Clinical Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy Melbourne & Online
Reviewed for accuracy by Adam Szmerling on Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AASW) and PACFA Registered Clinical Psychotherapist
Stuck with a habit, fear or worry that won’t shift? Our six clinical hypnotherapists each work in their own way, so you can choose the one who suits you. You stay aware and in control throughout.
- In Highett or online: 50-minute sessions, three minutes’ walk from Highett station.
- Evenings and Saturdays: available with some of our hypnotherapists.
- $170 per session: no Medicare rebate. See health fund options below.
Prefer to talk first? Call reception on (03) 9557 9113, weekdays 8:30am to 5:30pm.
On this page: Who to see · Who it may suit · Quick check · What happens in a session · Fees and rebates · Location · When we can’t help · FAQs
What is clinical hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy uses guided focus and relaxation to help you work on a habit, a fear or a pattern of thinking. You stay awake and aware, and you can talk, move or stop at any time. As the Better Health Channel puts it, you can’t be hypnotised into doing things against your will.
Your hypnotherapist helps you settle into a calm, focused state, then uses suggestion, imagery and conversation to rehearse new responses to old triggers. It has nothing to do with stage shows or swinging fob watches.
Watch: what hypnotherapy is and how it works
Carolina Rosa, one of our clinical hypnotherapists, explains what hypnotherapy is and how it works. The video runs for about two and a half minutes.
Carolina sees people in Highett and online. Read Carolina’s profile
Which hypnotherapist is right for you?
Our hypnotherapists come from different training backgrounds and bring other approaches alongside hypnosis, from CBT and ACT to NLP and parts work. Sara Herring is Vice President of the Australian Association of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy and trains other hypnotherapists. Three see people in Highett as well as online, and three work online only. The table below sets out who does what.
Fit matters too. A 2018 review of 295 psychotherapy studies, covering more than 30,000 people, found that a stronger relationship between client and therapist was consistently linked with better outcomes. Not sure who to choose? Our Find Your Hypnotherapist quiz takes under a minute.
Swipe to see all six hypnotherapists →
Carolina Rosa
Counsellor & Hypnotherapist
- $170 per 50-min hypnotherapy session
Bernadette Cameron
Hypnotherapist, Counsellor, NLP Master Practitioner
- $170 per 50-min hypnotherapy session
Sara Herring
Clinical Hypnotherapist & Counsellor
- $170 per 50-min hypnotherapy session
Humaira Ansari
Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner, Psychotherapist and Counsellor
- $170 per 50-min hypnotherapy session
Lawrence Akers
Hypnotherapist & Counsellor
- $170 per 50-min hypnotherapy session
Kelli Tranter
Hypnotherapist & Counsellor
- $170 per 50-min hypnotherapy session
Compare our hypnotherapists at a glance
Swipe sideways to see every hypnotherapist →
| Carolina Rosa | Bernadette Cameron | Sara Herring | Humaira Ansari | Lawrence Akers | Kelli Tranter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifications and memberships | Diploma of Counselling. Certificate IV in Hypnotherapy (Academy of Hypnotic Science). Certificate in Clinical Hypnosis (London College of Clinical Hypnosis Asia). Member of the AACHP. | Certificate IV in Clinical Hypnotherapy. Resource Therapy Certification. NLP Master Practitioner. Member of the AACHP and the Neuro Linguistic Programming Association of Australia. | Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Diploma of Counselling (government accredited). Certificate in Clinical Supervision. Vice President of the AACHP. Accredited hypnotherapist and former Secretary, Hypnotherapy Council of Australia. | Master Hypnotherapist. Diploma in Hypnotherapy. Diploma in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Certificate in Counselling. Clinical Member of the AHA. | Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy (Academy of Hypnotic Science). Diploma of Counselling. NLP Practitioner. Training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Member of the GoAH. | BA (Honours) in Psychology. Certificate IV in Clinical Hypnotherapy. Member of the AACHP and the Hypnotherapy Council of Australia. |
| Experience | 10+ years | 5+ years | 20+ years | 16 years | 10 years | 10+ years |
| Main approaches | Hypnotherapy, CBT, ACT, solution-focused therapy, NLP, parts therapy | Hypnotherapy, Resource (Parts) Therapy, NLP, Compassionate Inquiry, mindfulness | Clinical hypnotherapy, counselling, NLP, Resource Therapy, mindfulness | Hypnotherapy, NLP, trauma-informed counselling, parts therapy | Hypnotherapy, ACT, CBT, solution-focused therapy, NLP, mindfulness | Hypnotherapy, mindfulness, parts work, somatic and creative techniques |
| In hypnotherapy sessions | Works on the beliefs and patterns behind anxiety, fears and habits, with practical tools to use afterwards | Quiets the busy, critical mind so you can work on long-held beliefs, fears and stress | Looks beneath the habit or feeling for what keeps it going, using hypnotherapy with counselling | Gently untangles repeating fears, habits and reactions, blending hypnotherapy, NLP and counselling | Treats hypnosis as a skill you can build, and looks at what drives a habit or compulsion | Lets you lead: you agree the approach together, using hypnotherapy’s imaginative techniques |
| May suit people who | Want practical help with anxiety, phobias, teeth grinding or nail biting | Feel stress, fear or old hurts are behind the problem, and like a calm pace | Want an experienced hypnotherapist and are happy to work online | Feel stuck in patterns they can’t explain and need flexible online times | Want help with habits, addictive behaviours, anxiety or performance nerves | Want a gentle, person-centred approach to anxiety, compulsive or eating behaviours |
| Format | In Highett and online | In Highett and online | Online only | Online only | In Highett and online | Online only |
| Fee | $170 per 50 minutes | $170 per 50 minutes | $170 per 50 minutes | $170 per 50 minutes | $170 per 50 minutes | $170 per 50 minutes |
AACHP: Australian Association of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy. AHA: Australian Hypnotherapists Association. GoAH: Guild of Australian Hypnotherapists. Full training details are on each therapist’s profile.
Who might hypnotherapy suit?
Hypnotherapy may suit you if a habit, fear or reaction seems to have a life of its own: you know what you want to change, and trying harder hasn’t worked. It can also suit people who like working with imagery and focus as well as talking.
Your own motivation matters, because hypnosis can’t make anyone change something they don’t want to change. If another approach would suit you better, such as counselling or psychotherapy, we’ll say so and help you find it.
Could hypnotherapy suit you? A one-minute check
Five quick questions to help you think about whether hypnotherapy fits what you’re looking for.
Question 1 of 5
- Is there a specific habit, fear or pattern you’d like to change?
- Do you want to make this change for yourself?
- Are you comfortable with guided relaxation and imagery as well as talking?
- Are you ready to give it a few sessions and review how it’s going?
- Do any of these apply to you right now: psychosis, severe depression, a drug or alcohol problem, or chronic pain a doctor hasn’t looked into?
Your result
Hypnotherapy may suit what you’re looking for. You have something specific in mind and you’re open to the way hypnotherapy works. Your first session starts with an assessment, so your hypnotherapist can check it fits before any hypnosis.
Connect with a hypnotherapistHypnotherapy could be worth exploring. Some of your answers were mixed, which is common. You can ask questions in your first session, or call reception on (03) 9557 9113 to talk it through first.
Connect with a hypnotherapistAnother approach may suit you better. Hypnotherapy tends to suit people who have something specific they want to change and are comfortable with focus and imagery. If you’d like to talk things through, or understand a pattern in more depth, counselling or psychotherapy may fit better.
Worth a quick chat first. Your hypnotherapist checks for these in your first session, before any hypnosis. If you’d like to talk it through beforehand, call reception on (03) 9557 9113, weekdays 8:30am to 5:30pm, or check with your GP.
Talk with your GP first. The Better Health Channel advises avoiding hypnosis with psychosis, severe depression, a drug or alcohol problem, or chronic pain a doctor hasn’t looked into. Your GP can help you find the right support, and you’re welcome to call reception on (03) 9557 9113 to talk about other options.
A quick guide to help you think it through. It isn’t a clinical test, and your answers aren’t saved or sent anywhere.
If you’re in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000.
What people see our hypnotherapists for
These are the concerns our hypnotherapists see most often. Each link opens our page on that concern.
- Anxiety and stress: anxiety, panic attacks, stress, social anxiety, blushing
- Fears and phobias: phobias, fear of flying, fear of needles, dental fear, fear of vomiting (emetophobia), claustrophobia, fear of heights, public speaking
- Habits: quitting smoking and vaping, nail biting, hair pulling, teeth grinding
- Eating: binge eating, emotional eating, weight
- Addictive and compulsive behaviour: gambling, porn addiction, compulsive lying, binge drinking
- Sleep and the body: insomnia, pain management, IBS, shy bladder
- Sexual concerns: premature ejaculation
- Relationships: retroactive jealousy
What people often say in a first hypnotherapy session
- “I’ve tried to stop so many times. Part of me keeps doing it anyway.”
- “I know the fear doesn’t make sense. My body reacts before I can think.”
- “Will I know what’s happening? I don’t want to lose control.”
- “My GP suggested hypnotherapy, and I’m not sure what to expect.”
A composite of things people often say to us, with details changed. It isn’t a quote from any one client.
What happens in a hypnotherapy session?
- Book or ask: book a session in Highett or online, call reception, or use our therapist finder. Kelli Tranter talks with you by phone or email before your first booking.
- Assessment first: in your first session, your hypnotherapist asks what brings you in, about your health and what you’ve tried before, and checks that hypnotherapy suits you before any hypnosis.
- Hypnosis: you settle into a comfortable chair while your hypnotherapist guides you into a relaxed, focused state and works on what you agreed. You can speak, move or stop at any point.
- Review as you go: you and your hypnotherapist check what’s changing and adjust the plan.
If you’ve tried hypnotherapy before and it didn’t help, tell us what happened. Knowing what didn’t work helps us plan what to do differently. Some of our hypnotherapists use a conversational, permissive style often called Ericksonian, which builds suggestions from your own words and goals.
Online sessions run by secure video, for the same 50 minutes and fee. You’ll need a private room, a chair you can relax in and a steady internet connection.
How long does hypnotherapy take?
That depends on what you’re working on. With our hypnotherapists, most work runs for around 6 to 20 sessions, and quitting smoking often takes fewer. Nobody can promise a set number at the start, so progress is reviewed with you along the way.
See a session on Channel 7
In this segment from Channel 7’s The House of Wellness, our hypnotherapist Carolina Rosa explains the difference between a fear and a phobia, then works with a guest on his fear of spiders.
While this case study illustrates one individual’s experience, it is important to note that therapeutic outcomes vary, and individual progress depends on the nature of the phobia and the client’s engagement with the process.
What does the research say about hypnotherapy?
A 2024 review of 49 meta-analyses found the strongest evidence for hypnosis with pain and for people having medical procedures. Evidence for other problems was thinner, and effects varied widely between studies.
For quitting smoking, a Cochrane review found too few good trials to say whether hypnotherapy works better than other quit support. If there is a benefit, it’s likely to be small.
Studies report averages. What happens for you depends on what you bring, how you respond to hypnosis and how well you work with your hypnotherapist.
Related reading
How much does hypnotherapy cost?
$170 per 50-minute session with any of our hypnotherapists, in Highett or online. You pay when you book, and no referral is needed.
- Medicare: there is no Medicare rebate for hypnotherapy. Better Access rebates only cover sessions with eligible GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists. To use a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you can see our clinical psychologist ($250 a session) or our accredited mental health social worker ($200 a session). Neither provides hypnotherapy.
- Private health insurance: some funds rebate sessions with hypnotherapists who belong to the Australian Hypnotherapists Association (AHA) or the Guild of Australian Hypnotherapists (GoAH). On our team, that’s Humaira Ansari (AHA) and Lawrence Akers (GoAH). Cover varies, so check with your fund before you book.
- NDIS: some of our therapists see self-managed and plan-managed participants, case by case. We are not a registered NDIS provider.
- Bookings and cancellations: see our booking terms.
- Between sessions: our self-hypnosis recordings are a low-cost way to keep practising.
How do I choose a hypnotherapist?
Hypnotherapy isn’t regulated in Australia, so anyone can call themselves a hypnotherapist. Check a practitioner’s training, professional memberships and experience before you book. Warning signs include:
- Outcome guarantees, especially without an initial assessment.
- Inadequate qualifications beyond hypnosis.
- Massively inflated fees.
- A hypnotic trance induction before a thorough assessment and treatment plan.
How we measure up: we don’t promise outcomes. Each hypnotherapist’s training and memberships are listed above and on their profile. Every session is $170, with no packages. And your first session begins with an assessment before any hypnosis.
Where do we see clients?
- In clinic: 8/539 Highett Road, Highett VIC 3190. It’s about 18km from the Melbourne CBD and three minutes’ walk from Highett station, with free parking. Handy for Cheltenham, Sandringham, Hampton, Brighton, Bentleigh and Moorabbin.
- Online: secure video, wherever in Australia you have privacy and a steady connection.
- Session times: Monday 8:00am to 8:00pm, Tuesday to Friday 8:30am to 8:00pm, Saturday 8:00am to 6:00pm. Each hypnotherapist keeps their own hours.
- Reception: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm.
- Access: the clinic has no wheelchair-accessible toilet, accessible parking or hearing loop. Online sessions may be easier. Call us to talk it through.
Our Highett clinic
8/539 Highett Road
Highett VIC 3190
Suite 8 is the glass door shown here.
Who we cannot help, and where to go instead
Hypnotherapy isn’t right for everyone, and part of our job is to tell you when. Some situations call for a different kind of help first.
Hypnotherapy may not suit you if you have:
- Psychosis, such as hearing or seeing things other people don’t.
- Severe depression.
- Pain that hasn’t been checked by a doctor. Please see your GP first.
- Heavy or dependent alcohol or drug use. Medical support may need to come first.
The Better Health Channel advises avoiding hypnosis with psychosis, severe depression, a drug or alcohol problem, or chronic pain a doctor hasn’t looked into. Your hypnotherapist checks for these in your first session. If one applies to you, we’ll talk about another approach, a referral or working alongside your GP.
Where to go instead
- Immediate danger: police or ambulance, 000.
- Distress or thoughts of suicide, 24/7: Lifeline, 13 11 14, or the Suicide Call Back Service, 1300 659 467.
- Alcohol and drugs in Victoria, 24/7: DirectLine, 1800 888 236.
- Gambling, 24/7: Gambler’s Help, 1800 858 858.
- Eating disorders: Butterfly National Helpline, 1800 33 4673.
- Quitting smoking or vaping: Quitline, 13 7848.
- Health advice in Victoria, 24/7: NURSE-ON-CALL, 1300 60 60 24.
- Young people aged 5 to 25, 24/7: Kids Helpline, 1800 55 1800.
We are not a crisis service. If you’re unsure whether we’re the right fit, call reception on (03) 9557 9113 and we’ll point you somewhere that is.
Hypnotherapy questions, answered
Will I be in control during hypnosis?
Yes. You stay awake and aware, and you can talk, move or stop whenever you like. The Better Health Channel notes that you can’t be hypnotised into doing things against your will, and Mayo Clinic says most people remember what happens during a session.
Can hypnotherapy help with stress and anxiety?
Stress and anxiety are among the most common reasons people see our hypnotherapists, and the Better Health Channel lists both among the problems hypnosis is used for. In sessions, your hypnotherapist may help you practise settling your body, notice the thoughts that start the worry, and rehearse calmer responses to situations you dread. How much it helps varies from person to person, so your first session starts with an assessment and progress is reviewed as you go.
If your anxiety is severe, or you’re also feeling very low, we’ll talk with you about other options, such as seeing your GP or a psychologist, either alongside hypnotherapy or instead of it. You can read more on our anxiety and stress pages.
Is hypnotherapy covered by Medicare?
No. Medicare doesn’t rebate hypnotherapy. Some private health funds rebate sessions with members of the Australian Hypnotherapists Association or the Guild of Australian Hypnotherapists, which on our team means Humaira Ansari and Lawrence Akers. Check with your fund before you book.
How much does hypnotherapy cost in Melbourne?
Each of our hypnotherapists charges $170 for a 50-minute session, in Highett or online. You pay when you book, and we don’t sell packages.
Can hypnotherapy have side effects?
Yes, in rare cases. The Better Health Channel lists dizziness, headache, feelings of anxiety, an upset stomach and false memories as possible side effects. Tell your hypnotherapist if anything feels uncomfortable during or after a session. You can stop at any time.
Who shouldn’t have hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy isn’t suitable if you have psychosis or severe depression, and pain should be checked by a doctor before you start. With heavy or dependent alcohol or drug use, medical support may need to come first. Your hypnotherapist checks this in your first session and will suggest another approach or a referral if hypnotherapy isn’t right for you.
What’s the difference between a hypnotherapist and a clinical hypnotherapist?
Neither title is protected in Australia, because hypnotherapy isn’t regulated. ‘Clinical hypnotherapist’ is often used by practitioners trained to use hypnosis for health concerns, for example through a Certificate IV or Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy. Whatever the title, check the person’s training and memberships. We list them for each of our hypnotherapists.
Are your hypnotherapists psychologists?
No. Our hypnotherapists practise as hypnotherapists and counsellors. Two studied psychology at university, and none is a registered psychologist. Our clinical psychologist and our accredited mental health social worker don’t provide hypnotherapy.
How many hypnotherapy sessions will I need?
It depends on your goal. Most work with our hypnotherapists runs for around 6 to 20 sessions, and quitting smoking often takes fewer. Your hypnotherapist reviews progress with you as you go, because no one can promise a set number at the start.
Can I have hypnotherapy online?
Yes. Online sessions run by secure video for the same 50 minutes and $170 fee. Find a private room, a chair you can relax in and a steady connection. Carolina Rosa, Bernadette Cameron and Lawrence Akers also see people in Highett; Sara Herring, Humaira Ansari and Kelli Tranter work online only.
Do you combine hypnotherapy with other therapy?
Hypnotherapy is booked as its own service. Within a session, your hypnotherapist may also use other approaches they’re trained in, such as counselling, NLP or ACT. If a different kind of therapy would suit you better, we’ll talk it through with you and can refer you within our team.
Do you see children or teenagers?
Mostly adults. Kelli Tranter, Humaira Ansari and Carolina Rosa sometimes see younger clients, case by case. Call reception to check who’s available.
Start with one session
Your first 50-minute session is $170, in Highett or by video, and starts with a conversation about what you want to change. Evening and Saturday times are available with some hypnotherapists.
Not sure who suits you? Call reception on (03) 9557 9113, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm.
Note: Hypnotherapy isn’t regulated in Australia, and results vary from person to person. It’s provided only by our qualified hypnotherapists, after an initial assessment (our clinical psychologist and Accredited Mental Health Social Worker don’t provide it). It’s a complementary therapy and doesn’t replace medical advice, so please talk to your GP about any health concerns. See our Website Disclaimer.