In an age dominated by technology, an ancient form of healing is making a surprising comeback. With roots in ancient Vedic healing practices, hypnotherapy is now being incorporated into modern medicine to effectively address everything from psychosomatic disorders, asthma, menopausal hot flashes and gastrointestinal disorders to pain during childbirth, cancer, fibromyalgia, burns and post-surgery. This complementary therapy promotes deep relaxation and focus, allowing patients to more effectively tap into their inner power and subconscious mind. The technique can be seamlessly integrated with other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, to enhance the overall effectiveness.
Personal Experience
Ishita (not her real name), who was undergoing IVF treatment, arrived alone in Ahmedabad from Canada and experienced great anxiety during the first failed and painful embryo transfer surgery. Hypnotherapy helped her control her fears and she successfully conceived on the second attempt. She “remained calm throughout the pregnancy, which allowed me to return to Canada in the second trimester”. On July 4, she delivered a healthy baby. This case study marked a successful attempt at pain and anxiety management for Dr Baljeet Kaur, senior therapist at Samatvam. He says, “Hypnotherapy is an adjunct, not a replacement, to manage certain diseases alongside primary treatments and therapies. Hypnotherapy speeds up healing and makes other therapies and treatments more effective.”
For over four years, Pratik (24) had been suffering from frequent coughs that often brought blood into his coughs. This was a troubling condition that was not easily diagnosed. He visited Dr. Bhupendra Paran, MD, Founder and Director of Samatvam and PhD in Clinical Hypnosis from the American Journal of Mental Health. Dr. Paran’s initial hypnotherapy treatments reduced his anxiety but did not stop his coughing up blood. Later, through an exploratory hypnotic dream, it was discovered that an emotional trauma was the root cause. Hypnotic age regression helped reconstruct this trauma. Pratik was advised to skip his upcoming exams and underwent six hypnotherapy sessions. Using self-hypnosis over a three-year follow-up, he has remained symptom-free, made great progress in his academics, and now sees exams as a challenge rather than a threat. Hypnotherapy also helped Dr. Paran reduce his asthma symptoms by 70% after a few months of treatment.
Many misconceptions
However, hypnotherapy has struggled to make inroads in mainstream healthcare and remains on the fringes of conventional medical practice. Patient responses to hypnotherapy as a treatment option are diverse and shaped by patients’ beliefs, previous experiences, and understanding of the practice. Dr. Kaul states, “Skepticism stems from misconceptions perpetuated by media and entertainment portrayals of hypnosis, which often associate it with loss of control or manipulation. Such misconceptions can lead to anxiety about the therapy.” Dr. Paran identifies a major hurdle facing hypnotherapy due to the lack of a legal framework since the 1990 Department of Health resolution. This gap has allowed non-medical practitioners to make exaggerated claims, undermining its credibility in the scientific community. “Despite limited opposition, enthusiastic advocates perpetuate unrealistic claims, stifling legitimate growth,” says Dr. Paran.
To address these challenges, the Indian Academy of Hypnosis was established in 2023 to bring together medical and clinical psychologists qualified in hypnotherapy. Dr NN Raju, President, Indian Psychiatric Association, said, “Currently, there is no standardized training in hypnotherapy and practice in Delhi is very different from practice in Chennai. This lack of uniformity poses a major challenge in mainstream acceptance. Establishing global standards is essential to ensure consistent practice.” Dr Raju elaborates that there is a great need for supervision and certification in hypnotherapy to differentiate between practitioners who understand certain medical conditions and those who do not. This includes distinguishing between benign and severe medical conditions such as headaches. Standardized training and certification is essential to move hypnotherapy forward as a credible medical field. According to Dr Raju, hypnotherapy may not see great potential, but Dr Paran says it has a very bright future in the Indian medical community.
As a qualified yoga teacher, he sees strong similarities between hypnotic and meditation techniques such as Yoga Nidra, and aspects of Astana Yoga. Secondly, studies have shown that the percentage of people with advanced hypnotizability is around 70% in India, compared to around 20% in Western countries. This natural predisposition to hypnotic states suggests that hypnotherapy has the potential to be more widely accepted and effective in the Indian cultural and psychological environment compared to the West.
Hypnotherapy is not a substitute for treatment of any specific condition, but rather an adjunct to be managed alongside primary treatments and therapies.” — Dr. Baljeet Kaur, Senior Therapist, Samatvam
“Currently, there is no standardised training in hypnotherapy. Practice in Delhi is different from practice in Chennai.” — Dr NN Raju, president, Indian Psychiatric Association.
