Hypnotherapy Meets Performance: Voice, Pause, and Presence

At the time of writing, I hold an Advanced Certificate in Clinical Hypnosis and am an Affiliate Member of the British Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists. I’m also a trained singer, singing teacher, and speech and drama educator, with an LLCM (TD) in Speech & Drama Teaching and an ALCM in Public Speaking.

My journey into hypnotherapy has not only deepened my understanding of communication—it’s transformed how I teach performance. Here are some of the most powerful lessons I’ve integrated into my performing arts practice:

1. The Power of the Pause

In hypnosis, scripts are filled with ellipses—‘…’—to indicate intentional pauses. These aren’t empty silences; they’re spaces of transformation. In hypnotherapy, suggestions are delivered on the subject’s out-breath, anchoring them to relaxation.

In performance, the pause is where the magic happens. Just like waiting for a text reply, the stillness invites internal movement. Pauses create space for meaning to land.

2. Intonation: The Music of the Spoken Word

In hypnosis, how something is said often matters more than what is said. The subject enters a light trance—akin to non-REM sleep stages 1 and 2—where the conscious mind drifts and the subconscious listens.

Tone, rhythm, and vowel quality become cues for emotional and physiological states. A rising-falling inflection on “relax” or a prolonged “ah” in “now” can cue deep relaxation or dissociation.

In poetry and performance, sound expresses the heart even when words express the mind.

3. Repetition as Rhythm and Anchor

Repetition is a cornerstone of hypnosis. It builds association, rhythm, and depth. Phrases like “deeper and deeper” don’t just guide the subject—they entrain the body and mind into a new state.

In performance, repetition can:

  • Reinforce emotional cues
  • Create musicality in speech
  • Anchor the audience in a shared experience

4. The Art of Being Vague

Great hypnosis is suggestive, not prescriptive. The less you say, the more the subject fills in with their inner reality. This is the essence of trance—a state where imagination takes over.

The same is true in theatre. The play doesn’t happen on stage—it happens in the mind of the audience. As performers, we offer a facsimile of life. The audience completes the picture.

Final Thoughts: Hypnosis and the Performing Arts

Hypnotherapy has enriched my work as a voice and drama teacher. It’s taught me to listen between the lines, to trust the silence, and to use sound as a bridge between body and mind.