Hypnotherapy, or clinical hypnosis, is a treatment where the therapist guides a person into a deeply relaxed state of highly focused awareness to affect change. In conjunction with other therapies, hypnosis has been found to be an effective treatment for chronic stress and related issues. Hypnosis for stress tends to involve short treatments, with clients attending 60-minute sessions weekly over the course of several months.
Central Concepts of Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy relies on a model of the mind that includes conscious and subconscious parts.1 These two parts work together to both generate problems and create their solutions. The concepts of these two categories of mind serve as a useful metaphor to help people elicit the positive changes they want.
Generally speaking, the conscious mind is very focused, like a laser pointer. It is limited to that which it is paying attention to at any given moment. For example, the conscious mind may be intensely focused on a specific task, such as driving a car in a new neighborhood, while ignoring all other sensory input. On the other hand, the subconscious mind is always receiving, processing, and storing information, whether we are aware of it or not.
Sometimes mistaken beliefs and counter-productive habits get “stuck” in the subconscious. This can give rise to a variety of adverse conditions including sleep disorders, anxiety, and unnecessary stress.
In the state of hypnosis, when the subconscious mind is more active and accessible, the hypnotherapist’s aim is to help the person resolve the issues that have become problematic. Through relaxation, guided imagery, positive hypnotic suggestions, and other methods, a hypnotherapist can reprogram unwanted habits, beliefs, or behaviors that cause stress.
Who Can Benefit From Hypnosis for Stress?
Hypnotherapy is right for anyone who is open and amenable to following the suggestions of a hypnotherapist. In order to determine if hypnosis is suitable for a particular person, a series of suggestibility tests may be administered by the therapist. However, a recent study on standardized methods for testing suggestibility showed that these methods can be highly subjective.2 Therefore, it can be helpful to keep an open mind and test the process out for yourself. If you don’t believe you’re open to the idea of hypnosis, it probably is not a suitable technique for you.
There are two ways to increase the chances of success of hypnosis for stress:
- Managing expectations
- Pre-session preparation
Managing Expectations
Some people come seeking hypnosis treatment for stress with expectations and preconceived notions about what hypnotherapy is. This can inhibit the success of the treatment.
Some common misconceptions about hypnosis include:
- Hypnosis is sleep. A person in hypnosis is not asleep but is aware of what is happening throughout the whole process. They will be fully conscious of what is going on internally and be able to interact with their therapist when needed.
- Control and consent. The therapist does not control the person in hypnosis. In order for the process to be effective the subject must consent to follow the benign suggestions provided by the therapist.
- How hypnosis will feel. Generally speaking most people experience pleasant feelings of mental and physical relaxation while in hypnosis. However, not experiencing those does not necessarily mean that one hasn’t entered the trance state. Other perceptible signs of being in trance include focused awareness, vivid mental imagery, and the ability to clearly recall memories.
Pre-Session Preparation
The pioneering hypnotist Dave Elman observed in the 1960’s that his patients would achieve deeper levels of hypnosis the more they experienced it.3 Many therapists today will provide people with pre-session hypnosis “training.” This may be in the form of written scripts that can be read out loud or recordings of hypnotic inductions that can be listened to before the actual session.
In this context, it can be very helpful to view hypnosis as a skill that can be learned as opposed to a treatment that is done to you.
How Can Hypnotherapy Help Someone Reduce & Manage Stress?
With its emphasis on physical and mental relaxation, hypnotherapy can be a highly effective way to manage stress symptoms while developing good self-care habits that promote health and well-being. Stress is a normal part of everyday life that everyone experiences. However, chronic stress can severely affect a person’s quality of life.
Unmanaged, stress has been shown to contribute to various mental and physical health issues, including:4
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Sleep issues
- Sexual side effects
Chronic stress can also be the underlying cause of migraine headaches and may exacerbate existing conditions such as fibromyalgia.
Hypnotic Techniques for Stress
Hypnotherapeutic techniques for working with stress include:
Relaxation
In order to achieve sufficient relaxation to enter the hypnotic trance state, the therapist will guide a person through a progressive attention to each part of the body. Through mindfulness, focused awareness, and soothing suggestions, a person is able to release tension and stress. Once physical relaxation is achieved, mental relaxation comes more easily. Through this process, the symptoms of stress are often greatly reduced, allowing any therapeutic work to begin.
Right Sizing
Oftentimes stress is caused or exacerbated by obsessive and fearful thoughts about the future. This can take the form of catastrophizing, filtering information, and magnification. While in the trance state, the therapist will guide the person through a process of right-sizing their fears and worries to better reflect the reality of their situation.
Reframing
This technique relies on the use of imagination and guided imagery. In the dreamlike state of hypnosis a person imagines themselves experiencing the situations that trigger stressful feelings. They are then able to bring new resources, perspectives, and attitudes to those situations, allowing them to practice healthier responses.
In addition to all of these techniques, many hypnotherapists will suggest various self-management tools to deal with stress as it may come up in the future. These can include instructions for self-hypnosis, deep breathing exercises, and self-guided relaxation meditations.
How Is Hypnosis Used to Treat Stress?
A typical course of hypnosis treatment for stress will include an initial assessment, several hypnosis sessions, and some kind of follow-up and support. During the initial assessment a person may be asked about their past and current experience. As chronic stress can be a serious medical and mental health issue, a therapist will likely ask about any past or current treatments so they can coordinate with other providers as needed.
Some other areas that may be explored before treatment begins include:
- Identifying what triggers stress responses in the mind and body.
- Clearly noting all the physical and emotional symptoms that signal oncoming stress. These can include mental images, inner dialog, looping thoughts, and physical sensations.
- Clarifying the person’s desired outcome from the treatment. For example, feeling relaxed, at peace, and at ease during situations that used to trigger stress.
Using all this information, the person will then work with the therapist to create hypnotic suggestions and a plan of treatment that will best support stress relief.
Next are the actual hypnosis sessions. The number of sessions needed will vary from person to person. Some people experience satisfying results after one or two sessions while others benefit from a longer program of treatment.
During the first session, the therapist will induce the hypnotic trance, guiding the person into a state of deep relaxation and focused awareness. In addition to the strategies mentioned above a therapist can then employ various techniques to relieve the symptoms as well as address the underlying causes of stress and anxiety.
3 Examples of Hypnotherapy Techniques in Practice
The following are examples of how hypnotherapy techniques would be used during a hypnosis session:
1. Hypnotic Suggestions for Stress
While in hypnosis, a person is more amenable to accepting and implementing positive suggestions. These are most effective when delivered in the present tense. For example, if a person feels stressed while flying an effective suggestion may be, “Whenever I sit on an airplane, I remember to breathe and relax.”
The key to post hypnotic suggestions is that they are both believable and offer desirable alternative responses to the cause of stressful feelings.
2. Anchoring for Reducing Stress
Normally, a person experiences the problem state (stress) feeling they are at the mercy of whatever has triggered it. Anchoring is a technique that effectively teaches a person how to create their own positive triggers for more desirable outcomes. While in trance, a person will be guided into a state where they feel relaxed, safe, and at ease.
They will then be instructed to create an “anchor” to those feelings. This can be a phrase, a specific place, or a physical gesture such as pressing the thumb and forefinger together. Through physical and mental association, they are then able to enter the desired state whenever the chosen anchor is activated in the future.
3. Memory Regression for Stress
Sometimes, chronic stress has its source in memories of past events. In hypnosis, it is possible to revisit those memories with better resources. For example, a person who is anxious or phobic around dogs may remember they were bitten by a dog when they were a child.
In the trance state, they can re-experience the event with the full knowledge that they survived, that they are now more capable of protecting themselves as adults, and that not all dogs are a threat.
Is Hypnotherapy Effective for Stress?
Hypnosis by itself and as an adjunct to other treatments has been proven to help reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. There has been a great deal of research done on the efficacy of hypnosis and hypnotherapy for treating chronic stress and related disorders.
Key findings about the effectiveness of hypnosis for stress are:
- A meta-analysis from 2018 reviewed the findings of almost 400 records, 15 studies, and 17 trials of hypnosis for controlling the symptoms of anxiety. They concluded that hypnosis was more effective in treating anxiety than other methods alone. At the end of treatment, the average participant in the 17 trials reported more reduced anxiety than 79% of the control groups.5
- Patients with acute stress disorder were offered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or a combination of CBT and hypnosis. The group that received hypnosis treatment reported a greater reduction in reexperiencing symptoms in post treatment than those who received CBT alone.6
- A survey of experimental literature on self hypnosis concluded that self hypnosis is a rapid, cost-effective, non addictive and safe alternative to medication for the treatment of anxiety-related conditions.7
- In a recent prospective, single-arm feasibility study, healthy adult participants with self-assessed increased stress levels received 5 weekly group hypnosis sessions plus audio recordings. Participants reported significant reductions in stress symptoms at the end of treatment.8
How to Find a Hypnotherapist to Help You With Stress
Hypnotherapy is becoming more popular and widely accepted. As a result, the consumer has more choices available to them than ever before.
Here are a few suggestions for how to make informed choices regarding your mental health:
- Research: Become more knowledgeable about hypnosis by reading articles and books, watching YouTube videos, and listening to podcasts. A little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to making decisions about your health and well-being. See some of the resources at the end of this article for more information.
- Schedule consultations: Many hypnotherapists offer initial consultations for free. Take advantage of these to personally meet a number of different therapists and compare their services. You can also “get the feel” of the person through your conversation. Ask yourself, do you feel comfortable sharing your issues with them, do they seem to have empathy for you, and do you feel like you have good rapport with them.
- Conduct an interview: Since you are about to hire a person to perform a valuable service, treat your initial consultation like a job interview. Ask them about their experience with helping people with stress. What kind of success have they had with other clients with stress related issues? Do they offer any additional support before and after your sessions? What kinds of clients and issues do they most want to work with?
There are also several professional organizations that maintain directories of hypnotists and hypnotherapists in your area.
Some respected ones include:
- The National Guild of Hypnotists
- The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis
- The National Association of Transpersonal Hypnotherapists
Pros & Cons of Hypnotherapy for Stress
As with any type of treatment, there are pros and cons to pursuing hypnosis as a way to treat stress. Pros and cons are important to weigh and understand before beginning treatment.
Pros of Hypnosis for Stress
Pros of hypnosis for stress include:
It’s all-Natural
Hypnosis is a natural state of mental and physical relaxation that does not rely on pharmaceutical treatments. Medications for stress and anxiety can cause unpleasant and even serious sides effects such as sleep disturbances, sexual side effects, and dependence.
It’s Fast-Acting
People can oftentimes find immediate relief from stress symptoms when receiving hypnosis treatment. By calming and relaxing the body and mind, feelings of stress naturally subside. Even if they return after a session, they can be treated again as needed with hypnotic techniques such as focused breathing, progressive relaxation, and anchoring.
It Can Resolve Underlying Issues
As mentioned before, stress can have roots in past experiences. These experiences can be major or minor traumas from accidents, injuries, or even abuse. Depending on the issue, hypnosis alone or as an adjunct other treatments can help the person find psychological resolution for the underlying causes of stress.
Cons of Hypnotherapy for Stress
Cons of hypnotherapy for stress include:
Results Vary
As with any treatment, not everyone will experience the same results. Although the person-centered approach of hypnotherapy can be a great advantage to many people, it means that sometimes the treatment will be more or less effective. As a result, a person may have to seek out more than one hypnotherapist if they are not satisfied with the initial outcome.
There Aren’t Universal Standards
There is not one set of standards that govern the profession of hypnotherapy. As a result, the services and treatments provided by hypnotists may vary. Nonetheless, most practitioners do adhere to some kind of ethical and professional standards. Make sure that your hypnotherapist belongs to a reputable trade organization such as the National Guild of Hypnotists.
It’s not Often Covered by Insurance
Many insurance companies do not cover hypnosis treatment which can result in out of pocket costs. Check with your insurance company before committing to hypnotherapy as a treatment for stress.
At-Home Tips for Relieving Stress
In addition to finding a therapist, there are many at-home techniques one can use to relieve stress at home, including:
Exercise Regularly
Regular physical activity can help to reduce symptoms of stress. Make exercise a priority in your daily schedule. Even short exercise sessions can be beneficial if done on a regular basis.
Practice Mindfulness
Because stress often manifests as physical symptoms, it can be very helpful to develop a more fine-tuned awareness of the body. This can be done through regularly practicing mindfulness, including the progressive relaxation technique below. Over time it will result in a heightened ability to recognize stress as soon as it begins to come up. It then becomes possible to treat the anxiety before the symptoms intensify.
Relaxation
Most hypnotherapists incorporate some kind of progressive body relaxation into a hypnosis session. This mindfulness technique is easy to learn and apply at home. Simply find a quiet space, close your eyes, and bring your attention to each part of the body from the top of the head down to the feet. Spend some time noticing where there is tension or stress and do your best to let go and relax.
Additional Resources for Hypnotherapy for Stress
For more information about hypnotherapy for anxiety and hypnosis in general see these resources:
- The American Institute of Stress is a non-profit organization established in 1978 that offers information and resources for those experiencing the effects of chronic stress.
- The Science of Hypnosis An article from the National Geographic blog.
- Hypnosis Basics A video explaining some of the basic principles of hypnosis.
- The National Guild of Hypnotists offers educational material as well as a listing of hypnotists who are in good standing with the Guild.
- HMI College of Hypnotherapy offers free videos on hypnosis for health and self-improvement.
