Have you ever wondered whether hypnotherapy could change your personality, or whether it simply helps you bring out qualities that are already part of who you are?
It's an interesting question, particularly if you're considering hypnotherapy to become more confident, overcome unwanted habits, feel less anxious, or make positive changes in your life.
Perhaps you would like to become more outgoing, less self-conscious, more positive, or comfortable expressing your opinions. At the same time, you may not want to lose the qualities that make you uniquely you.
The reassuring thing is that hypnotherapy isn't about turning you into somebody else. It is generally used to help people explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and work toward changes that are personally meaningful to them.
But does it simply bring out more of what is already there, or can it actually change aspects of your personality?
The answer is a little more interesting than either possibility on its own.
Does hypnotherapy change your personality?
Hypnotherapy is not generally intended to change your fundamental identity or replace your personality with a different one.
Instead, it is commonly used to help people work on particular thoughts, emotional responses, habits, and behaviors that they would like to change.
For example, someone who describes themselves as shy might want to feel more comfortable speaking in social situations. Someone who considers themselves a worrier might want to approach everyday challenges with greater calmness.
In these situations, the goal isn't necessarily to become a completely different person. It is to change how you respond to certain circumstances.
However, it would be too simplistic to say that hypnotherapy only makes you more of what you already are.
Personality is not entirely fixed. Research in personality psychology shows that personality traits can change over time, and psychological interventions can sometimes contribute to meaningful changes in those traits.¹
Hypnotherapy may therefore form part of a process through which someone develops new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
The important distinction is that therapeutic change should be guided by your own goals and preferences, rather than an attempt to impose somebody else's idea of who you should be.
What does hypnosis actually do?
Hypnosis is a state or process involving focused attention, reduced awareness of some surrounding distractions, and an increased responsiveness to suggestions.
During hypnotherapy, a practitioner may use relaxation, guided imagery, focused attention, and therapeutic suggestions to help you explore a particular issue.
For example, if you want to become more confident, suggestions might encourage you to imagine yourself handling challenging situations calmly and expressing yourself more comfortably.
If you want to become less reactive when something goes wrong, the session might focus on developing a more measured response.
These techniques are intended to support changes in how you think about situations and how you respond to them.
Importantly, hypnosis does not give a practitioner automatic control over your personality, beliefs, or decisions.
You remain an individual with your own preferences, experiences, values, and ability to make choices.
Does hypnotherapy bring out qualities that are already inside you?
This is one way of understanding the potential benefits of hypnotherapy.
Many people have positive qualities that they don't always feel able to express.
For example:
Someone who is naturally thoughtful may struggle to express their opinions.
Someone who is capable and knowledgeable may lack confidence in their abilities.
Someone who enjoys meeting people may feel too self-conscious to initiate conversations.
Someone who is generally patient may become easily frustrated under pressure.
Someone who is creative may hesitate to share their ideas because they fear criticism.
In situations like these, hypnotherapy may help people address the thoughts, feelings, and habits that get in the way of expressing themselves.
The aim might be to feel more comfortable using qualities they already recognize in themselves.
However, it is important not to assume that every desired quality is already fully developed or simply waiting to emerge.
People can also learn new behaviors, develop unfamiliar skills, and cultivate qualities they previously found difficult to express.
For this reason, hypnotherapy may be better understood as a potential aid to personal development rather than simply a way of uncovering a hidden version of yourself.
Can hypnotherapy help you become more confident without changing who you are?
Yes, this is a good example of how hypnotherapy can be used to work toward a personal change without abandoning your existing personality.
Confidence isn't necessarily a personality trait that you either have or don't have. It can vary depending on the situation, your experiences, and how you feel about yourself.
You might be confident at work but uncomfortable in social situations. You might be happy expressing your opinions with friends but feel nervous speaking in front of a group.
Hypnotherapy could help you explore some of the feelings and beliefs contributing to these differences.
For example, suggestions might focus on:
Feeling more comfortable expressing your opinions.
Being less concerned about other people's judgments.
Recognizing your own abilities and achievements.
Feeling more relaxed when meeting new people.
Trusting yourself when making decisions.
Being comfortable saying no when necessary.
The aim is not to make you loud, outspoken, or extroverted if those qualities don't appeal to you.
You can become more confident while remaining quiet, thoughtful, reserved, or naturally introverted.
In other words, confidence doesn't have to mean becoming somebody else.
Can hypnotherapy change negative personality traits?
People sometimes describe themselves using labels that make positive change seem difficult.
For example:
"I'm naturally pessimistic."
"I'm an impatient person."
"I'm too sensitive."
"I'm always worrying."
"I'm not very sociable."
"I'm a procrastinator."
"I'm just not confident."
Although these descriptions may reflect genuine experiences, they don't necessarily represent permanent or unchangeable characteristics.
Hypnotherapy may help you examine the thoughts, emotional responses, and habits associated with these patterns.
For example, if you tend to react impatiently when things don't go according to plan, you might work toward developing a calmer response.
If you regularly expect the worst, you might explore ways of responding to uncertainty without immediately assuming something negative will happen.
It is important to distinguish between personality traits and individual behaviors, though. Being impatient in certain situations doesn't necessarily mean impatience defines your entire personality.
Similarly, experiencing anxiety doesn't mean you are fundamentally an anxious person.
You may be able to change how you respond to particular situations without needing to change everything about yourself.
Can hypnotherapy make you more outgoing or sociable?
It may help some people become more comfortable in social situations, particularly when shyness or self-consciousness is getting in the way.
However, being outgoing and being socially confident are not the same thing.
An introverted person can be perfectly comfortable meeting new people, speaking in groups, and making conversation. They may simply prefer quieter environments and need time alone to recharge.
Likewise, someone who is naturally outgoing may occasionally experience social anxiety or feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar situations.
If you would like to become more sociable, hypnotherapy might focus on reducing the feelings that make social interactions difficult.
You could work toward:
Starting conversations more comfortably.
Feeling less self-conscious around unfamiliar people.
Expressing yourself without excessive worry.
Participating more confidently in group discussions.
Enjoying social occasions without feeling under pressure.
Being more comfortable with silence and natural pauses.
You don't need to become the most outgoing person in the room.
The goal can simply be to feel more comfortable being yourself around other people.
Can hypnotherapy make you more positive?
Hypnotherapy may be used to work on pessimistic thinking, negative expectations, and unhelpful patterns of self-talk.
For example, imagine that you regularly approach new opportunities by thinking about everything that could go wrong.
You might avoid trying something because you're worried about making a mistake or not being good enough.
A hypnotherapy session could incorporate suggestions encouraging you to approach unfamiliar situations with greater openness and confidence.
You might work toward:
Recognizing opportunities rather than focusing exclusively on risks.
Being less critical of yourself.
Responding more constructively to setbacks.
Feeling more hopeful about future possibilities.
Recognizing what is going well in your life.
Developing a more balanced perspective.
However, becoming more positive doesn't mean ignoring genuine problems or forcing yourself to feel happy all the time.
A healthy approach to personal development involves being able to acknowledge difficult emotions while developing more helpful ways of responding to them.
You can become more optimistic without losing your ability to think critically or recognize when something needs to change.
Can hypnotherapy help you become a different version of yourself?
This is perhaps the most useful way to think about the relationship between hypnotherapy and personal development.
You don't necessarily need to become a completely different person to enjoy a different experience of life.
Sometimes, what you really want is to become a version of yourself who:
Feels more comfortable expressing opinions.
Is less affected by unnecessary worry.
Finds it easier to make decisions.
Is more willing to try new experiences.
Handles difficult situations more calmly.
Feels more comfortable setting boundaries.
Has greater confidence in personal abilities.
Is less restricted by old habits.
These changes may influence how you behave and how other people experience you.
Over time, repeated changes in behavior can also contribute to changes in broader personality characteristics.
Research has found that personality traits can change through psychological interventions. A major meta-analysis by Roberts and colleagues examined 207 studies and found that interventions were associated with measurable changes in personality trait scores. The findings were not specific to hypnotherapy, so they should not be interpreted as proof that hypnosis produces the same effects.¹
Nevertheless, they demonstrate that personality is not necessarily as fixed as people sometimes imagine.
Does hypnosis make you behave in ways that aren't natural to you?
No, hypnosis should not be thought of as a process that automatically makes you behave in ways that conflict with your values or personality.
A hypnotherapy session generally involves suggestions related to goals that you and your practitioner have discussed.
For example, if you want to become more assertive, the suggestions might encourage you to express your needs more comfortably.
That doesn't mean you must become confrontational or aggressive.
If you want to become more relaxed, the aim isn't to make you indifferent to everything around you.
If you want to become more confident, the aim isn't to make you arrogant.
The distinction is important because positive change should be consistent with the kind of person you want to be.
You can develop greater assertiveness while remaining considerate, greater confidence while remaining humble, and greater independence while continuing to value other people.
Can hypnotherapy change your values and beliefs?
Hypnotherapy may help you examine beliefs and assumptions that influence your behavior.
For example, you might have developed a belief that you aren't good enough, that other people are always judging you, or that making mistakes is unacceptable.
These beliefs can influence how you approach everyday situations.
Therapeutic work may help you question whether particular beliefs are accurate, useful, or consistent with your current values.
However, this is different from having your values replaced by somebody else's.
Your personal beliefs and values are important parts of your identity. A responsible practitioner should respect them and work collaboratively with you.
You should feel comfortable discussing what you want to change, what you want to preserve, and what matters most to you.
Hypnotherapy is not a process of surrendering your individuality.
Can hypnotherapy change your behavior even if your personality stays the same?
Absolutely. In fact, this is an important distinction.
Personality describes relatively enduring patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Individual behaviors, however, can change considerably depending on circumstances, experience, and personal decisions.
For example, you might consider yourself naturally shy but decide to start initiating conversations.
You might think of yourself as disorganized but develop a reliable system for managing your responsibilities.
You might describe yourself as impatient but learn to pause before reacting when something frustrates you.
In each example, you are changing what you do, even if you continue to identify with aspects of your existing personality.
Hypnotherapy may be used to support this kind of behavioral development through suggestions, mental rehearsal, and work on emotional responses.
It is also worth recognizing that repeatedly practicing new behaviors may gradually influence how you see yourself.
You might initially think, "I'm not someone who speaks up," but after doing so successfully on several occasions, that description may become less accurate.
The way you see yourself can evolve as your experiences change.
Can hypnotherapy help you overcome old habits without losing your identity?
Yes. This is another situation in which hypnotherapy may be considered.
Some habits become so familiar that people start treating them as permanent parts of their personality.
For example, someone might say:
"I'm just a procrastinator."
"I'm always late."
"I can't stop worrying."
"I'm terrible at making decisions."
"I always avoid difficult conversations."
But a habit is not the same as an identity.
You can work on changing an established pattern without needing to reject who you are.
Hypnotherapy may help you focus on the thoughts, feelings, and circumstances associated with unwanted habits.
Suggestions might encourage you to pause before following an automatic pattern, consider alternative responses, and practice behaviors that better support your goals.
The process may also involve practical strategies outside the session.
For example, someone who wants to stop procrastinating might benefit from breaking tasks into smaller steps and establishing a consistent starting routine.
The objective is to develop more useful habits, not to erase your personality.
Will you still feel like yourself after hypnotherapy?
In general, hypnotherapy is intended to help you work toward changes while remaining yourself.
You should not expect to wake up after a session with an entirely different personality, a completely new set of values, or no connection to your previous experiences.
Some people notice changes in particular behaviors or emotional responses. Others find that their perspective develops gradually as they practice new approaches.
For example, you might notice that you are less worried about speaking up, more willing to try something unfamiliar, or more comfortable handling situations that previously caused anxiety.
You may feel different in those circumstances, but that doesn't mean you've become a different person.
In fact, you might simply feel more comfortable expressing parts of yourself that previously felt difficult to access.
It is also important to remember that individual experiences vary. Hypnotherapy does not guarantee a particular personality change, and there is limited direct research examining whether it changes broad personality traits.
Can you choose which parts of your personality you want to change?
You can certainly identify the qualities, behaviors, and emotional responses you would like to work on.
A useful starting point is to think about what you want your everyday life to look and feel like.
For example, perhaps you want to:
Become more confident but remain considerate.
Become more assertive without being aggressive.
Become more optimistic without losing your realism.
Become more relaxed without becoming irresponsible.
Become more sociable without losing your preference for quiet time.
Become more adventurous without abandoning sensible judgment.
Become more independent while maintaining close relationships.
These distinctions can help make your goals clearer.
Rather than simply saying, "I want to change my personality," you can identify the specific experiences and behaviors you want to develop.
This also gives your hypnotherapist a clearer understanding of what you're hoping to achieve.
What if you don't want to change your personality at all?
That's perfectly reasonable.
You don't need to change your personality to benefit from personal development, and you certainly don't need hypnotherapy simply because you feel you should become a different person.
You may be happy with your natural temperament, values, and general outlook but want help with one particular issue.
For example, you might enjoy being introverted but want to feel less anxious when meeting new people.
You might be naturally sensitive but want to become less affected by criticism.
You might be a cautious person but want to feel more comfortable making decisions.
These are specific goals that don't require you to abandon your personality.
A good starting point is to identify what you genuinely want to change and what you are already happy with.
The purpose of therapy should be to support your well-being and personal goals, not to convince you that your existing personality is somehow inadequate.
How can you make sure hypnotherapy supports the person you want to become?
Choosing the right goals and working with a suitably qualified practitioner are important parts of the process.
Before starting, consider the following:
Be clear about your reasons for change.
Think about what you want to experience differently. Are you hoping to feel more confident, become less anxious, improve your relationships, or develop healthier habits?
Identify what you want to preserve.
Consider the qualities you value about yourself. Perhaps you appreciate your sensitivity, thoughtfulness, independence, sense of humor, or ability to listen.
Discuss your expectations.
Explain to your practitioner what you hope to achieve and ask how they intend to approach your goals.
Choose realistic objectives.
Rather than expecting an entirely new personality, focus on achievable changes in particular situations and behaviors.
Remain involved in the process.
Hypnotherapy should be collaborative. You should be able to discuss your experiences, ask questions, and raise concerns.
Look for appropriate professional qualifications.
Choose a practitioner with relevant training and experience. If you have significant psychological difficulties, consider working with a licensed mental health professional who is appropriately trained in clinical hypnosis.
You should never feel pressured to change something about yourself that you don't want to change.
Final thoughts
So, does hypnotherapy change who you are, or does it simply make you more of what you already are?
The answer is that it can potentially do a little of both, although the distinction is important.
Hypnotherapy may help you bring out qualities you already possess by reducing the emotional barriers, limiting beliefs, and unhelpful habits that make them difficult to express.
It may also support the development of new behaviors and ways of responding to situations. With continued practice, these changes may influence aspects of your personality over time.
But you don't have to become somebody else to make meaningful improvements in your life.
You can become more confident while remaining humble, more assertive while remaining kind, and more adventurous while retaining your sensible nature.
Ultimately, the goal should be to help you become more comfortable, capable, and fulfilled as the person you want to be.
You don't need to lose yourself to discover what you're capable of becoming.
Notes
1. Brent W. Roberts, Jing Luo, Daniel A. Briley, Philip I. Chow, Rong Su, and Patrick L. Hill, “A Systematic Review of Personality Trait Change through Intervention,” Psychological Bulletin 143, no. 2 (2017): 117–41.
2. Gary R. Elkins, Arreed F. Barabasz, James R. Council, and David Spiegel, “Advancing Research and Practice: The Revised APA Division 30 Definition of Hypnosis,” International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis 63, no. 1 (2015): 1–9.