Clinical Hypnotherapy · Hong Kong
Professional hypnotherapy and CBT to help you overcome fears, break unwanted habits, and achieve lasting wellbeing — conducted in English and French.
Areas of Practice
From phobias to chronic pain, hypnotherapy addresses conditions of both the mind and the body with a gentle, evidence-informed approach.
I love helping clients experience the true power of the mind — it can be your greatest ally or your hidden obstacle.
Oliver Smith
Clinical Hypnotherapist & CBT Practitioner · Hong Kong
About
Oliver's fascination with hypnosis began in his early teenage years, later developed under the mentorship of Rick Collingwood. His practice combines clinical hypnotherapy, energetic hypnosis, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy — creating a truly integrative approach that works with both mind and body.
Oliver addresses fears, anxieties, addictions, food disorders, and limiting subconscious beliefs, while building positive habits that last.
Services
Hypnotherapy and CBT are versatile, powerful tools. Whether dealing with a long-standing fear or looking to optimise performance, there is a path forward.
Anxiety, depression, stress, PTSD, and confidence issues — hypnotherapy and CBT support the mind in finding relief and resilience.
Heights, enclosed spaces, surgery, abandonment — phobias are learned responses that can be unlearned through focused hypnotherapy.
Restore natural, restorative sleep by addressing the anxious thought patterns and physiological triggers behind sleeplessness.
Smoking cessation, overeating, nail-biting — break the subconscious patterns driving unwanted behaviours for good.
Using CBT and hypnotherapy together to address food cravings, body image, emotional eating, and disordered eating patterns.
Hypnotherapy can meaningfully reduce the perception of chronic pain and support recovery from illness or surgery.
Elite athletes use hypnosis to sharpen focus, manage pre-competition anxiety, and build the winning mental edge.
Clinical evidence supports hypnotherapy as an effective treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, easing symptoms significantly.
Hypnotic preparation before surgery can reduce anxiety, lower anaesthetic needs, and accelerate post-operative healing.
The Research
Hypnotherapy is not alternative medicine — it is a clinically studied intervention with a growing evidence base across numerous conditions. Below are peer-reviewed studies and publications supporting its use.
Research confirms hypnotherapy's efficacy for anxiety, depression, stress, and PTSD. Meta-analyses demonstrate significant reductions in symptom severity compared to control conditions.
A Meta-Analysis of Hypnotic Interventions for Depression Symptoms: High Hopes for Hypnosis?
Taylor & Francis Online
View studyThe Effectiveness of Hypnotherapy in Reducing Stress Levels
Ingenta Connect / Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment
View studyHypnotherapy in the Treatment of Chronic Combat-Related PTSD Patients Suffering From Insomnia: A Randomized, Zolpidem-Controlled Clinical Trial
Taylor & Francis Online
View studyA systematic review found that over 58% of studies demonstrated a meaningful overall positive effect of hypnosis interventions on sleep outcomes, with some showing increases in slow-wave (deep) sleep.
Hypnotherapy is among the most successful treatments for IBS, with studies reporting over 80% success rates for abdominal pain and distension, with benefits maintained at two-year follow-up.
Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Patient Expectations and Perceptions
SAGE Journals / Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology
View studyGut-Focused Hypnotherapy for Children and Adolescents with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
BMJ Frontline Gastroenterology
View studyShould You Try Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy for IBS?
Everyday Health — Accessible overview article
Read articleControlled Trial of Hypnotherapy in the Treatment of Severe Refractory Irritable-Bowel Syndrome & Further Experience
Whorwell, Prior & Faragher — The Lancet; Gut Journal
Landmark trials establishing hypnotherapy as an IBS intervention. Dramatic improvement in all measures maintained at two-year follow-up.
Clinical studies have demonstrated significant reductions in pain and discomfort across paediatric cancer patients, musculoskeletal conditions, and arthritic pain — with measurable biochemical correlates.
Divided Consciousness: Multiple Controls in Human Thought and Action
Hilgard, E.R. — John Wiley, New York
Foundational study finding hypnosis effective in reducing pain and discomfort in children with cancer undergoing repeated medical interventions.
Biochemical Correlates of Hypnoanalgesia in Arthritic Pain Patients
Domangue et al. — Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 46, 235–238
Significant reduction of pain and dysphoria found following hypnosis in 19 patients with musculoskeletal disorders, with measurable biochemical changes.
In a three-session clinical hypnotherapy programme, 81% of participants had stopped smoking by the end of treatment, with nearly 50% remaining smoke-free at the 12-month follow-up. A randomised controlled trial further found hypnotherapy outperforms nicotine replacement therapy.
Clinical Hypnosis for Smoking Cessation: Preliminary Results of a Three-Session Intervention
Elkins GR, Rajab MH — International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 52(1):73–81
81% cessation rate post-treatment; ~50% smoke-free at 12 months; 95% patient satisfaction.
Hypnotherapy is More Effective than Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Smoking Cessation: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Complementary Therapies in Medicine — ScienceDirect
View studyA 2022 review in Frontiers in Psychology found meaningful evidence that hypnosis can improve psychological quality, self-confidence, focus, energy restoration, and skill acquisition in athletes.
Patients trained with hypnosis before surgery have demonstrated significantly shorter hospital stays. Research shows hypnotic methods can reduce procedure-related anxiety, lower anaesthetic requirements, and support faster recovery.
Guided Imagery and Hypnosis: Effect on Acute Recovery from Head and Neck Cancer Surgery
Rapkin, Straubing, Singh & Holroyd — Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis Annual Meeting
Patients using hypnosis pre-surgery showed significantly shorter hospital stays and improved acute recovery outcomes.
Hypnosis in Surgical Anxiety and Recovery
Spiegel, D. — Harvard Mental Health Letter, September 1998, vol. 15, p. 5–6
Harvard report confirming the effectiveness of hypnotic methods for anxiety associated with medical and surgical procedures.
Studies have documented a link between hypnosis and changed responses to allergic stimuli, as well as reduced bronchial hyperreactivity. Hypnosis appears to bridge the mind-body relationship underlying allergic responses.
The Process
We discuss your goals, history, and what you hope to achieve. Together we map out a tailored approach — whether hypnotherapy, CBT, or a combination.
The first session focuses on reaching the hypnotic state. Some people achieve this naturally; for others it is a skill developed over time.
Once in a receptive state, suggestions aligned with your goals are delivered to your subconscious mind where lasting change happens.
We track progress, refine the approach, and ensure lasting change. Most feel deeply relaxed — or energised — after each session.
Hypnosis is a state of altered consciousness combining deep relaxation with heightened focus. You remain fully aware of everything being said — there are some similarities with the REM state, but you never lose consciousness or control.
No. Hypnotherapy works through partnership and trust. A client always retains the power to close themselves off. The goal is to reframe unwanted patterns — for example, turning the fear of public speaking into excitement — never to override your values or autonomy.
This varies depending on the condition and the individual. Some habits (like smoking) may shift in just a few sessions, while deeper emotional work can benefit from ongoing sessions over weeks or months. We will discuss an honest estimate during your first consultation.
Yes. There are specific methods to encourage hypnosis in people with ADHD, requiring an ability to follow instructions. Clients with ADHD can potentially benefit greatly from hypnotherapy with the right approach.
Most people feel deeply relaxed and at ease. Depending on what was suggested during the session — for energy or motivation work, for instance — some clients feel noticeably energised and clear-headed afterwards.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) works at the conscious level to identify and reshape unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours, while hypnotherapy reaches the subconscious. Together they offer a powerful, layered approach — particularly effective for anxiety, depression, food disorders, and habit change.
Client Stories
I had serious insomnia and could only sleep with medication. Thanks to Oliver, my anxiety and sleeplessness are behind me and I sleep soundly every night. I was skeptical before — today I'm a true believer.
I had no idea what I was getting into, but Oliver made it easy to relax and go with the flow. After the session, I could let myself still feel the pain of losing my grandmother — without panic or depression. I learned to contain and embrace my emotions.
After six months with Oliver — combining hypnosis and the ketogenic diet — I've lost 8kg and I'm in the best shape I've been in years. Losing 18kg at 50 felt like an impossible dream. Now it feels very real.
Contact
Have a question before booking, or simply want to know more about how hypnotherapy or CBT could help you? Send a message and Oliver will get back to you personally.
Thank you for reaching out. Oliver will be in touch within 24–48 hours.
Begin Your Journey
Sessions are available in person in Hong Kong, in both English and French. Take the first step toward the change you have been looking for.
Book Your SessionInsights & Articles
Explore evidence-based articles on hypnotherapy, mental wellness, and the mind-body connection — written to help you make informed decisions about your care.
Hypnotherapy is one of the most misunderstood therapeutic tools available today. This comprehensive guide separates fact from fiction — explaining how clinical hypnosis works, what to expect in a session in Hong Kong, and which conditions it is most effective for.
Read articleAnxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek hypnotherapy in Hong Kong. We explore what the clinical research says, how hypnosis targets the anxiety cycle, and what results you can realistically expect.
Read articleClinical hypnotherapy boasts one of the highest smoking cessation success rates of any intervention. Learn why your subconscious is the key to finally quitting — and why willpower alone is rarely enough.
Read articleSleeping pills mask the problem. Hypnotherapy addresses the anxious thought loops, hyperarousal, and conditioned wakefulness that drive chronic insomnia — without side effects or dependency.
Read articleOver 80% of IBS patients show significant improvement with gut-directed hypnotherapy. Discover how tapping into the gut-brain axis through clinical hypnosis can deliver lasting relief from abdominal pain and discomfort.
Read articleFrom pre-competition anxiety to precision focus and faster skill acquisition, sports hypnosis is the secret weapon of elite athletes worldwide. Here's how it can elevate your game too.
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