10 Things You Didn’t Know Hypnosis Could Do

Hypnosis isn’t just for quitting smoking or losing weight. Here’s what else it can help with – and some of these might surprise you.

Most people know hypnosis can help with the “big three” – weight loss, smoking cessation, and anxiety. Those are powerful applications, and they work beautifully.

But hypnosis can do so much more.

Over the years, I’ve worked with clients on issues they never thought hypnosis could address – and watched them get relief they’d been seeking for years. Some of these applications are backed by solid research. Others are based on clinical experience and the fascinating ways the mind-body connection works.

Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know hypnosis could help with.

1. Chronic Pain Relief (Without Medication)

Hypnosis can help reduce chronic pain by changing how your brain processes pain signals.

Your brain acts like a volume control for pain. Hypnosis can help “turn down the volume” on pain signals – not by ignoring real physical issues, but by helping your nervous system interpret sensations differently.

This isn’t about “mind over matter” or pretending pain doesn’t exist. It’s about working with your nervous system’s natural ability to modulate discomfort. Many clients report significant relief from conditions like fibromyalgia, migraines, arthritis, and back pain.

Research supports this: studies show hypnosis can reduce pain intensity and improve quality of life for people with chronic pain conditions. It’s often used alongside medical treatment, not instead of it.

Learn more about pain relief with hypnosis →

2. IBS and Digestive Issues

Gut-directed hypnosis is one of the most effective treatments for IBS – and most people have never heard of it.

Your gut and brain are in constant communication. Stress, anxiety, and emotional patterns can trigger digestive symptoms. Hypnosis helps calm that gut-brain connection.

Clinical trials have shown that gut-directed hypnosis significantly reduces IBS symptoms – abdominal pain, bloating, irregular bowel movements – for many people. Some studies report improvement rates as high as 70-80%.

The beautiful thing about this approach? No side effects. Just your nervous system learning to regulate your digestive system more effectively.

3. Hot Flashes and Menopause Symptoms

Hypnosis can reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes by up to 80% for some women.

Menopause doesn’t have to mean suffering through years of hot flashes and night sweats. Research shows that hypnosis – specifically, hypnotic techniques focused on cooling imagery and nervous system regulation – can significantly reduce hot flash frequency and severity.

Studies published in Menopause and other medical journals have documented these effects. Women report sleeping better, feeling more comfortable in their bodies, and regaining a sense of control during a time that often feels chaotic.

It’s not about “ignoring” menopause or pretending it’s not happening. It’s about helping your body navigate this transition more smoothly.

4. Preparing for Surgery and Medical Procedures

Hypnosis before surgery can reduce anxiety, lower pain medication needs, and speed recovery time.

Hospitals and surgical centers increasingly offer pre-surgical hypnosis because the research is clear: patients who use hypnosis before surgery tend to:

• Need less anesthesia during the procedure
• Require less pain medication afterward
• Experience less nausea and fewer complications
• Recover faster and go home sooner

It makes sense: if you go into surgery calm and confident rather than terrified, your body responds differently. Your nervous system isn’t in fight-or-flight mode, which allows healing to happen more efficiently.

Some clients use recorded hypnosis sessions they can listen to before and after their procedures. Others come for a session specifically focused on surgical preparation.

5. Nightmares and Night Terrors

Recurring nightmares respond remarkably well to hypnosis – often resolving in just a few sessions.

Nightmares aren’t random. They’re often your subconscious mind trying to process something – a past trauma, ongoing stress, or unresolved emotional material.

Hypnosis can help in two ways: first, by addressing whatever underlying issue is triggering the nightmares. Second, by teaching your mind to “rewrite” the nightmare – giving it a different, more empowering ending.

Many clients who’ve suffered from recurring nightmares for years find relief within a few sessions. They either stop having the nightmares entirely, or the nightmares shift into something less disturbing.

Sleep issues? Learn more about healthy sleep with hypnosis →

6. TMJ and Jaw Tension

Hypnosis can help release chronic jaw clenching and reduce TMJ pain.

Jaw tension is often connected to stress, anxiety, or the habit of “holding” emotions in your body. Many people clench their jaws without realizing it – during the day, while sleeping, or both.

Hypnosis addresses both the physical habit and the emotional patterns underneath it. We help your jaw learn to relax, teach your nervous system that it’s safe to release that tension, and address whatever stress or emotion is driving the clenching in the first place.

Clients often report that their jaw feels looser and more comfortable within a few sessions – and that the relief continues long-term.

Learn more about pain relief with hypnosis →

7. Nail Biting, Skin Picking, and Other Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors

These automatic habits respond beautifully to hypnosis because they’re driven by subconscious patterns.

Nail biting, skin picking, hair pulling (trichotillomania) – these behaviors usually happen without conscious thought. You “come to” and realize you’ve been doing it again.

That’s because these habits are managed by the subconscious mind. They’re often soothing behaviors or ways of managing anxiety. Willpower doesn’t work because you’re trying to control something happening below the level of conscious awareness.

Hypnosis works with the subconscious directly. We help your mind find healthier ways to soothe itself, interrupt the automatic pattern, and replace the old behavior with something more useful.

8. Performance Anxiety (Public Speaking, Test-Taking, Interviews)

Hypnosis can help you access calm confidence when you need it most.

Performance anxiety isn’t about lacking skill or knowledge. It’s about your nervous system going into threat mode when you’re trying to perform. Your hands shake, your mind goes blank, your voice trembles – not because you don’t know what you’re doing, but because your body thinks you’re in danger.

Hypnosis retrains that response. We help your nervous system recognize that giving a presentation, taking a test, or sitting for an interview isn’t actually a threat. You learn to access calm, focused confidence instead of panic.

Many clients use self-hypnosis techniques before performances – a quick 2-3 minute practice that helps them feel centered and capable.

9. Specific Phobias (Beyond the “Typical” Ones)

Hypnosis is excellent for addressing phobias – including unusual ones most people haven’t heard of.

Everyone knows hypnosis can help with fear of flying or fear of public speaking. But what about less common phobias?

I’ve worked with clients afraid of:

• Vomiting (emetophobia) – so severe they avoid social situations
• Choking – limiting what foods they’ll eat
• Driving over bridges or on highways
• Medical procedures like MRIs or blood draws
• Specific animals, sounds, or textures

These phobias are real. They limit people’s lives in significant ways. And hypnosis can help – often relatively quickly – by addressing the root cause of the fear and helping the nervous system respond differently.

Learn more about healing from past experiences →

10. Past Life Regression (Yes, Really)

Whether you believe in past lives or not, this process can be remarkably therapeutic.

Here’s where things get interesting – and where some people start wondering if I’ve gone too “woo-woo.”

Past life regression uses hypnosis to explore what feel like memories from other lifetimes. Some people believe these are literal past lives. Others view them as metaphorical stories the subconscious creates to process current issues.

Here’s what I know from years of practice: it doesn’t actually matter which interpretation you believe.

The therapeutic value is the same either way. When someone explores a “past life” experience in hypnosis – whether it’s real or imagined – they often gain profound insights about their current patterns, relationships, and fears.

A client afraid of deep water might “remember” drowning in another life. Is that memory literally true? Maybe. Maybe not. But working through that experience in hypnosis often resolves the current fear.

A client struggling with a difficult relationship might explore a “past life” connection to that person – and gain clarity about patterns they’re repeating now. Real past life or metaphorical story? It doesn’t matter. The insight is valuable either way.

If you have spiritual beliefs that include reincarnation, past life regression can feel deeply meaningful. You’re exploring your soul’s journey, understanding karmic patterns, gaining wisdom from previous experiences.

If you don’t believe in reincarnation, you can approach it as imaginative work – letting your subconscious create a story that helps you understand and resolve current issues.

Both approaches work. The healing happens regardless of your belief system.

I’ve seen past life regression help people with:

• Unexplained phobias or fears
• Difficult relationship patterns that seem to have no current-life origin
• Physical pain or symptoms with no medical explanation
• A feeling of being “stuck” without knowing why
• Deep existential questions about purpose and meaning

Is it for everyone? No. Some people aren’t drawn to it, and that’s completely fine. But for those who are curious – whether from a spiritual or psychological perspective – it can be a profound experience.

The Common Thread: Your Mind Is More Powerful Than You Think

All of these applications work because of one simple truth: your mind and body are deeply connected.

What your mind believes, your body experiences. What your body feels, your mind interprets. When we work with that connection intentionally – through hypnosis – we can create changes that seem almost miraculous.

They’re not miracles. They’re just your natural capacity for healing and change, accessed through focused attention and subconscious work.

Curious What Hypnosis Could Do for You?

Let’s talk about your specific situation.

Whether you’re dealing with something on this list or something entirely different, hypnosis might be able to help. The best way to find out is to have a conversation.

Schedule your initial consultation – we’ll spend about an hour discussing your goals, your history, and whether hypnosis is the right approach for you. The consultation is $95, and if you decide to move forward with a program, that fee is credited toward your package.

Or call me directly at 360-392-8723. I’m happy to answer your questions.

Hypnosis isn’t magic. But it might feel like it.