Hypnosis is a natural state of focused awareness and deep relaxation, accessed through an internal ability we all possess. In this state, your conscious, critical mind is gently bypassed, much like during guided meditation, allowing direct communication with the subconscious mind, where deep-seated beliefs, habits, and emotional patterns are stored.

In fact, hypnosis is much more ordinary than most people realise. You experience it daily without knowing: for example, when you’re absorbed in a gripping TV series or engrossed in a book, you momentarily lose awareness of the world around you. That natural absorption is a form of everyday hypnosis.

Hypnotherapy uses this state purposefully, directing your focused awareness towards specific goals, such as changing unwanted behaviours, resolving emotional blocks, or improving mental wellbeing. By working at the subconscious level, hypnotherapy helps reframe limiting beliefs and create lasting, meaningful change.

Clearing the Myths: Hypnosis Is Not Mind Control

Some people have been misled about what to expect in hypnosis, often due to sensationalised portrayals in films and stage shows. These depictions show hypnotists bending people’s wills and making them act against their nature — dramatic, yes, but far from the truth.

In reality, hypnosis is a gentle, client-led process. You are never unconscious or out of control. Instead, you’re in a calm, focused state of awareness where you remain fully capable of choosing what to say, think and do. The hypnotherapist simply acts as a guide, helping you navigate the landscape of your own subconscious mind.

When people realise hypnosis is a natural and empowering experience, they often feel a profound shift in how they view their ability to change.

How Does Hypnosis Work?

Hypnosis is a subtle shift in consciousness that gives you access to deeper parts of your mind, particularly the subconscious. This is where your memories, core beliefs, automatic habits, and stored emotions live.

Brain imaging studies have shown that during hypnosis, areas of the brain linked with attention, emotion regulation, and memory become more active, supporting the capacity for behavioural change

Through hypnotherapy, you can:

• Explore the roots of patterns like anxiety, low self-worth, or procrastination
• Reprogram outdated beliefs into more helpful ones
• Strengthen inner resources such as confidence, resilience, or calm
  
  

It’s not about being ‘put under’ or doing something you don’t want to. You’re always in control — and in fact, it’s your own mind doing the work. Hypnosis simply creates the space for that inner work to happen more effectively.

How Does Hypnosis Feel?

The experience of hypnosis can vary from person to person, but it generally involves a shift into a deep state of relaxation, both physically and mentally. You may feel your muscles loosen, your breathing slow, and your thoughts become quieter, as your focus turns inward.

There are different levels of hypnotic depth. Some people describe feeling blissful, or notice tingling sensations, floating feelings, or particularly vivid visual imagery. Others may feel as though their arms and legs are becoming heavier or lighter, or simply that their body is still and deeply at ease.

Most people report a pleasant sense of calm and detachment from everyday worries, similar to a relaxing daydream. Your awareness remains intact, but your attention is narrowed in a peaceful, focused way, often deeply absorbing the words or imagery being guided by the hypnotherapist.

Scientific reviews have shown that hypnosis significantly activates the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to measurable physiological relaxation responses

Many clients say the sense of relaxation continues even after the session, leaving them with a feeling of clarity, lightness, or calm that lasts for the rest of the day, or sometimes even longer.

A Brief History of Hypnosis

Hypnosis has existed in various forms across cultures for centuries, often under different names. Ancient Egyptian and Greek healing temples, shamanic rituals, and even religious trances were early forms of altered states of consciousness used for healing.

The word “hypnosis” first appeared in the 19th century, coined by Scottish surgeon James Braid, who mistakenly thought it resembled sleep (from the Greek hypnos, meaning sleep). However, hypnosis is not sleep — it’s a unique state of focused awareness.

One of the pioneers in medical hypnosis was James Esdaile, a Scottish doctor in British India who performed surgeries using hypnosis as an anaesthetic — long before chemical anaesthesia was available. His success demonstrated the profound potential of the mind-body connection.

Later, in the 20th century, Milton H. Erickson, an American psychiatrist and psychologist, revolutionised the field with a more flexible, conversational, and personalised approach to hypnosis. Erickson’s techniques became the foundation of modern clinical hypnotherapy, focusing on utilising the client’s natural strengths and inner resources.

Hypnosis Today: Therapeutic vs Stage Hypnosis

In modern times, hypnosis is used in two main arenas:

Stage Hypnosis

This is the entertainment form seen in theatres or TV shows. It relies on performance, volunteers, and suggestions that are fun, harmless, and often exaggerated. While real hypnotic states are used, they’re presented with flair and a general show vibe.

Therapeutic Hypnosis (Hypnotherapy)

This is the type used in clinical or wellness settings. Hypnotherapy supports genuine healing, growth, and transformation. It helps with:

• Anxiety and stress
• Phobias and fears
• Sleep issues
• Pain management
• Emotional trauma
• Habits like smoking or overeating
• Self-esteem and confidence
  
  

A meta-analysis found hypnosis significantly more effective than no treatment and more effective than some forms of talk therapy in reducing anxiety

Unlike stage hypnosis, therapeutic hypnosis is deeply respectful and confidential, tailored to your goals and needs. It’s also backed by a growing body of neuroscience and research into the mind-body connection.

The Science Behind Hypnotherapy

Modern research shows hypnosis can positively influence the nervous system, immune response, and even perception of pain. Brain scans demonstrate that during hypnosis, specific areas of the brain associated with focus, imagery, and habit change are more active.

Functional MRI scans have shown that during hypnosis, the brain behaves differently than in normal waking states, with changes in regions linked to memory, awareness, and control

Hypnosis appears to help ‘rewire’ neural pathways through a process often referred to as neuroplasticity, making it easier to form new mental patterns. This is why changes made at the subconscious level tend to be more long-lasting than the efforts made through willpower alone.

As science shifts towards models of interconnected mind-body systems, hypnotherapy is gaining increased respect as a complementary approach in both mental health and medical fields.

Reprogramming Your Inner Map

We each live with an inner map of reality, made up of beliefs, thoughts, and emotional patterns. This map determines how we uniquely interpret the world and respond to it.

Hypnotherapy allows you to update your map. It doesn’t mean manifesting material objects magically, but it does mean:

• Reacting differently to old triggers
• Feeling calmer in situations that used to overwhelm you
• Seeing yourself and others with more clarity and compassion
• Changing your relationships with others
  
  

By changing your inner dialogue at the subconscious level, your outer world begins to reflect those inner shifts.

Final Thoughts: You Are Always in Control

Hypnosis is not something done to you, it’s something you allow yourself to enter, guided by a trained professional. It’s a safe, empowering, and effective way to explore your inner world, release outdated patterns, and plant the seeds of lasting change.

Whether you’re curious about hypnosis for anxiety, self-confidence, past trauma, or simply personal growth, it’s a tool that works with you, never against you.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re curious to explore how hypnosis can support your goals, feel free to get in touch or book your free 20 minutes consultation here below.