Hypnotherapy FAQ’s

Hypnosis Explained — FAQs

One of the biggest questions I get as a counselor is, “What is hypnosis?” This page is a straightforward walkthrough of what hypnosis actually is, how I use it with clients, and what to expect.

To keep it real: hypnosis is a natural state of heightened, relaxed awareness — something that happens to all of us on a daily basis. There’s no hocus-pocus involved, and it’s not particularly mystical, even though media portrayals suggest otherwise. You know the trope — a Svengali-type figure who puts someone into a trance and turns them into a zombie. That’s Hollywood fiction, not even close to reality.

What follows is a practical Q&A on hypnotherapy, including my own approach to using it as a natural pathway to healing and goal attainment.

Hypnosis — What Is It?

Hypnosis is a heightened state of awareness that happens to all of us, regardless of age, gender, or background — a relaxing, focused state that allows for greater receptivity to suggestion.

Think of it like the bridge between waking and sleep: at night, before you fully drift off, there’s a stage where you’re relaxed and calm but still aware of your surroundings — a kind of “in between.” That in-between state is hypnotic in nature. If you’ve ever done yoga, practiced self-affirmations, or simply meditated, you’ve experienced something similar — all of these activities involve entering a hypnotic-like state to some degree.

How Should I Think of Hypnosis?

I encourage people to think of hypnosis as a natural approach to wellness, often referred to as a complementary alternative medicine (CAM) — in the same category as bright light therapy, yoga, or herbal teas used for calming purposes. Meditation and aromatherapy fall into this category too.

Hypnosis works best when combined with other activities that move you toward your goals — not as a stand-alone fix.

Is Hypnosis Curative?

In and of itself — no. Anybody who tells you otherwise isn’t being straight with you. While some people report dramatic results, it’s not scientifically honest to say hypnosis “cures” anything.

What hypnosis can do is create sharper focus around a goal — anxiety reduction, increased confidence, better self-insight — a tool you can call on to live a calmer, more balanced life.

What Can Hypnosis Be Used For?

Hypnosis has a wide range of uses and is well established as a health-promotion approach, based on a growing body of scientific literature. Common areas it’s used to help with include:

How Does Hypnosis Work?

Typically, at the start of a session, I’ll help you clear your mind of extraneous material — a kind of mental clearing. Once accomplished, you have a greater ability to concentrate. Now relaxed and highly focused, actionable, goal-focused messages are delivered to your subconscious.

A useful analogy: as the sun scatters its rays across the first light of dawn, areas once dark become visible and objects gain clarity. Hypnosis, in the metaphorical sense, works much the same way — suggestive messages are delivered along a highly focused beam of attention, and your goals become clearer along the way.

What Happens in a Hypnotherapy Session With You?

Right off the bat, everything is confidential. You’ll typically complete an intake form covering some background information, which helps me understand your issues and goals. I’ll want to know your history with a given life challenge and how it’s impacted you, and we’ll assess your self-beliefs to see how they may be holding you back. If hypnotherapy is appropriate, we’ll build a plan of action together.

During the session itself, you’ll relax in a comfortable chair, wearing headphones that play ambient music while I speak over the calming tones and guide the session. Your only job is to relax, absorb, and enjoy.

What Is the Scope of Your Practice?

To train clients in the methods of self-hypnosis that research shows can provide mental and physical health benefits. In this way, you’re taught new skills that help you become centered, with a focus on goal attainment.

What Are the Side Effects of Hypnosis?

Most people report the effects as positive — better concentration, more restful sleep, an overall sense of wellness, or feeling more in touch with their emotions. You might feel slightly disoriented right after a session, but it passes quickly.

Since the hypnotherapy I offer is focused on goal attainment, anxiety reduction, and confidence building, most people feel better after a session. Some notice distortions in time — sessions feeling faster or slower than they actually were — or increased imaginal processing. All told, hypnotherapy is a safe, natural way to cope with stress, build focus, and work through fears.

Do You Think I Can Be Hypnotized?

The vast majority of people can be hypnotized. At its core, hypnosis is nothing more than an altered state of consciousness that allows a person to enter a relaxed state — I like to think of it as an older cousin of the more contemporary term “mindfulness.”

You’ve probably already experienced something close to it without realizing it:

• Daydreaming

• Losing yourself in a good book or article

• Getting caught up in a movie

Hypnosis works much like that — deep, focused, concentrated thought centered on a goal. Some people experience more interference due to stress or anxiety, but most find they’re able to be hypnotized after a bit of practice. One honest caveat: openness to the process matters. Without it, it’s hard for much to happen.

Am I Experiencing “Mind Control” During Hypnosis?

No. A hypnotist guides you into your own experience of relaxation. You’re awake the entire time, in a highly focused state, and a hypnotist can’t make you do something you don’t want to do — no barking like a dog, no quacking like a duck. That idea comes from fiction, not reality.

There’s a real difference between stage hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy. Stage hypnosis is about the “wow” factor, like a magic show. Clinical hypnotherapy is about creating positive, practical change.

Mindful Meditation vs. Hypnosis

Mindful meditation is a form of mental and physical relaxation. Hypnosis is similar, but not identical — hypnosis is always goal-focused (weight loss, increased confidence, smoking cessation, anxiety reduction, and so on), while meditation is more of a general state of heightened awareness that doesn’t have to be linked to a specific goal.

So when you visualize yourself playing a better round of golf, you’re engaging in a form of self-hypnosis.

Will Hypnosis Instantly Help Me Stop Smoking?

For most people, probably not — and anyone who promises an “instant” fix or guaranteed results through hypnosis isn’t being straight with you. Smoking addiction is generally psychological, behavioral, and social in nature, which means a comprehensive approach maximizes your chances of success:

• Nicotine replacement (patches, gum), with your physician’s guidance

• Behavioral therapy for psychological change, ideally with a licensed mental health professional

• Group support for smoking cessation, online or in person

• Physical activity and exercise, to manage stress and reduce potential weight gain

• Coordination with your doctor or psychotherapist around mood-related changes, like anxiety or depression

What hypnosis can do is augment these efforts, giving you a more focused, mindful approach and helping you stay connected to your original reasons for quitting. Some clinical research shows hypnosis combined with other cessation approaches has helped many people — the operative word being combined. Hypnosis, on its own, isn’t “therapy” — it’s an adjunct to therapy, and ongoing support from others who’ve quit matters a great deal.

What Questions Should I Ask If Seeking Clinical Hypnotherapy?

• Are they licensed as a mental health therapist or medical doctor (LCPC, LCSW, LCP, LMFT, DO, MD, DDS)?

• Do they hold a master’s degree or higher in psychology, social work, counseling, medicine, marriage and family counseling, or a related field?

• Are they certified by a national hypnosis certification board or organization?

• Do they have advanced training in hypnosis specifically?

What About Learning Self-Hypnosis?

If you want to learn self-hypnosis, look for a trained hypnotist, ideally someone with a master’s degree in psychology or a related health field from an accredited university. Additional credentials help too — certifications in meditation, personal training, or wellness psychology aren’t required, but they’re worth factoring into your search.

What Do You Offer Hypnotherapy For?

The hypnosis services I offer are linked to stress management, anxiety reduction, goal attainment, pain management, and confidence building. I don’t do “age regression” or “memory retrieval” hypnosis. This work is designed to teach you new skills — a form of relaxation therapy that includes progressive muscle relaxation, creative visualization, and mindfulness-based meditation.

Do you offer corporate training?

Yes — I’ve given relaxation hypnosis and guided imagery seminars to companies, schools, and non-profits as part of employee wellness initiatives, and consulted with organizations on encouraging workplace mindfulness. Happy to answer questions and dispel a few common myths if your organization is considering it.

What Are Your Qualifications to Practice Hypnotherapy?

I’ve written books and articles on mental and physical health that appear in nationally syndicated magazines and websites, and I regularly consult with other wellness professionals. Outside of my clinical work, I teach health sciences and psychology courses at the graduate and undergraduate level. You can read more on my bio page.

How Fast Does Hypnosis Work?

Hypnosis has been described as a solution-focused form of coaching — at its core, it increases awareness, which shapes how you think, and that shift can empower positive change. This is a gradual process, not an instant fix, and there are no guarantees, no matter what others might claim about “quick results.”

One well-known example: a 1997 study published in Gut, the Journal of Gastroenterology, found hypnosis helpful in easing symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). You can find the research here, and I’ve written more on mindful approaches to IBS on my Psych Central blog.

Hypnotherapy for Anxiety, Pain, or a Medical Condition

Hypnotherapy is one tool within a comprehensive approach to wellness — it isn’t “therapy” on its own, but a tool of therapy when appropriate. For pain, it may help ease intensity and support you through difficult moments, including pre- or post-surgery anxiety, or chronic health conditions. This falls under the umbrella of medical hypnosis, which is designed to help you cope with a health issue — not cure it.

When I work with a client around health issues, I always do so with the permission and involvement of their medical doctor. I’m not a physician, and if you’re in pain or dealing with a medical condition, seek treatment from a licensed physician. If you’re experiencing a psychiatric or mental health concern, see a licensed psychotherapist as soon as possible.

If you’re in crisis or concerned you may harm yourself or someone else, call 911 immediately or go to your local emergency room.

Do You Give Homework Assignments?

Yes — I believe real change happens outside the office. Assignments can range from journaling about narrative themes to repeating affirmations to reflecting on lessons from our sessions.

Because dreams can act as a window into what’s happening beneath the surface, I may also ask you to jot down dream material between sessions — we’ll use it to look for patterns, identify themes, and support the work.

What Is Counseling Like With You?

Warm, intuitive, and conversational. I aim to create an environment that encourages self-insight and learning, typically focused on the here and now, with elements of positive psychology woven in. We may spend time exploring stress triggers or a specific incident — a sports injury, for example — and genuine catharsis is a real part of the process.

Where Are You Located?

My office is at 655 W. Irving Park Rd, at the corner of Irving Park Road and Pine Grove Avenue, very close to Lake Shore Drive. There’s ample free street parking most days, paid parking in the building, and it’s steps away from several CTA bus lines.

What Do You Charge?

$175.00 per one-hour session. My fees stay consistent to keep things simple — you can learn more on my fees page.

What’s It Like Visiting Your Office?

A calming, gentle, and private environment. During your first session, you’ll typically complete some paperwork — sometimes I’ll email it ahead of time to save you a few minutes. I’ll want to get to know you as a person, and depending on your situation, hypnotherapy may be part of the plan.

Here’s a picture of my office.

Here’s what typically happens over the course of our work together:

1) A discussion of your background, history, and goals

2) An exploration of how anxiety has affected you — you may be asked to check in with your doctor to rule out medical causes

3) An examination of how your beliefs may be helping or hindering your goals, often involving elements of CBT

4) If appropriate, mindfulness-based approaches offered in the form of hypnotherapy

5) Skill-based learning techniques designed to help you work through your specific issues

Where Can I Learn More About Hypnosis and Self-Hypnosis?

A great resource to consider picking up is Self-Hypnosis for Dummies (see Amazon for pricing). What I like about this book is how it does away with the silly stereotypes regarding hypnosis and provides concrete, useable information.

Organizations looking for group training on mindfulness-based meditation, including self-hypnosis, are welcome to reach out — group rates may be available.

The content on this website is intended for information and education only. Always consult your medical doctor before starting any new health-related activity. This website cannot substitute for professional medical advice. If you are in crisis, or are concerned you might hurt yourself or someone else, call 911 now or go to your local emergency room immediately.