The Shocking Benefits of Hypnosis: Erase Anxiety, Reduce Stress & Heal Trauma | Dr. David Spiegel

Sep 22, 2025

Dr. David Spiegel is an Associate Chair of Psychiatry at Stanford and a leading expert in hypnosis. He reveals how hypnosis can drastically reduce anxiety in just minutes and help rewire our brain’s response to stress. Listeners learn that hypnosis is often misunderstood, yet it can effectively manage pain and replace harmful habits. Dr. Spiegel also shares practical self-hypnosis techniques, discusses the importance of breathwork, and introduces his Reverie app to expand access to these life-changing tools.

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INSIGHT

Start From The Body To Solve Anxiety

Anxiety is driven by bodily reactions that amplify negative thoughts.
Calming the body first lets the mind solve the underlying problem more effectively.

ADVICE

Use Focused Attention To Rehearse Change

Use highly focused attention to dissociate from distracting sensations and rehearse new responses.
Practice suspending normal assumptions to try out being different and reduce stuck patterns.

ADVICE

A Simple Self-Hypnosis Routine

Learn a short hypnotic routine (count and breathe) to enter calm quickly.
Signal readiness with a simple cue like letting a hand float to focus attention.

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Dr. David Spiegel is the Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, Director of the Center on Stress and Health, and Medical Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine. He is one of the world’s leading experts on the clinical use of hypnosis and how it can be used to manage stress, anxiety, and overall wellbeing.

Today on the show we discuss: why most people stay trapped in anxiety and bad habits, the truth about what hypnosis really is and why it’s often misunderstood, how hypnosis can quickly calm your body and rewire your brain’s alarm system, the shocking science showing hypnosis can reduce anxiety in minutes, practical tools you can use daily to erase stress and build confidence, how hypnosis helps heal trauma and break phobias, and much more.

Want to be coached by me? I’ve got a few 1:1 spots open where I’ll help you break bad habits, build healthier routines, and transform your life. Click here to book your intro call: https://calendly.com/dougbopst/30-min-call/

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