How Hypnotherapy Can Help You To Overcome Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are two of the most common psychological struggles people face today

Whether it's due to work pressures, personal relationships, or a more generalised sense of overwhelm, these challenges can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Traditional therapies i.e. psychology of course have their place, and can certainly help, but many people are increasingly looking for alternative, faster and natural ways to manage stress and anxiety. Hypnotherapy, especially when combined with psychotherapy, offers a powerful, holistic approach to addressing these issues.

At ACT Complete Therapy in Canberra specialise in hypnotherapy alongside psychotherapy to help clients find lasting relief from stress and anxiety. Our approach works by rapidly targeting the causes of your distress and gently guiding your subconscious mind to make lasting changes.



If you’re wondering whether hypnotherapy could be the solution to your stress and anxiety, this blog will explain how it works, the science behind it, and what you can expect during a session at ACT Complete Therapy.

What Is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique that uses guided hypnosis to help individuals access their subconscious mind. While in a relaxed state, the individual is more open to suggestions and new thought patterns and programs, making it an ideal treatment for issues like stress, anxiety, phobias, and lasting habit change.

Despite misconceptions that may exist around hypnosis, it's important to know that you will not lose control during the process. Rather, you will remain fully aware of your surroundings and in control of your thoughts and actions. It can be a deeply relaxing, focused and transformative state where your subconscious mind becomes more receptive to suggestions and changes.

Hypnotherapy can be used alongside psychotherapy, allowing you to explore not only the conscious factors causing your anxiety but also the subconscious patterns and memories that might be contributing to your stress. Combining both approaches creates a more holistic and powerful treatment for overcoming these issues.

The Science Behind Hypnotherapy and Its Impact on Stress and Anxiety

To understand why hypnotherapy can be so effective in relieving stress and anxiety, it’s important to explore the science behind it. When you undergo hypnotherapy, your mind enters a state of deep relaxation. This relaxation helps reduce the activity of your sympathetic nervous system (the part of your nervous system responsible for the "fight or flight" response), and activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you relax and feel calm.

In this state, hypnotherapy allows you to explore your thoughts and emotions without the usual defences or distractions. It creates a safe mental environment where you can face difficult feelings, memories, or experiences and work through them more effectively, without internal bias or influence.

Research has shown that hypnotherapy reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone), increase relaxation, and improve brainwave patterns associated with calmness. Importantly Hypnotherapy shifts negative thought patterns that may be contributing to your stress and anxiety, helping you reframe these thoughts in healthier, more productive ways.

How Hypnotherapy Targets the Root Causes of Stress and Anxiety

One of the biggest benefits of hypnotherapy is its ability to target the underlying causes of anxiety and stress. While traditional therapy often focuses on identifying and discussing symptoms, hypnotherapy goes deeper into the subconscious mind to address the underlying causes of your emotional challenges.

Unfortunately, in some cases untrained and misinformed Hypnotherapists and other specialists have developed the belief that hypnotherapy can change or erase memories of past traumas or experiences. What should be targeted, and what I target, is the story you have been telling yourself and the programs you have been running to keep past experiences alive. We cannot change the past, but we can change the story and programs we have been running to continue to breathe life into the past, and ultimately your present-self. Please consider this: through the process of time Memories are fallible. Why? Our brains don’t store memories like files on a computer. Instead, memories are reconstructed each time we recall them, which makes them subject to changes. This reconstruction process can be influenced by current emotions, beliefs, and even external information, which might lead to distortions, deletions and generalisations to suit our current world experience, values and beliefs.

The Benefits of Hypnotherapy for Anxiety and Stress Relief

Hypnotherapy offers several unique benefits when it comes to reducing stress and anxiety:

1. Deep Relaxation: Hypnotherapy induces a profound state of relaxation, which helps counteract the physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety and stress. This relaxation response lowers heart rate, reduces muscle tension, and helps calm the mind.
2. Increased Self-Awareness: Through hypnotherapy, you gain greater awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This self-awareness is crucial in identifying triggers for anxiety and understanding the deeper emotional drivers of your stress.
3. Addressing underlying Causes: As discussed earlier, hypnotherapy allows you to explore and address the underlying causes of your anxiety, rather than simply masking the symptoms. This leads to long-lasting relief, as you're able to process and resolve the underlying issues.
4. Breaking Negative Thought Patterns that no longer serve you: Hypnotherapy helps reprogram negative thought patterns and beliefs that contribute to anxiety. Through guided suggestions, you can replace self-critical or anxious thoughts with more positive, constructive ones.
5. Empowerment: Hypnotherapy helps you regain control over your mind and emotions. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by stress or anxiety, you'll learn tools to manage and reduce your symptoms, allowing you to feel more in charge of your life.

Client Success Stories: How Hypnotherapy Helped Reduce Anxiety

At ACT Complete Therapy, we have seen firsthand the transformative power of hypnotherapy for stress and anxiety. Many of our clients have experienced remarkable changes in their lives after undergoing hypnotherapy sessions in combination with psychotherapy.

For example, one client struggled with social anxiety for years. They found it difficult to attend gatherings or even make phone calls, constantly worrying about how they were perceived. After 3 hypnotherapy sessions, the client was able to reframe their anxious thoughts, recognise the irrational nature of their fears, and build greater confidence in social situations. They now feel much more comfortable interacting with others and report a significant reduction in their anxiety levels.

Another client came to us with overwhelming work-related stress. Their anxiety had been affecting their productivity, sleep, and personal relationships. Through a combination of psychotherapy and hypnotherapy, they were able to identify the underlying causes of their stress and develop healthier coping mechanisms. They now feel more balanced and able to handle work pressures without feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

What to Expect in a Hypnotherapy Session at ACT Complete Therapy

If you’re considering hypnotherapy for stress and anxiety, you may be wondering what to expect during a session. At ACT Complete Therapy, we take a compassionate and personalised approach to ensure that you feel comfortable throughout the process.

1. Initial Consultation: During your first visit, we’ll take the time to discuss your current situation, goals and outcomes. This is a key part of the psychotherapy aspect of our work, as we want to ensure that we address both the conscious and subconscious factors contributing to your anxiety or stress.
2. Induction: The hypnotherapy session begins with an induction, where you’ll be guided into a deeply relaxed state. This relaxation is gentle, and you’ll remain fully aware and in control throughout the process.
3. Therapeutic Suggestions: Once you’re deeply relaxed, the therapist will provide targeted suggestions to help shift negative thought patterns and reduce stress. These suggestions will focus on calming your mind, improving your coping strategies, and reframing any limiting beliefs that contribute to your anxiety.
4. Reframing and Resolution: If there are any underlying issues or past trauma contributing to your anxiety, we may explore those during the session in a safe and controlled manner. The goal is to help you process these emotions and find new, healthier ways to respond to them.
5. Post-Session Reflection: After the session, you’ll have time to reflect on your experience. Many clients report feeling deeply relaxed and calm, with reduced anxiety and a sense of mental clarity.

Get Started with Hypnotherapy for Stress and Anxiety at ACT Complete Therapy

If you’re struggling with stress or anxiety and are looking for a natural, effective way to find relief, hypnotherapy combined with psychotherapy may be the solution you’ve been searching for. At ACT Complete Therapy in Canberra, we offer personalised sessions tailored to your unique needs and goals.

By combining clinical hypnotherapy with strategic psychotherapy, we can address the underlying causes of your anxiety, ensuring lasting results. If you're ready to take the first step toward a calmer, more balanced life, book a consultation with us today.