How effective is Hypnotherapy

The most common question I get asked from those who have never experienced hypnosis is, how effective is hypnotherapy and does it work?

The simple answer is that hypnotherapy is highly effective and in most cases has a higher success rate than behaviour or psychoanalysis therapies, and treatment is completed less sessions.

Alfred A. Barrios, Ph.D., conducted a review published in the journal Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice and featured in American Health magazine, where he compared the effectiveness of different therapeutic approaches. The recovery rates he reported are as follows:

• Hypnotherapy: 93% success rate after an average of 6 sessions, with an average cost of $1,500 (£1,125)

• Psychoanalysis: 38% success rate after approximately 600 sessions, with an average cost of $120,000 (£90,000)

• Behavior Therapy: 72% success rate after 22 sessions, with an average cost of $4,950 (£3,712.50p)

Barrios' review, titled "Hypnotherapy: A Reappraisal," is accessible on his website in the articles section. The data suggests that hypnotherapy is highly effective with a greater success percentage when compared to traditional therapies. It is also much more cost and time efficient.

Overview of the Therapies

Behavior Therapy 

This is a broad term for a range of techniques aimed at treating psychological disorders by modifying harmful or unhealthy behaviors. It operates on the principle that all behaviors are learned and can be changed. This therapy primarily focuses on addressing current issues rather than delving into past experiences.

Common types of behavior therapy include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

• Exposure Therapy

• Social Learning Theory

• Systematic Desensitization

• Aversion Therapy

• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

• Self-Management Training

• Behavior Modification

  
  

These therapies are commonly used to treat conditions such as anxiety, phobias, substance abuse, and eating disorders. They are action-based, often involving practical exercises designed to promote healthier behaviors and thought patterns.

Psychoanalysis

founded by Sigmund Freud, focuses on exploring the unconscious mind's influence on behavior and thoughts. This approach emphasizes the role of early childhood experiences, unconscious motivations, and internal conflicts in shaping psychological issues.

Therapies related to psychoanalytic theory include:

• Freudian Psychoanalysis

• Jungian Analysis

• Adlerian Therapy

• Object Relations Therapy

• Self Psychology

• Lacanian Psychoanalysis

• Ego Psychology
  

Psychoanalytic therapies often involve long-term, intensive exploration of a person's past, unconscious processes, dreams, and transferences to address deep-seated emotional conflicts.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique that employs hypnosis—a state of high focused attention that engages the imagination to shift mindsets to help individuals explore their minds deeply and so creating new neurological pathways. This can lead to positive changes in thought patterns, behaviors, and emotional states.

Types of hypnotherapy include:

• Suggestion Hypnotherapy

• Analytical Hypnotherapy (Hypnoanalysis)

• Cognitive Hypnotherapy

• Ericksonian Hypnotherapy

• Direct (Elman style) Hypnotherapy

• Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy

• Self-Hypnosis

• Mind-Gut Connection Therapy

  
  

Hypnotherapy is used to address a variety of issues, such as anxiety, stress, phobias, and habits, with different forms of hypnosis applied to facilitate change and personal growth.

Of course, there are hybrid forms of therapy including:

Psychosynthesis - A holistic approach to helping individuals with dilemmas, conflits, and inhibiting behaviour patterns.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming - Focusing on how our thoughts affect our behaviours and how this can be effective using language and communication skills.