Feeling stuck? Start here: The gentle power of self-hypnosis

There was a time when I ticked all the boxes. I had a long, solid career in education, four wonderful (and wildly different) children, and a home full of noise, love and chaos. On the outside, it looked like I was thriving. But inside? I felt really stuck and confused about my direction in life.

Looking back, although I felt a bit broken, I wasn’t. In the chaos of life, I’d just lost connection with myself — I had lost touch with my own needs, my dreams, even my voice. I’d spent so long doing everything for everyone else, I forgot I could choose what I wanted, too.

During this time, I started searching for answers, which is when I discovered hypnotherapy. I started a diploma in it to learn more about it. One of the very first things I learned was self-hypnosis. I had no idea that you could hypnotise yourself — it was a real eye-opener and game-changer for me!

The quiet tool that changed everything

I’ll admit — at first, I was sceptical. Could sitting quietly with your eyes closed and focusing your mind really make a difference when you’re feeling so overwhelmed and directionless?

Turns out, yes. But not in the way I expected.

Self-hypnosis didn’t fix my life overnight. What it did was hand me a tool. A quiet way to pause the noise and gently ask, What do I need right now? What would it feel like to believe in something different?

Before this, I didn’t realise that you can control your thoughts. Thoughts are incredibly powerful; they aren’t just background noise. They shape how you feel, how you act, and what you notice around you. And when you focus your mind with intention (when you start to imagine the life you want), you begin to move toward it.

Donald Meichenbaum said it perfectly: “The essence of therapy is teaching clients to become their own therapists.” That’s exactly what self-hypnosis helps you do. It creates the space to pause, focus on what you want, and imagine yourself succeeding.

In that space, you begin to notice your unhelpful thoughts, challenge them, and practise new, more supportive ones, just like you would in a therapy session. Over time, this rewires your brain to respond in calmer, wiser ways. Practised regularly, it strengthens the mental muscles of awareness, self-compassion, and choice — so your inner voice becomes more resourceful, and your responses more intentional.

Not magic: Just you

I never paid much attention to the law of attraction. Some people write it off as woo-woo. But now I realise it’s about where your energy and focus go.

When you keep thinking about something you want, your brain starts to notice opportunities that align with it. Like planting a seed in your mind — if you keep watering it with belief, action and intention, it starts to grow into something real.

Your thoughts guide your actions, even when you don’t realise it. If you keep returning to your dream, picturing it, feeling it, your brain starts to notice pathways to get there, through people, decisions, or ideas that seem to “click.”

Self-hypnosis is already being used (we just don’t call it that)

It turns out that many successful people — athletes, entrepreneurs, performers — use mental techniques to visualise success, focus their thoughts, and rehearse outcomes. They prime their minds before big moments. That is self-hypnosis. They just don’t call it that.

The difference? Most of us haven’t been taught how to do it. But that doesn’t mean we can’t learn.

Self-hypnosis is a very simple and powerful tool. It helps you shift from spiralling thoughts to supportive ones, from “stuckness” to forward motion. And unlike most things in life, it doesn’t require anything outside of you — just a few quiet moments and a willingness to go inward.

How I used it to rebuild my life

At first, I used self-hypnosis just to catch my breath. To stop the constant spin in my mind. I would sit, breathe, and tell myself, “It’s okay to rest. To do less — do nothing!” After years on the merry-go-round of family and work life, that alone felt transformational. It felt like I had permission to stop.

But then it grew into something more.

I began to use it to picture a new life — one where I had a small, calm clinic. Where I used my voice and creativity in a way that felt more meaningful. I imagined clients feeling safe and understood. I imagined what my clinic would look like, where the chairs would go and what was on the walls. And most importantly, I let myself believe it was possible.

That belief changed how I showed up. I retrained in hypnotherapy. I built a website, a business. I opened my doors to clients. None of it happened overnight, but each step was guided by a clear, steady intention through self-hypnosis.

Even in moments when nothing seemed to change, I kept returning to that inner vision. In the stillness, I was changing.

You are not powerless

If you’re reading this and feeling lost, burnt out or quietly desperate for change, I want you to know: You are not broken. You don’t need to have it all figured out.

You just need a small pause. A breath. A moment of stillness where you ask yourself: What do I want, and how would it feel to believe it’s possible?

That’s the start. Not a fix, but a spark.

Why I believe in this tool

Learning self-hypnosis helped me come home to myself, and that’s why I believe so deeply in its power. Everyone deserves to feel like they have a way to steady themselves, even in the mess and momentum of everyday life.

Therapy shouldn’t just help you feel better — it should help you become your own guide. That’s why I believe hypnotherapy is the most powerful way to learn that. It gives you tools you can use anytime, anywhere, and helps you develop a kind, courageous relationship with your own mind.

It’s not about escaping reality. It’s about gently choosing a new direction. Focusing on what it is you want. Planting seeds of hope. And watering them with belief and action, one day at a time.

So, if you’re stuck, don’t wait for perfect.

Start with pausing.
Start with focusing.
Start with one kind thought.

Start here.