Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a type of mind–body intervention in which hypnosis is used to create a state of focused attention and increased suggestibility in the treatment of a medical or psychological disorder or concern.

Despite being popularized by 17th and 18th century psychologists such as James Braid and Milton H. Erickson, aspects of hypnotherapy has taken many forms and been utilized across cultures.

Hypnosis-based therapies for the management of irritable bowel syndrome and menopause are supported by evidence.

Use of hypnosis for treatment of other problems has produced mixed results, such as with smoking cessation.

The use of hypnosis as a form of therapy to retrieve and integrate early trauma is controversial within the scientific mainstream. Research indicates that hypnotising an individual may aid the formation of false memories, and that hypnosis “does not help people recall events more accurately”.