Hypnotherapy for Children and Teenagers: A Parent's Guide

Parents contact me all the time asking: "Can hypnotherapy help my child?" Usually there's worry in their voice. Their daughter can't sleep before school. Their son has started refusing to go to football. A teenager who used to be outgoing barely leaves their room.

As a mum of three myself, I understand that worry. You'd do anything to help them feel okay again.

Why Kids Often Respond Brilliantly

Here's something that might surprise you: children are often easier to work with than adults. Their imaginations are naturally vivid, they haven't built up years of scepticism, and they slip into that relaxed, focused state more easily.

With younger children (around 7 to 12) sessions look quite different from adult hypnotherapy. We use stories, imagination games, and creative visualisation. A child might imagine shrinking their worry down to the size of a pea and flicking it away. Or they might picture themselves as their favourite superhero, feeling strong and brave before a test.

It sounds playful because it is. But it works. The subconscious mind responds to imagery and metaphor, and children are natural experts at both.

Working With Teenagers

Teenagers are a different story, literally closer to adult therapy, but with more patience and less formality. They're navigating a complicated time: exam pressure, social dynamics, body changes, identity questions. And they're often dealing with anxiety or confidence issues they can't quite articulate.

What I find with teens is that they actually want to talk, they just don't always want to talk to their parents (sorry). Having a space where they can be honest without worrying about upsetting anyone is valuable. I respect their confidentiality within safety limits, and I let them take the lead on what we work on.

The hypnotherapy itself helps them find calm in the chaos. Many teens tell me it's the only time their brain actually switches off.

What Actually Brings Parents to Me

The concerns vary, but there are common themes: anxiety about school, friendship troubles, low confidence, anger that seems to come from nowhere, sleep problems, exam nerves. Sometimes it's nail-biting or hair-pulling that won't stop despite everyone's best efforts.

Often there's a specific trigger: starting secondary school, parents separating, bullying, a difficult friendship breakup. Sometimes parents can't pinpoint when it started, just that their child seems different and they don't know how to reach them.

What a Session Looks Like

For younger children, you'll be in the room with us. We'll spend time chatting first because I need to build trust, and your child needs to feel comfortable. Then we move into relaxation and imagination work. Sessions are shorter than adult ones because attention spans are shorter. Totally normal.

For teenagers, parents usually wait outside. I'll always check in with you before and after, but the session itself is their space.

Afterwards, I'll give you both some tools to use at home, simple techniques they can practise when those worried feelings come up.

The Safety Question

I know this is what you really want to know. Yes, it's safe. Completely safe. Your child is aware throughout, can open their eyes whenever they want, and won't do or say anything they don't want to. It's just focused relaxation with therapeutic purpose.

I'm Enhanced DBS certified and I've worked with young people for over 22 years, in schools, clubs, and one-to-one. Keeping your child safe and comfortable is non-negotiable.

Is This Right for Your Child?

If your child is struggling and other approaches haven't shifted things, hypnotherapy might be worth exploring. The first step is a free consultation where we can talk through what's happening and whether this could help.

You know your child best. But sometimes they need a different kind of support, someone outside the family who can help them find their way back to feeling okay.