Episode Summary

In this riveting and deeply personal conversation, Chris Schembra sits down with Grace Smith — one of the world’s most respected hypnotherapists and the founder of the #1 hypnotherapy brand in the world — to explore how hypnosis can unlock peak performance, emotional clarity, and authentic leadership in the modern workplace.

Chris opens the episode by recounting how Grace helped him through a dark moment in 2021, using hypnotherapy to reconnect him to purpose, possibility, and a record-breaking year in business. From there, the conversation expands to cover Grace’s origin story, her groundbreaking work with high-achieving CEOs, and why hypnosis is less about “fixing” and more about revealing the strength already inside us.

Grace shares stunning stories from her early career — including how she helped a paralyzed man regain movement in a single session, a man who would later become her father-in-law. Together, they explore how the subconscious governs behavior, how leaders can reprogram outdated belief systems, and why gratitude often lives just beneath stress, waiting to be uncovered.

This episode is a masterclass in neuroscience, personal growth, and emotional intelligence for anyone looking to lead with clarity and courage in a world of chaos.

 Key Themes

• Subconscious blocks and business growth
• The science of theta brainwave states and peak performance
• How trauma and stress quietly shape executive decision-making
• Why hypnosis helps leaders find clarity, confidence, and intuition
• The power of gratitude as a renewable energy source
• How to lead with presence in a world of distraction

Notable Quotes

• “When the subconscious is working against you, you’ll never reach your true potential.” – Grace Smith
• “Gratitude is there—it’s just buried beneath stress. Hypnosis helps you feel what’s already been inside you.” – Grace Smith
• “You’re not fixing broken people—you’re polishing the gem that was always there.” – Chris Schembra
• “Hypnosis gave me the pause I needed to take action toward healing. One week later, I bought a ticket to Italy.” – Chris Schembra
• “The brain doesn’t just change overnight because your circumstances improve. You have to rewire it—consciously.” – Grace Smith
• “I work with people whose decisions shift tectonic plates. When their subconscious is clear, the world moves with more grace.” – Grace Smith
• “Every subconscious breakthrough is followed by what I call a bonus miracle—change you didn’t even expect.” – Grace Smith
• “When you’re in theta, you bypass the ego. That’s where the intuition lives. That’s where the clarity begins.” – Grace Smith
• “We’re not adding anything. We’re removing what’s in the way of who you already are.” – Grace Smith
• “Hypnosis isn’t mind control. It’s mindset liberation.” – Grace Smith
• “Grace didn’t just help me recover—she helped me remember who I was before the noise.” – Chris Schembra
• “You can read every business book in the world. But if your subconscious is working against you, you’re building on sand.” – Chris Schembra
• “She’s not giving you a new mind—she’s handing you the keys to the one you forgot you had.” – Chris Schembra
  “Sometimes the only way forward is to pause long enough to hear the voice underneath the fear.” – Chris Schembra

Featured Stories

• Grace’s first hypnotherapy session helped her quit smoking — and changed the course of her life
• How a United Nations peacekeeper paralyzed from a stroke moved his hand again in a single session
• Chris’s vulnerable account of his 2021 mental health crisis and the role Grace played in his recovery
• Why CEOs with billion-dollar companies are turning to hypnotherapy for their next breakthrough
• The neuroscience of flow, intuition, and decision-making under pressure

Resources and Links

• Grace App: Hypnotherapy on-demand for stress, sleep, success, and more
• Learn more about 1:1 executive coaching with Grace