What Is Self-Hypnosis?

Self-hypnosis refers to the set of techniques that allow you to enter the hypnotic state yourself, voluntarily, and to use that state to work on yourself, without another person’s involvement.

This is possible because hypnosis is a natural state: everyone experiences it several times a day, usually without noticing, while driving on a monotonous road, absorbed in a film, or simply daydreaming. Learning to recognize this state and to bring it about voluntarily is a skill that can be developed, like any other. Some people manage it very naturally without even realizing they’re practicing a form of self-hypnosis; for others, it takes a bit more practice, but it remains accessible to everyone.

(To understand the hypnotic state in more detail, see the page What Is Hypnosis?)

What is self-hypnosis used for?

Once in the hypnotic state, it can be used to work on oneself at a level that conscious will struggles to reach on its own. The most common uses include:

• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Building confidence and self-esteem
• Changing limiting beliefs
• Improving focus and creativity
• Improving sleep
• Managing certain emotions more effectively
• Working through blocks (shyness, automatic behaviors…)
• Supporting smoking cessation or other habits you want to change
• Improving certain physical or intellectual performances

Self-hypnosis works because it gives access to the unconscious mind and allows a real dialogue with it, a collaboration rather than a power struggle, which naturally leads to better balance between the different parts of ourselves.

A powerful tool, but not a magic one

Self-hypnosis is a genuinely effective tool, but it doesn’t work miracles. Unrealistic or poorly defined goals simply won’t produce results, and it’s easy to build expectations that can only lead to disappointment. As with any skill, method matters as much as practice itself: understanding how to structure a session, how to phrase effective suggestions, and how to recognize that you’ve actually entered the hypnotic state makes all the difference between a practice that progresses and one left to chance.

This is exactly what my books on self-hypnosis offer: a structured, step-by-step approach rather than a simple list of general tips, understanding the mechanism before getting started, then progressing with concrete techniques adapted to your own way of functioning.

Want to go further?

If this introduction has made you want to learn self-hypnosis properly, my books walk through induction techniques, best practices for phrasing suggestions, and numerous concrete exercises to help you progress at your own pace. (You’ll find them in the “Self-Hypnosis” menu above.)

What’s next?

• Understand the hypnotic state in depth → What Is Hypnosis?
• Discover the Ericksonian approach, which underpins most modern self-hypnosis techniques → Ericksonian Hypnosis
• Explore the notion of the unconscious mind, central to any self-hypnosis practice → The Unconscious Mind