What Is Clinical Hypnotherapy?

If your idea of hypnotherapy involves swinging pocket watches and people acting like chickens on stage, you're not alone. Most people's understanding of hypnosis comes from entertainment, and the reality of clinical hypnotherapy is quite different — and frankly, more interesting.

A Working Definition

Clinical hypnotherapy is a therapeutic approach that uses hypnosis — a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility — to help people make positive changes to their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It's practised by trained professionals in a clinical setting, with specific therapeutic goals.

The hypnotic state itself is natural. You've experienced something very similar when you've been absorbed in a good book and lost track of time, or driven a familiar route and arrived without remembering the journey. These are everyday trance states, and clinical hypnosis works with the same neurological mechanisms in a more structured, directed way.

What Hypnotherapy Is Not

It's worth being clear about what clinical hypnotherapy is not:

• It's not mind control. You cannot be made to do anything against your will. You remain aware and in control throughout.
• It's not sleep. Despite the name (hypnos is Greek for sleep), you're not asleep during hypnosis. You're in a state of focused relaxation — more aware in some ways, not less.
• It's not stage hypnosis. Stage performers select willing participants who want to be part of a show. Clinical hypnotherapy is a private therapeutic process with completely different aims.
• It's not magic. It's a well-established therapeutic tool with a growing evidence base. It works through understood psychological and neurological mechanisms.
• It's not a last resort. Many people come to hypnotherapy as a first choice, not because everything else has failed.

How a Session Works

A typical clinical hypnotherapy session has three phases:

1. Discussion

Every session begins with conversation. We talk about what you want to achieve, how things have been going since your last session, and what we'll focus on today. This conscious-level work is important and therapeutic in its own right.

2. Hypnosis

I'll guide you into a hypnotic state using relaxation techniques and focused attention. You'll sit in a comfortable chair (no lying on a couch unless you prefer it). The induction typically takes a few minutes, and once you're in a relaxed state, I'll use various therapeutic techniques depending on your treatment plan — suggestions, imagery, cognitive restructuring or other approaches.

3. Debrief

Afterwards, we briefly discuss how the session felt, and I'll explain any homework or self-help techniques to practise before the next session.

For a more detailed walk-through, see the first session guide.

What Can It Help With?

Clinical hypnotherapy is used for a wide range of conditions, including:

• Anxiety and stress
• Smoking cessation
• Weight management
• Phobias and fears
• Insomnia and sleep problems
• Low confidence and self-esteem
• Chronic pain
• IBS and digestive issues
• Exam and performance anxiety
• Habits (nail biting, teeth grinding, etc.)

The Evidence Base

Hypnotherapy has a growing body of scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness. Brain imaging studies have shown that hypnosis produces measurable changes in brain activity — it's not imagination or placebo. The NHS recognises hypnotherapy as a complementary therapy, and NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has referenced its use for specific conditions including IBS.

The CNHC (Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council), accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, maintains a register of qualified hypnotherapists, providing a level of regulatory oversight for the profession.

Different Approaches to Hypnotherapy

There are several different approaches within clinical hypnotherapy:

• Suggestion therapy — Direct suggestions for change, effective for habits and straightforward issues
• Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy — Combines CBT with hypnosis for a dual-level approach
• Ericksonian hypnotherapy — Uses indirect suggestion and metaphor, developed by Milton Erickson
• Solution-focused hypnotherapy — Focuses on desired outcomes rather than problems
• Analytical hypnotherapy — Explores the root cause of issues through regression techniques

Most experienced practitioners, myself included, draw from several of these approaches depending on the client and the condition being treated. You can read about how hypnotherapy compares to other therapies.

Is It Right for Me?

Hypnotherapy works best for people who are genuinely motivated to make a change, willing to engage with the process, and open to the experience of hypnosis. It doesn't require any particular belief in hypnosis — you don't need to "believe" for it to work. But you do need to be willing to participate.

If you're still unsure, the best next step is a free telephone consultation. We'll discuss your situation honestly, and if hypnotherapy isn't the right approach for you, I'll say so.