Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy uses focused attention and guided suggestion to help you work on specific goals, such as anxiety, phobias, habits or confidence. It is typically delivered as a structured series of sessions with clear outcomes and review points.

You remain aware and in control throughout; the therapist uses language and techniques designed to help you access calmer responses and new perspectives.

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Hypnotherapy is a psychological therapy that uses guided relaxation, focused attention and therapeutic suggestion to support change. It is often used for anxiety-related symptoms, confidence issues, phobias, stress and habit change. Approaches vary: some practitioners use a more directive style, while others combine hypnosis with talking therapies such as CBT-informed methods.

What happens in a hypnotherapy session?

Sessions usually begin with a discussion of your goal and any relevant background. The therapist explains the process and checks consent and suitability. Hypnosis typically involves relaxation and focusing attention, followed by therapeutic language, imagery or exercises relevant to your aim.

What can hypnotherapy help with?

Anxiety and stress responses
Phobias and specific fears
Sleep difficulties linked to overthinking
Confidence and performance anxiety
Habit change (often alongside practical behaviour strategies)

How many sessions do people need?

It depends on the goal and complexity. Some specific issues may respond in a small number of sessions, while long-standing patterns may require longer-term work. A good practitioner will agree a plan and review progress.

Safety and suitability

Hypnotherapy is generally safe when delivered by a trained professional. If you have a history of psychosis, severe dissociation, or complex mental health needs, discuss this before starting, and consider integrated care with a regulated mental health professional.

History of Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis has been used in various forms for centuries, with modern clinical hypnotherapy developing alongside psychology and medicine. Over time, practitioners refined techniques for relaxation, focused attention and therapeutic suggestion.

In the UK, hypnotherapy is commonly used for anxiety, phobias, stress and habit change. Many modern hypnotherapists integrate hypnosis with evidence-informed approaches such as CBT strategies, motivational techniques and structured goal-setting.

Typical conditions that use Hypnotherapy

Condition	Evidence	Notes
Anxiety	moderate	Common use; outcomes vary; ensure appropriate screening.
Gut-brain stress symptoms	strong	Gut-directed hypnotherapy is NICE-recommended for IBS.
Phobias	moderate	Often used for specific fears; structured plan and consent important.
Public speaking nerves	strong	Core therapy for public speaking nerves.
Sexual performance anxiety (supportive)	strong	Core therapy for sexual performance anxiety.
Sleep anxiety	strong	Core therapy for sleep anxiety.
Trouble falling asleep	strong	Core therapy for sleep onset insomnia.
Difficulty reaching orgasm	moderate	Used for orgasm difficulties.
Erectile dysfunction	moderate	Strongly used for erectile dysfunction with performance anxiety.
Exam stress	moderate	Strong use for exam stress and performance anxiety.
Imposter syndrome	moderate	Commonly used for imposter syndrome and confidence.
Insomnia	moderate	Often used for sleep-onset issues driven by rumination.
Intimacy difficulties	moderate	Used for intimacy difficulties.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)	strong	Gut-directed hypnotherapy most evidenced for IBS.
Libido concerns (supportive)	moderate	Commonly used for libido concerns.
Low confidence	moderate	Strongly used for low confidence and self-esteem.
Low libido	moderate	Commonly used for low libido.
Low self-esteem	moderate	Commonly used for low self-esteem.
Panic attacks	moderate	Can support coping skills; ensure medical screening where indicated.
Panic disorder	moderate	Strongly used for panic disorder.
People pleasing	moderate	Strongly used for people-pleasing patterns.
Perfectionism	moderate	Strongly used for perfectionism.
Performance anxiety	moderate	Common use; measure outcomes (e.g., avoidance, confidence).
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)	moderate	Strongly used for PTSD alongside EMDR.
Pregnancy anxiety support	moderate	Commonly used for pregnancy anxiety.
Premature ejaculation	moderate	Strongly used for premature ejaculation.
Procrastination	moderate	Strongly used for procrastination.
Rumination / overthinking	moderate	Used for rumination and overthinking.
Sexual wellbeing concerns (supportive)	moderate	Used for sexual wellbeing concerns.
Social anxiety	moderate	Commonly used for social anxiety.
Stress	moderate	Relaxation and coping strategies can be helpful.
Trauma after accident or assault	moderate	Used for trauma after accidents and assaults.
Trouble staying asleep	moderate	Used for sleep maintenance issues.
Vaginismus	moderate	Used for vaginismus alongside physiotherapy.
Weight management (behaviour change support)	moderate	Commonly used for weight management and habit change.
Workplace stress	moderate	Commonly used for workplace stress.
Acid reflux / heartburn support	moderate	Gut-directed hypnotherapy has evidence for reflux.
Acne-related confidence concerns	limited	May help skin condition-related anxiety and confidence.
Addiction / dependency support	moderate	Used as adjunct in addiction recovery.
Anger issues	moderate	Used for anger management via subconscious work.
Asthma-related anxiety support (adjunct)	limited	May support anxiety component of asthma.
Attachment issues	limited	Used for attachment-related anxiety.
Body image concerns	moderate	Used for body image and self-esteem concerns.
Boundary issues	moderate	Used to address people-pleasing and limit-setting patterns.
Cancer emotional support (men)	limited	Used supportively in cancer emotional support.
Caregiver stress	limited	May support carer stress via relaxation.
Chronic illness adjustment	limited	Supportive for chronic illness adjustment.
Complex PTSD	moderate	Used for PTSD and trauma processing.
Compulsive behaviours	moderate	Used for OCD and compulsive behaviour patterns.
Confidence building	moderate	Used for confidence building.
Depression	moderate	Used for depression support via positive suggestion.
Diarrhoea	moderate	Gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS including diarrhoea.
Dizziness support	limited	May help dizziness with anxiety component.
Domestic abuse recovery support (sensitive)	limited	Can support trauma recovery; requires trauma-informed approach.
Eating disorder recovery support (alongside specialist care)	limited	Adjunct support for eating disorder recovery.
Emotional eating	moderate	Used for emotional eating patterns.
Emotional regulation difficulties	moderate	Used for emotional regulation via subconscious pattern work.
Feeling overwhelmed	moderate	Used for overwhelm and stress management.
Fibromyalgia support	moderate	Used for fibromyalgia pain management.
Food-related anxiety (supportive)	moderate	Gut-directed hypnotherapy for food-related anxiety.
Gambling problems	moderate	Used as adjunct in gambling recovery.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)	moderate	Used for GAD and anxiety management.
Guilt	moderate	Used for guilt and shame processing.
Hair loss-related distress	moderate	Used for hair loss-related confidence and distress.
Headaches	moderate	Used for tension headache via relaxation.
Health anxiety	moderate	Used for health anxiety management.
Indigestion / dyspepsia	moderate	Used for stress-related indigestion.
Intimacy concerns	moderate	Used for intimacy concerns via anxiety work.
Intrusive thoughts	moderate	Used for intrusive thoughts and OCD patterns.
Irritability	moderate	Used for irritability via emotional regulation.
Jealousy	moderate	Used for jealousy via attachment and confidence work.
Leadership coaching goals	moderate	Used for leadership confidence and performance.
Life transitions / adjustment issues	moderate	Used for life transition anxiety.
Loneliness	moderate	Used for loneliness via confidence and social anxiety.
Long-term condition coping	limited	Supportive for chronic illness coping.
Low mood	moderate	Used for low mood support.
Low mood in men	moderate	Accessible for men; goal-focused approach to low mood.
Low motivation	moderate	Used for low motivation via positive suggestion.
Menopause symptoms	moderate	Used for menopausal symptom management.
Migraine support	moderate	Used for migraine management.
Motivation and goal setting	moderate	Used for motivation and goal-setting.
Nausea support	moderate	Used for nausea management.
Neuralgia support	moderate	Used for pain management in neuralgia.
Non-restorative sleep	moderate	Used for non-restorative sleep.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)	moderate	Used for OCD management alongside ERP.
Osteoarthritis support	moderate	Used for OA pain management.
Painful sex (dyspareunia)	moderate	Used for dyspareunia with psychological component.
Parenting stress	moderate	Used for parenting stress and confidence.
Pelvic pain	moderate	Used for pelvic pain via relaxation and pain management.
Perimenopause symptoms	moderate	Used for perimenopause symptom management.
PMDD support (adjunct)	moderate	Used for PMDD mood symptoms.
Postnatal emotional support	moderate	Used for postnatal emotional support.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)	moderate	Used for PMS symptom relief.
Psoriasis stress impact support	moderate	Used for psoriasis via stress reduction.
Relationship conflict	moderate	Used for relationship conflict via communication confidence.
Relationship stress (men)	moderate	Used for relationship stress in men.
Resilience building	moderate	Used for resilience building.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)	moderate	Used for SAD mood support.
Sedentary lifestyle support	moderate	Used to support lifestyle change and habit building.
Self-harm thoughts (sensitive)	moderate	Used for self-harm recovery alongside psychological therapy.
Separation / divorce support	moderate	Used for separation/divorce anxiety and confidence.
Sexual difficulties	moderate	Used for a range of sexual difficulties.
Shame	moderate	Used for shame and self-worth work.
Skin picking (dermatillomania) support	moderate	Used for skin picking (BFRB) alongside HRT.
Social isolation	moderate	Used for social isolation via confidence building.
Stammering (stuttering)	moderate	Used for stammering alongside speech therapy.
Time management	moderate	Used for time management via motivation and focus.
TMJ / jaw tension	moderate	Used for TMJ via stress and jaw tension reduction.
Trust issues	moderate	Used for trust issues via confidence and pattern work.
Vertigo support	moderate	Used for vertigo anxiety component.
Voice problems	moderate	Used for voice-related performance anxiety.
Work-life balance	moderate	Used for work-life balance via boundary work.
Eczema stress impact support	limited	May help eczema via stress reduction.
Fatherhood adjustment	limited	May support fatherhood adjustment via anxiety management.
Fatigue	limited	May support fatigue management via stress reduction.
Friendship difficulties	limited	May support social confidence for friendship difficulties.
Hay fever impact support	limited	May help hay fever via stress reduction.
High blood pressure stress support (adjunct)	limited	May help blood pressure via stress reduction.
Language and communication difficulties (speech/language)	limited	May support communication anxiety.
Lipolymphoedema support	limited	Supportive for lipolymphoedema distress.
Low energy	limited	May help low energy with stress component.
Memory concerns (supportive)	limited	May support memory via stress and sleep improvement.
Menstrual cramps / painful periods	limited	May help menstrual pain via relaxation.
Multiple sclerosis support (adjunct)	limited	Supportive for MS-related anxiety.
Muscle cramps	limited	May help muscle cramps via relaxation.
PCOS support (adjunct)	limited	Supportive for PCOS stress symptoms.
Peripheral neuropathy support (adjunct)	limited	Supportive for neuropathy pain with anxiety component.
Postural pain	limited	May help postural pain with tension component.
Post-viral fatigue support	limited	Supportive for post-viral fatigue anxiety.
Stroke recovery support (adjunct)	limited	Supportive for post-stroke anxiety.
Tremor support	limited	May support essential tremor anxiety component.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose control under hypnosis?

No. You remain aware and can pause or stop at any time. Sessions are collaborative and based on agreed goals.

What goals can hypnotherapy support?

Common aims include managing anxiety, building confidence or changing specific habits, alongside practical coping strategies.

How many sessions will I need?

It varies. Some people book a few sessions for a focused goal; others choose a short course.