What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy, or clinical hypnosis, can improve your health by helping you relax and focus your mind.¹ Someone trained in this powerful mind-body approach can help you go into a more focused state of mind (called a “hypnotic state”) so you can learn more about yourself, improve your health, and change your habits and thought patterns.

How does hypnosis work?

Hypnosis can work in several ways:²

• It can draw on your ability to use your imagination to bring about helpful or healthy changes.
• The hypnotherapist can offer a therapeutic idea or suggestion while you are in a relaxed and focused state. In this state of focused attention, the effect of the idea or suggestion on your mind is more powerful. That means that you are more likely to take the helpful idea seriously and act on it in the future. This can help you reach your goals faster in your daily life.2 For example, if the hypnotherapist offers the suggestion that you can stop smoking during hypnosis, this may improve your chances of being able to stop.
• Hypnosis can help quiet your mind. This may help you uncover useful hints from the past or from the subconscious, because you can remember better or look more deeply at how you think. In turn, this can help make the treatment more effective in a shorter amount of time. For example, if you have trouble sleeping, it might be easier to figure out why, because you can access other parts of your brain.

What can hypnosis help with?

Hypnosis is often used in combination with other treatments to help with physical and mental health concerns. Some examples are listed below:^3,4

• High blood pressure
• Digestive system issues and nausea
• Skin problems
• Allergies and asthma
• Pain
• Depression and anxiety
• Trauma (physical or emotional)
• Sleep