“Most hypnotherapists are skeptical of the practice and do not recognize it as a legitimate therapeutic tool,” it writes. The American Psychological Association says it can be used to create “a highly relaxed state of inner concentration and focused attention,” which in turn can be useful as part of one tool to help treat “pain, depression, anxiety and phobias.” Much of what Brown does in normal times is work with clients who see him multiple times for deep-seated issues like smoking or problems with self-confidence.īut Brown also offers past life regression, a more controversial technique that, as the APA puts it, is viewed with skepticism even by some members of the profession. Hypnosis is a recognized therapeutic technique.

(Full disclosure: Brown is a friendly acquaintance, and offered to perform a phone session for me at no charge.) “I think people are either going to their psychotherapists, or saving up the extra money and cutting back on non-urgent expenses.” “I haven't seen much in the way of COVID-19 clients so far,” John Brown, a hypnotherapist on Los Angeles’ Westside, told me. What I saw came as a complete surprise, and the process of trying to figure it out took me further into science, myth, and meaning than I ever intended. To my surprise, the experience was far more vivid, more surreal, and more puzzling than I could have ever imagined. And so, a few weeks ago, when the opportunity presented itself, I decided to try hypnosis instead.

They would probably work better if I did them with more focused attention, but, as I just said, I don’t have any. I have vaguely tried the things that one tries in these circumstances-journaling, meditation, acts of service-and they work, sort of.

Hypnosis therapy near me