Hypnotherapy: 9 fears and phobias hypnosis helps with
Hypnosis is a powerful state of focused attention that connects with the subconscious mind, unlocking new habits. Within integrative therapy, hypnosis can be used as a tool to strengthen positive beliefs. Here are nine fears and phobias that hypnosis can help with. [13.1.25.]
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a trance-like mental state of focused attention, connecting with the subconscious mind for positive behavioural change.
It’s often described as a sleep-like, hyper-aware state where vivid fantasies come alive and where imagination can thrive. In this hypnotic state, one can explore new ways to think, feel and act.
What does being hypnotised feel like?
In hypnosis, you close your eyes and lie back slightly to go into a deep state of relaxation. You’re invited to imagine new ways of being.
You’ll learn how to let go of unhelpful beliefs and go towards more useful beliefs that allow for self-growth.
For example, if you have anxiety and tend to overthink every step before starting, you may be encouraged to let go of control. The therapist will give simple suggestions that support simple actions.
What happens in a hypnotherapy session?
Hypnotherapy sessions, lasting 10–90 minutes, involve relaxing comfortably while listening to a therapist.
The session begins with an induction, where the therapist uses calming imagery to help you relax and focus. Once in a deep hypnotic state, the therapist suggests shifting your perspective or visualising positive outcomes, such as staying calm in public. You remain in control throughout hypnosis and can choose whether to accept the suggestions.
There are three types of hypnosis:
1) Hypnotherapy: A trained therapist combines hypnosis with talk therapy (hypnotherapy) to treat mental health issues, reframing negative emotional patterns. Common treatments include anxiety, depression, trauma and addictions.
2) Guided hypnosis: Pre-recorded audios that guide someone into a hypnotic state to promote calm and positive change, allowing self-guided growth.
3) Self-hypnosis: Someone who practices hypnosis on themselves, to feel relaxed, and to build good habits, changing over time.
What does hypnotherapy treat?
Focusing on where the problem came from, building simple coping tools, and using visualisations (to suggest new outcomes), increases self-trust and self-belief.
9 fears and phobias that hypnotherapy can help with
1) Social Anxiety: fear of social situations and judgements
Social anxiety is a mental health issue (the fear of being in social situations and being judged or embarrassed by others). Someone with social anxiety is likely to avoid others, and have negative self-talk.
Hypnotherapy can help with social anxiety by building optimistic (or at least balanced) self-talk and exposing someone to the feared situation (gradually reducing avoidance). Through hypnosis, the therapist can target subconscious fears, helping to rewire automatic responses by inviting simple suggestions.
Focus on: Challenging negative thoughts and replacing them with balanced thoughts and perspectives.
Hypnotic suggestion: “How would it feel to let go of caring what others think?”
2) Perfectionism: fear of failing
This can lead to feelings of insecurity, inadequacy and self-criticism. Hypnotherapy can help clarify where these perfectionistic standards come from (perhaps from a job, parents, or one’s own unrealistic expectations). Setting realistic goals, embracing imperfection and letting go of control are key areas the therapist may explore to increase self-trust.
Focus on: Start enjoying the process, accepting that mistakes and failures are necessary to grow.
Hypnotic suggestion: “What could you enjoy if you focused 100% on the process (not the result)?
3) Driving: fear of being behind the wheel
Amaxophobia (also called hamaxophobia) is the anxiety or fear when driving or riding in a vehicle (car, bus or plane). Anxiety as a driver or passenger can stem from past trauma or learned fears. Hypnosis helps identify triggers, understand their impact, and replace fear with positive, empowering imagery.
Focusing: On reducing anxiety and fear by using breathing techniques.
Hypnotic suggestion: “Imagine being in the driving seat of your own life. How does this empower you?”
4) Claustrophobia: fear of confined spaces
Claustrophobia is the fear of confined spaces. Hypnotherapy may use guided imagery and safety affirmations to imagine feeling safe, secure and strong by facing your fear.
By addressing where your core fear comes from, you can become self-aware of this phobia, challenging it with more realistic and balanced beliefs.
Focus on: Grounding the body to feel safe and secure in smaller spaces in a gradual way.
Hypnotic suggestions: “Imagine feeling safe and secure in every room you enter (no matter the size).”
5) Public Speaking: fear of performance in front of others
Speaking in front of others is one of the most common fears. This is because it causes anxiety, fear of rejection and criticism (particularly if we’ve had a bad experience like freezing, or stuttering, or being laughed at).
The pressure to grab an audience’s attention while there’s silence can make us feel judged. Hypnosis helps by imagining how you’d like the performance to go.
Focus on: Imagining performing with confidence and feeling strong and capable in your body.
Hypnotic suggestion: “What would it feel like to connect with an audience by being yourself?”
6) Acrophobia: fear of heights
Fearing heights can make one anxious, having a strong, intense and irrational phobia. One may have a strong desire to escape and can experience panic attacks. This could be caused by trauma, a learned response, or a health condition. Hypnosis helps to break down the fear one step at a time by exposing one gradually to heights. The therapist can ground you in safety, teaching you soothing tools for when panic arises.
Focus on: Noticing when you feel triggered, and grounding the body in safety through breathing exercises.
Hypnotic suggestions: “What’s your safe word for when you feel triggered?”
7) Pregnancy: fear of giving birth
Tokophobia is an intense fear of pregnancy and childbirth, and it's a type of anxiety disorder. It can cause people to dread pregnancy and can lead to constant worry, irrational thoughts and insomnia.
Primary tokophobia is a longstanding fear that often starts in childhood, and secondary tokophobia is a fear from a traumatic childhood birth experience. Hypnosis can build trust in the body’s natural abilities. By staying grounded and present to what is happening to the body right now, the client can realise when they are catastrophising (thinking of the worst-case scenario) and come back to the now.
Focus on: What is happening in the body in the present and noticing when the mind catastrophes.
Hypnotic suggestions: “Have you ever felt strong and confident in your body? How did this feel?”
8) Disordered Eating: fear of putting on weight
Anorexia or bulimia are eating disorders that use severe and persistent disturbances in eating. Distressing thoughts and feelings come from eating and they involve restricting food, ruminating and overthinking.
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, pica and rumination, are usually diagnosed in infancy or early childhood. Hypnotherapy can help to uncover the root cause, going back to childhood to find any triggers.
Hypnosis allows the client to access the subconscious mind to understand limiting and fearful beliefs, reframing them into healthier and more balanced beliefs.
Focus on: When you feel anxious, how can you work through the emotion (rather than numb yourself out)?
Hypnotic suggestion: “What does it mean to feel at peace with your body?”
9) Abandonment: fearing rejection or being left behind
Anxious attachment stems from unpredictable childhood parenting, leading to clinginess, rejection sensitivity, and insecurity in adulthood. Individuals may need constant reassurance, struggle with trust and boundaries, and doubt their self-worth. Hypnosis helps with growing a secure attachment by building self-trust, confidence, and decisiveness.
Focus on: How you can trust your gifts, skills and abilities.
Hypnotic suggestion: “When was the last time you felt deserving of love and connection?”