Hypnotherapy: Hypnosis is becoming a vital part of the hospitality industry

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• July 3, 2023

Insight highlights

Amid heightened interest in wellness and mental health programs, the hospitality industry, particularly luxury hotels, is incorporating hypnotherapy into their service offerings. Defined as a state of focused attention facilitating increased responsiveness to suggestions, hypnotherapy is effective in treating specific phobias and anxiety. Notably, the Four Seasons New York Downtown Spa introduced the Resident Healer Program, providing hypnotherapy sessions to alleviate anxiety and phobias. The growth of self-hypnosis apps, such as UpNow, also signifies the rising demand for these wellness services.

Hypnotherapy context

Because of the increasing interest in wellness and mental health programs (due in part to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic), some brands in the hospitality industry have been incorporating these programs into their service offerings. In particular, luxury hotels aim to provide these programs to eager customers, from microdose recreational drug retreats to crystals to hypnosis.

The International Journal of Spa and Wellness defines hypnosis as a state of focused attention with reduced peripheral awareness, allowing increased responsiveness to suggestions. The technique is often used in treating medical or psychological disorders. Clients who undergo hypnotherapy can learn how to use their minds to control their bodies, all while remaining conscious and aware.

The hypnotherapy process begins with the certified hypnotherapist encouraging the client to discuss their phobia or disorder history. The hypnotherapist then describes what the session will entail; a safe place is established where the client can recall past events that led to the phobia (regression). Finally, resolution occurs when the therapist helps resolve the distress that these memories cause.

Compared to many other treatments, hypnotherapy has been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety symptoms related to specific phobias, according to the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. Unlike exposure therapy, which heightens anxiety symptoms to reduce them eventually, hypnotherapy works by quickly decreasing anxiety levels. The process accomplishes this by separating the physical sensations of anxiety from the psychological experience to help induce physical comfort.

Disruptive impact

In 2018, the Four Seasons New York Downtown Spa launched its Resident Healer Program to offer visitors access to some of the world's most well-known practitioners. Previous residents include sonic alchemist Michelle Pirret and crystal healer Rashia Bell. In 2020, Nicole Hernandez, better known as the Traveling Hypnotist, joined the healer team, offering unique hypnotic journeys to relieve anxiety and overcome phobias and fears. 

In 2021, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong began offering hypnotherapy workshops to help guests relax and improve their eating habits. The hotel also provided a bespoke service of tailored hypnotherapy sessions. 

And, in 2021, the Belmond Cadogan Hotel in London introduced a complimentary sleep concierge service in partnership with hypnotherapist Malminder Gill. Guests enjoyed a meditative recording by Gill designed to help them sleep and a motivational recording to start their mornings. The hotel offered one-to-one consultations and focused hypnotherapy sessions to clients who wanted additional assistance.

Hypnosis apps are also becoming popular. In 2020, the self-hypnosis app UpNow was launched by Harvard MBA graduate and certified hypnotherapist Christine Deschemin. She said that the app aims to help with stress and anxiety levels, which were already increasing before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Implications of hypnotherapy 

Wider implications of hypnotherapy may include: 

• Increased partnerships between luxury resorts and hotels and certified hypnotherapists to create customized programs for visitors. 
• More self-hypnosis apps designed to offer affordable and accessible mental healthcare.
• More people undergoing hypnotherapy training or certification programs as the industry becomes increasingly lucrative and in demand.
• High-end wellness programs becoming a staple in the luxury vacation industry, driving post-pandemic growth in the hospitality sector.
• Mental health professionals raising concerns about using hypnosis to address mental health disorders without other supporting therapies or medicines.

Questions to comment on

• What may be other applications of hypnotherapy outside of the luxury industry?
• How else do you think the luxury wellness industry is going to evolve?