What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a state of deeply relaxed, focused attention that allows individuals to access their subconscious mind. It can be utilized for a wide range of purposes, including pain management, habit change (such as overcoming overeating), building confidence, improving sleep, reducing stress, and shifting negative thought patterns (Patterson et al., 1989; Kirsch et al., 1995). Its applications are vast, making it a valuable tool for personal growth and well-being.

Why Get Hypnosis?

During hypnosis, brainwave activity slows, similar to the state experienced during deep sleep. This slowing allows individuals to bypass the critical, analytical part of the mind and access the subconscious. This state enables uncovering and reprogramming outdated subconscious beliefs that may no longer serve us, replacing them with new beliefs aligned with our goals and desires (Oakley & Halligan, 2017).

A typical hypnosis session begins with a discussion between the therapist and client to identify challenges and desired outcomes. The therapist carefully notes the client’s language and phrasing to tailor suggestions for maximum effectiveness. Positive, solution-focused language is emphasized. 

The therapist then delivers personalized, goal-oriented suggestions directly to the client’s subconscious mind. These suggestions are designed to shift thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to align with the client’s desired results, often making it easier to achieve change with less conscious effort.

People choose hypnosis for various reasons, ranging from managing stress and improving confidence to addressing fears or building healthier habits. For instance, David sought hypnosis to reduce the overwhelming stress he felt about selling his house. His husband, Saul, was eager to expedite the process, which added pressure to an already challenging situation. While I couldn’t treat his anxiety as a medical diagnosis, I explained how hypnosis could help him feel calmer, more in control, and better equipped to navigate life’s demands. By tailoring suggestions to his goals and emotional language, we worked together to create a positive shift.

In our session, I guided David into a relaxed state using techniques to occupy his analytical mind, such as mentally counting backward. Once in a hypnotic state, I suggested feelings of calm, safety, and confidence. To reinforce these feelings, I created a mental anchor: each time David saw a cross, he would take deep breaths, release stress, and feel gratitude for his life’s blessings. This anchoring process linked positive emotions to a familiar symbol, empowering David to maintain a relaxed state outside our sessions.

By the next session, David reported significant improvements. He and Saul had communicated openly, and they found a new home they both loved, feeling confident about their decisions. This outcome illustrated how hypnosis can help individuals shift their subconscious programming to align with their goals (Kirsch et al., 1995).

It’s important to note that hypnosis is a collaborative process. We can always decide not to accept any suggestion and can pull ourselves out of hypnosis at any time. I have experienced this with a client when, even though he’d asked to look at something in his past, during the session, it felt too emotionally overwhelming to deal with at that moment. We simply waited on that issue and worked our way back to it from a different angle when he felt ready.

How Hypnosis Feels

Hypnosis feels similar to guided meditation. Clients typically experience deep relaxation and a sense of calm while remaining fully aware. Unlike generic meditations, however, hypnosis is personalized, addressing specific challenges and goals using language tailored to the individual. In this state, mental imagery and sensations often feel more vivid and real than the external world.

In fact, hypnosis is a natural part of daily life. When engrossed in a movie or daydreaming about a past event, you enter a light hypnotic state. For example, recalling a heated argument may trigger physical reactions like a racing heart or tense shoulders. Similarly, in a hypnosis session, the therapist helps you imagine achieving your goals while feeling the associated positive emotions, helping your mind and body learn this new way of being (O'Neill et al., 1999).

David's story illustrates this vividly. David was grappling with a contentious discussion about selling the family home with his husband, Saul. During hypnosis, he was guided to imagine a calm and collaborative conversation with Saul. As he visualized the scene, David imagined the two of them coming to a solution that was even better than either had initially envisioned. He described a sense of harmony and relief, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. This immersive experience helped David carry those feelings of cooperation and clarity into their real-life discussion, ultimately leading to a mutually beneficial agreement.

Who Can Be Hypnotized?

Most people can be hypnotized to varying degrees. Success often depends on the individual’s ability to relax, trust the process, and suspend analytical thinking. While some may achieve only lighter states of hypnosis due to skepticism or heightened vigilance, these states can still yield benefits. However, individuals in immediate danger or extreme stress may find it difficult to enter hypnosis, as the mind prioritizes safety (Mendoza & Capafons, 2009).

David’s story is a great example of how initial skepticism can be overcome. David was initially concerned about hypnosis and asked several questions during our first consultation. It wasn’t until I asked, "Are you wondering if this is like voodoo?" that he looked visibly relieved. He admitted that he was worried about how hypnosis might conflict with his Christian beliefs. Once I explained the science behind hypnosis and how often we naturally enter hypnotic states in daily life—like getting lost in a good book or daydreaming—David felt reassured. He was able to relax and approach his first hypnosis session with an open mind, ultimately experiencing it comfortably and successfully.

Self-Hypnosis: Empowering Yourself

Self-hypnosis is a practical and accessible tool that empowers individuals to reinforce positive changes. Many hypnotists recommend practicing self-hypnosis between sessions to strengthen new thought patterns and enhance the effectiveness of the therapy. By consistently imagining desired behaviors and emotional states, you can train your subconscious to embrace these changes. The repetition involved in self-hypnosis is essential for rewiring the brain, allowing old, limiting beliefs to be replaced with empowering ones.

For example, David initially lacked confidence in his ability to express his concerns to his husband, Saul, without seeming selfish. To help him, I assigned self-hypnosis homework where he repeatedly imagined having a calm and relaxed conversation with Saul, envisioning a mutually beneficial outcome. This consistent mental rehearsal not only fostered feelings of calm and confidence but also strengthened the neural pathways necessary for David to approach real-life interactions with clarity and collaboration. Over time, the practice rewired his brain, enabling him to act with assurance and compassion in real-life scenarios (Dispenza, 2014).

Origins of Subconscious Programming

Much of our subconscious programming originates in childhood. Understanding brainwave development during early years provides insight into this process.

• Delta Waves (Birth to Age 2): Babies primarily operate in Delta, the brainwave state associated with deep sleep. In this state, the brain absorbs information without critical analysis, laying foundational beliefs.
• Theta Waves (Ages 2-5): As children grow, Theta brainwaves dominate, facilitating vivid imagination and minimal critical thinking. Statements like “You’re not as smart as your brother” can be internalized as truth.
• Alpha Waves (Ages 5-8): The analytical mind begins to develop, but children remain highly suggestible. Beliefs formed during this period often persist into adulthood.
• Beta Waves (Ages 8+): By this stage, children gain greater critical thinking skills, evaluating new information against their existing beliefs. However, many early programs remain unchecked, influencing adult behavior (Dispenza, 2014).

As children, we absorb tremendous amounts of information before we have the critical thinking skills to discern what to believe and what not to. For example, David’s father frequently told him to stop being selfish and let his sister have his toys. At 5 years old, David internalized this as truth. He spent much of his adult life striving to avoid being perceived as selfish, even at his own expense. This outdated program continued to influence his subconscious mind.

Changing these outdated beliefs, which no longer serve us in our relationships or life goals, is key to preventing self-sabotaging behavior and enabling lasting change. During one of our hypnosis sessions, David was able to reevaluate this belief and redefine what it meant to be selfish. He realized that expressing his needs wasn’t selfish—it was essential for fostering healthy communication. This shift empowered David to approach his relationship with Saul differently, enabling them to collaborate on mutually beneficial solutions.

Emotions and the Subconscious

Strong emotions create pathways into the subconscious, forming lasting memories and beliefs. This survival mechanism ensures we remember emotionally charged events, such as danger or trauma. However, it can also lead to ingrained negative patterns, as the subconscious reacts to triggers associated with past experiences.

Hypnosis provides a pathway to address these patterns. By accessing the subconscious in a relaxed state, individuals can reinterpret past experiences, overwrite negative beliefs with positive ones, and envision a future free from old limitations (Dispenza, 2014).

David's journey exemplifies this. During one session, he uncovered a deeply rooted memory of being scolded as a child for voicing his needs, which he had internalized as "speaking up is selfish." This belief had shaped his adult interactions, especially in his relationship with Saul. Through hypnosis, David was able to revisit this memory from a place of safety, reframe it, and release its hold on his subconscious. This process empowered him to express his needs with confidence and compassion, transforming how he approached conflicts and strengthening his relationship.

Harnessing Hypnosis for Transformation

Hypnosis and self-hypnosis offer powerful tools for personal growth. Whether you’re looking to improve health, build confidence, manage stress, or heal emotional wounds, hypnosis facilitates rapid progress by working directly with the subconscious mind. Through relaxation, focused intention, and repetition, you can create lasting changes and step into the life you desire.

References

Dispenza, J. (2014). You are the placebo: making your mind matter. New Delhi, India: Hay House Publishing.

Kirsch, I., Montgomery, G., & Sapirstein, G. (1995). Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63(2), 214-220.

Mendoza, M. E., & Capafons, A. (2009). Efficacy of clinical hypnosis: A summary of its empirical evidence. Papeles del Psicólogo, 30(2), 98-116.

O'Neill, L. M., Barnier, A. J., & McConkey, K. M. (1999). Treating anxiety with self-hypnosis and relaxation. Contemporary Hypnosis, 16(2), 68-80.

Oakley, D. A., & Halligan, P. W. (2017). New directions in hypnosis research: Strategies for advancing the cognitive and clinical neuroscience of hypnosis. Neuroscience of Consciousness, 2017(1), nix004. https://doi.org/10.1093/nc/nix004

Patterson, D. R., Questad, K. A., & de Lateur, B. J. (1989). Hypnotherapy as an adjunct to narcotic analgesia for the treatment of pain for burn debridement. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 37(4), 304-311.