Can your Brain tell the Difference Between Imagination and Reality?
The human brain is a remarkable organ - capable of adapting, learning, and forming new connections throughout life. In recent years, neuroscience has deepened our understanding of neuroplasticity: the brain’s ability to rewire itself in response to experience, thought, and behaviour (for an in-depth post about neuroplasticity – see here). One therapeutic approach that makes direct use of this capacity for change is hypnotherapy. I found this so compelling in both theory and practice that I went on to train as a clinical hypnotherapist and now use it to support clients in a multitude of areas.
Despite what some tv shows and stage tricks may demonstrate, hypnotherapy is not about surrendering control or ‘going under’ some mystical spell. In fact, it’s the opposite. Hypnotherapy gently helps you access the part of your mind that’s been running the show behind the scenes - the subconscious. And from that place, it helps facilitate the rewiring of beliefs, emotional loops, and patterned responses that are no longer beneficial to you.
This post is for anyone curious about how hypnotherapy works and the neuroscience behind it.
What is hypnotherapy really?
At its core, hypnotherapy is a therapeutic approach that uses a focused, relaxed brain state, often called trance - to access and shift subconscious patterns. It’s the same state you drift into just before sleep, or when you’re driving on autopilot and miss your exit. In this state, your mind becomes more open, not because it’s “weaker,” but because the analytical part of the brain quiets down, creating space for new associations to form.
In hypnotherapy, we intentionally guide the brain into that state so we can work more directly with the beliefs and emotions stored beneath the surface. It’s not sleep. You’re not unconscious. You’re actually more present and inwardly focused than usual - with your attention gently turned down from the outside world, and tuned into your inner landscape.
The Neuroscience Behind Hypnotherapy
Here’s what’s happening in the brain:
1. The Default Mode Network quiets down
The Default Mode Network is a part of the brain which is active when we’re in low-demand conditions such as daydreaming, overthinking, or replaying the past. In hypnosis, the activity in this part of the brain decreases (as demonstrated in this study). In other words, the inner chatter quietens down, and we can create space for new neural connections, insights and awareness to occur.
2. Your brain shifts into the theta state
Theta brainwaves are common during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and deep meditation. In this state, the mind is open, creative, and emotionally responsive. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis demonstrates that hypnosis is associated with the brain being in the theta brain wave state. This is perhaps why suggestions in hypnotherapy can feel more resonant - they’re being taken in, beneath the usual filters of doubt or resistance.
3. Emotional regulation improves
The amygdala - your brain’s threat detector, becomes less reactive in hypnosis, which allows the nervous system to relax. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex (involved in insight, learning, and decision-making) becomes more engaged. This combination allows you to view old patterns with clarity and create new responses.
For those interested in a deeper dive into the scientific literature - this systematic review published in the journal Brain Sciences goes into detailed functional brain changes associated with hypnotherapy.
Why It Works for Real Change
Most of our daily reactions aren’t logical - they’re learned. They’re rooted in earlier experiences, beliefs, and emotional imprints, most of which are stored in the subconscious. That’s why “thinking differently” often isn’t enough on its own.
Hypnotherapy works because it doesn’t just talk to the mind - it speaks the subconscious’s own language: imagery, emotion, repetition, and sensory memory.
When you’re in a relaxed, receptive state, your brain is more capable of forming new neural pathways - meaning, you’re not just visualising change; you’re rehearsing it at a neurological level. Over time, those rehearsals become familiar. And what’s familiar starts to feel safe. That’s when transformation sticks.
Evidence-Based Uses
While hypnosis still has an air of mystery for some, its efficacy is well-supported in the research. Hypnotherapy is used worldwide - within clinical settings, private practice, and integrative care, for issues such as:
Anxiety and panic
Phobias and fears
IBS and chronic pain
Preparation for labour and birth
Insomnia
Confidence and performance anxiety
Trauma healing and inner child work
Smoking cessation and habit change
Hypnotherapy is not a magic wand. But it’s one of the few approaches that works directly with the subconscious and the nervous system together - which can be very effective for change.
My Perspective as a Practitioner
What I love most about hypnotherapy is that it meets people where they’re at – a hypnotherapy session will look very different for each individual – some people will see noticeable changes are just one session, while others need a little more time for things to settle and integrate. Often, clients already know what needs to shift. But they need the right internal conditions for that shift to feel safe and sustainable. That’s what this work offers. Our brains are beautifully adaptable. And when the nervous system feels supported, change tends to follow. If this has sparked your curiosity, and you’d like to explore what a session might look like for you, you’re very welcome to get in touch here.
