It depends on the goal of the work and the style of the hypnotherapist, but you’re usually not “required” to do anything between hypnotherapy sessions unless your practitioner has given you a specific plan.
What is often recommended between sessions
Many hypnotherapists may suggest one or more of these:
Listening to a recorded session or a tailored audio track
Practising self-hypnosis for a few minutes a day
Using cue words or anchors agreed on in the session
Keeping a journal of triggers, thoughts, feelings, dreams, or changes
Doing agreed behaviour changes, such as sleep routines, relaxation practice, or exposure exercises
Noticing automatic patterns without trying to force them away
Why this can help
Hypnotherapy often works best when the sessions are supported by what happens in daily life. Between-session work can help:
strengthen new responses
make changes feel more familiar
give you useful feedback for the next session
speed up progress on habits, anxiety, sleep, confidence, and similar goals
When you may not need homework
For some people, especially if the goal is simple or the person is very busy, the therapist may keep things session-based only. If the work is more exploratory or insight-focused, there may be little or no between-session task.
Best question to ask your therapist
A good, direct question is:
“Do you want me to do anything between sessions, and if so, what exactly should I practice?”
That lets you know:
whether homework is expected
how long to do it
how often to do it
what to do if it feels difficult
Important point
If you were given a task that feels overwhelming, confusing, or upsetting, tell your hypnotherapist. The plan can usually be adjusted.
Sources
[^1]: American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. General information on hypnotherapy and clinical use.
[^2]: Cleveland Clinic. Hypnotherapy overview and what to expect.
[^3]: NHS. Hypnotherapy overview and practical use in treatment contexts.