Best hypnotherapy techniques for stress & anxiety

Life can be incredibly challenging at times and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the demands that come with everyday life.

Whether you’re struggling to find a healthy work-life balance, or stress and anxiety is starting to impact key areas of your life, there are lots of ways that you can manage stress and anxiety, including several different hypnotherapy techniques.

We’ve created a guide outlining the best hypnotherapy techniques for stress and anxiety.

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is an effective and widely used adjunctive technique that utilises hypnosis to treat a wide range of different conditions.

But what is hypnotherapy and how does it work? Hypnotherapy works by inducing a hypnotic state marked by waking awareness. This allows people to detach external attention and focus on inner experiences to get to the root issue of their problems. Hypnotherapy is now recognised by a number of professionals as being an effective treatment for a wide range of anxiety disorders, as well as phobias.

It is now an integral part of many treatment plans for these conditions and has a proven record of success.

What do people use hypnotherapy for?

Hypnotherapy can be used to help treat and manage a range of debilitating conditions including:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Chronic pain
• Fears and phobias
• Panic attacks
• Stress
• Depression

Common techniques used in hypnotherapy

At the beginning of a hypnotherapy session, clients are placed into a trance-like state to focus their minds. This is done so that clients are deeply relaxed.

Once relaxed, several different hypnotherapy techniques can be used to reap the many benefits of this treatment.

Here are some of the best hypnotherapy techniques for stress and anxiety:

Suggestion

This technique involves the hypnotherapist making gentle suggestions for behaviour changes to help you overcome your issue. Ultimately, the goal of this technique is to encourage you to trust yourself more.

A state of relaxation

By visualising yourself in a state of peacefulness and relaxation, it is easier to confront your behaviour and evaluate the decisions that have impacted your life. When you are relaxed you can think and see things more clearly.

Coping skills

Many hypnotherapists focus on teaching cognitive-behavioural coping skills during a session. Common coping techniques include guided imagery and the “STOP!” technique, which is used to help combat a range of fears and anxieties.

Exploration of past experiences

In order to confront your problems, it’s necessary to explore past experiences. By delving into your past, a hypnotherapist can help determine whether or not things that have happened in the past are impacting your present and future without you even realising. If the problem is behavioural, you might also be asked to talk about the first time you experienced this behaviour and how you felt.

Benefits of hypnotherapy for stress and anxiety

Hypnotherapy has proven to be extremely successful when it comes to tackling a breadth of issues, with many clients experiencing positive dramatic results.

But what are the benefits of hypnotherapy?

• Increases awareness of your issues and what has caused them
• Changes behaviours
• Changes perceptions
• Provides a new focus
• Creates a state of relaxation

Although hypnotherapy has been proven to be incredibly successful with lots of patients, it’s still considered controversial and isn’t for everyone. You should approach this treatment with an open mind and always speak to your doctor first.

If you're interested in training to become a hypnotherapist to help support those dealing with stress and anxiety, see our hypnotherapy courses or request a prospectus today.