Hypnotherapy

Please give feedback on this information

Copyright note for Mind factsheets: Both individuals and organisations are welcome to print and photocopy any complete factsheet from the 'Information' section of Mind's website. Organisations are free to distribute them to service users and colleagues, but must ensure they always use the latest version of the factsheet, as available on the website, at the time of distribution.

What is hypnotherapy?
Why might I seek hypnotherapy?
How does it work?
What does hypnotherapy involve?
How can it help me?
Myths about hypnotherapy
Are there any drawbacks to hypnotherapy?
How do I find a hypnotherapist?
Useful contacts

What is hypnotherapy?

The term hypnotherapy denotes the use of hypnosis in a programme of therapy. Hypnosis in itself does not have a therapeutic value, but when it is used as part of another therapy it can be effective in treating a variety of conditions.

Broadly speaking, there are two distinct therapeutic uses for hypnotherapy. First, it can be of use in helping people control, alleviate or overcome particular symptoms or conditions. Secondly, it can be used to help people gain insight into problems which may underlie their symptoms, such as hidden fears, repressed feelings, and emotional conflicts.

For example, a hypnotherapist may treat a patient complaining of migraine headaches with techniques of relaxation and pain relief, using direct therapeutic suggestions and teaching self-hypnosis; or the therapist may explore whether the migraine is a symptom of some underlying difficulty - perhaps unexpressed anger - which the therapist will help the client to acknowledge and resolve.

Back to top

Why might I seek hypnotherapy?

You may be experiencing emotional distress such as anxiety or stress; you may be feeling depressed; you may have a phobia about something; or you may have problems with compulsive or obsessive behaviour. Other reasons for undergoing hypnotherapy include wanting help to give up smoking, or help coping with stressful medical or dental procedures.

Back to top

How does it work?

The hypnotherapist generally uses hypnosis as an adjunct to other forms of therapy, such as psychotherapy or cognitive behaviour therapy. Hypnotherapy can be useful in exploring the way in which conscious mind and unconscious mind relate to each other. Hypnotherapists believe that the unconscious mind is stronger than the conscious mind and that it dictates most of our behaviour. The conscious mind has a certain amount of choice, but only within the confines of the unconscious. This mental set-up may lead to situations where we follow an unconscious desire or need without realising it. In hypnotherapy, a person's hidden feelings may surface, forgotten events may become conscious. The situation enables the person to expose their thoughts and feelings, and be able to express themselves in a safe environment without fear of criticism or judgement.

Back to top

What does hypnotherapy involve?

Prior to any hypnotherapy, there should be a consultation with the chosen therapist where the issue or problem to be resolved is discussed. The consultation should also provide an opportunity for the person considering hypnotherapy to discuss the treatment approach, the number of recommended sessions and the likely cost. 

In the hypnotherapy session, the therapist is likely to use relaxation techniques with the subject, and may encourage the subject to visualise a situation in order to relax them further.  While in hypnosis, a person is generally aware of their surroundings and can choose to come out of hypnosis at any time.

A person under hypnosis attends selectively to the range of ideas and happenings, which the hypnotherapist calls to their attention. The person's suggestibility is increased, but they tend to be no more compliant than in their normal waking state. Behaviour and experience after hypnosis has ended may be affected by what has been suggested during hypnosis.

Back to top

How can it help me?

Hypnotherapy allows you to explore your feelings and emotions in a safe environment. You may become aware of unconscious reasons and motives, which lie behind some aspects of your behaviour or personality. Potential benefits can include gaining insight and self-knowledge, which can lead to control over symptoms such as stress, anxiety and compulsive or obsessive behaviour.

Back to top

Myths about hypnotherapy

There is a myth that hypnotherapists can use power over people to make them compliant to their every wish. This is untrue, as people may not accept suggestions, which are displeasing to them. Another myth is that hypnotherapists can regress people back beyond birth to previous lives or incarnations. Hypnotherapists do claim to be able to regress people to significant periods of their childhood, but not usually beyond. Hypnotherapy is normally used simply as another therapeutic technique within psychotherapy or cognitive behaviour therapy.

Back to top

Are there any drawbacks to hypnotherapy?

Hypnosis is not effective to the same degree in everyone; some people are simply not very susceptible to hypnotic suggestion.

Some therapists have used techniques with people to recover lost memories. If the hypnotised subject believes that forgotten material ought to be recoverable, there is a tendency for memories of similar events, and creative fantasy material, to take the place of true memory. This distorted version of events is then believed as though it actually occurred and is known as false memory. Actively encouraging clients to produce specific memories, particularly of sexual abuse as children, is an extremely controversial procedure, which has been condemned by the majority of hypnotherapists as being dangerous.

Mind believes that there are worrying consequences of exaggerated accounts of the prevalence of false memory: it can divert attention from the huge prevalence of child sexual abuse, which leads many people to experience mental health problems as children and in later life. Some reports of false memory suggest the person is inventing a memory of abuse because they are 'disturbed' or 'mentally ill', which implies that someone who does have mental health problems cannot have been abused and cannot be believed. The reality is that, all too often, abuse has contributed to their mental health problems. Assuming false memory in these cases damages a person's credibility and risks denying them any access to justice and a resolution to their problems: they will not be believed because they have a diagnosis of mental illness and their testimony may be discounted both in official quarters and by friends and relatives.

Back to top

How do I find a hypnotherapist?

It is possible that your GP may be able to refer you to a psychologist practising cognitive behaviour therapy or a psychotherapist who may also practise hypnotherapy. The other option, if you can afford it, is to see a private psychotherapist who includes hypnotherapy in their practice. The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy, British Hypnotherapy Association, and the National Register of Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists should be able to give you details of people who practise hypnotherapy.

As with all types of therapy you need to check that the therapist you approach is properly qualified and has a professional approach, including a written complaints procedure. As there is currently no single regulatory body for hypnotherapists in the UK, you should find out what training the therapist has had and whether that training is accredited by a professional body, such the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy or the Institute for Complementary Therapy (for details of these organisations, see Useful contacts).  When choosing a hypnotherapist, it is also important to find out how long he or she has been practising and whether he or she is under regular supervision with other therapists.

This factsheet was updated by Rachael Twomey, December 2006.

Useful Contacts

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
tel: 0870 443 5252
website: www.bacp.co.uk
Can provide information on psychotherapists who may practise hypnotherapy.

British False Memory Society
tel: 01225 868 682
website: www.bfms.org.uk
Provides information and support to families affected by the phenomenon of false memory.

British Hypnotherapy Association
tel: 020 8942 3988; 020 8579 5533; 020 7328 4804
website: www.british-hypnotherapy-association.org
Provides information on psychotherapists who practise hypnotherapy.

British Psychoanalytic Council
tel: 020 7267 3626
website: www.bcp.org.uk

Institute for Complementary Medicine
tel:020 7237 5165
website: www.i-c-m.org.uk

National Register of Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists
tel: 01282 716 839
website: www.nrhp.co.uk

United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy
tel: 020 7014 9955
website: www.psychotherapy.org.uk
Provides access to information about properly accredited therapists.

Witness against abuse by health and care workers (formerly POPAN)
tel: 020 7939 9920
helpline: 0845 4 500 300
website: www.popan.org.uk
Provides information and support to people who have been abused in therapy.