Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate
-Carl Jung
What is Hypnotherapy?
Healing for the inner child
Hypnotherapy is the clinical application of hypnosis in psychotherapy. Hypnotherapy requires specialized training, and involves a skillful integration of clinical hypnosis and mindfulness techniques. It is an evidence-based treatment based on historic practices.
I am a Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapist, certified in a 100-hour trauma-informed training in clinical counseling hypnotherapy through Daybreak training. This is a program solely for mental health professionals, so they can learn how to offer hypnosis in a clinical setting to treat mental health concerns. I have also trained in a program called HeartHealing® Practitioner Mastery, which is a 1-year trauma-informed advanced-hypnotherapy training program teaching unique hypnotherapy techniques to support the healing of relational-wounding.
What does Hypnotherapy treat?
Clinical counseling hypnotherapy has been shown to treat a wide variety of mental health conditions, including:
- Mood & emotional difficulties
- Inner child wounding
- Relational trauma
- Low self-esteem
- Social anxiety
- Feelings of shame
- Sleep difficulties
- Support for chronic pain
- A doctor’s referral note for hypnosis for pain management is required
- Stress relief
- Anxiety & phobias
- Fear of Public Speaking
- Depression
- Trauma
- Developing internal resources
Hypnotherapy for trauma and inner child work
Working with vulnerable parts
Because hypnosis creates a focused state of awareness, it can be a powerful tool for exploring and healing early life experiences. Inner child hypnotherapy helps you reconnect with younger parts of yourself that may have been ignored, shamed, or left unsupported.
Through this work, clients often:
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Meet their younger self in a safe, supportive way
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Offer compassion, reassurance, or protection that was missing at the time
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Release outdated self-blame or shame
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Strengthen the adult self’s ability to nurture and protect these vulnerable parts
This process can be deeply moving and often leads to lasting shifts in self-esteem, emotional regulation, and relationships.
What are the results of Hypnotherapy?
Focused work with hypnosis
Hypnotherapy is available in a traditional weekly or biweekly format. I also offer a specialized 80 minute Extended-Length Hypnotherapy treatment session focused on inner child healing and healing childhood trauma which helps with:
- Improving self-esteem
- Increasing a sense of inner peace
- Quieting the inner critic
- Increasing feelings of wholeness
- Getting in touch with inner resources & the “wise self”
- Cultivating self-compassionate inner dialogue
This Extended-Length Hypnotherapy service is currently available through Smart Therapy as a specialty treatment. Contact me to find out more information.
What to Expect in a Hypnotherapy Session
Hypnotherapy can sound mysterious if you've never experienced it before, but it is simply a collaborative process where you remain in control the entire time. In a therapeutic setting, hypnosis is used to create a relaxed yet focused state of awareness. This state (often called a trance) allows you to access deeper layers of memory, emotion, and imagination than you might in ordinary conversation.
We start by discussing your goals for therapy and the specific areas you'd like to focus on. I will explain the process step-by-step and answer any questions you have, so you feel comfortable and informed before we begin. Hypnotherapy can be part of an ongoing therapy plan or a stand-alone intensive.
You'll sit or recline in a comfortable position while I guide you through gentle relaxation techniques and focused imagery. You are awake, aware, and able to speak at any time. In this state, the mind becomes more receptive to insight and self-reflection, making it possible to explore inner experiences, reframe past events, or connect with internal resources such as your "wise self" or inner child.This is not stage hypnosis-you will never be made to do anything against your will. Instead, you are an active participant, guiding and shaping the process with me.
Most clients leave feeling calm, grounded, and more connected to themselves. Some notice immediate relief in specific symptoms, while others experience gradual changes as insights integrate over time. It's common to remember new details about past experiences or to feel a renewed sense of compassion for yourself. In follow-up sessions, we build on these discoveries, turning them into practical steps for emotional healing and daily life.
How Hypnotherapy Fits Into Depth Therapy
In my practice, hypnotherapy is rarely used in isolation. It’s integrated with depth therapy approaches like Jungian therapy, schema therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and emotion-focused therapy. This combination allows us to work with both symbolic and emotional material, connecting the conscious and unconscious layers of your psyche.
By weaving hypnosis into the therapeutic process, we can explore imagery, archetypes, and dreams, work through emotional blocks, and help you access your own inner wisdom. This makes hypnotherapy not just a symptom-focused intervention, but a gateway to deeper self-understanding and transformation.
Why Hypnotherapy Can Be So Effective
Traditional talk therapy works primarily through conscious insight, but many of our core beliefs, emotional patterns, and coping strategies are rooted in the subconscious mind. Hypnotherapy allows us to access this deeper layer more directly, bypassing the mental “filters” that can slow or block change.
In a hypnotic state, the brain is more receptive to new information, meaning you can replace outdated patterns with healthier ones more quickly. For example:
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A client with social anxiety might reframe a core belief of “I am not safe around others” into “I can be myself and still be safe.”
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Someone struggling with self-criticism might strengthen an inner voice of compassion that supports rather than undermines them.
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A person processing trauma might reconnect with their sense of agency and wholeness.
Beyond addressing symptoms, hypnotherapy often opens the door to deeper, long-term benefits that ripple into many areas of life...
Benefits Beyond Symptom Relief
Life enhancement in addition to symptom reduction
While many people first turn to hypnotherapy to address specific symptoms (like anxiety, sleep issues, or phobias), the benefits often extend further. Because hypnotherapy works at both conscious and subconscious levels, clients frequently report a stronger sense of alignment between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. This alignment can translate into greater confidence, creativity, and resilience in daily life.
Another benefit is the ability to access imagery, intuition, and symbolic meaning in ways that feel more vivid than in standard talk therapy. For some, this opens up a renewed sense of imagination and inner guidance. For others, it provides practical breakthroughs, such as improved stress regulation, more balanced relationships, or a healthier inner dialogue.
Hypnotherapy can also strengthen the mind-body connection. By calming the nervous system and shifting core beliefs, it becomes easier to reduce physical tension and support overall wellbeing. Over time, clients often find that the skills and inner resources developed in sessions (such as grounding, self-soothing, and self-compassion) become accessible outside of therapy as well. These ripple effects are part of why hypnotherapy is considered such a powerful complement to depth-oriented psychotherapy.
FAQs about Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapy
No. You remain fully aware and in control throughout the session. You can speak, open your eyes, or stop at any time. Hypnotherapy is a collaborative process where you and I work together toward your therapeutic goals.
Stage hypnosis is for entertainment and often involves highly suggestible volunteers in a performance setting. Clinical hypnotherapy is a therapeutic process used by trained mental health professionals to support healing, insight, and symptom relief.
People describe it as feeling deeply relaxed yet alert. You might notice your body feeling lighter or heavier, and your attention becomes more focused on inner thoughts, images, and sensations.
The number of sessions depends on your goals and the complexity of what we are addressing. Some people benefit from one or two Therapy Intensives (extended duration sessions), while others prefer to integrate hypnotherapy into ongoing weekly or biweekly therapy.
Yes, when offered by a trained trauma-informed therapist. My approach ensures you have the tools to stay grounded, and we work at a pace that feels safe. Hypnotherapy can help process what's needed at this time, in a safe, contained, and supported way.
Hypnotherapy can be used to support chronic pain management, sleep issues, and stress-related symptoms. For pain management, a doctor's prescription/recommendation note for "hypnotherapy for pain management" is required.
It helps to come with a clear idea of what you'd like to work on, but no special preparation is required. Comfortable clothing and a quiet environment (for online sessions) can enhance your experience.
Yes. Online hypnotherapy is just as effective as in-person sessions. You can create a comfortable space at home, and I will guide you through the same process that would be used in office-based sessions.
Most people can enter a light trance state with proper guidance. Hypnosis is not about "mind control" but about focusing your attention in a relaxed state; something you already do naturally when absorbed in a book, movie, or daydream.
Is Hypnotherapy Right for You?
Hypnotherapy may be a good fit if:
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You’ve tried traditional talk therapy and want to try an approach that is mind-body focused
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You struggle with self-criticism, anxiety, or unresolved grief
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You feel “stuck” in patterns you can’t change through willpower alone
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You’re curious about integrating mindfulness-based approaches into your healing
Whether used in short-term focused work or as part of ongoing therapy, hypnotherapy offers a unique way to access the deeper roots of your challenges and create lasting change.
