Hypnotherapy is a profound therapeutic tool with transformative potential that extends far beyond traditional therapeutic methods. By working with the subconscious mind, it fosters breakthroughs in mental health, addresses deep-rooted emotional challenges, and even contributes to physical well-being. To delve into the unique benefits of hypnotherapy, MysticMag invited leading hypnotherapy practitioners and experts to share their insights on how their approaches distinguish hypnotherapy from other modalities. Here’s what they had to say.
Unlocking the Power of the Subconscious: Doug Buckingham
Doug Buckingham is a skilled practitioner and teacher specializing in Hypnosis, Regression, Sound Healing, Crystal Healing, and Reiki, among other energy-based modalities. With years of experience, he helps individuals release old patterns and transform their lives using simple and effective techniques.
Based in Stoke Gabriel, South Devon, Doug works with clients locally and globally, offering in-person sessions, online classes via Zoom, and audio recordings through his app, Hypnosis for Transformation.
He is the author of Gifts for Your Soul and hosts the podcast Call of the Soul. Whether in person or online, Doug’s passion is empowering people to clear the past and embrace their best selves.
“In my experience, there are two key benefits of hypnotherapy which are challenging to break apart.
Firstly, receiving hypnosis is generally relaxing for the majority of clients, and the levels of relaxation that they experience often and unmatched by other therapeutic approaches. A lack of “proper” relaxation is of course at the source of much stress in todays busy world and that stress can often lead to more serious conditions
This deep relaxation that people often experience facilitates the prime benefit of hypnotherapy to become possible, and that is greater access to the client’s subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is where all of our deep rooted beliefs, experiences, emotional responses and habits (and more) are stored, as well as much of the programming that governs our everyday body functionality.
Often, and I am tempted to say the word always, the source of the clients issue lies beneath the level of conscious awareness and to my way of thinking that is the genius of hypnotherapy that perhaps sets it apart from other therapies. What is stored in the subconscious mind in the context of hypnotherapy can often be a surprise to clients; perhaps a forgotten memory that has to be verified by another person, maybe the unexpected emotional response that would suggest we’ve struck gold in terms of resolving the clients problem or quite commonly the seemingly trivial event early in life which is ticking away in the back of their mind, so to speak, and distorting their worthiness to be themselves in some respect. What hypnosis unearths is essentially the “lead” that clients are able to turn into “gold” which they can then use to improve their life for a wide variety of practical everyday possibilities.”
Discover more at www.dougbuckingham.com
Bypassing Defense Mechanisms: Dr. Lisa S. Larsen
Dr. Lisa S. Larsen, a clinical psychologist dedicated to helping teens, adults, and couples heal from trauma, grief, and loss. Using EMDR, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, she addresses both mind and emotions to help clients resolve past pain and move forward with confidence.
With over two decades of experience, Lisa has worked in diverse clinical settings and supports clients from varied backgrounds, including LGBTQ+ individuals. She provides an affirming, compassionate space to improve self-esteem, manage anxiety and depression, and foster resilience.
An EMDRIA-certified therapist and accomplished speaker, Lisa is passionate about empowering clients to transform challenges into opportunities for growth and healing.
“One key benefit of hypnotherapy is its ability to communicate directly with the unconscious mind. This allows the therapist to bypass the conscious mind’s defense mechanisms, as well as deeply ingrained habits and conditioned responses. Many people consciously know what they “should” do—like not smoking, eating healthily, exercising, or getting enough sleep—but even when they try harder at the conscious level, progress is often temporary and sometimes superficial. Their efforts may seem to work for a while because they’re vigilant and putting in a lot of energy. However, the unconscious patterns that drive their behaviors remain unchanged, eventually regaining control.
Top-down approaches are ones that address thoughts and involve the cortex (an evolutionarily newer part of the brain at the top of the brain) in making change. Bottom-up approaches focus on emotions, physical sensations, and subconscious patterns outside conscious awareness. While I respect Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other top-down approaches, they don’t seem to help change deeply rooted thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that appear beyond a person’s conscious control. For those situations, CBT doesn’t always provide lasting change. People might relapse into old patterns because the unconscious mind isn’t fully aligned with the desired transformation.
The unconscious mind holds powerful forces that the conscious mind may underestimate. It not only motivates us but also connects us to our deeper emotions and desires—things we may not always consciously recognize. We may know intellectually that a behavior would benefit us, but without emotional motivation, it can be hard to act on that knowledge. Often, people try to follow advice or mimic others, hoping for the right outcome, but they end up frustrated and confused, questioning what went wrong. In these cases, discovering their true motivations and helping them connect with those desires on a subconscious level can dissolve the conscious resistance.
Once that happens, a client’s true power can emerge, unhindered. Without knowing how or why sometimes, they just start making the desired changes. That is the best outcome, because the change wasn’t made for anyone’s benefit but the unconscious mind of the client. It happened without coercion, shame, or guilt. There was no authority to resist, not even the client’s own conscious mind.”
Discover more at www.lisaslarsen.com
A Fast-Track to Breakthroughs with Rapid Transformational Therapy: Joann Malanga
Joann Malanga is a transformational leader and healer with over 20 years of experience in the senior living industry. Starting as a nurse’s aide, she became frustrated by the lack of holistic care and saw the need for change. Her journey led her to become a medical intuitive and healer, focusing on helping people release trauma and subconscious blocks.
Joann’s healing path began in 1998 after experiencing anxiety and burnout in healthcare. Through RTT Hypnotherapy, Shamanic Healing, and energy clearing, she empowers clients to release old patterns and step into their true power. She holds certifications as a Reiki Master, Life Transition Coach, Universal Rays Practitioner, and RTT Hypnotherapist.
Dedicated to supporting humanity’s ascension, Joann teaches conscious living and helps others thrive by embracing their full potential and releasing limiting beliefs.
“One of the most compelling benefits of Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) is its ability to foster rapid, life-changing breakthroughs by targeting the root causes of an issue—often in as little as one to three sessions. Unlike many therapeutic approaches that require months or even years to delve into core challenges, RTT combines hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychotherapy to deliver accelerated, lasting transformation. It’s a totally rewiring of the brain and thoughts.
In an RTT session with me (Joann), clients are guided into a relaxed, focused state of hypnosis. Picture yourself feeling relaxing and peaceful). In this state, they access their subconscious mind, which stores beliefs, memories, and emotional patterns developed throughout their lives. By uncovering the root events (usually 3), beliefs, and even self-perceptions underlying their struggles, clients can finally see how these deep-seated beliefs drive self-sabotaging thoughts or behaviors. With the help of a trained RTT therapist, clients can reframe these limiting beliefs and adopt new, constructive thought patterns that align with their goals and desires. The clients are also given a mind reset recording in which they will play for 20-30 days consecutively.
The results of RTT often appear in real time as clients begin to feel greater clarity, confidence, and resilience after even a single session. For example, clients might feel an immediate release of past emotional pain, fear, or guilt that has been holding them back. As RTT works to rewire the brain with empowering suggestions and beliefs, clients may notice they’re less prone to self-doubt, better able to maintain boundaries, and naturally more motivated to pursue their personal or professional goals. This shift can ripple through various aspects of life: relationships become healthier and more balanced, career progress accelerates, and overall well-being improves.
Beyond these personal changes, RTT helps clients create a deep sense of alignment with their authentic self, leading to enhanced self-love and inner peace. Instead of feeling stuck in cycles of self-sabotage, clients report feeling genuinely free to pursue the life they envision for themselves—often feeling lighter, more joyful, and more empowered to create positive change. The combination of rapid insight and lasting change sets RTT apart, making it a powerful choice for those seeking transformation in both their mindset and day-to-day experiences.
By addressing the root of the issue directly, RTT provides clients with the tools they need to sustain these breakthroughs, creating enduring results that help them build a life of confidence, purpose, and emotional freedom.”
Discover more at www.theintegrativeconsciousvibe.com
Unlocking the REM State for Emotional Freedom: Gavin Roberts
Gavin Roberts, a seasoned hypnotherapist with over 20 years of experience, has dedicated his career to helping individuals unlock their full potential. His personal journey, marked by a decade-long struggle and subsequent transformation through hypnosis, ignited his passion for this therapeutic modality. Drawing on his expertise in psychology, self-development, and mindfulness, Gavin employs a holistic approach that combines solution-focused therapy with transpersonal hypnotherapy. His commitment to providing a safe and supportive environment empowers clients to overcome challenges and achieve lasting change.
“The key benefit that sets hypnotherapy apart from other talking therapies is its utilisation of hypnosis, or more specifically, the REM state.
We all dream at night but we now know that we enter mini REM episodes regularly throughout waking hours when our brains become more right-hemisphere dominant.
You can recognise this when you feel a little sleepy or your mind has wandered off somewhere. Think of it in terms of daydreaming. It’s at such times that we are more receptive to suggestions and ideas and new ways of looking at the world.
So, whereas traditional counselling and CBT-type therapies place emphasis on dealing with emotions and thoughts experienced on a conscious level, hypnotherapy – through the REM state – works directly with subconscious patterns underpinning your thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
In the REM state, new ideas can be embedded into the subconscious mind. When you change the subconscious patterns, you feel better and think more positively naturally.
I see this regularly with clients who visit me for treatment of conditions like PTSD, panic attacks, and phobias, for example, many of whom have tried other types of therapy, all to no avail.
The truth is that it’s extremely difficult to talk your way out of a major panic attack or overcome traumatic memories just by thinking differently (which is what CBT aims to do). We have to do something with traumatic memories, not just talk about them with a counsellor. Indeed, talking about trauma can embed traumatic memories deeper into the subconscious mind.
Luckily, there are hypnotic techniques that enable you to shift emotionally tagged memories away from the limbic system (the emotional brain) and up into the higher cortex (the rational brain). At this point, such memories lose their ‘power’.
Like a system re-boot, your brain learns that the trauma is over and is consigned to history. You’re no longer ruled by old subconscious patterns but are free to be the Real You, living more authentically, finally claiming your place in the world.”
Discover more at www.human-spirit.co.uk
The Transformative Power of Transpersonal-Spiritual Hypnotherapy: Dr. Joanne Selinske
Joanne Selinske is a teacher, spiritual counselor and hypnotherapist. She is the author of Awakened Soul: Discoveries of Healing, Self-Love and Spiritual Growth, and coauthor of two books for The Michael Newton Institute – Wisdom of Souls and Llewellyn’s Little Book of Life Between Lives. Her most recent book Eternal You: Heaven, the Afterlife and Out of Body Travel will be released early in 2025. Joannes specialization in transpersonal or spiritual hypnotherapy, offers a unique approach focusing on accessing past lives to understand the root causes of current challenges:
“Transpersonal or spiritual hypnotherapy has enormous transformative power to heal mind, body and spirit. It accomplishes this by engaging the intangible aspect of each of us – our super-consciousness, also referred to as our higher self, to access and harness the memories of our prior lifetimes and our experiences in between lives.
While each person’s experience differs, there are commonalities and distinguishing features.
Most experience unconditional acceptance and love while interacting with divine beings including the Creator Source. The experience of unbridled love, joy and bliss is often described as the most powerful aspect of the session.
The majority realize that life does not cease at death. The comprehension that we are eternal dissipates fear. Once reminded of our existence beyond the limits of a single lifespan, we are inspired to make the necessary changes to preserve inner peace and foster interpersonal harmony.
Many gain understanding of the origin of our dis-ease, illness or misery. Insights about unresolved trauma, beliefs and coping mechanisms set in previous lives are linked to current life challenges. In the case of past life regression, the process allows for uncovering falsely held beliefs that formed in prior lives. Once these limiting beliefs are excavated and the link to current life beliefs are understood, they are more readily and rapidly replaced. Like other forms of hypnotherapy, this process is most successful when the client is committed to making changes including taking action that is based on newly formed beliefs.
Clients who already have insight into the patterns that challenge them can more quickly integrate and reinforce the new beliefs and patterns. Resolution may occur after only one session. However, if the beliefs were formed and reinforced through repeated lifetimes of traumatic treatment, it can take multiple sessions. No single session can sweep away the energy and the effect of recurring trauma. When spontaneous healing of mind, body and spirit doesn’t occur, the wisdom offered by guides and other spiritual beings gives directionality to the work that remains.
A final note, transpersonal or spiritual hypnotherapy should not be thought of as magic. It does not eliminate problems that have major biochemical or neurological contributors. In that regard, it is like traditional psychotherapy and counseling in its capacity to resolve matters of the mind and heart. If you are burdened by these, you should pursue healing modalities which address physiological imbalance.”
Discover more at www.thesoulsource.net
Healing Trauma with Hypnotherapy: Nadija Bajrami
Nadija Bajrami is a multi-award-winning trauma-focused hypnotherapist, mind coach, Reiki master, certified grief educator, certified end-of-life doula, psychic-medium, and intuitive development teacher and mentor. She is a specialist in empowerment, trauma, and grief.
Nadija helps individuals build confidence and self-esteem, overcome limiting beliefs, manage anxiety and trauma responses, heal their inner child, develop intuitive abilities, and navigate the challenges of grief.
Working primarily online, Nadija divides her time between Ireland, France, and Switzerland, providing accessible support to clients worldwide.
“When it comes to trauma work, hypnosis is often left aside. Nevertheless, hypnosis was one of the first therapeutic modalities used in the management of traumatic experiences.
In the late eighteenth and early Nineteenth centuries, Pierre Janet, a French psychologist and neurologist, stressed psychological factors in hypnosis and contributed to the modern concept of mental and emotional disorders.
Hypnosis, often misunderstood as mind control or parlour tricks, is in reality a highly effective therapeutic tool for managing trauma responses. Hypnosis works by inducing a deeply relaxed, focused state where the conscious mind takes a backseat, and the subconscious mind becomes more accessible. In this heighted state of awareness, people can explore painful memories or emotions with greater detachment and without feeling overwhelmed.
As a fully trained, accredited and multi award winning trauma focused hypnotherapist, I help my clients reframe traumatic experiences and begin healing from the inside out. Unlike talk therapy, which primarily works with the conscious mind, hypnotherapy goes deeper by communicating directly with the subconscious. This allows for profound shifts in how the mind perceives past trauma.
The therapeutic and clinical hypnosis I offer is different from stage and entertainment hypnosis, and you remain in control.
While in a relaxed state of mind, new information can make its way into the subconscious, which transforms old beliefs and thought patterns. Hypnosis delves into your subconscious mind to plant positive thoughts and suggestions, which create meaningful and lasting changes in your thought process. Hypnosis replaces the old with the new. Changing your thinking will change your beliefs, fears, desires, habits, and anything else that creates resistance when achieving new things. Hypnosis helps you make healthy changes in your perceptions, emotions, memories, thoughts, or behaviours.
Hypnosis helps you revisit traumatic memories in a safe, supportive way, gradually releasing the emotional charge associated with them. This process helps rewire the brain, creating new, healthier neural pathways. As a result, the emotional intensity of the trauma decreases, and you begin to see beyond the event.
With greater clarity and distance, you can break free from the grip trauma has on your present life.”
Discover more at www.nbhypnotherapy-mindcoaching.com
Final Thoughts
The insights from these experts highlight the multifaceted benefits of hypnotherapy, from addressing deep-seated trauma to fostering emotional and spiritual growth. As a tool for transformation, hypnotherapy holds the potential to unlock lasting change, empowering individuals to live authentically and with purpose.
