A leading clinical psychologist, world authority on hypnosis and keynote speaker at the APS's Festival of Psychology, Dr Michael Yapko, advocates for expanding the clinical use of hypnosis. Here, he suggests how psychologists can apply it in outcome-focused therapy.
It was a little brochure Dr Michael Yapko received while studying psychology at the age of 19 that led to his "most impactful experience as an undergraduate".
The pamphlet described a two-day clinical hypnosis training, which piqued his interest.
"The only thing I knew about hypnosis was the silly stuff, the scary mind control portrayals you see on TV and in movies," says Dr Yapko, who will be speaking at the APS's Festival of Psychology from 16-18 May.
After the first day’s training in theories and principles of hypnosis, on the second day a live clinical demonstration blew him away.
The volunteer was a woman who had suffered leg pain for three years following a car accident. She reported low quality of life and despair.
"I'm thinking to myself, 'What can this guy possibly say to her in hypnosis that's going to make any kind of difference?'”
After the session, the woman talked about the positive impact this had on her pain.
This powerful moment was transformative for Dr Yapko.
"My immediate thought was, I've got to learn how to do this. Seeing that capacity for people to alter their perceptions of themselves and their circumstances highlighted a human potential I’d never seen before."
Image: Dr Michael Yapko
Understanding hypnosis
The experience of hypnosis is subjective and different for everyone, says Dr Yapko, and therefore invites various perspectives and approaches.
Yet there are defining characteristics, which include narrowing the attention to a singular focus, whether it be on thoughts, feelings or bodily sensations, then amplifying that focus and introducing suggestions that can alter self-limiting perceptions and beliefs in helpful directions.
"Ultimately, hypnosis is about creating a mindset where someone is so absorbed that they can change or transcend their perceptions of pain, shift their attention away from the rumination that fuels depression, or the fear that fuels anxiety."
Dr Yapko, who's also a world expert on the non-pharmacological treatment of depression, believes hypnosis can effectively challenge and re-define hurtful perceptions of life circumstances.
In his keynote address at APS's Festival of Psychology in May, he will emphasise the many aspects of treating depression with psychotherapy.
The author of Trancework, the leading text on hypnosis, adds that while Australians commonly refer to hypnosis as "hypnotherapy", the phrase is misleading because it's actually not a therapy.
"It's a way of delivering therapy. It's a way of creating a context where the client can be more focused, more engaged, more responsive and more empowered."
Growth of hypnosis
The earliest known use of hypnosis occurred over 4000 years ago in the "sleep temples" of Egypt, Greece and India, where spells and chants induced sick people into trance states and dreams they believed would heal them.
Modern clinical hypnosis began in 19th-century France when neurologists Hippolyte Bernheim and Jean-Martin Charcot debated the nature of hypnosis and hysteria.
By the mid-20th century, hypnosis had evolved, led by American psychiatrist and psychologist Milton Erickson, who dismissed ritualistic protocols like 'look deeply into my eyes' and counting to induce hypnosis.
"Erickson recognised you don't need any of those silly rituals for hypnosis to occur," says Dr Yapko. "Anytime someone gets absorbed naturally, they're capable of manifesting hypnotic phenomena."
Substantial research has backed up the benefits of hypnosis. A paper published in 2019 found hypnosis to be "a very effective way of alleviating the symptoms of depression".
"Clinicians may wish to give serious consideration to hypnosis as a treatment option when working with clients and patients who are depressed," the paper outlined.
A journal paper published in 2025 discusses the benefits of hypnosis for smoking cessation, sleep and pain relief, and a systematic review, published in 2024, supported the use of hypnosis in patients undergoing medical procedures and in patients with pain.
Despite research affirming the clinical merits of hypnosis, Dr Yapko says hypnosis still lacks proper recognition.
Most psychology programs exclude hypnosis training, which leads many therapists to underestimate its importance.
Another reason hypnosis is not as widely adopted in Australia as it could be is because therapists tend to stay loyal to their preferred theories and methods, says Dr Yapko.
For example, some therapists are past-oriented, placing emphasis on past experiences and developmental histories as a way of explaining their clients’ symptoms. Hypnosis generally places a greater emphasis on future possibilities, empowering people to make better choices in line with their goals.
Dr Yapko says using hypnosis encourages therapists to be open to experimentation and exploration, being curious about a client's natural abilities and talents.
"This curiosity is a great attitude for every psychologist to have when they begin a therapeutic relationship. After all, people are much more than their symptoms."
Enhancing therapeutic outcomes
Hypnotic methods seamlessly integrate with and amplify established therapeutic frameworks, allowing therapists to go deeper and be multi-dimensional in their approaches, says Dr Yapko.
For example, research shows that combining cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with hypnosis increases its effectiveness.
"There are so many things you can't do with CBT alone that you could do by including hypnosis in your approach."
Take a client with dichotomous thinking, says Dr Yapko. A CBT therapist would engage in a conscious and deliberate learning process to try to teach the client to see things in terms of grey rather than just black and white.
While this is perfectly valid, it doesn't go far enough, he says.
"How do you drive that home? How do you facilitate learning at the subconscious level?
"In a hypnosis session, clients can explore cognitive errors at an experiential level, with therapists providing suggestions to reflexively correct patterns like all-or-nothing thinking.
"While CBT aims to correct negative thoughts, hypnosis can instill positive automatic thoughts."
Effective hypnosis naturally requires a pre-session interview to pinpoint thought patterns and tailor the approach, he adds.
"If you're helping a client quit smoking, that involves understanding their current perception around it: do they think it's relaxing or makes them look cool? Then it's about reframing that perception in a way that's meaningful to them, which might be extending life or in someone else, saving money."
A vehicle to empowerment
Dr Yapko emphasises that training in hypnosis isn't about learning a whole new therapy. Rather it's about redefining our understanding of human potential by focusing on people's strengths rather than pathologies.
"It begins with a firm optimistic belief that people are capable of more, no matter what their problems or circumstances might be."
In essence, hypnosis is not about losing control – as is often thought – but the exact opposite, he says. It allows people to gain greater control over their subjective experiences.
He adds that once patients discover and access their natural abilities through hypnosis, they have the tools for sustained progress.
The next step is teaching self-hypnosis to ensure long-term results.
"The woman who lost the pain in her leg needed to understand how to recreate that perception of her body," he says. "Was she cured? No – she was empowered.
"She was taught and practiced a self-hypnosis procedure regularly in order to manage her pain, get back to work and minimise its influence on her quality of life.
"In short, she was able to get her life back."
Dr Michael Yapko will be delivering the keynote at APS Festival of Psychology, which takes place 16-18 May 2025 on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Register today to secure your spot.