Hypnosis: The Complete Guide to Hypnotherapy, Self-Hypnosis and the Science

Hypnosis is a state of focused attention and reduced awareness of your surroundings in which you respond more readily to suggestion. You stay awake and in control. Used by trained clinicians, it has good evidence for irritable bowel syndrome, pain and anxiety around medical procedures, but much weaker evidence for quitting smoking or losing weight.

Mind and emotions · Helps with: IBS, pain, procedure anxiety, stress, sleep, habits, confidence

Last updated: 23 October 2026

Reading time: about 45 minutes

How we wrote this guide
We based this guide on peer-reviewed research, including Cochrane reviews and meta-analyses, plus official guidance (for example from NICE and the NHS in the UK and the American College of Gastroenterology in the US) and the professional bodies that train and register hypnotherapists in several countries. Every claim links to its source, and the full list is at the end. Where a company or a well-known hypnotist describes its own results, we say so clearly. We checked every video, podcast, book, course, app and account link in October 2026. This guide is general information, not medical or psychological advice.

⚠️ Before you start: who should be careful

• Hypnosis is not a substitute for medical care. Get symptoms checked by your doctor first. Gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS, for example, should only start once a doctor has confirmed the diagnosis.
• The NHS says hypnotherapy may not be safe for you if you have schizophrenia or a history of psychosis, or if you have epilepsy (NHS). Speak to your doctor or psychiatrist before trying it.
• Be very cautious with “regression” to find hidden memories. Hypnosis can make people more confident in memories that are false. Never use it to “recover” memories of abuse (see risks).
• Don’t stop or change any medication because of hypnosis or a hypnosis app. Talk to your doctor first.
• Don’t listen to hypnosis audio while driving or doing anything that needs your full attention.
• If you are in crisis, contact a crisis line now. USA: call or text 988 (988 Lifeline). Canada: call or text 9-8-8 (988.ca). UK and Ireland: Samaritans on 116 123 (Samaritans). Australia: Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Lifeline). India: Tele-MANAS on 14416 (Tele-MANAS). Elsewhere: find a free local line at findahelpline.com. In an emergency, call your local emergency number (for example 911, 999, 112 or 000).

Quick answer: what is hypnosis and does it work?

• It is real, but it isn’t sleep or mind control. The American Psychological Association’s hypnosis division defines it as “a state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness characterized by an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion” (Elkins et al., 2015).
• People differ a lot. About 10–15% of people respond to most hypnotic suggestions and a similar share respond to very few; most are in the middle (Montgomery et al., 2025).
• The best evidence is for IBS. NICE says hypnotherapy should be considered for IBS that hasn’t responded to medicines after 12 months (NICE CG61).
• It also helps with pain and medical procedures, especially for people who are more hypnotisable (Thompson et al., 2019).
• The evidence for stopping smoking is weak. A Cochrane review found any benefit is small at most (Barnes et al., 2019).
• You can learn self-hypnosis from a qualified practitioner, a book or an app. Where you live matters: in the US, choose a licensed health professional trained in hypnosis; in the UK, a hypnotherapist on an accredited register such as the CNHC; in Australia, a health professional or a practitioner on a national register such as the AHA (see how to choose a hypnotherapist).

Contents

1. What is hypnosis?
   • The official definition
   • What hypnosis feels like
2. Myths vs facts
3. A short history of hypnosis
4. How hypnosis works: what science says
   • State vs non-state theories
   • Hypnotisability: why some people respond more
   • What brain scans show (and don’t)
5. Types of hypnosis
6. How to do self-hypnosis: step by step
7. What hypnosis can help with: the honest evidence
   • IBS and gut-directed hypnotherapy
   • Pain
   • Medical procedures and surgery
   • Anxiety
   • Stopping smoking
   • Weight loss
   • Evidence at a glance
8. Risks and who should not use hypnosis
9. How to choose a hypnotherapist
10. Key experts in hypnosis
11. Hypnosis apps
12. Books
13. Courses and training
14. Watch, listen and follow
15. Frequently asked questions
16. Key takeaways
17. Sources

What Is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural ability of the mind, not a power one person has over another. In a hypnotic session, someone (a clinician, a recording or you) guides your attention inward until you are absorbed in an experience. They then give suggestions: ideas about changes in how you feel, think, perceive or act. “Your hand is becoming light.” “The discomfort in your stomach is easing.” “You feel calm as you walk into the exam.”

Some people experience these suggestions vividly and almost automatically. Others notice only small shifts. Either way, you remain conscious, you can hear what is said, and you can reject a suggestion or open your eyes at any time.

The Official Definition

In 2014 the American Psychological Association’s Division 30 (the Society of Psychological Hypnosis) agreed a short set of definitions that researchers and clinicians now widely use (Elkins et al., 2015; APA Division 30):

Two points follow from this. First, hypnosis is a tool, not a therapy on its own. Hypnotherapy means using that tool inside a treatment, which is why professional bodies such as the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis say the practitioner should be able to treat your problem without hypnosis too. Second, it is the suggestions, not the trance itself, that do most of the work.

What Hypnosis Feels Like

People describe it in different ways:

• Focused and absorbed, like being lost in a good book or film, when the rest of the room fades away.
• Relaxed, often, but not always. Relaxation is not essential: studies show hypnotic responses can occur even during strenuous physical activity (Montgomery et al., 2025).
• Effortless responses, such as an arm that seems to rise “by itself” or a sensation that changes without trying.
• Time distortion: 20 minutes can feel like five.
• Ordinary: many people are surprised that hypnosis feels so normal and wonder if they were “really” hypnotised.

You will not usually lose your memory of the session, and you can’t get “stuck” in hypnosis. If the guide stopped talking, you would simply drift into normal rest or open your eyes.

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Myths vs Facts

Stage shows, films and the “spiral eyes” image have left a lot of myths. Here is what research says.

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A Short History of Hypnosis

Trance-like rituals are ancient, but the modern story of hypnosis starts in 18th-century Europe. It is a story of colourful showmen, sceptical scientists and doctors who slowly worked out that the power lies in the person being hypnotised, not the hypnotist.

▶ The phony health craze that inspired hypnotism – Vox. A nine-minute history of Franz Mesmer, animal magnetism and the 1784 Franklin commission.

Franz Mesmer and “Animal Magnetism” (1770s–1780s)

Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815), a Viennese doctor, claimed that an invisible fluid he called “animal magnetism” flowed through all living things, and that illness came from blockages he could clear with magnets, passes of his hands and dramatic group sessions in Paris. His patients often had “crises” (convulsions or fainting), and he became famous (Montgomery et al., 2025).

In 1784 King Louis XVI set up a royal commission that included Benjamin Franklin. In what are often described as some of the first blind experiments, the commissioners found that people reacted when they believed they were being magnetised, whether or not they actually were. They concluded that the effects came from imagination, not a magnetic fluid (Franklin et al., 1784, translated 2002). Stanford psychiatrist David Spiegel has called modern clinical hypnosis “Mesmer minus magic”: the effects were real, but the explanation was wrong (Spiegel, 2002).

Mesmerism, the movement that grew from Mesmer’s work, has its own fascinating story, which we’ll cover in a separate guide. Two of his followers matter here. The Marquis de Puységur found that some people entered a calm, sleep-like state rather than a crisis, and introduced the word “rapport” for the bond between practitioner and subject. Abbé José Custódio de Faria (1756–1819) argued that the power to enter this state lay within the subject, not the operator, which is still the mainstream view (Montgomery et al., 2025).

James Braid Coins “Hypnotism” (1840s)

James Braid (1795–1860), a Scottish surgeon, rejected animal magnetism. He argued that the effects were physiological and psychological, and in his 1843 book Neurypnology introduced the word “hypnotism” and the idea of “nervous sleep”. He used eye fixation, asking people to stare at a bright object, as an induction, a technique still used today (Montgomery et al., 2025).

Charcot vs Bernheim: Paris vs Nancy (1880s)

Late-19th-century France saw a famous debate. Jean-Martin Charcot (1825–1893), the celebrated neurologist at the Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, saw hypnosis as a special, almost pathological state found mainly in patients with “hysteria” (what we would now call functional neurological disorders). Hippolyte Bernheim (1840–1919) and the Nancy school argued that hypnosis was a normal psychological state produced by suggestion, available to most people (Montgomery et al., 2025; Maehle & Wolffram, 2017). The debate spread across Europe (Brancaccio, 2017), and Bernheim’s view largely won.

Freud Tries Hypnosis, Then Gives It Up

In 1885 a young Sigmund Freud won a grant to study at the Salpêtrière with Charcot, whose theatrical demonstrations showed that ideas could produce and remove physical symptoms. Back in Vienna in 1886, Freud lectured on hypnosis and used it with patients (Freud Museum London). He later abandoned it. In his 1909 lectures (published 1910) he explained that he “could not hypnotize by any means all of my patients” and came to dislike hypnosis as a “mystical” aid, so he developed free association instead (Freud, 1910). Freud’s rejection helped push hypnosis to the edges of psychology for decades.

Milton Erickson and Dave Elman (20th Century)

Two very different Americans shaped how hypnosis is practised today.

Milton H. Erickson (1901–1980) was a psychiatrist who developed a flexible, conversational style of hypnosis tailored to each person, using stories, metaphor and indirect suggestion (Montgomery et al., 2025). He contracted polio at 17 and was so paralysed that doctors thought he would die; he later said that recovering in bed made him acutely aware of body language and tone of voice. He was the founding president of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (Erickson biography). His students set up the Milton H. Erickson Foundation in 1979 (Erickson Foundation).

Dave Elman (1900–1967) started as a vaudeville stage hypnotist and radio host. From 1949 he taught a hypnosis course to thousands of doctors and dentists, insisting he only taught technique rather than practising medicine. His 1964 book Findings in Hypnosis, later republished as Hypnotherapy, made his fast induction, now known as the Elman induction, one of the most widely taught in the world (Dave Elman Hypnosis Institute; Goldschmidt, 2017). Most of what is known about Elman comes from his family and followers rather than independent historians.

The Modern Era: Labs, Scales and Brain Scans

From the 1950s, researchers such as Ernest Hilgard at Stanford built standard scales to measure hypnotisability and studied hypnosis in the lab. In the 1990s, hypnosis was caught up in the “memory wars”, when some therapists used it to “recover” memories of abuse that later proved false. Research showing how easily suggestion shapes memory led to better clinical practice (Montgomery et al., 2025). Today hypnosis is studied with brain imaging, used in hospitals for pain and IBS, and delivered through apps.

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How Hypnosis Works: What Science Says

Nobody fully understands how hypnosis works, but researchers agree on more than you might expect. Hypnosis involves focused attention, expectation, imagination and a sense that responses happen by themselves. The big disagreement has been about whether it is a special state.

▶ Does hypnosis ever actually work? – Devin Terhune – TED-Ed. A clear, balanced animated lesson by hypnosis researcher Devin Terhune.

State vs Non-State Theories

Most researchers now take a middle path. An integrative model proposes that social, cultural, cognitive and brain factors all interact (Lynn, Laurence & Kirsch, 2015). Another influential view is that hypnosis changes top-down control and self-monitoring: you carry out a suggested action but don’t feel that you intended it, so it seems to happen by itself (Terhune, Cleeremans, Raz & Lynn, 2017).

Hypnotisability: Why Some People Respond More

How well hypnosis works for you depends largely on your hypnotisability, your natural capacity to respond to suggestions.

• It varies widely and follows a bell curve. About 10–15% of people respond to most suggestions, a similar share to very few, and the rest are in the middle (Montgomery et al., 2025).
• It is remarkably stable. In a study of 50 people retested after 25 years, scores correlated at 0.71, which the authors said compares favourably with other measures of individual differences (Piccione, Hilgard & Zimbardo, 1989).
• It predicts results. In experimental pain studies, hypnosis cut pain by a clinically meaningful 42% in highly suggestible people and 29% in moderately suggestible people, but had little effect in low-suggestible people (Thompson et al., 2019).
• It can be measured with scales such as the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale or the shorter Hypnotic Induction Profile developed by Herbert and David Spiegel.

So if hypnosis “didn’t work” for you, it may not be your fault or the practitioner’s. And if you are in the middle of the range, which most people are, you can still benefit, especially from treatments that combine hypnosis with other approaches.

What Brain Scans Show (and Don’t)

Brain imaging has shown that hypnotic suggestions can change brain activity in ways that match what people report:

• Pain unpleasantness: suggestions that changed how unpleasant pain felt, without changing its intensity, altered activity in the anterior cingulate cortex but not the primary sensory cortex (Rainville et al., 1997).
• Seeing colour: in eight highly hypnotisable people, being told to see a grey pattern in colour switched on colour-processing areas, as if they were seeing real colour (Kosslyn et al., 2000).
• The Stroop test: a post-hypnotic suggestion to see words as meaningless symbols removed the usual delay in naming ink colours for 16 highly suggestible people, but not for 16 less suggestible people (Raz et al., 2002).

The best-known recent study came from Stanford in 2017. Researchers screened 545 healthy people and scanned 57 with very high or very low hypnotisability. During hypnosis, highly hypnotisable people showed reduced activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (part of the brain’s salience network), stronger links between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the insula (which may help the brain control the body) and weaker links between the prefrontal cortex and the default mode network (which may explain why actions feel less self-directed) (Jiang et al., 2017).

A note of caution: this was one study, and brain findings in hypnosis are inconsistent. A 2017 meta-analysis concluded that “few reliable brain patterns emerge across studies” (Landry, Lifshitz & Raz, 2017). Brain scans show that hypnosis is not just faking, but they don’t yet prove a single “hypnosis state” in the brain.

▶ Brain Biology of Hypnosis, Part I – NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health). David Spiegel presents his brain-imaging findings in a lecture for the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

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Types of Hypnosis

“Hypnosis” covers very different things, from a psychologist helping a patient through surgery to a comedian on stage. Here are the main types.

Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

This is hypnosis used to treat a health problem, usually over several sessions. It may be offered by doctors, dentists, psychologists and nurses who have trained in hypnosis, or by dedicated hypnotherapists. A typical session includes a chat about your goals, an induction (focusing attention, often with eye closure and relaxation), deepening, therapeutic suggestions and imagery, and a gentle return to normal awareness. Many practitioners give you a recording to practise between sessions.

Two well-studied forms are:

• Gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS, developed by Peter Whorwell’s team in Manchester. It uses imagery and suggestions about calming the gut (Whorwell et al., 1984).
• Cognitive-behavioural hypnotherapy, which combines hypnosis with CBT. A meta-analysis of 18 studies found that adding hypnosis improved CBT outcomes for many problems (Kirsch, Montgomery & Sapirstein, 1995), although the size of the benefit for weight loss was later disputed (see below).

Ericksonian Hypnosis

Named after Milton Erickson, this style is permissive and indirect. Instead of commands (“you are going deeper”), it uses stories, metaphors, double meanings and suggestions such as “you might notice your hand becoming lighter, or perhaps heavier”. It treats the unconscious as a source of solutions and tailors everything to the person (Montgomery et al., 2025). Ericksonian ideas strongly influenced brief therapy and also NLP, whose co-founder Richard Bandler drew on Erickson’s language patterns. Bandler’s own blend of NLP and hypnosis, Neuro-Hypnotic Repatterning (NHR), will get its own guide.

Traditional and Rapid Inductions

The older, directive style gives clear instructions (“close your eyes… let your eyelids relax so completely they won’t open”). Fast versions such as the Elman induction can take only a few minutes and are popular with hypnotherapists and dentists.

Self-Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is simply hypnosis you guide yourself, either from memory or with a recording. Most clinical programmes teach it, because the effects build with practice. There are many methods, including quick eyes-open techniques sometimes sold as “instant self-hypnosis”, which we will cover in a separate guide. A simple, research-informed method is in the next section.

Hypnosis Audio, Downloads and Apps

Recorded hypnosis, often called “hypnotic downloads”, is now the way most people first try it, through YouTube, podcasts and apps such as Reveri, Nerva and HypnoBox. The quality ranges from carefully tested clinical programmes to recordings with no evidence at all. A few, such as Nerva for IBS, have been tested in a randomised trial. See hypnosis apps for an honest look at the main ones.

Stage Hypnosis

Stage hypnotists pick the most responsive volunteers from the audience, then use suggestion, social pressure and showmanship for entertainment. Rules on stage hypnosis differ from country to country, so check your local law. In the UK, for example, stage hypnosis is regulated by the Hypnotism Act 1952: public shows need authorisation from the local licensing authority, and hypnotising anyone under 18 at a public entertainment is banned (Hypnotism Act 1952). Stage shows are not a good guide to what clinical hypnosis is like.

Related Approaches

• Mesmerism, the 18th-century forerunner described in the history section.
• Past-life regression, which uses hypnosis to explore supposed past lives. There is no scientific evidence for past lives, and the false-memory risks apply.
• Visualisation and guided imagery, which share many techniques with hypnosis, often without a formal induction.
• Havening, a touch-based technique promoted by Paul McKenna, who also teaches hypnosis.

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How to Do Self-Hypnosis: Step by Step

This is a simple, general method that combines the elements found in most clinical self-hypnosis teaching: a clear goal, an induction to focus attention, deepening, suggestions with imagery, and a clear return. It is not an official protocol from any one organisation. Allow 10 to 20 minutes and practise daily for a couple of weeks before judging it. If you have a health condition, learn self-hypnosis from a qualified practitioner first.

▶ FREE guided hypnotherapy, with Stanford psychiatrist Dr Spiegel – Reveri. A short guided session for stress from David Spiegel. Reveri sells a self-hypnosis app, so this is also a promotion.

1. Choose one goal and write a suggestion. Pick a single, realistic aim, such as feeling calmer before presentations or easing tension in your stomach. Write one or two short, positive sentences in the present tense, for example “I feel calm and steady as I speak.” Avoid negatives like “I won’t panic”.
2. Find a safe, quiet place. Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor, or lie down if you won’t fall asleep. Turn off notifications. Never practise while driving or doing anything that needs your attention.
3. Focus your eyes. Look at a spot slightly above eye level, as James Braid did. Keep looking until your eyelids feel heavy, then let them close. If you prefer, simply close your eyes and take three slow breaths.
4. Relax your body from head to toe. Breathe out slowly and let each part of your body loosen in turn: forehead, jaw, shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, legs and feet. Relaxation is not essential for hypnosis, but most people find it helps.
5. Deepen your focus. Count slowly down from 10 to 1, imagining yourself going down a staircase or sinking into a soft chair, and telling yourself that with each number you become more absorbed. Let distractions come and go without fighting them.
6. Give your suggestion with vivid imagery. Repeat your suggestion slowly several times. Then imagine it as if it is already happening, using all your senses: see the room where you’ll speak, hear your steady voice, and feel your relaxed shoulders. For physical comfort, some people imagine a soothing colour, warmth or coolness in the area.
7. Add a cue for later. Link the feeling to a small action you can use in everyday life, such as pressing your thumb and finger together while you think “calm”. Clinicians call this a post-hypnotic suggestion.
8. Count yourself back up. Tell yourself you will return feeling alert and refreshed, then count slowly from 1 to 5, open your eyes, stretch and take a moment before standing. Note how you feel, and repeat daily.

If it doesn’t seem to work: that’s common at first. Try a recording, shorter sessions or a different time of day, and remember that people vary in how hypnotisable they are. Stop if a session brings up distressing memories or feelings, and talk to a professional.

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What Hypnosis Can Help With: The Honest Evidence

Hypnosis has been tested for many problems. The evidence is strongest where hypnosis targets body sensations, especially gut symptoms and pain, and weakest for habits that depend on long-term motivation.

IBS and Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy

Irritable bowel syndrome has the strongest evidence of any use of hypnosis, and it is the one recognised in clinical guidelines in the UK (NICE) and the US (the American College of Gastroenterology).

• The first trial: in 1984, Peter Whorwell’s team in Manchester randomly assigned 30 people with severe IBS that hadn’t responded to other treatments to hypnotherapy or to psychotherapy with placebo pills. The hypnotherapy group showed “a dramatic improvement in all features”, much greater than the comparison group (Whorwell, Prior & Faragher, 1984).
• A large Dutch trial (IMAGINE): 354 people were assigned to six sessions of individual or group hypnotherapy or to educational support. After three months, 40.8% (individual) and 33.2% (group) had adequate relief, compared with 16.7% of controls. After 12 months the figures were 40.8%, 49.5% and 22.6%, and group therapy was as good as one-to-one (Flik et al., 2019).
• The big picture: a network meta-analysis of 41 trials with 4,072 people found gut-directed hypnotherapy was one of the most effective psychological therapies for IBS. It reduced the chance of still having symptoms by about a third (RR 0.67). Most trials were at high risk of bias, so the size of the benefit is probably overestimated (Black et al., 2020).
• US guidance: the 2021 American College of Gastroenterology guideline suggests gut-directed psychotherapies, which include gut-directed hypnotherapy and CBT, for overall IBS symptoms. It rates this a conditional recommendation based on very low-quality evidence (Lacy et al., 2021).
• UK guidance: NICE says referral for psychological interventions (CBT, hypnotherapy or psychological therapy) “should be considered for people with IBS who do not respond to pharmacological treatments after 12 months and who develop a continuing symptom profile” (NICE CG61). The NHS says it may offer hypnotherapy for IBS when other treatment has not worked (NHS).

Always get an IBS diagnosis from a doctor before starting, as symptoms can overlap with other bowel conditions. The National Council for Hypnotherapy’s IBS page explains what to expect from a course.

▶ Hypnosis Treatment for IBS – IFFGD. Professor Peter Whorwell, who ran the first trials, explains how hypnotherapy helps IBS.

Pain

• Experimental pain: a meta-analysis of 85 controlled trials with 3,632 healthy volunteers found hypnosis reduced pain on all measures (effect sizes 0.54 to 0.76). Direct suggestions for pain relief worked best, with clinically meaningful reductions of 42% in high and 29% in medium suggestible people, and little effect in low suggestible people (Thompson et al., 2019).
• Chronic pain: a 2022 meta-analysis of 9 trials with 530 people with musculoskeletal or nerve pain found a moderate benefit overall (g = −0.42). Courses of eight or more sessions worked; shorter courses did not show a significant effect (Langlois et al., 2022).

So hypnosis can be a useful addition to pain care, especially as a skill you practise, but it isn’t a replacement for medical assessment and treatment.

Medical Procedures and Surgery

This is one of the most practical uses of hypnosis, and some of the best trials come from here.

• During procedures: in a Lancet trial, 241 patients having vascular and kidney procedures done through a small puncture in the skin were given standard care, structured attention or self-hypnotic relaxation. Pain rose during the procedure with standard care but stayed flat with hypnosis. The hypnosis group used about half as much pain and sedative medication as the standard group (0.9 versus 1.9 units), had fewer episodes of unstable blood pressure or heart rate, and their procedures were shorter (61 versus 78 minutes) (Lang et al., 2000).
• Before breast surgery: in a trial of 200 patients having breast biopsy or lumpectomy, a 15-minute hypnosis session with a psychologist before surgery reduced pain, nausea, fatigue and emotional upset afterwards, cut the use of two anaesthetic drugs (propofol and lidocaine) and saved the hospital about $773 per patient, mainly through shorter time in theatre (Montgomery et al., 2007).
• Distress: a meta-analysis of 26 trials with 2,342 people found hypnosis greatly reduced distress around medical procedures (effect size 0.88), with children benefiting even more than adults (Schnur et al., 2008).

If you are anxious about a procedure, ask your hospital whether it offers hypnosis or relaxation support, or look for a BSCAH health professional.

Anxiety

A meta-analysis of 17 trials found that the average person treated with hypnosis reduced their anxiety more than about 79% of people in control groups (effect size 0.79), rising to 84% at follow-up. Hypnosis worked better when combined with other psychological therapies than on its own (Valentine et al., 2019). The trials were small, and hypnosis is not a NICE-recommended treatment for anxiety disorders, so for diagnosed anxiety start with your doctor or a licensed therapist (in England, NHS Talking Therapies). Hypnosis may then be a helpful extra.

Stopping Smoking

Smoking is one of the most advertised uses of hypnosis, but the evidence is disappointing. A 2019 Cochrane review of 14 trials with 1,926 people found no clear benefit of hypnotherapy compared with behavioural support given for the same amount of time (RR 1.21, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.61). Only one trial was at low risk of bias. The review concluded that there is not enough evidence to show whether hypnotherapy helps, and that any benefit “is small at most” (Barnes et al., 2019).

If you want to quit, the NHS in England recommends combining stop-smoking medicines or vapes with free NHS stop smoking support, which has much stronger evidence. Free quitlines exist elsewhere too, for example 1-800-QUIT-NOW in the US (Smokefree.gov) and 13 7848 in Australia (Quit). Hypnosis can be an extra if you like the idea, but be wary of “one-session cure” claims.

Weight Loss

The evidence for weight loss is a cautionary tale about how results can shrink on closer inspection.

• A 1995 meta-analysis suggested that adding hypnosis to CBT for weight loss gave a very large benefit (Kirsch, Montgomery & Sapirstein, 1995).
• Re-analysing the same six weight-loss studies and correcting errors, other researchers found the effect was small (d = 0.26) and not statistically significant once one questionable study was removed. They concluded hypnosis adds “at most, a small enhancement” (Allison & Faith, 1996).
• Kirsch’s own corrected analysis found an average loss of 11.8 lb (5.4 kg) with hypnosis versus 6.0 lb (2.7 kg) without, with the gap growing at later follow-ups (Kirsch, 1996).

These were old, small studies. Hypnosis might help some people stick with a healthy-eating plan, but it is not a proven weight-loss treatment on its own.

Other Uses

Hypnosis is also used for sleep, confidence, phobias, exam and performance nerves, hot flushes, childbirth (hypnobirthing) and dental anxiety. Some of these have promising small studies; others rest mainly on practitioners’ experience. The NHS also mentions severe hiccups as a reason it may offer hypnotherapy (NHS). For phobias and other anxiety problems, combining hypnosis with an evidence-based therapy is usually best. Other mind-body techniques with good evidence include EFT tapping and visualisation.

Evidence at a Glance

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Risks and Who Should Not Use Hypnosis

For most people, hypnosis with a properly trained practitioner is safe. A leading writer on hypnosis safety describes it as “in general… a safe modality”, while noting that “occasional adverse effects” do happen in clinical, research and training settings (Kluft, 2012). The Cochrane review of smoking trials found “very little evidence” on harms, but no sign that hypnotherapy caused adverse effects (Barnes et al., 2019).

Common, Mild Side Effects

Some people feel briefly dizzy, sleepy, emotional or headachy afterwards, or find that a session stirs up difficult feelings. A good practitioner will make sure you are fully alert before you leave. Don’t drive straight after a session if you feel drowsy.

Who Should Be Careful

The NHS says hypnotherapy may not be safe for you if you have schizophrenia or a history of psychosis, or epilepsy (NHS). Talk to your doctor or mental health team first if you have:

• psychosis, bipolar disorder or a personality disorder
• epilepsy or seizures
• severe depression, or thoughts of suicide or self-harm
• PTSD or a history of trauma or abuse, or dissociative symptoms
• any physical symptoms that haven’t been diagnosed by a doctor

Never use hypnosis to replace medical treatment or stop medication without your doctor’s advice.

False Memories and Regression

This is the most important risk to understand. Hypnosis does not unlock a perfect record of the past. A review of 24 laboratory studies found that hypnosis gave no reliable improvement in memory accuracy. Hypnotised people made more errors and reported more false memories, yet felt more confident in what they remembered (Steblay & Bothwell, 1994).

That combination of more confidence and more errors is why:

• Be very wary of anyone who offers to “recover” repressed memories of abuse through hypnosis. Memories shaped this way can feel completely real but be wrong, with serious consequences for you and your family.
• “Regression” to childhood or past lives can produce vivid experiences, but they aren’t reliable evidence of what happened. Treat them as imagination, not fact. Our past-life regression page explains the practice.
• Courts in many places treat hypnotically refreshed testimony with great caution.

Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus’s talk How reliable is your memory? explains how easily false memories can be created.

Practitioner Problems

Most problems come from the practitioner rather than hypnosis itself: poor training, working outside their competence (for example treating serious mental illness without clinical training), making cure guarantees, or behaving unprofessionally. Hypnosis is no more able to make you act against your values than any other conversation, but you should never feel pressured. If anything feels wrong, stop the session and leave.

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How to Choose a Hypnotherapist

Rules differ widely by country, and in many places the title “hypnotherapist” is not protected. Wherever you live, check what training the person has and whether they hold a licence in a health profession (medicine, psychology, nursing, dentistry, counselling or similar).

In the United States

Hypnotherapy is generally handled state by state rather than nationally, and some states require registration. The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) explains that registration is not licensure and often has no educational requirements, so a weekend course can be enough to use the title “hypnotherapist” in many states. It separates two groups: licensed health care providers (such as doctors, psychologists, social workers, dentists and counsellors) who are trained or certified in hypnosis, and lay hypnotherapists with no health care licence. ASCH advises asking whether the person holds a state-recognised professional licence and where they trained in hypnosis (ASCH, Choosing a clinician). Lay hypnotherapists cannot bill insurance, according to ASCH, so ask about cost and coverage up front.

• Use the ASCH directory to find a certified professional. ASCH certification is for licensed health professionals.
• The Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH) is also a certifying and research society.

In Canada

The Ontario division of the Canadian Society of Clinical Hypnosis says all its members are licensed professionals in a regulated college who completed its hypnosis course. You can ask for a referral from its Ontario referral service (Ontario only), or look at the British Columbia directory or the Canadian Federation of Clinical Hypnosis – Alberta Society. Rules vary by province, so check with the regulator for your province or territory.

In the UK

In the UK, hypnotherapy is not regulated by law, so anyone can call themselves a hypnotherapist. The NHS advises choosing a practitioner registered with a professional organisation accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), which you can check on the PSA website (NHS).

For a medical or serious mental health problem, a health professional who also uses hypnosis (for example, through BSCAH) is often the safest choice. For stress, habits or confidence, a registered hypnotherapist is reasonable.

Cost: Cancer Research UK says a session with a private hypnotherapist can cost between £50 and £90 (about US$67–$120, or €60–€108), and some hospitals and cancer centres offer it free (Cancer Research UK).

In Australia

Hypnotherapy is not covered by one national government licensing scheme and the title “hypnotherapist” is not nationally protected. It is self-regulated through professional associations. The Australian Hypnotherapists Association (AHA), which describes itself as Australia’s largest independent national registration body for clinical hypnotherapists, keeps a national register and a public directory (AHA). If the practitioner is also a doctor, psychologist or other regulated health professional, you can check their registration on the AHPRA register of practitioners.

In Europe and elsewhere

• The European Society of Hypnosis is a confederation of national societies. Its constituent societies page lists national societies in countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey, as well as the UK.
• The International Society of Hypnosis (ISH) describes itself as an umbrella for its members and 33 constituent societies around the world.
• Elsewhere, look for a national society linked to ISH, and check that the practitioner holds a licence in a health profession where possible.

Questions to Ask Before You Book

1. What training and qualifications do you have, and which register are you on?
2. Are you a licensed health professional, and if not, will you work with my doctor if needed?
3. How much experience do you have with my specific problem?
4. How many sessions do you expect, what do they cost, and do you give recordings for practice?
5. Do you have professional insurance and a complaints procedure?
6. What will you do if a session brings up difficult memories?

Red flags: guarantees of a cure, one-session promises for complex problems, pressure to buy big packages, claims to recover hidden memories, or advice to stop medical treatment.

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Key Experts in Hypnosis

Milton H. Erickson (1901–1980)

An American psychiatrist who specialised in medical hypnosis and family therapy, and the founding president of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. After contracting polio at 17, he became intensely aware of body language and tone of voice, which shaped his famously indirect style (Erickson Biography). The Milton H. Erickson Foundation, set up in 1979, continues his work through training and archives. Much of what is known about his methods comes from case stories told by Erickson and his students rather than controlled trials.

Dave Elman

Born David Kopelman in 1900, Elman was a stage hypnotist and radio presenter who, from 1949, taught hypnosis to doctors and dentists, although he was not a medical professional himself. His rapid induction is still one of the most widely taught. His book Hypnotherapy (often called “the green book”) was based on his courses (Elman Hypnosis; Westwood Publishing). Most biographical details come from his family and followers.

David Spiegel

Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, director of its Center on Stress and Health and on the Stanford faculty since 1975 (Stanford Medicine). He co-wrote Trance and Treatment with his father, Herbert Spiegel, and co-authored much of the modern research in this guide, including the Lang 2000 trial and the Jiang 2017 brain-scan study. Honest note: Spiegel co-founded the app Reveri, so his app studies have a financial conflict of interest, which is declared in the papers (Tran et al., 2025).

Paul McKenna

A British hypnotist, TV presenter and self-help author. His website says his books have sold more than ten million copies in 32 languages (Paul McKenna). He is best known for I Can Make You Thin and for audio hypnosis, and he also promotes Havening. See our Paul McKenna profile. Honest notes: his results come mainly from testimonials, books and TV rather than published trials, and we found no randomised trial of his specific programmes. In 2006 he won a High Court libel case against the Daily Mirror, which had claimed his doctorate from La Salle University, Louisiana, was a “bogus degree”. The judge said McKenna did not believe he had misled anyone in calling himself a PhD (BBC News, 2006).

Marisa Peer

A British therapist who trained with Gil Boyne at the Hypnotism Training Institute of Los Angeles, and the creator of Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT), which blends hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, NLP and CBT (Marisa Peer). See our Marisa Peer profile. Honest notes: we found no randomised controlled trial of RTT. The only journal item we found was a two-page letter, not a trial (Raveendran & Kaliaperumal, 2021). Claims such as being “voted Britain’s best therapist” come from her own marketing, and RTT training is run by her own company rather than an independent body.

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Hypnosis Apps

Apps make hypnosis cheap and easy to try, but most have little or no independent testing. Here is what the evidence says about the main ones.

Our view: if you have IBS, Nerva has the best evidence. For general stress and sleep, a free trial of an app is a reasonable, low-risk experiment, but don’t expect it to replace treatment for a diagnosed condition.

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Books

• Trance and Treatment: Clinical Uses of Hypnosis by Herbert Spiegel and David Spiegel. A classic clinical textbook, including the Hypnotic Induction Profile.
• Hypnotherapy by Dave Elman (1964). The “green book”, still widely used for rapid inductions.
• Uncommon Therapy by Jay Haley (1973). The best-known account of Milton Erickson’s techniques.
• Hypnotic Realities by Milton Erickson, Ernest Rossi and Sheila Rossi (1976). Erickson’s indirect approach in his own words.
• My Voice Will Go With You edited by Sidney Rosen (1991). Erickson’s teaching tales.
• Trancework by Michael Yapko. A thorough, widely used training text.
• Essentials of Clinical Hypnosis by Steven Jay Lynn and Irving Kirsch (2006). A short, evidence-based guide from the American Psychological Association.
• Hartland’s Medical and Dental Hypnosis by Michael Heap and Kottiyattil Aravind. A long-established UK text on medical and dental hypnosis.
• Hypnosis for Change by Josie Hadley and Carol Staudacher. A practical self-hypnosis workbook.
• The Suggestible Brain by Amir Raz (2024). A neuroscientist’s look at suggestion and its uses.
• I Can Make You Thin and Instant Confidence by Paul McKenna. Popular self-hypnosis books with audio.
• I Am Enough and Tell Yourself a Better Lie by Marisa Peer. Popular books based on her RTT approach.

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Courses and Training

If you are a health professional:

• BSCAH runs training courses and events for doctors, dentists, psychologists and other registered health professionals (eligibility).
• ASCH offers certification after its Level 1 and 2 workshops, plus an e-learning centre.
• The Milton H. Erickson Foundation offers online courses in Ericksonian methods.

If you want to become a hypnotherapist: rules and recognised courses differ by country, so ask your national society or register which courses it accepts (for example the AHA in Australia, or the CNHC and NCH in the UK) before paying for any course. In the UK:

• The NCH lists accredited schools teaching the Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma. The NCH notes that it is not a nationally recognised qualification.
• Before paying for any course, check that graduates can join a PSA-accredited register such as the CNHC.

Brand-led training: courses such as RTT (rtt.com) are run by the founder’s company. They can be popular, but they are not independent qualifications, so check what registers accept them.

Just for yourself: you don’t need a course. Use the self-hypnosis steps above, a reputable app, or ask a practitioner to teach you and give you a recording.

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Watch, Listen and Follow

We checked all of these links in October 2026. Many of the apps, therapists and guests below also sell courses, books or subscriptions.

Videos

• Does hypnosis ever actually work? – TED-Ed, with researcher Devin Terhune.
• Using Hypnosis to Enhance Health & Performance – Huberman Lab with David Spiegel (full episode). There is also a shorter Essentials version.
• Dr. Andrew Huberman is Hypnotized by Dr. David Spiegel – Huberman Lab Clips. A live demonstration.
• David Spiegel – Tranceformation: Hypnosis in Brain and Body – IHMC lecture.
• Dr. Amir Raz: The Suggestible Brain – Talks at Google.
• Milton H. Erickson – Awakening Through Auto-Hypnosis – Milton H. Erickson Foundation. Archive footage of Erickson.
• Dr. Jeffrey Zeig – Exploring the Genius of Milton Erickson – Milton H. Erickson Foundation.
• Dave Elman Induction demonstrated – Mike Mandel Hypnosis.
• Medical Hypnosis to Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Loyola Medicine.
• The role of hypnotherapy in managing gastroenterological disorders – Professor Peter Whorwell for the International Society of Hypnosis.
• Hypnosis in Treating Depression: Insights from Michael Yapko – National Council for Hypnotherapy.
• Managing Stress: From Social Support to Hypnosis – Stanford Health Care.
• Dr. Joe Schwarcz: Mesmer and “animal magnetism” – Montreal Gazette.
• Instant Confidence Guided Hypnosis – Paul McKenna (official).
• What is Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT)? – Marisa Peer (official).

▶ Milton H. Erickson – Going into Trance – The Milton H. Erickson Foundation. Rare footage of Erickson guiding a trance.

Podcasts

• Huberman Lab: Using Hypnosis to Enhance Mental & Physical Health & Performance – with David Spiegel.
• The Tim Ferriss Show #731: Dr. David Spiegel, Practical Hypnosis
• The Rich Roll Podcast: Dr. David Spiegel on Mind-Body Tranceformation
• Science Vs: Hypnosis, Does It Really Work? – a sceptical, well-researched look.
• 10% Happier: Your Brain Is Suggestible – with Amir Raz.
• All In The Mind (ABC): A healing imagination, clinical hypnosis for children
• Paul McKenna’s Positivity Podcast
• Your Mind, Your Rules with Marisa Peer

Accounts to Follow

• Milton H. Erickson Foundation: YouTube · Instagram · X
• International Society of Hypnosis: YouTube
• Reveri (David Spiegel): YouTube
• Nerva: YouTube · Instagram
• HypnoBox: YouTube
• National Council for Hypnotherapy: YouTube · X
• CNHC: Instagram · X
• BSCAH: X
• Huberman Lab: X
• Paul McKenna: YouTube · Instagram · X
• Marisa Peer: YouTube · Instagram · X

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnosis

Is hypnosis real?

Yes. Hypnosis is a real, measurable state of focused attention and increased response to suggestion. Brain-scan studies show changes during hypnosis, and controlled trials show real effects on pain and IBS. Scientists still debate whether it is a special “state” or mainly the product of focus, expectation and imagination.

Can anyone be hypnotised?

Most people can respond to some degree. About 10 to 15% are highly hypnotisable, a similar share respond very little, and most are in between. Hypnotisability is a stable trait, but motivation, trust and practice help.

Can I be made to do something against my will?

No. You stay aware and can refuse any suggestion or open your eyes at any time. Stage volunteers are chosen because they are responsive and willing to play along. That said, always use a reputable practitioner and never feel pressured.

What does hypnosis feel like?

Most people feel relaxed, focused and absorbed, a bit like being lost in a good book. Your body may feel heavy or light. You usually remember the session, and many people are surprised by how “normal” it feels.

Is hypnosis the same as sleep?

No. Despite the name, which comes from the Greek word for sleep, you are awake and aware during hypnosis, and brain activity looks like that of an awake person, not someone asleep. You can hear and respond throughout.

What is the difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy?

Hypnosis is the state and the technique. Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis to treat a problem, usually by a trained practitioner over several sessions.

What is hypnosis best for?

The strongest evidence is for IBS, pain and anxiety around medical procedures. NICE recognises hypnotherapy as an option for IBS that hasn’t responded to medicines after 12 months. Evidence for anxiety is promising, while evidence for stopping smoking and weight loss is weak.

Does hypnosis work for stopping smoking?

The evidence is weak. A Cochrane review found no clear benefit over the same amount of behavioural support, and any effect “is small at most”. NHS stop smoking services combined with medicines or vapes have much better evidence.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on the problem. For IBS, the National Council for Hypnotherapy says six one-hour sessions work well, which matches the six sessions used in the large IMAGINE trial. A review of chronic pain found that courses of 8 or more sessions worked best. Be wary of one-session guarantees for complex problems.

How much does hypnotherapy cost?

It varies by country, city and practitioner, so ask for fees up front. As one example, Cancer Research UK says private sessions in the UK typically cost £50 to £90 (about US$67–$120, or €60–€108), and some hospitals and cancer centres offer it free. Prices elsewhere vary, and insurance may not cover sessions with practitioners who are not licensed health professionals.

Can hypnosis recover lost memories?

No, and this is risky. Hypnosis makes people more confident in their memories without making them more accurate, and it can create false memories. Avoid anyone offering to “recover” repressed memories.

Is hypnosis safe?

For most people, yes, when used by a properly trained practitioner. The NHS says it may not be safe if you have schizophrenia, a history of psychosis or epilepsy. Speak to your doctor first if you have a serious mental or physical health condition.

Do hypnosis apps and recordings work?

Some do. A digital gut-directed hypnotherapy programme (Nerva) beat an active control in a randomised trial for IBS. Most other apps have no independent trials, but they are a low-risk way to try self-hypnosis.

How do I find a good hypnotherapist?

Check their training and whether they hold a licence in a health profession. In the US, ASCH advises choosing a licensed health care provider trained in hypnosis. In the UK, choose someone on a PSA-accredited register such as the CNHC, or a member of a body such as the National Council for Hypnotherapy or the General Hypnotherapy Register, and for medical problems look for a health professional trained through BSCAH. In Australia, use the AHA register and check AHPRA registration for health professionals.

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Key Takeaways

• Hypnosis is focused attention with increased response to suggestion. You stay awake and in control.
• It is not mind control or sleep, and it can’t make you do things against your will.
• People vary. About 10 to 15% are highly hypnotisable, and hypnotisability stays stable over decades.
• The best evidence is for IBS, pain and medical procedures. NICE (UK) recognises it for IBS that hasn’t responded to medicines, and the American College of Gastroenterology suggests gut-directed therapies including hypnotherapy.
• Evidence for smoking and weight loss is weak, despite the advertising.
• Brain scans show real changes, but findings vary between studies.
• Hypnosis can create false memories, so avoid memory “recovery” and treat regression experiences with caution.
• Regulation of hypnotherapy varies by country. The UK and Australia have no legal regulation of the title, and US rules differ by state, so choose a licensed health professional trained in hypnosis, or a practitioner on a reputable national register.
• Self-hypnosis is easy to try using the steps above or an app.

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Explore More on Self Help Supermarket

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• Browse all techniques

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