15/03/2026
As a ๐๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ฝ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ clinician and trainer, I genuinely enjoy researching and understanding how the world perceives our work.
There is still so much curiosity โ and sometimes misunderstanding โ around hypnosis, so I hope this article Iโve put together helps you understand this marvellous and natural modality a little more.
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out.
Warm regards
Danielle
That Hypno Place
The Quit Clinic
Mอขoอขdอขeอขrอขnอข อขEอขvอขiอขdอขeอขnอขcอขeอข อขaอขnอขdอข อขRอขeอขaอขlอข-อขWอขoอขrอขlอขdอข อขRอขeอขsอขuอขlอขtอขsอข
Clinical hypnosis has evolved a long way from the myths and stage portrayals many people still associate with it.
Today, hypnosis is increasingly recognised within psychology and health care as a legitimate, evidence-based therapeutic tool that can support meaningful behavioural and emotional change.
In fact, from 1 April 2026, members of Clinical Hypnosis Australia will be recognised as Auxiliary Health Services providers with participating health funds. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42843-024-00122-2 )
A 2025 paper published in the Journal of Health Service Psychology titled
Clinical Hypnosis: A Contemporary, Evidence-Based Perspective brings together modern research showing just how effective clinical hypnosis can be when used by trained practitioners.
This article highlights that hypnosis is not a mysterious or controlling force. Instead, it is a natural state of focused attention and heightened responsiveness to suggestion โ similar in some ways to the mental states people experience during meditation, deep relaxation, or immersive concentration.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
Over the past two decades, research into hypnosis has become far more rigorous.
Large reviews of scientific literature now include hundreds of studies and dozens of meta-analyses, demonstrating that clinical hypnosis can be highly effective across a range of health and psychological concerns.
Research has shown promising results in areas such as:
โข Chronic pain management
โข Anxiety and stress reduction
โข Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
โข Smoking cessation
โข Preparation for medical procedures
โข Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes
โจ For example, some controlled studies examining menopausal hot flashes found around a 74% reduction in symptoms for those using hypnosis, compared with about 17% reduction in control groups.
Results like these highlight the potential of hypnosis to influence both psychological and physiological processes.
Importantly, the research also shows that clinical hypnosis is considered very safe, with extremely low rates of minor side effects reported across studies.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ
Hypnosis works through several interacting mechanisms.
When someone enters a hypnotic state, their attention becomes highly focused and their mind becomes more receptive to helpful suggestions. This can support change in many areas, including:
โข habits and behaviours
โข emotional responses
โข stress regulation
โข perception of physical sensations
Brain imaging research suggests hypnosis may influence regions involved in attention, emotional processing, and pain perception, helping people respond differently to triggers that previously caused distress or unwanted behaviours.
Hypnosis can also strengthen self-efficacy โ the sense that โI can do this.โ
That belief alone is often a powerful driver of lasting change.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ณ๐๐น ๐ข๐๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐
One important point highlighted in both research and clinical practice is that hypnosis is a collaborative process.
No ethical practitioner can โmakeโ someone change against their will. The clientโs motivation and readiness are critical to success.
In our own clinical work at The Quit Clinic and the Academy of Therapeutic Hypnosis Australia, we place strong emphasis on qualifying a clientโs intention and desire to participate in the process before beginning any session.
Understanding what the client truly wants helps ensure the hypnosis session aligns with their personal goals and values.
When someone genuinely wants change, hypnosis can help them access the focus, motivation, and internal resources needed to make that change feel natural and achievable.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ช๐ฒ ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ช๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฆ๐บ๐ผ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
In smoking cessation work, many clients report a remarkable shift after hypnosis.
It is very common to hear people say that they simply no longer feel the desire to smoke โ sometimes for months, years, and often permanently.
For many, the habit that once felt automatic begins to feel unnecessary, unappealing, and unwanted.
However, it is important to understand something fundamental.
Hypnosis can help remove cravings, strengthen motivation, and support new habits โ but it cannot override personal choice.
If someone chooses to smoke again after their success, that decision remains theirs.
Hypnosis supports change, but personal responsibility and choice always remain with the client.
๐ ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐๐ต๐
Despite the growing scientific evidence, hypnosis is still sometimes misunderstood due to outdated stereotypes from entertainment or stage shows.
In reality, modern clinical hypnosis is:
โข evidence-informed
โข ethically practised
โข collaborative with the client
โข increasingly supported by scientific research
โข gaining recognition within Australian health frameworks
From 1 April 2026, members of Clinical Hypnosis Australia will also be recognised under Auxiliary Health Fund cover, marking an important step forward for the profession.
When used appropriately, hypnosis can be a powerful complement to psychological and behavioural health approaches, helping people create meaningful change in areas where willpower alone may have previously struggled.
๐ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ง๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ
The growing body of research โ including work published in the Journal of Health Service Psychology โ reinforces what many practitioners and clients have observed for years:
When people are ready for change and supported with the right therapeutic tools, remarkable transformations are possible.
Clinical hypnosis offers one of those tools โ naturally and effectively helping individuals access their own inner focus, motivation, and capacity for change.
And often, the most powerful realisation clients experience is this:
The ability to change was within them all along.
As a hypnotherapist and trainer with qualifications in NLP, EMDR, psychotherapy, Hoโoponopono, and trauma-informed healthcare, I witness these changes every day in practice.
It is a privilege to see people support themselves forward.
For me, it remains one of the most rewarding professions imaginable.
โจ If youโre curious about how clinical hypnosis may help you personally โ or if you feel called to learn these evidence-based skills to support others โ youโre always welcome to reach out and have a conversation.
