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The Healing Power of Hypnotherapy

By Victoria Christie The Kit

Nothing could have prepared us for how much our lives would change during a global pandemic.

To find calm and clarity, some have turned to baking or hobbies, others who need more support are accessing virtual therapy. But hypnotherapy, an increasingly popular and incredibly versatile treatment, might just be the key to enhancing our well-being during this challenging time.

I discovered hypnosis long before coronavirus. Two years ago, I saw a hypnotherapist in Ottawa to help cope with my anxiety over moving to Toronto on my own, as well as tackling my fear of flying and vomiting. During my first session, I burst into tears because I was so relieved to be getting help in a way that felt right for me.

Over eight one-hour sessions, I wandered through lush English gardens, travelled to my favourite beach in Maine and walked down dark corridors, all inside of my mind. Recently, I flew to England on a work trip — my first time flying overseas alone and something I never thought I’d be able to do.

When you feel out of control, hypnotherapy “puts you in the driver’s seat and makes you feel empowered,” says Vinnette Mohan, clinical hypnotherapist and owner of Positive Changes Hypnosis in North York. Like many others, Mohan is currently offering her team’s services online through phone consultations, video chat sessions and personalized recordings at a reduced rate.

Hypnotherapists, some of whom are registered, specialized psychologists, use techniques tailored to each individual, depending on whether they want to quit a habit like smoking, conquer a fear or change a negative thought pattern. During a session, the therapist coaches you through deep relaxation techniques like breathing and visualization, and your brain enters a super-focused state that blocks out peripheral awareness, leaving you more open to suggestion. It feels like your whole body is asleep. Some people experience tingles in their arms and legs, while others feel extremely heavy, or buoyant and light.

Everyone is different, but after my sessions I felt I was waking up from a rejuvenating nap and vivid dream: peaceful, content and dazed. I was told not to drive for 15 minutes after the appointment, as a precaution.

It’s not that when I woke up, I was suddenly “fixed.” A quiet confidence started to grow inside me, increasing after each appointment. Even after I stopped going regularly, those visions stuck with me. I manifested tackling my fears during hypnosis, so when it came to confronting them in real life they didn’t seem so petrifying.

In a medical setting, hypnosis can help treat both short-term and chronic pain, as well as stress and anxiety around medical procedures, says Alexandra Chisholm, a physiotherapist who treats complex burn survivors at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary and a fellow of the Canadian Federation of Clinical Hypnosis.

“Words are incredibly powerful and I would say that’s transformed my practice,” she says. “The language that we choose has the power to increase or decrease somebody’s pain.”

Many people still associate hypnosis with dated Vegas magic shows and, while Chisholm agrees that there’s some enduring skepticism around hypnosis in the medical field, it’s becoming a more common recommendation for drug-free pain management. “I’m very privileged to work with wonderful nurses and physicians who are open to (hypnosis) because they’ve seen it be effective,” she says. “They’re very supportive because they want what’s best for the patient.”

Hypnotherapy is becoming normalized within hospitals, too: medical hypnosis is used to reduce anxiety and pain in young patients at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and SickKids Hospital in Toronto.

As Mohan points out, the risk of harm with hypnosis is very low. “The worst that will happen is nothing will happen because you’re never out of control when you’re in hypnosis,” she says. “You can’t have a negative outcome from a positive suggestion.”

Mohan’s clients are about 60 per cent female. “As women, our bodies are changing so much,” she says, explaining that hypnotherapy can help with menopause symptoms, weight loss and insomnia. It’s also popular for pregnancy and childbirth: Kate Middleton recently said she used hypnobirthing to cope with severe morning sickness and to prepare for labour.

Victoria Whitney, a Cornwall, England-based hypnotherapy trainer, specializes in hypnotherapy for childbirth.

She used recorded guided sessions to address her fear of the birthing experience and prepare for a drug-free birth with her son. He ended up coming out feet first in an ambulance. “I wanted it to be as free from intervention as possible, which I kind of got. Be careful what you wish for,” she says with a laugh.

Whitney also used hypnotherapy to prep for her daughter’s birth via planned C-section and to assist her healing afterward. She says it’s also an option to minimize postpartum depression.

“It’s about empowering women to be able to use and harness the natural qualities of our bodies,” says Whitney. “It’s all about building calm, clarity and confidence.”

And maybe that’s part of the key to this treatment’s appeal: It reminds us that we have everything we need inside of ourselves to cope with whatever life throws at us.