“Hypnosis is in no way a loss of control. It's a way of enhancing control over your mind and body," says David Spiegel, M.D.

David, a psychiatrist who has spent over 40 years studying hypnosis, joins us to discuss the very real science behind the therapeutic tool, plus:

- David’s background & professional work (~00:14)

- Stage hypnosis vs. self-hypnosis (~07:20)

- How to use self-hypnosis (~09:51)

- How hypnosis affects the brain (~12:37)

- Self-hypnosis for athletic performance (~16:06)

- Self-hypnosis for pain management (~18:42)

- Self-hypnosis for sleep & stress (~23:11)

- Why detaching yourself from your body works (~25:28)

- A self-hypnosis exercise for anxiety (~28:17)

- How to become more comfortable with uncertainty (~32:22)

- How to know if you’re hypnotizable (~38:07)

- How to become more hypnotizable (~43:05)

- How kids can use self-hypnosis for self-esteem (~46:00)

- How to use the Reveri app (~48:29)

- David’s impressive hypnotism success stories (~53:09)

- The biggest myth about hypnotism (~56:14)

Referenced in the episode:

- Download Reveri and sign up for a free 7-day trial.

- David's study on self-hypnosis & pain management.

- A study on hypnotizability as a stable trait.

- Reveri hypnotizability test.

- David's study on self-hypnosis & pain in women with breast cancer.

- Sign up for The Long Game. 

We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected].

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