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Hypnotherapy for Depression, Alongside the Care You Already Have
When getting out of bed takes everything you’ve got, you don’t need another quick fix. Hypnotherapy for depression works as one part of your care, next to your GP and psychologist. Here’s what it can and can’t do.
At a glance: usually 6 to 12 sessions, agreed together in your first session. $1,500 to $3,000 in total paid upfront, or $1,800 to $3,600 session by session.
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- 14 yearsin clinical practice
- FellowAustralian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists
- AHA approvedCPD courses I teach other hypnotherapists
- 1 to 1with Ernest, by video from home
Ernest McLeod, clinical hypnotherapistAn Adelaide practice, seeing clients across Australia by video. Fourteen years in practice.
A consultation with me is not the right first step if you’re thinking about suicide or feel unable to keep yourself safe. These services are free, confidential and open now. Tap to call.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- Mornings are the hardest part. The day feels heavy before it has started.
- Things you used to look forward to feel flat, or like one more chore.
- The voice in your head is harsh with you in a way you’d never be with a friend.
- You sleep too much, or you wake at 4am and can’t get back to sleep.
- You hold it together at work and have nothing left by the evening.
- You’ve started saying no to people, because being around them costs energy you don’t have.
If this has lasted two weeks or more, healthdirect advises seeing a health professional such as your GP. I agree. If you’re already doing that, read on.
Why depression doesn’t lift with willpower
Depression doesn’t lift with willpower because it changes your sleep, your energy and your self-talk all at once. It isn’t laziness, and you can’t think your way out of it on a good day. It’s also common. The ABS ran its National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing from 2020 to 2022. It found 4.9% of Australians aged 16 to 85 had a depressive episode in the previous 12 months.
Each of those changes feeds the others. That’s why being told to cheer up or push through tends to add guilt rather than help. Hypnotherapy doesn’t replace the treatments with the strongest evidence. One is psychological therapy with a therapist, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The other is medication where your doctor recommends it. It works alongside them. It’s aimed at the worry, the harsh inner voice and the poor sleep that keep the cycle turning.
How hypnosis helps with depression
Hypnosis helps as a calm, structured way to work on the habits of mind that keep low mood going. Hypnosis is focused attention in a relaxed state. You’re aware of everything and in charge. It isn’t sleep, and nothing can be made to happen that you don’t want.
We use that state to ease the worry that often travels with low mood. We practise a kinder inner voice and help settle your sleep. We rehearse small steps back towards things that matter to you. That’s where hypnotherapy can help, alongside your other care.
In my practice, I begin each session by asking how the week has actually been. From there we pick one small, doable focus.
You also learn self-hypnosis for the hard days. You take home an audio recording for the mornings when everything feels heavy.
How hypnotherapy for depression works online
It runs as a plan of 6 to 12 video sessions, agreed with you after a free 15-minute call.
- A free 15-minute call
You tell me what’s going on, including who else is supporting you. I tell you honestly whether I think hypnotherapy is right for you at this point. No obligation, and no hard sell. Ask me anything you like about hypnosis too, such as how it feels or whether you stay in charge.
- Your first session: the treatment plan
We look at how low mood shows up in your days and what care you already have. You leave with a plan and the number of sessions I recommend. The $300 for this session comes off the plan.
- Sessions by video and an audio to take home
Most plans run 6 to 12 sessions. Each hypnotherapy session happens from your home. All you need is a quiet room, a reliable connection and headphones. You receive an audio recording to listen to between appointments, and you learn simple self-hypnosis too. Progress doesn’t have to wait for the next session.
Joining from home helps on the days when getting out the door is the hardest part.
Not sure yet whether this is for you?That’s what the free call is for. Fifteen minutes, by phone, at a time that suits you.
What the research actually says
Honestly, the research here is mixed. A 2019 meta-analysis by Milling and colleagues in the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis pooled 10 studies. People who had hypnosis reported fewer depression symptoms than people in comparison groups. The studies were small, though.
A stricter 2024 review of randomised trials by Souza, Elkins and colleagues went further. It concluded there is not yet enough evidence to recommend hypnosis as a treatment for depression. It also found no sign of significant harm.
One more thing before you book. Victoria’s Better Health Channel says hypnosis should be avoided by people with severe depression. I take that seriously. If your depression is severe, start with your GP, a psychologist or a psychiatrist. I’ll tell you so on our first call, and I’d rather say that and lose the booking.
Is hypnosis for depression safe?
For most adults, yes. Hypnosis doesn’t involve medicine, and side effects are mild and short, like feeling a little drowsy or emotional afterwards. It isn’t the right place to start if you live with psychosis. The same goes for a severe mental health condition that isn’t treated. Victoria’s Better Health Channel also advises avoiding hypnosis with severe depression. If that’s you, talk to your GP or treating clinician first.
If you’re having suicidal thoughts, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 if you’re in danger. Don’t change any medication without your doctor. I’ll tell you honestly in the free call if someone else should help.
What hypnotherapy for depression costs
Your first session: $300
This is where we build your treatment plan. The $300 is credited towards the plan.
- Most plans run 6 to 12 sessions. We agree the number together in your first session.
- Paid upfront: $250 a session. 6 sessions: $1,500 in total. 12 sessions: $3,000 in total.
- Session by session: $300 each. 6 sessions: $1,800. 12 sessions: $3,600.
- Session length: your first session runs up to 90 minutes, and follow-up sessions up to 60 minutes.
- Prepaid sessions are valid for 12 months. Any you don’t need can be used for something else, or passed on to someone you know.
- Pay by card or bank transfer. Prices in AUD. No GST applies.
Or call 0427 218 092
Please keep your GP involvedYour GP is the right first stop. They can check for physical causes that affect mood and talk through treatment options with you. They can also refer you to a psychologist with a Medicare rebate through Better Access. Hypnotherapy sits well alongside that. Please don’t stop or change any medication without talking to your doctor. If you’re having thoughts of suicide, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 if you’re in danger.
Who you’ll be working with
I’m Ernest McLeod. I’ve practised as a clinical hypnotherapist for fourteen years. I have an Adelaide practice and see clients right across Australia by video. Before that I spent twenty years as a software engineer and designer. With depression, that shows up as a habit of asking what’s helping, and changing course when something isn’t.
- Time Line Therapy® Practitioner
- Fellow, ASCH
- Trainer: AHA-approved CPD courses
- Certified NLP Practitioner
What I’m not: hypnotherapy isn’t a registered profession in Australia, so I’m not AHPRA-registered and I’m not a psychologist. My ASCH Fellowship is voluntary. I also train other hypnotherapists. My courses on quitting smoking, vaping and gambling count as professional development (CPD), approved by the Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association. More about me
Questions people ask about hypnotherapy for depression
Does hypnotherapy work for depression?
The honest answer is that the evidence is mixed. A 2019 review of 10 studies found people who had hypnosis reported fewer depressive symptoms than comparison groups. The studies were small, though. A stricter 2024 review of randomised trials found there isn’t yet enough evidence to recommend it as a treatment. It found no sign of significant harm. That’s why I offer it only alongside your GP, psychologist or medication, never instead of them.
What is the success rate of hypnotherapy?
I don’t quote one. Advertised success rates usually come from small or unchecked studies, or from a practitioner’s own records. Here, the research isn’t strong enough to back any figure. The reviews on this page give you the real picture, limits included.
Will I lose control?
No. You hear everything, you remember it, and you can open your eyes and stop whenever you like. Hypnosis is relaxed, focused attention, a bit like being absorbed in a book.
Who is not suitable for hypnotherapy?
It isn’t the right start if you live with psychosis or a severe, untreated mental health condition. For severe depression, Victoria’s Better Health Channel advises avoiding hypnosis, and I follow that. On the free call I’ll ask how you’re going and who is supporting you. If a GP, psychologist or psychiatrist should come first, I’ll say so plainly.
How do I pull myself out of a depressive episode?
Please don’t try to do it on willpower alone. If you want help with depression, your GP is the place to start. Beyond Blue is there any time on 1300 22 4636. If you’re thinking about suicide, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Can hypnotherapy help with depression and anxiety together?
Depression and anxiety often travel together, so we work on worry here too. If anxiety is the main thing for you, see hypnotherapy for anxiety.
How many sessions will I need?
Most plans run 6 to 12 sessions. We set the number together in your first session. It’s a typical range, not a promise, and we review it as we go.
Can I keep taking my antidepressants?
Yes. Hypnotherapy is designed to sit alongside medication and your therapist’s work, not replace them. Please don’t stop or change any medication without your doctor’s advice. Let me know what you’re taking when we speak.
What if it isn’t helping?
Tell me. We review progress as we go and change the approach if something isn’t working. If hypnotherapy isn’t right for you, I’ll say so and point you towards what might be. Prepaid sessions you haven’t used stay yours for 12 months.
Is it covered by Medicare or my health fund?
Hypnotherapy isn’t covered by Medicare, and you don’t need a GP referral. Health fund extras cover varies, so check with your fund before you start.
Ready when you are
Tell me the best time to reach you and I’ll call within 24 hours. Fifteen minutes, no obligation.
Request a free consultationOr call 0427 218 092
Related
- Mind and emotionsEvery mind and emotions issue I work with, in one place.
- AnxietyWhen worry and low mood arrive together.
- Stress and burnoutWhen you’ve been running on empty for too long.
- Sleep and insomniaWhen the nights are part of the problem.
- Confidence and self-esteemWhen the voice in your head keeps putting you down.
- Trauma and PTSDWhere hypnotherapy fits alongside trauma-focused therapy.
Free and confidential, open now. Tap to call.
Where these numbers come from
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2023). National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020 to 2022. abs.gov.au. The 4.9% is the share of Australians aged 16 to 85 who had a depressive episode in the 12 months before the survey.
healthdirect Australia. Depression. healthdirect.gov.au/depression. Source of the two-week guide for seeing a health professional.
Milling LS, Valentine KE, McCarley HS, LoStimolo LM (2019). A meta-analysis of hypnotic interventions for depression symptoms: high hopes for hypnosis? American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 61(3): 227-243. doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2018.1489777. Source of the 10 pooled studies.
Souza FL, Moura MS, Vieira Almeida Silva J, Elkins G (2024). Hypnosis for depression: systematic review of randomized clinical trials with meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 57: 101913. doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2024.101913. Source of the “not yet enough evidence” conclusion.
Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Hypnosis. betterhealth.vic.gov.au. Source of the advice to avoid hypnosis with severe depression. I’ll always show you where a number came from.
Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy, not medical treatment, a diagnosis, or a substitute for care from your doctor, a psychologist or a psychiatrist. If your symptoms are severe or persistent, please speak to your GP. Last updated 9 October 2026.