12 Ways That Hypnosis Can Help Change Your Life For the Better

It’s a simple and safe intervention

Coined by English physician James Braid, who studied the practice during the 19th century, hypnosis gets its name from Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep. The practice uses guided relaxation and focused attention to achieve a heightened state of awareness, sometimes referred to as a trance. (Check out the nine things you need to know about hypnotherapy.) “They lie on a sofa or sit in a comfortable chair and we talk to the subconscious mind and deliver a script that puts them in a state of relaxation,” says Orlando, Florida-based hypnotist Richard Barker. “I distract them from normal things around them by having them stare. I use verbal confusion to get the critical mind to go under duress and then quit.”

When a person is in a hypnotic state, they are more open to discussion and are better able to respond to suggestions, this makes it possible to help them with certain conditions such as smoking, insomnia, overeating, or even the perception of pain. The critical faculty of the brain is turned off, explains Barker, and the subconscious mind is listening—that’s where their habits lie. “I tell them what’s going to happen and then it happens, but first I set up the mind to let it happen.”

Hypnosis is not regulated in the United States, so the best way to find a certified hypnotherapist is through the National Guild of Hypnotists, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the practice. While treatment varies based on each individual’s condition, many conditions require just one session. A typical therapy session lasts about 90 minutes and can cost anywhere from $200 to $1,500. “Hollywood portrays hypnosis as spellbinding witchcraft, but its not,” says Barker. If you have a bad back, you go to the chiropractor, if your teeth hurt, you go to the dentist, but where do you go if you want to increase the thought capacity of your mind?”