How a Hypnotherapy Session Actually Works

You know that feeling when you're about to try something new and your brain starts throwing up every possible reason to back out?

I get it. You're here reading this because part of you is curious about hypnotherapy. Maybe you've heard good things. Maybe you're at that point where you've tried other approaches and you're willing to explore something different.

But another part of you (the louder part, probably) has questions. Lots of them.

So let me walk you through exactly what happens in a session. No mystical language. No weird claims. Just the actual process, from someone who's been doing this work for five years and has sat with hundreds of people who felt exactly like you do right now.

First Things First: What Hypnotherapy Isn't

Before we get into what happens, let me clear something up.

You won't be unconscious. You won't lose control. I can't make you cluck like a chicken or reveal your deepest secrets. (Stage hypnosis is performance. This is therapy. Two completely different things.)

You'll be aware the whole time. You can open your eyes whenever you want. You can speak. You're actually more in control during hypnotherapy than you are scrolling through your phone for an hour without realizing it.

Think of it more like... guided meditation with a purpose. A focused conversation with your subconscious mind.

The Two Parts of a Session

Each session lasts about 55 minutes and breaks into two distinct parts. They work together, but they feel quite different.

Part One: Solution Focused Therapy (The Planning Stage)

This is where we talk. Really talk.

Not about what's wrong. Not about your childhood or your past mistakes or all the things that aren't working. We'll touch on those things, sure, but only enough to understand what we're dealing with.

What we focus on is this: what do you want instead?

I know that sounds simple. Maybe too simple. But you'd be surprised how many people have spent years thinking about their problem without ever getting clear on what they actually want their life to look like.

I had a client once (let's call her Sarah) who came to me about anxiety. She could describe her anxiety in vivid detail. The tightness in her chest. The racing thoughts. The way she'd avoid situations that might trigger it.

When I asked her what she wanted instead, she stopped. Just... stopped.

"I want to not feel anxious," she said finally.

"Okay. But what do you want to feel?"

That question changed everything for her. Because we can't move toward "not anxious." That's not a destination. But we can move toward calm. Confident. Present. Capable of handling whatever comes up.

So in this first part, we get specific. We explore:

- What does your life look like when this issue is resolved?

- How will you know things are better?

- What will you be doing differently?

- Who else will notice the change?

- What's worked for you before, even a little bit?

I'm trained in solution focused therapy and positive psychology coaching, which means I'm looking for your strengths. The resources you already have. The times you've handled difficult things before (because you have, even if you don't remember them right now).

We're building a blueprint. A clear picture of where you're headed.

This part usually takes about 20 minutes, sometimes a bit more. It's conversational. You're sitting wherever you're comfortable (this is all online, so probably your home). We're just talking things through.

And here's what surprises most people: this part alone starts to shift things. Just getting clear on what you want, just remembering times you've been strong or capable or calm... it changes how you feel about the whole situation.

Part Two: Hypnosis (The Installation Stage)

After we've done the planning, we move into the hypnosis itself.

This is where you get to relax. Really relax.

I'll ask you to get comfortable, close your eyes if you want to, and just listen to my voice. I'll guide you into a state of deep relaxation. Your body will feel heavy and comfortable. Your mind will be calm but still aware.

Some people worry they won't "go deep enough." But here's the thing: there's no such thing as not deep enough. If you're relaxed and listening, you're in the right state. Some people feel like they're almost asleep. Others feel completely alert but just very, very calm.

Both work perfectly.

While you're in this relaxed state, I'm doing two things:

First, I'm installing the solutions we talked about earlier. Remember that blueprint we built? Those images of you handling things well, feeling the way you want to feel, doing what you want to do? I'm weaving those into the hypnosis. Helping your subconscious mind accept them as not just possible, but expected.

Your conscious mind is the part that overthinks everything. Your subconscious mind is the part that actually runs most of your behavior. When we can speak directly to your subconscious (which is what hypnosis allows), change happens faster and feels more natural.

Second, I'm adding supportive messaging and new ways of working. This is tailored to what you need, but it might include things like:

- New ways of responding to old triggers

- Different self-talk patterns

- Physical cues for staying calm or confident

- Mental rehearsal of upcoming situations

- Strengthening the connection to your own resources

I had another client (we'll call him James) who came to me about confidence at work. Smart guy. Capable. But every time he had to speak up in meetings, his mind would go blank.

In the hypnosis part, we didn't just tell his subconscious "be confident." We practiced it. We mentally rehearsed him in meetings, feeling grounded, speaking clearly, handling questions well. We connected him to times he'd taught his nephew how to fix a bike (he was patient and clear then, wasn't he?). We gave his mind new patterns to follow.

Three sessions later, he texted me after a big presentation. "I actually enjoyed it," he said. Not just survived it. Enjoyed it.

That's what happens when we install new ways of working at the subconscious level.

What It Feels Like

People always want to know what hypnosis feels like.

Honestly? It feels like deep relaxation. Like that moment right before you fall asleep, when your body is heavy and your thoughts are drifting. You can hear everything I'm saying. You could open your eyes or move or speak if you wanted to. You just... don't want to. Because it feels good to be that relaxed.

Some people remember every word I say. Others remember the general feeling but not the specifics. Both are completely normal. Your subconscious mind is taking in what it needs either way.

The hypnosis part usually lasts about 25-30 minutes. When we finish, I'll guide you back to full alertness. You'll feel refreshed. Clear. Often surprisingly energized for someone who was just deeply relaxed.

After the Session

Here's what I tell everyone: the real work happens after our session.

Not because you have homework (you don't). But because your brain needs time to integrate what we've done. To start running those new patterns. To practice the new ways of thinking and responding.

Most people notice shifts pretty quickly. Sometimes immediately. Sometimes over the next few days. It varies.

What doesn't vary is this: change happens when you're ready for it and when you have the right support to make it stick.

The Honest Truth

Look, I'm not going to tell you that hypnotherapy is magic. It's not.

It's a tool. A really effective tool when you're ready to use it.

It works best when you want the change. When you're willing to show up and engage with the process. When you're open to the possibility that things can be different.

I can't hypnotize you into being someone you don't want to be. But I can help you become more of who you already are under all the anxiety or doubt or habits that aren't serving you.

After five years of this work, I can tell you that the people who get the most out of hypnotherapy are the ones who come in curious. Not necessarily convinced, just curious. Willing to try something different.

If that's you, we should talk.

What Happens Next

If you're still reading this, chances are something resonated.

Maybe you're thinking "okay, this actually sounds doable."

Maybe you're still skeptical but intrigued.

Maybe you just want to ask more questions.

Any of those reactions is perfectly fine.

The next step is simple: book a free initial call. No commitment. No pressure. Just a conversation about what you're dealing with and whether this approach might help.

We'll talk about your specific situation. I'll answer your questions (all of them). And you'll get a feel for whether we're a good fit to work together.

That's it. No sales pitch. No obligation.

Just a conversation to see if hypnotherapy might be the thing that finally helps you move forward.

Because here's what I know after five years of sitting with people just like you: you don't have to stay stuck. You don't have to keep struggling with the same patterns. Things can change.

Sometimes all it takes is the right approach and someone who knows how to help you access the resources you already have inside you.

I think you might be surprised by what's possible.

Ready to find out? Here's a link to book that free call.