How It's Complicated works
1
Find your therapistUse our free matching service for personal recommendations, or browse our network of 2,500+ therapists yourself.
2
Create your free accountSign up in under 2 minutes. All you need is an email and a password, and you're ready to go.
3
Start therapyReach out to your therapist and book your first session within 24 hours. Online or in person, in 60+ languages.
Learn more about cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy
Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy is an integrative therapeutic approach that combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques with clinical hypnosis. It draws on the structured, evidence-based framework of CBT, using the focused, receptive state of clinical hypnosis to enhance the depth and effectiveness of cognitive and behavioural work.
The approach is grounded in research on the relationship between hypnotic suggestibility and cognitive change, and is used by practitioners who hold qualifications in both CBT and clinical hypnotherapy. It is distinct from stage hypnosis: the client remains conscious and in control throughout, and the hypnotic state is used purposefully within a therapeutic frame.
In cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy, a session typically begins with a period of hypnotic induction, in which the therapist guides the client into a state of focused relaxation and heightened attention. Within this state, CBT-based techniques are introduced, including cognitive restructuring, behavioural rehearsal, and desensitisation.
A session may involve:
- Guided relaxation to reduce physiological arousal before cognitive work
- Identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts while in a receptive state
- Rehearsing new behavioural responses to triggering situations
- Using imagery and suggestion to reinforce change between sessions
Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy is particularly effective for presentations where anxiety, rumination, and physiological arousal are central features.
Anxiety
Anxiety is the most established application of cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy. The combination of CBT's cognitive restructuring with hypnotic relaxation and suggestion addresses both the thought patterns and the physical stress response that maintain anxiety.
Panic attacks
Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy is used to reduce the frequency and intensity of panic attacks by targeting the catastrophic thinking patterns and physiological responses involved. Clients learn to interrupt the panic cycle using both cognitive techniques and self-hypnosis.
Insomnia
Sleep difficulties are a strong clinical fit for this approach. Hypnotic relaxation addresses the physiological hyperarousal that prevents sleep, while CBT-based techniques target the unhelpful beliefs and behaviours around sleep that perpetuate insomnia.
Stress
Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy is used to reduce chronic stress by building physiological relaxation skills alongside more adaptive ways of appraising and responding to stressors. It is practical, skills-based, and typically short to medium-term.
Choosing an approach isn't something you have to do alone. IC's matching can pair you with a therapist whose approach suits your situation. Get matched
It's Complicated is a therapist-founded mental health platform connecting clients with verified practitioners across Europe and globally, in over 60 languages. We work with over 2,500 vetted therapists, with in-person availability in Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, Vienna, and other major cities, alongside online sessions worldwide. It's Complicated is free to use, and you pay your chosen therapist directly at rates they set.
Finding a practitioner trained in both CBT and clinical hypnotherapy, rather than only one or the other, requires a more specific search than most directories allow. Our matching service is built to remove that friction. You complete a short survey, our psychologists combine data-driven insights with human judgement to identify the right therapists for your situation, and you choose from a shortlist of strong candidates. You can also browse our directory directly if you'd prefer to choose yourself.
Get matched with a cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy practitioner, or browse all cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy therapists in the directory.
