Lang, E. V., Benotsch, E. G., Fick, L. J., Lutgendorf, S., Berbaum, M. L., Berbaum, K. S., Logan, H., & Spiegel, D. (2000). Adjunctive non-pharmacological analgesia for invasive medical procedures: A randomised trial. The Lancet, 355(9214), 1486–1490. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02162-0
18.Montgomery, G. H., Bovbjerg, D. H., Schnur, J. B., David, D., Goldfarb, A., Weltz, C. R., Schechter, C., Graff-Zivin, J., Tatrow, K., Price, D. D., & Silverstein, J. H. (2007). A randomized clinical trial of a brief hypnosis intervention to control side effects in breast surgery patients. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 99(17), 1304–1312. doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djm106
19.Kekecs, Z., Nagy, T., & Varga, K. (2014). The effectiveness of suggestive techniques in reducing postoperative side effects: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 119(6), 1407–1419. doi.org/10.1213/ANE.0000000000000466
20.Valentine, K. E., Milling, L. S., Clark, L. J., & Moriarty, C. L. (2019). The efficacy of hypnosis as a treatment for anxiety: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 67(3), 336–363. doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2019.1613863
21.Milling, L. S., Valentine, K. E., McCarley, H. S., & LoStimolo, L. M. (2019). A meta-analysis of hypnotic interventions for depression symptoms: High hopes for hypnosis? American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 61(3), 227–243. doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2018.1489777
22.Wolf, T. G., Schläppi, S., Benz, C. I., & Campus, G. (2022). Efficacy of hypnosis on dental anxiety and phobia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Sciences, 12(5), 521. doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12050521
23.Barnes, J., McRobbie, H., Dong, C. Y., Walker, N., & Hartmann-Boyce, J. (2019). Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019(6), Article CD001008. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001008.pub3
24.Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association. (1985). Scientific status of refreshing recollection by the use of hypnosis. JAMA, 253(13), 1918–1923. doi.org/10.1001/jama.1985.03350370114035
25.Scoboria, A., Mazzoni, G., Kirsch, I., & Milling, L. S. (2002). Immediate and persisting effects of misleading questions and hypnosis on memory reports. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 8(1), 26–32. doi.org/10.1037/1076-898X.8.1.26
26.Spanos, N. P., Menary, E., Gabora, N. J., DuBreuil, S. C., & Dewhirst, B. (1991). Secondary identity enactments during hypnotic past-life regression: A sociocognitive perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(2), 308–320. doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.61.2.308
27.Spanos, N. P., Burgess, C. A., & Burgess, M. F. (1994). Past-life identities, UFO abductions, and satanic ritual abuse: The social construction of memories. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 42(4), 433–446. doi.org/10.1080/00207149408409369
28.Bollinger, J. W. (2018). The rate of adverse events related to hypnosis during clinical trials. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 60(4), 357–366. doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2017.1315927
29.Breuer, J., & Freud, S. (1955). Studies on hysteria (J. Strachey, Ed. & Trans.). In The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 2). Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1895.)

Hypnotherapy

What is hypnosis? First, set the stage show aside

Focus, fading surroundings, response to suggestion: the three parts of hypnosis

How does a hypnotherapy session run? From preparation to practising alone

What is in a hypnotherapist's hands? Seven ways of working, by the three parts

Focus: settling the frame and the attention

Clearing myths, then agreeing the frame

Induction: narrowing attention

Fading surroundings: letting the room recede through imagery

Imagery and deepening: letting one image fill attention

Response to suggestion: putting the goal in, then carrying it into life

Direct suggestion: stating the goal plainly

Ericksonian: indirect, permissive, tailored

Gut-directed hypnosis: putting the suggestion in the abdomen

Self-hypnosis: taking the practice home

Walking into the room: how does a course of hypnotherapy run?

What can hypnosis help with? The few that research covers

How firm is the evidence? Firmer for the gut and for pain, still thin elsewhere

Irritable bowel syndrome: looks helpful, and guidelines mention it

Chronic pain: better than usual care, with wide differences between people

Surgery and medical procedures: positive results, but thin evidence

Anxiety and low mood: promising, but few and varied studies

Smoking: not shown to beat other methods

To be honest: hypnosis is not a window onto the past, and it is not the same for everyone

1It cannot reliably recover memories, and can help create false ones

2Past-life regression is imagination, not memory

3People differ widely in response

4The practitioner's background matters more than the word "hypnosis"

5Safety data come mainly from medical settings

Courses

Therapists who practise Hypnotherapy

Other approaches that work with attention and imagery

Other therapy approaches

FAQ

References

Want someone alongside you?

Hypnotherapy

What is hypnosis? First, set the stage show aside

Focus, fading surroundings, response to suggestion: the three parts of hypnosis

How does a hypnotherapy session run? From preparation to practising alone

What is in a hypnotherapist's hands? Seven ways of working, by the three parts

Focus: settling the frame and the attention

Clearing myths, then agreeing the frame

Induction: narrowing attention

Fading surroundings: letting the room recede through imagery

Imagery and deepening: letting one image fill attention

Response to suggestion: putting the goal in, then carrying it into life

Direct suggestion: stating the goal plainly

Ericksonian: indirect, permissive, tailored

Gut-directed hypnosis: putting the suggestion in the abdomen

Self-hypnosis: taking the practice home

Walking into the room: how does a course of hypnotherapy run?

What can hypnosis help with? The few that research covers

How firm is the evidence? Firmer for the gut and for pain, still thin elsewhere

Irritable bowel syndrome: looks helpful, and guidelines mention it

Chronic pain: better than usual care, with wide differences between people

Surgery and medical procedures: positive results, but thin evidence

Anxiety and low mood: promising, but few and varied studies

Smoking: not shown to beat other methods

To be honest: hypnosis is not a window onto the past, and it is not the same for everyone

1It cannot reliably recover memories, and can help create false ones

2Past-life regression is imagination, not memory

3People differ widely in response

4The practitioner's background matters more than the word "hypnosis"

5Safety data come mainly from medical settings

Courses

Therapists who practise Hypnotherapy

Other approaches that work with attention and imagery

Other therapy approaches

FAQ

References

Want someone alongside you?