If your doctor diagnoses you with some form of anxiety or depression, they will be likely either to prescribe medication or CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. So how does hypnotherapy differ from CBT and why would you choose one or the other?
Comparison of CBT and Hypnotherapy
The following table summarises the key similarities and differences. There are different styles of hypnotherapy – I am comparing CBT with Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, which is what I practice.
| Cognitive Behavioural Therapy | Hypnotherapy (solution focused) | |
|---|---|---|
| Conditions treated | Wide range of conditions involving unwanted thoughts, feelings or behaviours. | Wide range of conditions involving unwanted thoughts, feelings or behaviours. |
| What to expect in a session | Analysis of problem and causes Practical exercises concerning the issues | Discussion life without problems Hypnosis |
| Focus of approach | Problem analysis Analytical approach | Solution focused Subconscious-led |
| Availability on NHS | Within 18 weeks according to NHS (but BMA say it can be more than a year to get treatment) | Not available on NHS |
| Cost | Free through NHS for limited number of sessions Costs for private practice vary | Costs for private practice vary |
| Scientific basis | Scientific studies have demonstrated effectiveness | Scientific studies have demonstrated effectiveness |
Which is Better – Hypnotherapy or CBT?
There are plenty of studies that compare the effectiveness of CBT versus Hypnotherapy. Generally speaking, these show that they are comparable in effectiveness. For example, a scientific study (reported in the Journal of Effective Disorders, 2021) compared Hypnotherapy with CBT, and concluded that hypnotherapy was not inferior to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) after six months of treatment.
How to Choose
In my experience, some people prefer the more analytical, problem-focused style of CBT, whereas others prefer the more subconscious-led, solution-focused style of solution-focused hypnotherapy.
In my clinic, I either see people who have gone straight for the hypnotherapy, or I see people who have gone through the NHS route of CBT and found that it has not worked for them, and so are looking for something else. Note, that I do not see any of the people who have tried CBT and found it worked for them, so I cannot comment on how many of these there are.
If you genuinely have no immediate preference, and you are able to go through the process of getting a referral from your doctor and waiting until your name comes up on the waiting list, then it will be cheaper for you to try CBT on the NHS first. If you cannot wait that long – and want immediate access to a therapist, then you need to find a private practitioner – either hypnotherapist or CBT.
Finding a Private Practitioner
The easiest way to find a private practitioner is to go onto Google and type in “Hypnotherapist near me” or “CBT near me”. Look for one with plenty of good reviews.
Alternatively, if you want a hypnotherapist, you can contact me directly. I work in my clinic in Fleet, Hampshire, as well as working online.
References
Efficacy of hypnotherapy compared to cognitive behavioural therapy
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032721002032
British Medical Association – The devastating cost of treatment delays
https://www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/the-devastating-cost-of-treatment-delays
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash