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Hypnotherapy for Behavior Change

Fitness chain offers free hypnosis sessions.

Hypnotherapy illustration

Blink Fitness, a fitness facility chain with more than 120 locations in nine states, has created Gymnosis™, a hypnotherapy program to help motivate people to start and continue exercising. Recently, they’ve used it to address the drop in motivation and mental clarity caused by pandemic-related challenges and stressors. Carolyn Barnes, certified clinical hypnotherapist, is leading virtual sessions, while another hypnotherapist is offering in-person sessions in New York City.

While studies do not substantiate hypnotherapy’s effectiveness in creating health behavior changes, growing research evidence shows that hypnosis can be helpful in managing smoking cessation, cancer treatments and pain from various chronic conditions or medical procedures, as well as in reducing stress and anxiety. The degree of effectiveness can depend on an individual’s level of hypnotizability. What’s more, the hypnotherapy shows no adverse consequences.

To learn more about the program, visit blinkgymnosis.com.

See also: Hypnosis May Improve Deep Sleep


Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA

Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.

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