As a hypnotherapist, you encounter a wide variety of requests for help—ranging from mild stress to deep-seated phobias. But did you know that the way a session is structured can have enormous, unforeseen consequences? Words spoken during hypnosis are not just casual chatter. In a trance state, everything immediately becomes reality for the subconscious mind.
This raises a crucial question: What are the actual consequences of your therapeutic interventions? It is important to be aware of the “side effects” of psychotherapy and to discuss them with your clients. Research shows that therapists who are aware of this are more likely to do so than therapists who have less experience with it[1]. Hypnotherapy is a technique within psychotherapy.
Well, I’ve had some experience with it, so here goes 😊.
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The Unexpected Impact of a Simple Phobia Solution
Years ago, I helped a client who was struggling with a persistent fear of men. You can imagine how such a fear affects your daily life. After an intensive hypnosis session, that fear vanished like snow in the sun. A wonderful result, you might think—and it certainly was. But then came a consequence we hadn’t considered beforehand.
The client in question was married. When she opened her eyes after the session, her very first reaction was: “Phew, what a shame I’m married.” By removing her fear, her entire perspective on her life, her past, and her relationship changed.
A year and a half later, they broke up. Although things worked out well for both of them in the long run and they are happy today, it does show just how profoundly impactful an effective session can be.
This is exactly why protocols in hypnotherapy are so strict. You want to disturb the unconscious mind as little as possible with unnecessary distractions, so that you achieve the right, positive outcomes and minimize negative consequences.
The cardinal sin in hypnosis: Making assumptions for the client
In a normal conversation, you sometimes make assumptions about someone else. You see that someone is tired, you draw a conclusion, and you say, “Gee, you look tired—are you okay?” That’s very human and perfectly normal in communication. But in hypnosis, it works fundamentally differently.
As psychologist Paul Watzlawick noted back in the 1950s: you cannot not influence. You are always influencing. Everything you do is a form of communication[2]. Yet it is a cardinal sin to simply fill in the blanks or impose suggestions during hypnosis.
If you tell someone under hypnosis that they are tired, it immediately becomes a fact. It can even develop into a new identity that a person carries with them for the rest of their life.
The fact that a suggestion under hypnosis influences your reality is also demonstrated through so-called “tests” to determine whether someone is under hypnosis. During the training, for example, you’ll learn to use arm levitation or a “sticking” technique to check if someone is under hypnosis[3]. You then give specific suggestions that are so “true” to the client’s subconscious at that moment that the body unconsciously follows the suggestion.
For example, the arm might rise, or people might feel as though their hand is glued to their thigh. At that moment, other suggestions—such as “you’re tired” or “men are fun”—can also be accepted as fact.
Criticism of the world’s leading hypnotherapists
It therefore remains astonishing to see how even the world’s most renowned hypnotherapists sometimes go about their work. Recently, I watched a session by a world-famous therapist in which a girl recounted how her father used to chase her. For her, it was a physically intense and painful memory.
What does the therapist do during hypnosis? He uses what’s called the “blame strategy”: “Your father was weak—after all, what kind of father would do something like that? You’re much bigger than your father.”
The goal of this strategy is clear: the therapist attempts to bring the client down or frame the situation in such a way that the client feels superior to the father.
The immediate result is that the client may feel momentarily stronger than their “smaller self.” But have you ever considered the broader long-term consequences? What does this teach the subconscious mind about relationships, authority, and safety?
When techniques like these are casually incorporated into the curricula of major educational programs and followed by thousands of people, it’s alarming as a fellow professional. It’s marketed as effective therapy, but the potentially harmful long-term consequences are completely overlooked.
Be aware and understand the consequences
Of course, everyone makes mistakes. In my twenty years of experience, I’ve certainly made my share of blunders. The difference is that you learn from them—and that you don’t pass those lessons on as standard curriculum.
Whether you’re a professional who helps people every day or someone who’s simply interested in personal development: be mindful of what you say, when, and to whom. Fear may be a poor advisor, but healthy vigilance and conscious attentiveness are worth their weight in gold.
What do you think about consciously guiding or shaping the process during a therapy session? Have you ever noticed how powerful words can be in a trance state? Let us know in the comments below.
Learn Hypnosis
Do you want to help people with hypnosis and learn how to do so as precisely as possible to avoid accidentally causing unwanted side effects? Then a solid understanding of hypnotherapy is incredibly important. Come to our free masterclass for an introduction.
Or register for one of our events and trainings.
Do you have a question about the training program? Schedule a one-on-one consultation here. You won’t be speaking with a salesperson, but with an experienced HIN coach who works with this training program and clients on a daily basis. In 20–30 minutes, you’ll get a clear sense of whether this is the right step for you and which start date suits you best.
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