Hypnosis consultations for Children

Monsters under the bed, bedwetting that won't go away, bedtime that takes two hours, the stomachache every Sunday evening before school…

Children's difficulties are real, and their greatest strength for getting through them is their imagination.

Our pediatric hypnosis team supports children from age 4-5, across Quebec, in person or online : sessions that feel like story games where your child is the hero, with you, the parents, as partners from start to finish.

Article illustration: hypnosis for children

What does hypnosis look like for a child?

A hypnosis session for a child, concretely

It happens like a moment of play : no couch, no "sleep, I command you"!

A child's hypnotic state is one they already know : the absorption of a story, a drawing, a film…

The practitioner builds a custom story with the child, filled with their favourite characters, into which suggestions for change are woven : fear of the dark becomes a dragon to be tamed, a worry gets tucked into an imaginary box, the body discovers its superpowers. The child keeps their eyes open or closed, moves, draws, talks, and often leaves feeling proud of themselves.

To fully understand how hypnosis works for children, see our complete guide for parents.

What works: a willing child + partner parents

Young girl sitting at the foot of a tree, looking worried

You don't "send" a child to hypnosis : their willingness is the key.

Our tried-and-true trick : show them the photo or introduction video of the practitioner on our pediatric hypnosis team, and let them decide whether they'd like to meet this person who tells slightly magical stories. Curiosity wins almost every time.

And you, the parents, are partners from start to finish : parental consent is always required, the first meeting happens together to set the goal, you're present during or near the session depending on age, and you're often given a role at home (bedtime rituals, reinforcement, small stories to repeat). There's never a secret between the practitioner and the child that's kept from the parents : your child has a respected space to talk, and you stay informed of everything that matters.

From what age?

At Solutions Hypnose, we generally work with children from age 4-5 (to confirm with each practitioner).

That's the age when language is rich enough to follow a story and play along with it. Before that age, the work tends to go through the parents instead (rituals, stories to tell).

And there's no upper limit : the approach simply evolves along with the child, up through the dedicated support we offer teens.

How hypnosis can help your child

L'Hypnose dans le développement de l'enfant
Video transcript

Hello, I'm Charlotte de Joybert, a hypnotherapist and sophrologist. I have always been of service to others, putting people at the centre of my concerns. I support adults and children with issues such as managing anxiety or certain fears, changing behaviours such as eating habits or smoking, self-image and self-confidence. I also support women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well as through fertility treatment.

Sophrology and hypnosis are wonderful techniques that belong to the family of brief therapies, and they can help people feel better. These techniques can also support a child's development, from early childhood to adolescence. I see children of all ages, from five or six, depending on the child's maturity and the goal, up to seventeen or eighteen for teenagers.

Children often come for different issues depending on their age: it may be bedwetting, sleep problems, self-confidence issues, and also managing anxiety, which is a theme we find at every age. I remember an eight-year-old boy who was having difficulties with his new teacher, which caused him so much anxiety that he felt like throwing up, knowing that he was also emetophobic, that is, afraid of vomiting.

He had lost confidence in himself, and it was affecting him both at school and in his activities. He no longer wanted to go to school or to his training sessions. Over the sessions, things settled down: we found breathing exercises combined with movements to help him feel confident and protected. Then we changed his perception of school, and the urge to vomit gradually faded.

Indeed, the approach and techniques used are not the same whether the child is six, twelve or sixteen. For young children, the hypnotic state comes very easily; it can even be done with their eyes open while we keep talking: I enter their world, and parents are often amazed by the changes that take place. For a primary-school child, I do shorter sessions and use images and metaphors suited to their age.

Children of this age often have trouble managing their emotions, or an issue linked to a particular event that makes them seem to regress: for example, they no longer want to sleep in their own bed, they start bedwetting, or they behave differently at home or at school. The task is then to find out how they experience things, what reassures them and how to help them accept change.

I really favour guided imagery work that speaks to them. With a teenager, on the other hand, I focus more on building trust, and I help them put tools in place to improve their self-esteem, gain confidence and master their emotions, for example through visualisation, breathing and positive affirmations. And with teenagers or young adults, we can work at greater length on deep relaxation exercises, and on beliefs and behaviours.

So now you have a few tools for understanding hypnosis in light of your child's developmental needs. For more information about hypnosis and how it can help you, get in touch with me. And the whole Solutions Hypnose team is here to support you, in person or by video, which works very well too. Feel free to ask your questions and share your experience; we'll be happy to read them.

And if you liked this video, don't forget to like and subscribe for more tips. See you soon for a new video.

Hypnotherapy is a complementary form of support and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns about your health, please consult a physician first.

The difficulties we support most often

  • Fears and nightmares. Fear of the dark, monsters, dogs, thunderstorms : when a fear settles in, the imagination that created it is also the one that can undo it (see our Fears & Phobias page).
  • Bedwetting.
    Common past age 5-6, and far heavier for a child to carry than one might think : shame, declined sleepovers… First step, always : a doctor's check-up, to rule out any physical cause (see one without delay if the urine has a strong odour or the child feels pain urinating). After that, hypnosis gets good results through age-appropriate control metaphors : through stories, the child learns to team up with their body, without ever feeling guilty. Our detailed article explains it all.
  • Sleep.
    Endless time falling asleep, night wakings, bedtime rituals that never end : hypnosis installs falling-asleep rituals the child takes on almost like a game (see our Sleep page).
  • School and separation worries.
    Tears at the daycare or kindergarten door, the knotted stomach every Sunday evening, worry over the school year starting : tools their own size (courage in a pocket, an invisible hug) give mornings back their lightness. If school is refused outright or the distress is significant, talk to the school and your doctor promptly.
  • Self-confidence and shyness.
    The child who doesn't dare raise their hand, who compares themselves to others, who says "I'm no good" : confidence can be repaired, and the earlier it's addressed, the better (see our Self-Confidence page).
  • Anger and big emotions.
    The storms that leave everyone exhausted : the child learns, through play and imagery, to recognize the rising wave and surf it.
  • Major upheavals.
    A new baby, a move, parents separating : these are earthquakes at a child's scale, and stories help them get through and put them into words.

Our approach, and when to see a doctor or psychologist first

We offer helping-relationship and well-being support : we are not doctors, psychologists, or psychotherapists.

See a health professional as a priority if you notice in your child : a sudden, lasting change in behaviour, withdrawal that settles in, marked regression, persistent learning or language difficulties (a specialized assessment is needed), any unexplained physical symptom, or significant distress.

If a diagnosis is being considered or has been made, it falls to the doctor, psychologist, or neuropsychologist.

Our support can then, as a complement and with their agreement, help your child with stress, self-esteem, or sleep.

And if the difficulty plays out at school (bullying, conflict), the school needs to be involved : we support the child, but protection is the responsibility of the adults.

What our clients say

Smiling boy with a blue backpack on his shoulders, out in the street

Consult a pediatric hypnosis practitioner near you

In Office or Online Across Canada
Offices in Montreal, Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Montérégie…
And if you live far away or elsewhere in the world, online sessions work very well. Evening slots available.

Frequently asked questions about hypnosis for children

We are not doctors, psychologists, or psychotherapists. Our services belong to helping relationships and well-being: they do not constitute treatment or psychotherapy (a reserved act in Quebec), and do not replace medical or psychological care in any way. Any physical difficulty or marked distress in a child should be evaluated by a doctor first. Supporting a minor requires their parents' consent.

Charlotte de Joybert

Page written by Charlotte de Joybert
hypnotherapist and sophrologist
partner at Solutions Hypnose.
English version reviewed by David Veilleux
Updated .