Overcoming My Fear of the Dentist with Hypnosis

Hello Everyone,

I originally planned to continue my blog series by busting some hypnosis myths, but something happened last week that perfectly illustrates the power of the subconscious mind and hypnosis —and I wanted to share it with you.

A Childhood Experience That Shaped The Phobia

One of them was that they took the kids to the dentist—calling it prevention—2–3 times a year for a checkup. Those dental clinics were called school dentistry, but I bet they only chose the worst dentists with a slightly sadistic attitude to work there.

Imagine this: a large room filled with five or six dental chairs in a row, the constant whir of drills, and the sound of children crying. Even before you sat in the chair, you were already traumatized. Then came the inevitable—the drilling. No anesthetic. No discussion. Just the assumption that every 13-year-old had multiple cavities that needed urgent treatment. It was painful, super painful and you could not say no, or stop it or ...do anything.

I asked my mother years later why she had not stepped in to stop it. She simply said, “It wasn’t that kind of time.”

By the age of 14, nearly all my teeth had fillings.

The Lasting Impact of Trauma

That experience left me with a severe phobia of the dentist..and eating. Even the thought of a broken filling was terrifying because it meant another visit. Logically, I knew modern dentistry had improved—I even knew the procedures weren’t painful anymore—but my body did not care. Days before an appointment, I would develop stomach issues, panic attacks, and once, I even fainted in the chair while the dentist was drilling, started to and started slip down the chair….you can imagine the bloodbath…anyhow... I think you get the picture.

Fast Forward to Today…

Despite the improvements in dental care, my fear remained—until I studied to be a hypnotherapist (and gave and received hundreds of sessions) and practiced self-hypnosis.

I had already used self-hypnosis for pain management, post-surgery recovery, stress relief, and even overcoming my fear of heights. So, I decided to apply the techniques to my dental anxiety. Utilising my teacher’s (the brillian Mike Mandel) idea, as well as adding some steps that I felt I needed, with self hypnosis, I hypnotised myself, I was completely calm, I could dissociate from the situation, and I also felt time distortion, the whole event felt like it was only some minutes - definitely not 25!

My Oura Ring, a fitness tracker optimized for sleep and stress monitoring, measured my heart rate, breathing, and other vital signs during the procedure. The results? My body was as relaxed as if I were sleeping—even while the dentist was drilling and filling my tooth!

Big shoutout to the excellent team at Restore32 Practice in York – without them, it wouldn't have been possible!

Oura-ring screenshot

The Power of Self-Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is an incredibly effective tool that allows you to tap into your subconscious mind to create long lasting positive change. By entering a focused state of hypnosis, you can introduce new suggestions to overcome fears, break unwanted habits, and build confidence.

My hypnotherapy teacher, Marisa Peer often speaks about how self-hypnosis enables rapid and lasting transformations. By consistently practicing, you can reprogram your mind to adopt healthier thought patterns and behaviours.

How Do You Get Started?

Self-hypnosis and hypnotherapy go hand in hand. In a professional hypnotherapy session, we introduce change and anchor in positive states. But tNo make these changes stick, the brain needs repetition—this is where self-hypnosis becomes invaluable.

The process is simple:

·      Determine your goal (e.g. staying calm at the dentist)

·      Enter a relaxed state using simple breathing techniques

·      Introduce positive suggestions and mental imagery – listen to the recording I make you

·      Reinforce the practice daily to cement the change.

When working with clients, I guide them into hypnosis to address their specific challenges. Then, I provide personalized recordings to help them reinforce and sustain the transformation.

Why Does This Work?

The subconscious mind controls 99% of our behaviours, emotions, and responses. Hypnosis allows us to bypass conscious resistance and speak directly to this powerful part of the brain. By doing so, we can rewire how we respond to stress, pain, and fears—just like I did with my dental anxiety.

Final Thoughts

Self-hypnosis isn’t just a tool for relaxation; it’s a life-changing skill that empowers you to take control of your emotions, fears, and habits, a tool to install resources to have an absolutely fabulous life. Whether you are looking to conquer anxiety, boost confidence, or simply enhance well-being, self-hypnosis following a hypnotherapy session can be your secret weapon. Let us work on it together; I teach you and create a method or a recording that precisely targets your challenges and guides you towards your aim.

Have you ever tried hypnosis? If you’d like to learn more or experience it for yourself, reach out and book a discovery call now.

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