Can Hypnotherapy Improve Sports Performance and Performance Anxiety?
The answer is an unequivocal, YES. In fact, athletes are some of the BEST candidates for hypnosis, because they already know what it feels like to be hypnotized! Every athlete knows the moment when time vanishes, the world disappears, there is only focus, the ball, the wave, and the endless now of presence. Someone, or something, is doing the work and just flowing through them.
Flow state, being in the zone, is itself a form of hypnosis, a tap into the power of the subconscious mind, where what is “known” at the deepest level of being runs the show. In this case, it is tapping into the internalized mechanics of the perfect swing, the meticulous placement of a fastball, or the intuitive read of a breaking wave. These are the positive “knowns’ we want to deepen. In a therapeutic hypnotherapy session, you allow yourself to be guided into a state very similar to flow, and go a little deeper, where the critical mind is suspended, senses are heightened, and reps can be repeated, visualized, and mastered.
On the other hand - within the subconscious are also the “knowns” that are nothing but trouble, that kill your flow. Maybe you got heckled from the grandstands at nine years old and can’t tune out those shrill voices., Or you keep missing that long putt because your mind drifts to something your husband said about your grip. Or just the sight of your rival sets your heart on fire and turns your hands to jelly. Sometimes, even deeper, more mysterious patterns are at play. Therapeutic hypnosis can unwind and dissolve destructive patterns, and help build a positive foundation.
It is not necessary for the practitioner to be an expert at your sport, only an expert at hypnosis. Surfing is my domain, but the same principles apply to golf, tennis, baseball, basketball, pickleball, swimming, diving, gymnastics, cycling, skateboarding, snowboarding, dance, and more.
Here are Some Benefits of Hypnosis for Sports Performance:
Improved Focus & Concentration – Helps athletes enter and stay in the zone, and block out distractions.
Confidence Boost – Reinforces positive beliefs and self-image for peak performance.
Anxiety & Stress Reduction – Calms pre-game nerves and enhances relaxation.
Pain Management & Recovery – Assists in coping with injuries and speeding up healing.
Breaking Mental Barriers – Overcomes repeating thoughts, limiting beliefs or past failures.
Overcoming Burnout – Helps rediscover and reignite intrinsic motivation.
Enhanced Visualization – Strengthens mental rehearsal of success.
Finally, there is plenty of clinical evidence about the efficacy of hypnosis in sports. In a recent edition of International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, researchers culled from over 600 studies and concluded:
A systematic review of studies on the effects of therapeutic hypnosis in athletes found statistically significant associations between the use of therapeutic hypnosis and athletic performance improvement, injury recovery, and reduction in psychological distress while engaging in the chosen sport.
Citation: Miró, A., Mesperuza, M., Jensen, M. P., Day, M. A., García, F., & Miró, J. (2025). Therapeutic hypnosis and sports performance: a systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2025.2512535
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Sheila Gallien is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and OA® Functional Breathing Instructor. She combines hypnotherapy with functional breathwork, somatic practices, and intuitive wisdom to rewire anxiety at its root—in your nervous system, your subconscious patterns, and your body's memory. Learn more at www.droppingintopower.com.
