What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis in psychotherapy, employing a guided process to help clients reach a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility for therapeutic purposes. The practice uses guided hypnosis to help a client reach a trance-like state of focus, concentration, diminished peripheral awareness, and heightened suggestibility. Unlike stage hypnosis or entertainment applications, hypnotherapy is conducted by trained professionals to address specific mental or physical health goals, including pain management, anxiety reduction, habit change, and trauma processing.
Origins & Lineage
During the 18th century, Franz Anton Mesmer, an Austrian physician, made significant contributions to the development of hypnosis with his theory of “animal magnetism”. Mesmer believed in a universal magnetic fluid flowing through living beings that could be manipulated to induce healing trances. In 1892, a study by the British Medical Association concluded that hypnotism was indeed credible as a therapeutic technique, distinguishing it from Mesmer’s discredited theories.
In 1841, Scottish physician James Braid published an article where he reframed mesmerism within a new scientific, neuro-psychological model of suggestion-based therapy, which he called hypnotism. James Braid’s classic ‘Neurypnology, or the Rationale of Nervous Sleep’, appeared in 1843. Braid coined the terms “hypnotism” and “hypnotic therapeutics” to describe his approach, which worked through focused attention and suggestion rather than postulating any mysterious force such as animal magnetism.
Later developments included Auguste Ambrose Liebeault (1823-1904) and Hippolyte Bernheim (1840-1919), who founded the Nancy school, which proved to be of very great significance in the establishment of a hypnotherapy acceptable in many quarters. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, studied hypnotism at the Paris School and briefly visited the Nancy School. At first, Freud was an enthusiastic proponent of hypnotherapy, though he later abandoned it for psychoanalysis.
In the 20th century, two figures transformed clinical hypnotherapy: Milton H. Erickson and Dave Elman were arguably both hypnotic heavyweights. Although there are many others who’ve made their mark, Erickson and Elman stand out as truly brilliant, because they each transformed the field of hypnotherapy. Elman published only one book, “Findings in Hypnosis” (later published as “Hypnotherapy”). After Braid’s death, the field went into a period of obscurity until it was revitalised in the 1950s by Dave Elman, as hypnotherapy experienced periods of skepticism and was often eclipsed by new medical practices.
How It’s Practiced
Progressive Relaxation method is the most commonly used for clinical hypnotherapy purposes. Sessions typically begin with induction—the process of guiding a client into trance. Progressive relaxation remains the most widely used induction for good reason. The therapist guides the client to systematically relax each muscle group, typically starting from the feet and moving upward. As physical tension releases, mental relaxation naturally follows.
Other induction methods include eye fixation, rapid inductions using pattern interrupts, arm levitation techniques, and conversational approaches. Whereas Dave Elman would direct the subject, Milton Erickson offered options and often did so within a seemingly ordinary, but hypnotic conversation. The maternal approach is a gentler approach, but no less effective.
Once the client enters trance, the practitioner delivers therapeutic suggestions tailored to the client’s goals. The goal of modern hypnotherapy is to gain self-control over behavior, emotions, or physiologic processes. This is achieved by inducing a hypnotic trance, whereby the patient’s focus of attention is directed inward, thus allowing easier access to the noncritical unconscious mind. Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy are advanced skills in which a trained professional uses hypnosis to cause specific change. Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy are used extensively in the medical and Mental Health fields.
Hypnotherapy Today
Modern seekers encounter hypnotherapy through multiple channels. Clinical practitioners—often licensed psychologists, counselors, or medical professionals with hypnotherapy certification—offer individual sessions addressing specific issues. Most frequently clinical hypnosis is used for stress related disorders and pain management. By the mid-20th century, hypnosis gained mainstream medical acceptance, and today it is used for pain management, anxiety, and behavioral changes.
Technology has expanded access. Spiegel has developed an app called Reveri to deliver hypnosis outside the clinic. Elkins is advising Mindset Health, which has developed the hypnotherapy app Finito for quitting smoking, Evia for managing symptoms of menopause, and Nerva for irritable bowel syndrome. Many practitioners offer recorded sessions or virtual consultations.
Certification standards vary. Look for certifications from reputable organizations, such as the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) or the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH). Some hypnotherapists integrate techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, or somatic practices.
Common Misconceptions
While stage hypnosis is for entertainment, clinical hypnotherapy is a serious practice used to treat various mental and physical health issues. It is performed by trained professionals who adhere to strict ethical standards. Several persistent myths require correction:
You cannot be controlled. A trained clinical hypnotherapist can help clients in this state relax and turn their attention inward to discover and utilize resources within themselves. You will hear the therapist’s suggestions, but it is up to you to decide whether or not to act on them.
You cannot get stuck in hypnosis. It is impossible to get stuck in hypnosis. Hypnosis is a natural state that we drift in and out of daily, similar to daydreaming. If a session is interrupted, you will naturally come out of the hypnotic state alone.
You remain aware. During hypnosis, you are not unconscious but in a state of focused attention. You are aware of what is happening and remember the session afterward.
Evidence is mixed. Hypnotherapy is generally not considered to be based on scientific evidence, and is rarely recommended in clinical practice guidelines. However, a meta-analysis from the Cochrane Collaboration found that the therapeutic effect of hypnotherapy was “superior to that of a waiting list control or usual medical management, for abdominal pain and composite primary IBS symptoms”. Research on memory retrieval remains particularly controversial.
How to Begin
For those exploring hypnotherapy, several entry points exist. Reading foundational texts provides context: Dave Elman’s Hypnotherapy offers direct, clinical approaches, while works on Milton Erickson detail conversational and permissive methods. James Braid’s Neurypnology (1843) remains historically significant.
Seek practitioners with dual credentials—both clinical licensure (psychology, counseling, social work) and specialized hypnotherapy training. Initial consultations should clarify the practitioner’s approach, training background, and treatment plan. Progressive relaxation is the easiest method to learn for people who want to practice self-hypnosis. It is simple, safe, reliable and does not require additional tools, or a second person to guide the session.
Approach with realistic expectations. Hypnotherapy is not magic but a focused therapeutic tool that works best when integrated with broader mental health support and when the client is genuinely motivated toward change.
