Clinical hypnosis

Hypnosis is often thought to be magic or mind control or a form of sleeping, but these things aren’t true, even when it is used as entertainment in front of an audience. When it is done in a clinical setting, it is just a treatment tool like any other. It is a short period of relaxed inward attention like mindfulness meditation but with the purpose of addressing a specific therapeutic problem. Clinical hypnosis actually has a robust body of efficacy research and is used by a variety of health professionals, such as psychotherapists, dentists, and surgeons, to address anxiety, smoking cessation, insomnia, pain management, mental prep for a surgical or dental procedure, or mental prep for athletes.

I have extensive training in Ericksonian clinical hypnosis, and I integrate it occasionally into voice, speech, and swallowing sessions when appropriate and with the agreement of the client. It can be a useful tool to get started with a particular issue or to address it when other tools haven’t worked very well.

How is it done? You are sitting with your eyes closed, and you are guided by my voice to tune into your body and the present moment (progressive relaxation). Then you are guided to particular perceptions, thoughts, feelings, or behaviors to solve a particular issue. It culminates with a suggestion to help you follow through afterwards. Here are some examples:

  • Imaginal rehearsal to do something successfully - for example, to give a speech, use a modified voice in a particular situation, manage stuttering in an upcoming conversation, or refrain from coughing in a particular place

  • Somatic perception to reduce throat pain, discomfort, cough, or breathing difficulty

  • Guided imagery to reduce anxiety involved in speech, voice, or swallow difficulties

  • Remembering to practice or use particular voice strategies after the session

  • Desensitization to stuttering or misgendered moments

  • Acceptance of your best possible voice

  • Practicing vocal exercises that have been difficult to do with eyes open, due to dysphoria, OCD, or ADHD

  • Learning a short self-hypnosis routine to do at home

Does it actually work? In many cases, in my experience, it can lead to a breakthrough that is quick and lasting. But like any clinical tool, it could work with one person and not another, or be better on one day than another with the same person. In this way, clinical hypnosis is a bit like counseling but with your eyes closed. Anything said by the clinician can be accepted or rejected by the client. So success is considered by many clinicians to not be about whether a person is inherently/neurologically susceptible to hypnosis, but rather about one of a number of practical factors: how open a person is to the idea of hypnosis and suggestions, their mindset of the day, their motivation for change, their rapport with the clinician, the timing of the session, or the language used by the clinician.

When I incorporate clinical hypnosis into my work, I typically do it just once, but sometimes I do it repeatedly over a number of sessions, depending on the client and the issue. It can be a great way to gain a sense of control as your brain and body hold onto memorable moments after the session is over. If you are interested in learning more about clinical hypnosis or wonder if you are a candidate, just ask me and I guarantee we will have an interesting discussion (but with eyes open)!