Almost all hypnosis professionals will say that one session of hypnosis is not enough to achieve permanent change. In my philosophy of work, we usually tell people to expect four-to-six sessions. However, sometimes there are reasons to only do one session:

Because They Want to Explore Hypnosis. Some folks are not convinced that they can be hypnotized and want to experiment with the process by scheduling just one session before mentally committing themselves to proceeding with a full round of hypnosis work. (Note: I never obligate anyone to do more than one session at a time, but I do explain that multiple sessions are usually necessary to make significant and lasting changes.) I am happy to do a one-time session for those who want to see what it’s like before jumping in to deeper work. Dabblers are welcome, as long as they are serious.

Because They Want to Release Stress After a Rough Patch. Sometimes, people just want to relax after a bad day or stressful season in their lives. Hypnosis can be a way to achieve deep relaxation. If a person does not want to do further work, that is okay with me, even if it is not my preferred way of practicing.

Because They Are Exceptions to the Rule. I have worked with a few people–though really only a few people–who have achieved their goals in just one hypnosis session. I do not encourage people to stop after just one time, but I also have to admit that these individuals got what they hoped for quickly. In checking with them later, they also hung on to their changes. These folks are the exception to the rule. They were already pretty high-flying in terms of their self-care and lifestyle habits, so their bodies only needed a slight push to make big changes.

If you are interested in trying hypnosis, give me a call or schedule a consultation. We can talk about what your needs might be. Keep in mind that unless you meet one of the above categories, you can expect that changes through hypnosis will involve multiple sessions.