Reclaim Your Presence with hypnotherapy for actors
When the spotlight hits, why does your presence disappear?
The great acting teacher Sanford Meisner defined acting as:
Living truthfully under a given set of circumstances.
The script provides the imaginary situation. Your talent and imagination bring it to life. Yet modern neuroscience reveals something surprising: what we experience as “real life” is often our brain’s interpretation of events, occurring during the delay while sensory data is processed.
Your brain is wired to detect threats. That anxiety before an audition, the tightness before stepping on stage, the racing thoughts before the camera rolls—this is your fight-or-flight response fixated on a future that hasn’t happened yet. And because your brain evolved as a threat-detection machine, it’s biased toward predicting negative outcomes.
This creates a profound barrier to presence—to being fully in the moment, responding authentically to scene partners, connecting with the action, or showing your true self in an audition room.
And then there’s the inner critic—that voice constantly observing, commenting, judging—standing between you and the freedom to be fully present.
So despite your love of performance, your undeniable talent, and years of training, the closer you get to the spotlight, the more your breath shortens, your body tenses, and that inner voice insists: you don’t belong here.
Find Your Path Back to Presence with Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy offers actors a way back to themselves. Far from the sensationalist stereotypes, it’s an evidence-based approach that creates a clear pathway through doubt, fear, and shame—back to living fully in the now.
Working together, we gently uncover the old scripts—those automatic thoughts and inherited roles that shape how you show up. Using cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy, we explore how your nervous system reacts under pressure, and rehearse new patterns that support calm, presence, and authenticity.
Imagine stepping into an audition room not needing to “fake it till you make it,” but instead arriving fully present, focused on your craft rather than your fears. Picture yourself living truthfully under those given circumstances—with authenticity, presence, and a quiet confidence that needs no announcement.
Whether you’re battling audition nerves, struggling with line learning, or living with an inner critic constantly telling you you’re not enough—I offer a space to slow down, drop the role, and return to the truth:
You were never the obstacle. You are the way through.
Hypnotherapy tailored for actors
I bring more than thirty years of experience as a trained actor to our work together. This isn’t generic therapy adapted for performers—it’s a specialised approach that speaks the language of your craft.
My practice weaves cognitive behavioural techniques with deep knowledge of performance methodologies like Stanislavsky, Meisner, and Laban. When we discuss breath, presence, or emotional availability, I understand these concepts not just as therapeutic tools, but as the foundation of your artistic practice.
This dual perspective allows us to address your challenges with precision and respect for your training. Whether you’re working through audition anxiety or reconnecting with your creative impulses, our work honors both the psychological and artistic dimensions of your experience.
How Hypnotherapy Helps Actors reclaim their presence
Performance anxiety and stage fright
Audition nerves and imposter mindset
Line learning under stress
a confident Presence on stage or screen
Release limiting beliefs and expectations
The impact of shame as an obstacle to success
How Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy Works for Performers
Hypnotherapy calms your body’s stress response and transforms the inner monologue that disrupts performance. Through our work together, your Inner Critic stops calling you an old ham and gradually becomes your Inner Cheerleader—a supportive voice that guides rather than undermines.
Using evidence-based tools from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), you’ll learn how to:
- Identify automatic negative thinking that triggers anxiety spirals and overthinking
- Reframe physical symptoms of fear and anxiety as identical to excitement and creative energy
- Recognize specific obstacles blocking your path and develop adaptive approaches to auditions and performances
- Break limiting habits that have been holding your authentic expression back
- Master self-hypnosis techniques to reinforce new thought patterns between sessions
- Develop realistic, achievable goals to elevate your creative career
- Replace imposter feelings with a success-focused mindset grounded in your actual abilities
- Release physical tension through progressive relaxation techniques that free your instrument
This isn’t faddy “woo-woo” nonsense that sounds good on the day but delivers limited results. This is evidence-based, imaginative work that creates meaningful, long-term change—allowing you to reconnect with the performer who often gets lost in the background noise.
What to Expect From Actor-Focused Hypnotherapy
We begin with a free 20-minute consultation.
No pressure. Just a conversation.
This initial meeting gives you the opportunity to see how we fit together and experience online therapy. When I meet with you, it will be exactly the same as an online session of therapy. It also allows you to test the space where you’ll be taking future sessions and ensures we resolve any technical issues before a paid session begins.
If you choose to work with me, the areas we will be working in include:
- Clarifying your acting career goals and what authentic success means for you personally
- Identifying specific obstacles blocking you from achieving the career you envision
- Recognizing your unique triggers and stress responses that appear in performance situations
- Developing personalized strategies designed around your specific needs and performance challenges
- Using hypnosis techniques to reinforce your new adaptive approaches to auditions and performances
- Teaching self-hypnosis methods you can apply anytime—before auditions, during rehearsals, or whenever you need to access calm presence
Each session builds on the previous one, creating a progressive path toward greater confidence, authentic presence, and creative freedom. The work is collaborative, respectful, and focused on practical results you can feel from the very first session.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnotherapy for Actors
what exactly is hypnotherapy and how does it help actors?
Hypnotherapy is a gentle, evidence-based approach that helps actors work with both conscious and unconscious patterns. Unlike the sensationalised portrayals in media, clinical hypnotherapy creates a focused state of relaxed awareness where you remain in complete control. For actors specifically, it helps transform performance anxiety into creative energy, releases limiting beliefs about your capabilities, and helps you access authentic emotional states with greater ease.
how many sessions will I need to see results?
Most actors notice shifts after the very first session, particularly in how they relate to their anxiety symptoms. A typical course of treatment involves 4-6 sessions, though this varies depending on your specific goals. We’ll establish clear markers of progress together, and I’ll teach you self-hypnosis techniques you can use independently between sessions and long after our work together is complete.
is hypnotherapy just relaxation, or is there more to it?
While relaxation is one component, cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy goes much deeper. We combine elements of cognitive therapy (working with thought patterns), behavioural techniques (developing new responses to triggers), and hypnosis (accessing unconscious patterns) to create comprehensive change. The approach is both practical and profound, addressing both immediate symptoms and deeper patterns.
will I remember what happens during hypnosis?
Absolutely. Hypnotherapy is not about losing consciousness or control. You’ll remain aware throughout our sessions and will remember everything afterwards. The experience is more like focused attention than the “trance” portrayed in entertainment. Many actors describe it as similar to the absorbed state they experience when deeply immersed in a role or creative process.
will hypnotherapy affect my creative process or emotional range?
Quite the opposite. Many actors find that hypnotherapy enhances their creative process by removing the blocks that limit their range. By addressing the inner critic and performance anxiety, you can access a wider emotional palette and respond more authentically to the given circumstances of a scene. The work is about freeing your natural creativity, not controlling or restricting it.
I have an important audition coming up soon. Can hypnotherapy help me prepare?
Yes. Even with limited time, we can work specifically on audition preparation using targeted techniques to manage anxiety, enhance focus, and access your authentic presence. Many actors find that even 1-2 sessions before an important audition can make a significant difference in their experience and performance.
how is your approach different from other performance coaches or therapists?
My approach is unique in three key ways: First, I combine over thirty years of experience as a trained actor with clinical expertise in cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy. Second, I focus on presence over performance—helping you connect to your awesome authentic self rather than adding another layer of technique. Third, I create a space where you don’t need to perform to receive help; where the quiet, reflective work of reconnecting with yourself is valued as much as visible breakthrough moments.
I’m nervous about trying hypnotherapy. Is that normal?
Completely normal. Many people have misconceptions about hypnosis based on stage shows or media portrayals. During our free 20-minute consultation, I’ll explain exactly how the process works, answer all your questions, and ensure you feel comfortable before proceeding. The work is collaborative, respectful, and always moves at your pace.
Ready to Reclaim Your Presence?
