Experiential therapy

Hypnotherapy

Trance is something you experience every day. When you are so absorbed in a book that you forget the world, or when you daydream and suddenly hit on a solution. Hypnotherapy uses that state deliberately to reach deeper layers of your experience.

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a form of therapy in which a light trance is used to reach the unconscious. Much of our daily thinking, feeling and behaviour is steered by processes that take place outside our awareness. In a state of trance those processes become more accessible.

Trance is not a strange state. You experience it daily. When you are so focused on a task that you hear nothing around you, when you daydream, or when you find yourself in flow. A hypnotherapist brings on that state on purpose and uses it to work with you on your complaint.

You are always in full control. You do nothing you do not want to do and you are not unconscious. Hypnotherapy works alongside other forms of therapy and in many cases strengthens them.

Scientific basis: clinically controlled studies show that hypnotherapy is a significant addition to CBT for anxiety disorders and pain complaints (Kirsch et al., 1995, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology). Schoenberger (2000) published a meta-analysis in Professional Psychology confirming the effectiveness of hypnosis as an addition to behavioural therapy. Hypnotherapy is used internationally as a recognised complementary form of treatment.

Who is hypnotherapy for?

✓Anxieties and phobias

✓Sleep problems

✓Stress and tension

✓Pain complaints

✓Depressed feelings

✓Behaviour change (smoking, eating habits)

Related complaints

Anxiety disorder Sleep problems Stress Panic attack Worrying

Related treatments

ACT Mindfulness Exposure in vivo CBT

Frequently asked questions

Am I unconscious during hypnosis? +

No. You are conscious the whole time and stay in full control. If anything notable happens you are immediately fully present again. It is a state of focused relaxation, not unconsciousness.

Is hypnotherapy the same as stage hypnosis? +

No. Stage hypnosis is entertainment. Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic conversation in a relaxed state. You do nothing you do not want to do.

Which complaints does it work best for? +

Hypnotherapy works well for anxieties, phobias, sleep problems, stress and as a complement to other forms of therapy such as EMDR or CBT.

How many sessions will I need? +

That differs per person and per complaint. Some complaints respond quickly, others take more time. A provider will discuss this with you during the intake.

Getting started

Ready for a first conversation?

Book an intake with a certified provider. Together you will look at whether hypnotherapy is the right approach for your situation.

Book an intake Other treatments

Hypnotherapy is not reimbursed care.

Sources: Kirsch et al. (1995), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · Schoenberger (2000), Professional Psychology: Research and Practice