In today’s busy world, stress, anxiety, and emotional struggles are more common than ever. Many people are looking for ways to feel better that are natural, effective, and lasting. One method that’s been growing in popularity is hypnotherapy – and for good reason.
Hypnotherapy helps people relax deeply and access the subconscious mind, where many of our habits, fears, and emotional patterns are stored. In this relaxed state, a trained therapist can guide you to make positive changes that can improve your mental and emotional health.
Let’s explore how hypnotherapy can support mental well-being, backed by research and real experience.
What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a type of therapy that uses guided relaxation to help you reach a very focused, calm state of mind. In this state – often called a “trance” – your mind becomes more open to positive suggestions and new ways of thinking.
You’re not asleep, and you’re always in control. Instead, you’re simply relaxed enough to work with your subconscious mind – the part of you that controls automatic thoughts and behaviours.
In a session, hypnotherapists create a safe and supportive environment where you can work through the thoughts, feelings, or habits you want to change. It’s a gentle process, and many clients say they feel calmer and lighter after even just one session.
How Hypnotherapy Helps Mental Health
1. Reducing Anxiety and Stress
One of the most common reasons people try hypnotherapy is to manage anxiety and stress.
When you’re anxious, your body is often stuck in “fight or flight” mode – making you feel tense, overwhelmed, or unable to think clearly. Hypnotherapy helps break this cycle by teaching your mind and body how to relax.
Research has shown that hypnotherapy can significantly lower anxiety. A 2019 study found that people who used hypnosis reduced their anxiety much more than those who didn’t. Hypnotherapy can also improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and even boost feelings of control and calm in everyday life.
Through positive suggestions and visualisation, you can train your mind to respond to stress in a healthier way – feeling more confident, safe, and in control.
David Samson’s Approach
As part of his approach to helping clients with anxiety and emotional overwhelm, David uses a specialist technique known as Regression Hypnotherapy. Developed over his 22 years in practice, this method enables clients to access early childhood memories—often from birth to around six years old—that may be influencing how they feel and react today.By revisiting those early life experiences in a safe, relaxed hypnotic state, clients can uncover the original source of their stress or anxiety. Once those root causes are understood, they can begin to release them and develop healthier emotional responses in the present. David’s work is especially focused on helping clients feel empowered and in control of their emotional world.
2. Overcoming Fears and Phobias
Many people live with intense fears – like fear of flying, public speaking, or needles – that stop them from fully enjoying life.
Hypnotherapy can be very effective at helping people overcome these fears by changing how the subconscious mind reacts to triggers. In a relaxed state, you can safely imagine facing the thing you fear without panic. Over time, the fear loses its grip, and calm responses take its place.
Research has shown that about half of people treated for flying phobias with hypnotherapy saw strong improvements. It’s a gentle way to change deep-rooted fears without having to relive painful experiences.
3. Helping with Trauma and Emotional Healing
Difficult experiences, especially from childhood, can leave lasting emotional wounds. Hypnotherapy provides a safe way to gently revisit and heal those old hurts.
For example, studies have shown that hypnotherapy helped people recover from trauma-related conditions like PTSD. Under hypnosis, memories can be processed in a calm and controlled way, helping people find peace and move forward without being trapped by the past.
David often uses hypnotherapy carefully and sensitively when working with trauma, helping clients feel stronger, more resilient, and less weighed down by painful memories.
What the Experts Say
The NHS recognises hypnotherapy as a useful treatment for conditions like IBS – and many mental health professionals now recommend it alongside other therapies.
Evidence from reputable sources, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the National Council for Hypnotherapy, supports the efficacy of hypnotherapy in reducing anxiety, stress, and associated physical symptoms.
David Samson works in partnership with clients and, when necessary, with doctors or counsellors to give the best care.
Final Thoughts
Hypnotherapy is not a magic trick or a quick fix – but when used properly, it can be a powerful, life-changing tool for mental health.
It works by unlocking the deeper parts of your mind where true change happens. Whether it’s overcoming anxiety, letting go of old fears, or healing emotional wounds, hypnotherapy offers a calm, natural path to feeling stronger and more in control.
If you’re ready to explore how hypnotherapy can support your mental health journey, book a consultation with David Samson today. You don’t have to stay stuck in old patterns – real change is possible.
