What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a state of relaxation that allows a person to focus inwardly and be receptive to therapeutic questions or suggestions. The heightened feelings of calm and concentration allows a person to use their conscious and subconscious mind more powerfully to achieve their goals.

Almost all of us have experienced a state of hypnotic “trance” at some time in our lives — for example, when engrossed in an activity so intently that we didn’t notice or hear things going on around us.

Hypnosis is NOT mind control. An experienced hypnotherapist may use questions, gentle suggestions, guided imagery, or imaginative exercises to foster thoughts that are aligned with the individual’s goals, but the receiver always retains the ability to choose whether or not to engage. A hypnotist cannot force you to reveal anything you don’t want to.

Hypnosis is NOT sleep. Studies of brain wave activity during hypnosis show brain wave patters that are distinct from those observed during sleep. Some people, however, may feel sleepy when they enter a state of relaxation.

Some people are easily hypnotizable, while others are not, but the vast majority are able to enter into at least a light state of hypnosis.

What happens during a hypnotherapy session?

During the first appointment, Dr. Capella will take extra time to provide an overview of hypnosis and answer any questions you or your child may have. She will also take time to get to know your child and their needs.

Hypnotherapy can take many forms, depending on the age and needs of the child. For younger children ages 5-12, hypnosis can often be facilitated through drawing. Dr. Capella teaches your child how to harness the power of their mind and imagination to develop internal resources that help shift their particular worry or negative thought pattern. Through drawing, a child can help reinforce these shifts and create a visual reminder of them.

In older children or teens, hypnosis can take the form of talk therapy combined with learning and practicing visualizations and breathing techniques. Common visualizations that we begin with include the “happy place” visualization (where they are taught to imagine their happy place, engage all of their senses, and fill their body with feelings of peace, safety, and happiness), the “bubble gum” visualization (where they are taught to imagine that a part of their body is bubble gum that is getting softer and softer, and repeat this to help soften and relax their entire body), and the “balloon release” visualization (where they are taught to identify a bodily sensation, thought, or feeling that they would like to release and practice releasing it into a balloon then watching it disappear into the sky). Visualizations can get more complex in more mature teens, and may sometimes involve teaching a teen to access their subconscious mind.

In some cases where physical symptoms like headaches or abdominal pain are involved, Dr. Capella may teach your child/teen hypnotic visualizations while performing bodywork. This involves having your child lie down (dressed) on the massage table, playing calming meditation music, performing gentle myofascial massage on affected areas, and talking them through guided visualizations at the same time. Parents are welcome to be present during the sessions.

For most children, 4-6 sessions of this type of therapy can make a significant impact in their day-to-day mood and functioning. Other children with more severe symptoms may require more frequent or prolonged therapy.

What conditions can hypnotherapy help to treat?

According to the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis: “In the mental health area, it is used for phobias, anxiety, sexual problems, alcoholism, smoking control, speech disorders, weight control, chronic pain, age regression therapy, self-esteem/ego strengthening, memory/concentration improvement, and forensic work. In medicine, it uses include anesthesia and surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, control of bleeding, pain control, burns therapy, dermatology, and habit control. Dentistry uses it to control fear, dental surgery, saliva control, gagging, bruxism, control of bleeding, tongue biting, and general oral hygiene.”

Only some of these conditions are relevant to children and adolescents, and I use hypnosis to treat only conditions within the scope of my practice. The most common codditions that I help children with are phobias, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain conditions (like migraines or chronic abdominal pain without a specific known cause). I have also help some teens with rarer conditions like POTS/dysautonomia, AMPS, and various autoimmune conditions.

What qualifications does Dr. Capella have in pediatric hypnotherapy?

Dr. Capella is certified in clinical hypnosis through the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH). She has taken the ASCH Level 1 and Level 2 trainings and completed a year of mentorship with her hypnosis mentor, Dr. Ran Anbar, who practices clinical hypnosis full time at Center Point Medicine in La Jolla, CA and has published many articles and books on clinical hypnosis for kids and teens. She has also completed numerous trainings through the National Pediatric Hypnosis Training Institute. She has been incorporating clinical hypnosis techniques for a variety of conditions with her patients since 2022.