Phobias ยท Online across Australia
Hypnotherapy for Fear of Flying, by Video Anywhere in Australia
For many people, the fortnight before the flight is harder than the flight. Hypnotherapy for fear of flying works on that run-up, which your body keeps playing before you reach the airport.
At a glance: 4 sessions by video. $1,000 in total paid upfront, or $1,200 paid session by session.
Or call 0427 218 092
15-minute phone call, no obligation. I’ll call you within 24 hours. See what it costs
- 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.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- The flights are sitting in a browser tab you keep not booking.
- Your sleep goes a week out, not just the night before.
- You’ve checked the forecast and the aircraft type, days ahead.
- People quote the safety statistics. You agree, and nothing changes.
- You’ve driven for two days to avoid a two-hour flight.
- Half the holiday goes on dreading the flight home.
If a few of those sound like you, read on. If you’ve got a flight booked soon, tell me the date on the free call. If panic attacks are part of it, please see your GP as well.
Why the statistics don’t calm a fear of flying
Statistics don’t help because the fear isn’t running on numbers. Every time you picture the flight, your body runs a small version of it: heart rate up, stomach tight, sleep gone. The plane is imaginary. The alarm isn’t. The part of you sounding it deals in pictures.
For some people it’s really about something next door: the sealed cabin, the height, or panic somewhere you can’t leave. Gritting your teeth tends to give out as the date gets closer. That rehearsing body is the part we work on.
How hypnosis helps with a fear of flying
Hypnosis is focused, relaxed attention. You’re fully aware throughout and in charge of what happens. It isn’t sleep, and you can’t be made to do anything you don’t want to. It works in the same currency as the alarm: pictures and feelings.
In my practice, the first thing I look for is what it’s really about: the cabin, the height, the bumps or the panic.
Then we rehearse the trip in small pieces: the booking, the drive to the airport, boarding, takeoff, the bumps, the landing. Your body gets to practise a calmer version, again and again, well before the real one. You also learn relaxation you can use on the day: a slow out-breath and a short self-hypnosis routine. Where we can, the last session falls shortly before you fly.
How fear of flying hypnotherapy works online
- A free 15-minute call
You tell me what flying does to you, and when you next need to fly. I tell you honestly whether I can help in the time you have. No hard sell. Ask me anything you like about hypnosis too, such as how it feels or whether you stay in charge.
- Session one
Up to 90 minutes. We work out what sets the alarm off and when it starts. Then we take the first steps.
- Sessions by video and an audio to take home
Four sessions in all, with follow-ups up to 60 minutes. You need a quiet room, a reliable connection and headphones. After your sessions you receive an audio recording to listen to in the run-up to your flight. Progress doesn’t have to wait for the next session.
If you’ve searched for fear of flying hypnosis near you, video removes the “near”. The dread tends to turn up at eleven at night, at home. That’s a good place to learn to meet it. If the video drops, I ring you back.
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
The research is modest, and I’d rather you heard that from me. I’m not aware of a randomised trial. The best-known study, by David Spiegel and colleagues, followed up 178 people after a single hypnosis session. Strong responders to hypnosis were over two and a half times more likely to report some benefit. There was no comparison group, so it tells us more about who responds than how well it works.
You may see “89%” quoted online from that study. It’s the share of people who sent back the questionnaire, not the share who were helped. Gradual exposure has the strongest support: a 2008 meta-analysis of 33 randomised studies found it beat other approaches. So the program pairs our sessions with graded steps towards a real flight.
Is hypnosis for fear of flying safe?
For most adults, yes. It doesn’t involve medicine, and side effects are mild and short: you might feel a little drowsy or emotional afterwards. Start with your GP if you live with psychosis or a severe mental illness that isn’t being managed. Online sessions are private, and never recorded unless you agree in writing.
What hypnotherapy for fear of flying costs: $1,000
4-session program: $1,000
4-session program: $1,000 paid upfront, which is $250 a session. Or pay $300 per session as you go: $1,200 for all four.
- Four sessions by video, with an audio recording to use between them.
- Paid upfront: $1,000 in total. That’s $250 a session.
- Session by session: $300 each. $1,200 for all four.
- 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 see your GP as wellThinking about medication for a flight? Talk to your GP well before you travel, and never mix it with alcohol. If you have a heart or lung condition, or you’re pregnant, ask about flying generally. If a frightening flight keeps replaying, your GP can refer you to a psychologist with a Medicare rebate through Better Access. This work sits well alongside that. Chest pain or trouble breathing is a 000 call, straight away.
Who you’ll be working with
I’m Ernest McLeod. I’ve been in clinical practice for fourteen years, from an Adelaide practice, with clients across Australia by video. Before that I spent twenty years as a software engineer and designer. So I care more about what works than what sounds impressive.
- 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 fear of flying
Does hypnotherapy work for fear of flying?
It may help, but the evidence is modest. The best-known study followed up 178 people after one session, with no comparison group. People more responsive to hypnosis were more likely to report some benefit. Gradual exposure has stronger support, so I pair the two.
What is the success rate of hypnotherapy for fear of flying?
I don’t quote one. Advertised figures often come from small studies or a practitioner’s own records. The “89%” you may see online is the share of people who returned a questionnaire in the Spiegel study.
What is the best way to overcome a fear of flying?
Gradual exposure has the strongest research support. That means facing the fear in small, planned steps. Hypnosis can make those steps easier to practise, which is why I combine the two.
What medication can I take for flight anxiety?
That’s a question for your GP, and I don’t advise on medication. Ask well before you travel, and never mix anything prescribed with alcohol. Our sessions can sit alongside whatever your GP suggests.
How far ahead of my flight should I start?
Ideally a month or more before, so there’s time for four sessions and some practice in between. If your flight is sooner, tell me on the free call and I’ll be honest about what’s realistic.
How many sessions will I need?
The program is four sessions, and we review progress at each one. The aim is a flight you can take. I won’t promise one you’ll enjoy.
Can I use the audio on the plane?
Yes, once you’re seated, with headphones and the file downloaded rather than streamed. Boarding and taxiing are good moments for it. Never listen while you’re driving to the airport.
What if it isn’t helping?
Tell me. We review progress at every session and change the approach if something isn’t working. If this isn’t right for you, I’ll say so and point you elsewhere. Unused prepaid sessions 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
- ClaustrophobiaWhen it’s the sealed cabin rather than the flight.
- Fear of heightsWhen the window seat is the worst part.
- AgoraphobiaWhen the fear is of panic somewhere you can’t leave.
- All phobiasEvery fear I work with, and how the program runs.
Free and confidential, open now. Tap to call.
Where these numbers come from
Spiegel D, Maruffi B, Frischholz EJ, Spiegel H. Hypnotic responsivity and the treatment of flying phobia. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 57(2): 156-164 (2015). doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2015.967086. Follow-up of 178 consecutive patients after a single 45-minute session; 158 (89%) returned questionnaires. Hypnotisable patients were over two and a half times more likely to report some positive impact. There was no control group.
Wolitzky-Taylor KB, Horowitz JD, Powers MB, Telch MJ (2008). Psychological approaches in the treatment of specific phobias: a meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review 28(6): 1021-1037. doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.02.007. 33 randomised treatment studies; exposure-based treatment outperformed no treatment, placebo and other psychological approaches, and the result didn’t depend on the type of phobia. 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 or a psychologist. If your symptoms are severe or persistent, please speak to your GP. Last updated 9 October 2026.