09/14/2026
What actually IS hypnosis?
When you hear the word hypnosis, what comes to mind?
A swinging pocket watch? Someone asleep on a stage? Being made to bark like a dog?
Despite its rather colourful history (which we WILL be getting into at some point), hypnosis itself is much less mysterious than popular culture might have us believe.
Hypnosis is generally described as a state of focused attention and inner absorption. And it isn't necessarily an unusual state—we naturally move in and out of trance-like states in everyday life.
Have you ever become completely absorbed in a book or movie? Daydreamed and lost track of time? Driven a familiar route and suddenly realised you barely remember the last few kilometres?
These experiences aren't the same as a formal hypnotic induction, but they can help us understand what focused absorption or everyday trance can feel like.
So what's the difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy?
Hypnosis refers to the state or process itself.
Hypnotherapy is the intentional use of hypnosis within a therapeutic context. Rather than simply entering a relaxed or absorbed state, hypnosis can be used alongside therapeutic techniques to work toward a particular goal.
And contrary to one of the biggest hypnosis myths: you actually aren't unconscious or asleep. You can remain aware of your surroundings, hear what is happening, think, respond, and remember the experience.
The Canadian Society of Clinical Hypnosis (BC Division) has a great introductory resource describing clinical hypnosis and the everyday experience of trance if you'd like to explore further:
https://hypnosis.bc.ca/about-clinical-hypnosis/what-is-clinical-hypnosis/
Over the coming months, I'll be sharing more on hypnosis, the subconscious mind, regression, research, history—and occasionally some of the stranger mysteries of consciousness.
Because there is a lot more to hypnosis than swinging watches 😄
Image:
Plan of The Brain, Dr Alesha Sivartha, 1898.
Public domain via Public Domain Image Archive
