Hypnosis is a state of focused attention and absorption. It's a collaborative process, where you remain aware of what's happening and can stop at any time. And although the word might bring to mind something mysterious, the experience of becoming absorbed in something is already familiar to most of us.
If you've been struggling with stress, anxiety or overthinking, you may be curious about hypnosis but unsure what it involves.
Perhaps you're wondering whether you'll lose control, whether your mind needs to be completely quiet, or whether it could be useful for you.
Let me explain how I think about hypnosis and how I use it in my coaching.
What is hypnosis, really?
Have you ever become so absorbed in a film that you felt genuine excitement, sadness or tension, even though you knew it was just a story?
Or found yourself worrying about something that hasn't happened yet?
Your mind begins imagining what might go wrong. One thought leads to another. Before long, you might notice your body responding as though the imagined situation were already happening.
You can become so absorbed in that experience that you barely notice what's happening around you.
In that sense, anxiety can sometimes have a trance-like quality.
That doesn't mean anxiety and hypnosis are exactly the same thing. But they can share something important: the way our attention becomes absorbed in an experience.
And it isn't only anxiety. We can become absorbed in excitement, anticipation, memories or something we're looking forward to.
If you've ever become completely caught up in worry, you already know how much your attention and imagination can influence your experience.
The interesting question is whether we can use that same capacity to explore something you'd prefer to experience instead.
That's one of the ways I think about hypnosis.
It doesn't require you to fall asleep, become completely relaxed or stop thinking. Your mind may wander, and that's okay.
Hypnosis isn't about having a perfectly silent mind or surrendering control. It's about how we work with your attention.
Why doesn't understanding anxiety always change it?
One of the most frustrating things about anxiety is that you can understand something perfectly well and still find yourself responding the same way.
You might tell yourself, "I know this isn't a big deal."
You might know there's no immediate danger. You might even understand where your anxiety comes from.
But when the situation arises, your body seems to disagree.
Your stomach tightens. Your mind starts racing. You notice yourself anticipating what might happen next.
And telling yourself not to worry doesn't necessarily make those feelings disappear.
Sometimes the frustration of knowing you shouldn't feel anxious becomes another thing to feel anxious about.
Have you noticed how understanding a response and experiencing a different one aren't necessarily the same thing?
You can know how you'd like to feel without being able to access that feeling when you need it.
That's an important part of what I explore with people.
Rather than continuing to analyze why something happens, sometimes it can be useful to get curious about how you're experiencing it and what might be possible instead.
How do I use hypnosis in my coaching?
One of the first things I want to help you develop is a greater sense of control over how you respond.
If an anxious feeling comes up, I want you to have something you can do with it.
That might mean learning to notice the feeling earlier, before it builds the momentum you're familiar with, and exploring ways to influence what happens next.
The important thing is to begin discovering, through your own experience, that you may have more influence over these responses than you previously realized.
I draw from a range of approaches I've developed through years of training and working with people. What we use depends on you, what you're experiencing, and how you respond as we work together.
Sometimes a small shift in how you're paying attention can make a difference. Other times, we might explore an experience more deeply, noticing what happens when you become curious about a sensation rather than immediately trying to make it go away.
From there, hypnosis gives us another way to explore what's possible.
Imagine there's a situation that normally leaves you feeling anxious.
You might know you'd prefer to feel calm, steady or confident. But those words can remain ideas rather than experiences you can readily access.
Through hypnosis, we can use focused attention and imagination to explore what that different response might actually feel like.
Rather than simply talking about being calm, you have an opportunity to experience and rehearse it.
We can then explore what happens when you bring the situation to mind while accessing more of the response you'd prefer.
This isn't about me doing something to you. It's something we work on together.
And the work doesn't end when our session finishes. I'll introduce ways for you to continue practicing and applying what we're exploring in your everyday life.
I've helped over 1,000 people, and one thing I've learned is that there's no single approach that suits everybody.
My role is to guide the process, adapt to what happens as we work together, and help you discover possibilities you may not have considered.
It's not that there's something wrong with the way you're responding. But if that response isn't working for you, we can explore what other options might be available.
What happens during a session?
We begin with a free 20-minute Clarity Call.
This is an opportunity to talk about what you've been experiencing, what you'd like to change, and whether working together feels like a good fit.
If we decide to go ahead, sessions take place online by video and generally last 60 minutes.
We start with a conversation.
I'll ask about what's been happening, what you'd prefer instead, and what meaningful progress might look like for you.
From there, we'll explore the approaches that seem most appropriate.
I pay attention to what you're noticing, how you're responding, and what might be useful to explore next.
There's no requirement to perform, lose control or achieve a particular state. You're involved in the process, and there's room for questions and conversation along the way.
How is coaching different from therapy?
What I offer is coaching, not therapy or medical treatment.
Understanding your experiences, including where certain responses may have come from, can be valuable. Sometimes, though, that understanding is only part of the picture.
My coaching focuses on what happens when those responses show up today, and how we can begin exploring different ways of responding.
The emphasis is on helping you access and practice your own capacity for change, rather than simply gaining more understanding of the problem.
Therapy can be very useful, and coaching can sit alongside other forms of support. It isn't intended to replace appropriate medical or mental health care.
If you have medical concerns or need specialist support, it's important to speak with a qualified healthcare professional. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek immediate support through an appropriate crisis service, such as 988 in the US, or local emergency services.
Ultimately, my work is about helping you develop a greater sense of choice in how you feel and respond, rather than feeling that an automatic reaction always has to decide for you.
Sometimes understanding what's happening is an important first step.
And sometimes what you need is an opportunity to experience something different.
Book a Clarity Call. It's a free 20-minute conversation, no pressure.