Is Hypnotherapy Safe? Risks, Who It Isn’t For, and Choosing a Qualified Clinician

Author: Andreas Balasis, LCSW-QS, CHP

Reviewer:  Dr. Mary Perleoni, LMHC ✓

I'm a big fan of Dr. David Spiegel. I think he's the major figure in this field, at Stanford University's medical school. He says worst case scenario, it doesn't work. And I always say I would take it a step further. Maybe it didn't work yet.

So the risk is low when it's done by a trained, licensed clinician. Low isn't zero, though. Some people have temporary side effects like a headache, dizziness, or anxiety, which is part of why screening matters.

Is Hypnosis Dangerous?

From a risk tolerance and liability standpoint, there might be certain presenting issues: severe dissociation, potential psychosis risks, people who experience manic episodes or have a history of bipolar disorder. There are always things that can come up that aren't anticipated.

When you work with someone who's trained to do this, who's licensed, all those things are assessed for. You're not going to say something that, because you assessed, you are aware can be viscerally triggering. Or if you're going to engage with that kind of content, before you enter the hypnotic state, it's going to be understood how it's talked about, what's elicited, and it's going to be prepared for.

Who Shouldn't Use Hypnotherapy?

I'm wary when it comes to psychotic disorders. That's the one that is loudest in my mind when you ask that question. I think the research is wary of that as well. Some treat it as a contraindication, which means it's generally not recommended for that presentation.

In some cases, a clinician with the right training, working alongside the person's psychiatric care team, may still use it in a very targeted way. Someone might have delusions in one area, but I don't think it's irresponsible or unreasonable to say we want to create a different association with a particular pattern of thought.

My simple answer is going to be, if strategically applied, I think it has vast applicability.

Why Does It Matter Whether a Hypnotherapist Is Licensed?

If someone tells you about a gruesome trauma history, can you sit with it non-judgmentally? Can you be attuned to microexpressions, to changes in subtle physiological presentation? Can you know when to dig deeper versus when to pump the brakes and to ground and recenter attention in the present moment?

What if someone experiences that intense fit of anger in response to a thought, and they internalize it and they take it out on themselves physically? Or they want to take it out on you? What if someone's crying uncontrollably because the emotions are just so overwhelming?

Does having an awareness of pre-talk, hypnotic induction, deepening, and the post-hypnotic suggestion prepare you for that? I don't think it does.

What Red Flags Should You Watch For?

When choosing a hypnotherapist, if someone says, hey, I'm a hypnotist, you want to lose weight? It's okay to be skeptical.

If they talk about what they're actually going to be doing, how they look at it, the actual mechanisms of behavior change and how it specifically pertains to weight, then okay. Then we can see what we do there. But be wary of general claims.

Meet Andreas Balasis

My name is Andreas Balasis. I'm a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Florida, and also a qualified supervisor. I've been intensively trained in dialectical behavior therapy through the School of Social Policy and Practice at Penn.

If you want to explore hypnotherapy with a licensed clinician, reach out to IBWHC to set up a conversation with Andreas.