When should you see a hypnotherapist?

When should you see a hypnotherapist? It is often the first question people ask me on the phone, right after "Will it work on me?". And it is a good question, because hypnosis is sometimes presented as the answer to everything. It is not.

I am a sophrologist, hypnotherapist and wellbeing coach in Bordeaux. I practise Ericksonian hypnosis only at my practice, on rue Ducau. Before I started working in this field, I went through a burnout after years in start-ups, and it was while getting back on my feet that I discovered these approaches. So I know what they gave me. I also know they have limits, and I would rather tell you about them plainly.

Here you will find the situations where hypnosis can help, those that call for caution, and those where you need to see a doctor first.

What hypnosis can offer, and what it does not do

Hypnosis is a particular state of attention, highly focused, in which you are more open to images and suggestions. It helps you change a way of reacting: a fear that spirals, stress that never comes down, an automatic habit you cannot shake off.

What it does not do: tell you what is wrong with you, replace a doctor or what they have recommended, or sort out in one session a problem that has been there for years. Hypnosis does not replace medical advice. Inserm's report on hypnosis, summarised by the French health reference Vidal, points to a real risk: delaying necessary medical care by putting all your hopes in a complementary practice.

What the research says, in brief

Inserm, France's national institute for health and medical research, analysed 52 trials. Its report found benefits from hypnosis during anaesthesia or sedation, and for irritable bowel syndrome. For many other uses, the data did not allow a conclusion. Side effects seem rare. The main thing to remember: hypnosis is promising for some things, poorly assessed for others, and never miraculous.

The situations people most often come to me for

Stress that never comes down

This is the most common request. People who are exhausted, who go over things in the evening, who jump at every email. Hypnosis helps the body find its way back to relaxation and lets you revisit stressful situations more calmly. A meta-analysis by Valentine and colleagues shows that hypnosis reduces anxiety more than control groups, especially when combined with other approaches. I have gone into this in detail in my article on hypnosis for stress.

Fears and phobias

Fear of flying, of injections, of driving, of speaking in public, of spiders. Under hypnosis, you can approach the situation you dread in your imagination while staying calm, and gradually link it with something other than panic. This work happens step by step, at your pace, without ever forcing you. We start with a very gentle version of the situation, then move a little closer each time, and it is often in real life, a few days later, that you notice the fear has lost some of its grip.

Low self-confidence

Many people come because they feel stuck: they do not dare speak up, they run themselves down, they doubt their abilities. Ericksonian hypnosis helps you find moments when you felt capable, and make those resources available in the situations where you need them. We often work on a specific situation you are dreading, a meeting, a family occasion, a date, so that the change shows up where it matters to you.

Preparing for an event

An exam, an interview, a competition, a medical procedure that worries you. A few sessions beforehand help you picture yourself in the situation feeling calm. For younger people, I also work with teenagers, often before exams or a driving test, and with children for fears or stress at school.

Sleep disrupted by stress

When you cannot get to sleep because your mind keeps racing, hypnosis and self-hypnosis can help you switch off. I do mean when sleep is disrupted by stress: if you have been sleeping badly for a long time without a clear reason, talk to your doctor first.

Smoking, weight, pain: possible, but with caution

These are three very common requests, and three subjects where honesty matters.

Stopping smoking

Many websites promise you will quit smoking in one session. The research is far more cautious. A Cochrane review by Barnes and colleagues, covering 14 studies and 1,926 participants, found no reliable evidence that hypnosis helps more than other forms of support or than quitting without help. If there is a benefit, it is small at most. Hypnosis can support your motivation and ease the stress of withdrawal, but it works best as part of wider support. Your doctor or a smoking cessation specialist can offer proven aids, with hypnosis alongside.

Your relationship with food

I do not offer "hypnosis to lose weight". I can, however, support a difficult relationship with food linked to stress, emotions or evening snacking. If you have serious difficulties with eating, such as anorexia or bulimia, specialist medical care is essential first.

Pain

Hypnosis has shown effects on how pain is perceived. A meta-analysis by Thompson and colleagues, covering 85 trials, found that it reduces the pain people feel, especially in those who are receptive. But these trials involved pain induced in a laboratory in healthy people, and the authors themselves call for studies on chronic pain. Pain that persists should always be looked into by a doctor. Hypnosis can then help you live with it better, alongside medical care, never instead of it.

When to see a doctor first

There are situations where hypnosis is not the first door to knock on. Talk to your doctor first if:

• you have felt very low, with no energy, for several weeks, or you have dark thoughts;
• you have obsessive thoughts or rituals you cannot stop and that take over your days;
• you have serious difficulties with eating;
• you have pain that is new, unexplained or getting worse;
• you went through a traumatic event that keeps coming back to you;
• you are relying more and more on alcohol or medication to keep going.

In these cases, medical care comes first. Hypnosis can come later, alongside it, if your doctor agrees. And never set aside what they have recommended without discussing it with them.

How to tell whether hypnosis is right for you

A few simple questions to ask yourself:

• Is what I want to change a way of reacting (a fear, stress, a habit) rather than an unexplored physical problem?
• Am I willing to get involved, including between sessions with self-hypnosis exercises?
• Am I ready to try something new, even if I am a bit sceptical?

If you answer yes, hypnosis may be worth trying. Scepticism is not a problem, by the way. Many of the people I work with arrive wary. What matters is wanting something to change.

Find out about the person you are seeing, too. Inserm's report points out that the title of hypnotherapist is not protected in France. Ask where they trained, how they work and what they do when a request is beyond their skills. And if you have worries, I have answered the common misconceptions in my article on whether Ericksonian hypnosis is dangerous.

What working with me looks like

The first session always starts with a conversation. You tell me what brings you, since when, what you have already tried and what you would like to feel instead. If your request is first a matter for a doctor, I will tell you.

Then I guide you into hypnosis while you sit comfortably in an armchair. You stay aware, you hear my voice and you can open your eyes at any time. We finish with time to talk about what you experienced, and often with a short exercise to repeat at home.

A session lasts about an hour. Prices are on my pricing page.

Booking a session in Bordeaux

If you recognise yourself in one of the situations described here, I see people for Ericksonian hypnosis in Bordeaux, on rue Ducau. You can also read how I support adults with hypnosis, and find out about my background on the about page.

And if you are still unsure, write down on a sheet of paper what you would like to change and how you would notice it. It will be an excellent starting point for our first conversation.