How Hypnosis Works in Therapy (Including free "Safe Place" recording)
Updated: May 12
4 Hypnotherapy Tools to Calm an Anxious Mind
Hypnosis is a far more practical skill than it might first seem. You've seen the stage shows, watched Derren Brown (or Paul McKenna if you were born before the year 2000), maybe even been to a hypnotist who talks about inducing a special state and talks directly to your unconscious? I explore this in more depth here - hypnotherapy is, to all intents and purposes, a skill that can be learned, with practice - a quote you might have heard:
"All hypnosis is Self-Hypnosis"
I'd go so far as to say it's a normal biological function that we are all capable of, to some degree. When you need to hunt, plan, listen for danger, or get really involved in a good book, being able to focus without distraction is very helpful. On the flip side, when there is no danger or worry but our imagination and thoughts tell us that there is, this can hook us and pull us in unhelpful directions. Learning how this process works, to be able to interrupt when it is being unhelpful and direct it in ways that are helpful, is a great way to take control of some of those things that might at times seem completely out of your control. In this context, hypnosis is a tool that is used to support therapy, not the therapy itself. See my blogs here and here to see how it might be integrated into your therapy session.
Learning Self-Hypnosis on your own
An excellent introduction to this, if you wanted to practice self-hypnosis without a psychotherapist's guidance, is Strategic Self-Hypnosis by Roger A. Straus.
It demystifies hypnosis and frames it like being lost in a good movie or book, gives practical exercises that you can do, record and make personal to your own goals with specific "scripts and strategies for stress management, habit control and pain management.."
Hypnotherapy isn't a standalone therapy but a tool we add to evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Straus's "Strategic" element comes from Social-Psychological Theory and Strategic Therapy, what it helps you do is use your own ability to focus your attention and imagination while remaining open to positive suggestions.
How is Hypnosis used in Therapy?
Here are four classic hypnotherapy techniques you might have come across or will come across, the ways I use them to support you in therapy, and what the process might look like. I have also included a free audio recording at the end so you can experience this for yourself.
The "Safe Place"
You will notice a pattern with these techniques - they are pretty much all self-explanatory about what you are about to do. Close your eyes and imagine you're in a safe place / special place, somewhere you feel completely secure, comfortable, and at peace. This can be a real memory, a pure fantasy, or a mix of both.
Whenever I close my eyes i'm in the middle of a field, sitting on vivid green grass, the sun is shining on my face - I love the feeling of the sun shining on my face and the warmth - the edges of the field are blurred out, there is probably something beyond, but I don't need to know. This is an imagined place, and I'm not sure where it came from.
Why we use it:
It's very versatile - it might be one of the first things we do in hypnotherapy - it invites you to be relaxed, use your imagination and feel safe, so it is a great starting point to learn how the process works.
To counteract: anxiety, stress, and overwhelming emotion
As an Anchor: Part of this script would be inviting you to add a cue or anchor - I often ask clients to attach this feeling of safety to a specific "cue word". With practice, you can use this word in your everyday life to instantly evoke these healing feelings whenever panic strikes.
Trauma Safety: A therapist who works with PTSD/Trauma might also use this technique if recalling a difficult memory becomes too distressing. You can learn to retreat to this safe place to recover your composure.
Dissociation
When you are completely caught up in a painful memory or physical sensations, it can be hard to think or focus on anything else. Dissociation involves creating a mental distance between you and the source of your distress. This is one of my favourite techniques; I find I get the most out of it and it's the easiest to use: looking at myself from a different perspective and pulling further and further back until I feel a sense of separation. One way to use this is the "movie screen" technique, where you view your own experiences from a detached, third-person perspective - watching yourself on a movie screen.
Why we would use this:
Processing the Past: Watching yourself review anxiety-provoking events from the outside. This helps create a sense of distance and safety, making the memories easier to process and reducing the strength of the negative emotions attached to them. Also, see my blog here for how this works to support your overall goals in therapy.
Pain Relief: Highly effective for pain management by mentally separating from the pain - for example, imagining the pain is "somewhere else" across the room - many people find significant relief.
The Healing Light
This imagery technique involves visualising a soothing, radiant white light slowly filling your body - although it doesn't have to be white, mine is actually blue, don't try and force a colour, just go with your imagination. The script typically guides this light from your toes up to your head, spreading deep into your muscles, bones, nerves, and organs or it can be focused on a specific joint/muscle or areas.
Why we would use this:
Releasing Tension: The light acts as a metaphor for restoring health, balance, and well-being. Imagining your tension dissolving away promotes a deep sense of comfort and relaxation.
Targeted Comfort: For pain management, focusing this glowing light on a specific part of the body acts as a form of focused attention. It can help relax the surrounding muscles, numb the area, and alter your perception of the pain.
Ego Strengthening
If you struggle with anxiety, you are likely an expert at "negative self-hypnosis" (NSH)— you get hooked on self-defeating thoughts, follow them as they spiral to the worst possible outcome and then struggle to focus on anything else. Ego strengthening is the very direct opposite of this and involves delivering a series of positive, supportive suggestions that actively build your self-esteem and confidence.
Why we would use this:
Building Confidence: The suggestions focus on helping you feel physically stronger, emotionally calmer, more self-reliant, and better equipped to overcome your challenges. I wouldn't generally use this technique on its own, but it's a great way to reinforce a lot of the goals you will be coming to therapy to work on, so as we come to the end of using one of the other techniques, you might hear me say:
"You are going to feel physically stronger and healthier in every way. You are beginning to feel more deeply self-aware… more alive… more empowered. Every day… your nerves now grow stronger and steadier… your mind calmer and clearer… more composed… more peaceful… more tranquil… "
Those are just four of the exercises that can be used over the course of psychotherapy with a therapist who uses hypnosis, others you might have come across and deserve an honourable mention - Stein's Clenched-Fist (putting the feelings of confidence into a clenched fist), Age Progression (future rehearsal of what change - or no change - will look like) or The Red Balloon Technique (using the image of a hot air balloon to unburned a heavy backpack).
Does Hypnotherapy Work Online?
Long before Zoom meetings and video calls became the norm, hypnotherapists were successfully using audio recordings to help clients practice techniques from the comfort of their own homes and as mentioned earlier, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis - what a therapist is doing is giving you the tools to practice this for yourself.
Because the focus is on your internal experience and guided imagination, Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy is inherently suited to modern ways of working. Whether we work together in-person in Hinckley, Burbage or Leicester, completely online via video call, or a flexible mixture of both, the therapeutic impact is exactly the same. (For more details on how remote sessions work, you can read my full guide to online therapy here.)
🎧 Try It Yourself: The "Safe Place" Guided Audio
I have recorded a guided version of the Safe Place Script for you. Find a quiet spot, get comfortable, and press play to experience what it feels like to focus your attention and listen to positive suggestions as you imagine your own safe space.
What to Expect: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Audio
You will remain entirely in control the whole time; you can't get stuck in hypnosis. If you've had a long day, you might fall asleep but that's ok! Take it as a sign you needed the rest, here is what we will do together in this 10-minute track:
Step 1: Slowing Down: We will start with a scan of your body, taking a few deep breaths and releasing physical tension from your muscles.
Step 2: Building Your Safe Space: I will count down from five, guiding your imagination to build a place where you feel completely secure. This can be a real memory (like a favourite beach) or a purely imagined space.
Step 3: Creating an Anchor: Once you are relaxed, I will ask you to name this safe space, which will become your "cue word," a mental anchor you can use in your daily life to instantly recall these feelings of calm - "safe", "beach", "calm"... whatever feels right for you.
Step 4: Coming Back: Finally, I will slowly count from one to five to gently bring your awareness back to the room, leaving you feeling alert, refreshed, and grounded.
Please note: While this guided Safe Place audio is provided so you can get an idea of what managing everyday stress and general anxiety could be like using hypnosis, it is not a substitute for professional 1-on-1 therapy. If you are navigating severe trauma or PTSD, these techniques are best explored in a safe, supported environment with a qualified professional.
Want to work with me
If any of this has resonated and you are looking for CBT and hypnotherapy for anxiety in Leicester, Hinckley, or online across the UK, I offer a free 20-minute initial chat — no obligation, just a conversation.
Further Reading and References
The Safe Place (or Special Place) Script: The concept of utilising a safe or special place technique is widely discussed in the hypnotherapy literature.
Lynn S_J_, Kirsch I_, 2006. Essentials of Clinical Hypnosis, An Evidence-Based Approach, American Psychological Association
Alladin, A., 2008. Cognitive Hypnotherapy: An Integrated Approach to the Treatment of Emotional Disorders. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dissociation Scripts (Movie Screen / Split-Screen): Dissociation techniques utilising imagery, such as the "movie screen" or "theatre" technique, have historical roots in the mid-20th-century writings of S.J. van Pelt, Lewis Wolberg, and William Kroger. The "split-screen" technique is also thoroughly documented as a core cognitive hypnotherapy intervention for anxiety and trauma by Assen Alladin.
Alladin, A., 2008. Cognitive Hypnotherapy: An Integrated Approach to the Treatment of Emotional Disorders. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Healing Light Script The "Healing White Light" script is actively taught as a standard therapeutic visualisation technique. Its efficacy is supported by wider clinical research into Healing Light Guided Imagery (HLGI), which demonstrates measurable improvements in autonomic nervous system regulation, pain management, and mood disorders.
Kwekkeboom, K. L., et al., 2008. Mind-body treatments for the pain-fatigue-sleep disturbance symptom cluster in persons with cancer. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.
Case LK, Jackson P, Kinkel R, Mills PJ. Guided Imagery Improves Mood, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: An Exploratory Efficacy Trial of Healing Light Guided Imagery. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2018 Jan-Dec;23:2515690X17748744. doi: 10.1177/2515690X17748744. PMID: 29405761; PMCID: PMC5871039.
Ego Strengthening Scripts A famous ego-strengthening routine was introduced to clinical practice by Dr. John Hartland in 1960 and later formalised in his seminal 1966 textbook.
Heap, M. and Aravind, K. K., 2002. Hartland's Medical and Dental Hypnosis. 4th ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
About Martin Middleton
Martin Middleton is a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist based near Leicester and Hinckley, integrating CBT with Hypnotherapy and drawing on Donald Meichenbaum's resilience framework to support clients in moving from surviving to thriving. He offers sessions online across the UK and in person.
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