Did you know the mind cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality? This is why visualisation techiques used in hypnotherapy are so powerful in helping resolve phobias and improve performance.

Before I trained to become a hypnotherapist, when people talked about visualisation techniques to achieve a goal, overcome a challenge or enhance performance I have to admit I liked the idea of it but wasn't completely convinced of its power because it seemed a bit fluffy. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't believe in anything that isn't scientifically proven, such as manifestation and certain spiritual practices, but it just really helps me if I can undertand how something works.

I've had hypnotherapy in the past and it really helped me but I didn't understand why and sometimes wondered whether it was purely placebo. Learning about solution focused hypotherapy from a neuroscience perspective has helped me to understand why it worked and being able to explain this to my clients really helps to get their buy-in too. So looking at neuroscience, let's explore why visualisation is so powerful using sport as an example.

If we mentally practice a physical skill, our motor cortex, responsible for controlling movement, becomes active and studies have shown that similar brain regions are activated as when physically performing it. Visualisation strengthens the neural pathways associated with the skill we're practicing and this process, known as neuroplasticity, helps the brain learn or refine the activity without actual physical movement. Our prefrontal cortex, associated with planning and decision-making, is also highly engaged during visualisation, especially when imagining strategies, sequences or goals. Our amygdala, responsible for regulating our emotions and hippocampus, where memory is held, work together during visualisation to help associate positive emotions with the activity, reducing performance anxiety and boosting confidence.

There are even changes in the body when we visualise physical activity. Even without movement it can cause tiny electrical impulses in the muscles involved, which helps the body prepare for the actual activity. When the visualisation is vivid, our autonomic nervous system responds as if we’re physically engaging in the activity, slightly increasing our heart rate or altering breathing patterns. It can also lower cortisol, our stress hormone, promoting relaxation and better focus during actual performance. Mentally rehearsing complex movements also helps synchronise the brain’s motor planning and execution areas, enhancing coordination.

So how can hynosis help with visualisation? One of the other reasons why I used to find it difficult to understand why visualisation could be so powerful was because I would usually try when I was anxious about something. For example, I would be nervous about a presentation, would try visualising it going well, negative self-talk would get in the way and I would start picturing everything going wrong. Hypnosis, however, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, creating a calm environment where distractions are minimised. It helps bypass the critical, analytical conscious mind, allowing direct access to the subconscious, where habits, beliefs and emotions are stored and it makes it much easier to embed positive imagery or reframe negative associations.

I'll finish with the story of Colonel George Hall who was an American pilot and Vietnam prisoner of war who demonstrated the incredible power of visualisation during his seven years in solitary confinement in a 7 foot by 7 foot cell. Before his capture he was a passionate golfer and scratch player. To maintain his sanity and skill, Hall visualised playing rounds of golf on courses he loved, such as Pebble Beach and Pine Valley. He imagined his swings, the feel of the grass and even conversations with imaginary playing partners. This mental exercise helped him stay engaged and focused, even in the face of extreme adversity. ​When he was released in 1973, Hall played one of the best rounds of his life, shooting just three over par, despite not having physically played for nearly eight years.