Before we begin, a few honest answers.
For most people, it feels like deep rest with the lights on. You remain aware of everything — you can hear, think, decline a suggestion, end the session at any moment. Many describe it as a hyper-aware quiet, where sensations are clearer, imagery is richer, and the body lets go of held tension. You will not "go under" or lose control. Hypnosis is a natural state, much closer to the absorbed quiet you slip into reading a good book than to anything cinematic.
Hypnotherapy is not psychotherapy and is not a substitute for it. Where talk therapy works largely with the conscious, narrative mind, hypnotherapy works with the subconscious — the layer where most habits, emotional reactions, and self-image actually live. Coaching tends to focus on action and accountability; this work focuses on the inner conditions from which clear action arises naturally.
It varies. Most people land somewhere in the four-to-eight session range. A single focused issue can sometimes resolve in two or three. Deeper inquiry naturally takes longer. We decide together as we go, and you are never locked in — the practice is structured so we can stop cleanly at any point.
We go over fees on the free call, along with how many sessions are likely to help. Most people finish in four to eight. Nothing is prepaid and there is no lock-in. The full fee terms are on the Terms page.
Hypnotherapy is not effective for everyone, and I would rather say so plainly than promise otherwise. Two things protect you. First, the free introductory call exists precisely to catch a poor fit before either of us invests anything — if I don't think this is right for you, I'll say so and point you elsewhere. Second, nothing is prepaid or locked in: we review progress as we go, and if the work isn't moving, we stop and I refund any unused sessions. You are never obliged to continue out of sunk cost.
Life moves, and appointments move with it. All I ask is 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule — that way the time can go to someone else. A missed appointment, or one changed with less than 24 hours' notice, may be charged at the full rate. Payment for each session is due on the day. And either of us can decide to end the work at any point, without needing to give a detailed explanation.
No. Hypnosis cannot make you act against your values, beliefs, or wishes — and any suggestion you do not want to accept will simply not take. You are always the one in the room. The work is collaborative throughout.
Both. Online sessions, conducted over a private video link, are as effective as in-person work for the vast majority of issues — and for many people, working from their own quiet room makes the experience easier. In-person sessions are available by arrangement.
No. The work is secular and clinical. The deeper sensibility — that beneath the noise of the conditioned mind there is already a quiet intelligence — is drawn from decades of contemplative practice across many traditions, but nothing is asked of you on that level. You can come from any background and the work meets you where you are.
Hypnotherapy services here are offered for vocational and avocational self-improvement under California Business and Professions Code 2908. A hypnotherapist is not a licensed physician or psychologist, and this work is not a substitute for medical or psychological treatment. Issues of a psychogenic or medical nature are addressed only on referral from a licensed practitioner. If you are unsure, mention it on our intro call and we will figure out the right path together.
Yes. Our conversations are held in strict confidence. The only exceptions are those required by California law: an imminent threat of serious harm to yourself or another person, or suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder, or dependent adult. Hypnotherapy communications are not subject to psychotherapist-patient privilege, so a court could in principle order disclosure — though in everyday practice your sessions remain private.