How Many Hypnosis Sessions Do You Need?
One of the questions new clients ask me is, "How many hypnosis sessions do I need to make a change?"
The truth is that it depends on you, but here's what I've experienced.
Typically, if you're dealing with a lighter issue like procrastination or seeking clarity on a major decision (like changing careers), you'll need 1-2 Hypnotic Journey sessions. Phobias, like a fear of flying, usually require 1-2 sessions.
Deep work around anxiety, relationships, money blocks, or changing lifestyle habits (like emotional eating) will often require a minimum of 3-6 sessions.
As someone who values research, I also want to share the following findings with you.
In 1970, Alfred A. Barrios, Ph.D published Hypnotherapy: A Reappraisal in Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, a quarterly peer-reviewed medical journal. Barrios reviewed more than 1,018 articles on hypnosis published between 1966 - 1968. In the same period, he noted 899 articles on psychoanalytic therapy and 355 on behavior therapy.
In looking at the data, he concluded the following:
Hypnotherapy - 93% success rate with an average of 6 sessions
Behavioral Therapy - 72% success rate with an average of 22 sessions
Psychoanalysis - 38% success rate with an average of 600
While six is the "average" number of sessions recommended for one issue, my clients have had major breakthroughs after one session, but I've seen miraculous changes with multiple sessions. (I've even had a client get pregnant unexpectedly after trying for 5 years.) I've considered only offering packages for this reason, but I also understand that someone may want to "try" one session as a way of testing whether a Hypnotic Journey will work for them.
There's not a magic number. In fact, many of my clients see me on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis even after we've done extensive work because they simply like having someone to support them through life's transitions or major projects like writing a novel.
As a general rule, I say, "Keep doing the work as long as you're continuing to see progress in your life. It's also okay to take a break and come back when you need a little hypnotic upgrade."