If you’ve gone looking for help with something, like quitting smoking, managing anxiety, getting a better night’s sleep, you’ve probably come across both words. On our website you’ll see that we use both words, sometimes as if they mean exactly the same thing. So which is it?
The short answer: we can think of hypnosis as the state, and hypnotherapy as the helpful use of that state for therapeutic outcomes. But still, what does that actually mean?
Hypnosis – or trance, as it’s sometimes called – is a natural state of focused attention and heightened receptivity. It’s not sleep, and it’s not unconsciousness. Most people who’ve experienced being in hypnosis describe feeling deeply relaxed but mentally alert, and still aware of things going on around them.
In practical terms, hypnosis involves a shift in how your conscious and unconscious minds are communicating. There’s a greater degree of what researchers call “salience”, (the neurological system which helps you decide what’s important to focus on, and what’s not), and your unconscious processes become more accessible. When this is occurring, the critical, evaluative part of your mind takes more of a back seat. Bypassing that ‘conscious mind logic’ is what makes the state of hypnosis therapeutically useful; we’re basically getting out of our own way so that we can make the changes we want.
We use the word ‘hypnosis’ happily and without hesitation. Some practitioners prefer to avoid it, perhaps because of its association with stage entertainment, or because they feel it carries unhelpful connotations. That’s understandable, but we think it’s more useful to name the thing clearly and explain it well. Hypnosis is nothing to be afraid of, and it is something you already experience informally.
Hypnotherapy is the therapeutic application of hypnosis. The ‘therapy’ part matters, because it means hypnosis is being used in a deliberate, structured, and clinically-informed way, usually with a clear goal in mind.
For practitioners like us that might involve drawing on techniques from counselling, cognitive-behavioural approaches, or other evidence-based methods — all applied within the hypnotic state. It’s an integrative approach, shaped around the individual and their particular situation.
Hypnotherapy is sometimes used interchangeably with the word psychotherapy, particularly in clinical literature. The common thread is that it’s purposeful, and it has a therapeutic context.
That said, hypnotherapy is a distinct, stand-alone modality. We draw on different techniques, but what makes us stand out from other talk therapies, from psychology or counselling or analysis, is that we utilise formal hypnosis in our work.
In one sense, yes – both hypnotise people. But the context, purpose, and training behind it can be quite different.
A stage hypnotist is typically in the business of entertainment. A clinical hypnotherapist is trained to work with people who have presenting issues like anxiety, habits, pain and sleep, in a way that’s grounded in a broader understanding of how the mind works and how change happens.
We use both words ourselves. Our practitioners are hypnotists and hypnotherapists. The distinction matters less to us than the work itself. What matters is that hypnosis is being used thoughtfully, with your wellbeing as the goal.
So … all hypnotherapists are hypnotists (or at least, they should be!), but not all hypnotists are hypnotherapists. It’s a bit like the difference between someone who can give a good shoulder massage and a physiotherapist – the skill might feel similar, but there’s a difference.
For most purposes, no. If you call us and ask for a hypnotist, a hypnotherapist, (memorably, someone once asked for a “hypnotosis-izer”) or just “someone who does hypnosis”, we’ll know what you mean!
What does matter is finding someone who is well-trained. Their experience helps of course, and we think it’s essential to find someone who is willing to work in a way that suits you rather than making you fit with them.
The terminology on a website is a much less reliable guide to all of that than you might think, but so too are the qualifications someone holds. There are some very impressive-sounding qualifications out there that might not mean a whole lot in real life, it can be quite confusing and we understand that. Sometimes the best thing to do is have a conversation before you make an appointment.
If you’d like to know more about how we work, you’re welcome to read more about our approach or get in touch. We’re happy to answer questions before you book.