Years ago, Janice walked into my office for a series of hypnotherapy sessions. She was a poised woman carrying a heavy past—a childhood marked by trauma and a complicated relationship with her mother. We began the delicate work of untangling those emotional threads, session by session. One day, as we were wrapping up, she hesitated, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “There’s something else,” she said softly.
Janice revealed that in just a few weeks, she was scheduled for significant reconstructive surgery following a double mastectomy. Her voice wavered as she described the procedure: the surgeons would take muscles from her groin, cross them over her torso, and attach them to her shoulders to recreate what cancer had taken. It was an intensely invasive operation, leaving no part of her front torso untouched.
She was nervous—not only about the surgery itself but also the long, tender recovery that lay ahead. “Can hypnotherapy help with this?” she asked.
This was early in my career, and though I had worked with pre- and post-surgery preparation before, I’d never encountered a procedure of this magnitude. Still, I felt confident that hypnotherapy could help her find calm and prepare her mind and body for the journey. I reassured her, and we made a plan.
In our subsequent two sessions, we shifted our focus entirely to her upcoming surgery. I guided her subconscious to understand and accept the procedure as a necessary and positive step. We visualized her body, welcoming the reconstruction process and healing rapidly, efficiently, and precisely. I led her through mental rehearsals, showing her mind what to expect and obtaining her body’s “permission” to proceed without resistance.
When we finished the final session, I could see the change in her. Her fear had softened into determination, her apprehension into acceptance.
Several weeks passed before I saw her again. When Janice returned to my office, she radiated relief and joy. “It went smoothly,” she said, her eyes bright. “Even the doctors were surprised. They kept commenting on how well the surgery went and how quickly I’m healing.”
She attributed much of her smooth recovery to our work together. The hypnotherapy had calmed her fears, prepared her body for the trauma, and laid the foundation for a recovery her surgeons hadn’t anticipated.
Positive Healing Power of Hypnotherapy
Client-centered hypnotherapy has the potential to positively impact the healing of the body, mind, emotions, and spirit. So, when I teach hypnotherapy to my students, I feel it necessary to include techniques and protocols to support clients pre- and post-surgery.
I had that opportunity on a brisk November evening when I convened with my current Integrative Hypnotherapy and Past Life Regression students. That night’s weighty topic: pre- and post-surgery hypnosis and a technique designed to desensitize trauma. Teaching these concepts always brings a mix of excitement and challenge, especially during live demonstrations. I never know if anyone in the room will have a fitting issue—and be brave enough to share it with the group.
As I asked for a volunteer, the students grew quiet. For a moment, I wondered if I’d have to rely on a theoretical scenario, but then one student raised her hand tentatively.
She began to share her story: months earlier, she had taken a nasty fall, bruising much of her right side. Although most of her injuries healed, her right hand wasn’t so willing. It had taken the brunt of the impact, leaving her with what she described as a “trigger finger”—a finger locked in an unnatural, frozen position. Despite surgery to correct the issue and later a cortisone injection, her hand had reverted, the stiffness returning alongside a marble-sized lump. Her doctors were baffled and suggested another round of surgery, but she wasn’t eager to go under the knife again.”Perfect,” I thought—not about her pain, of course, but about the opportunity to put the technique into action.
With only 35 minutes before class was to end, we dove into the demonstration. My goal was twofold: to ease the trauma her body held from the fall and to listen to whatever messages her subconscious might have about why her hand remained locked. It’s hard to anticipate the results of a session, especially with so little time to work.
This case was post-surgery, so I was concerned about getting the best overall results. I figured we would have time to reduce the trauma, gather some information, and ease a bit of pain. Then, she would have to follow up with another session or do some work on her own.
As I guided her into hypnosis, the students intently listened. We started at the source: the fall. Together, we revisited the memory, not to relive it but to gently desensitize it. With each step, we worked to soften the physical and emotional impact. In her mind’s eye, she rewrote the story of her fall, transforming it into a less jarring experience.
And then something remarkable happened. As the session unfolded, the tightness in her hand began to shift. By the time we reached the end, the marble-sized lump on her finger had disappeared. She opened and closed her hand effortlessly, her fingers moving freely for the first time in months.
The room erupted with astonished gasps. “It’s a miracle!” someone exclaimed.
But those of us in the field know better. This result wasn’t a miracle but the power of the subconscious mind, unburdening itself from trauma and allowing the body to heal. The entire process had taken just 25 minutes, but the results were life-changing for my student. She left the class with a newfound sense of freedom—and no need for another surgery.
As I wrapped up the evening, I couldn’t help but marvel at the possibilities hypnotherapy offers. Every private session and every class demonstration is a reminder of how profoundly this work can transform lives.
I’ve spoken with my student since then, and she reports her finger is entirely mobile with no signs of the lump, soreness, or pain.
I love this work.
Being a part of successful healing journeys is profoundly moving. Moments like these remind me of the profound power of hypnotherapy—not just to heal the mind but to support the body in ways that can feel like nothing short of miraculous.
It’s a testament to what’s possible when we harmonize the mind and body. Outcomes like these make me grateful every day for my chosen career path.
