Hypnosis Use in Breast Cancer-related Pain

The experiences of both practitioners and women

Pain in medical terms is widely regarded as a personal, subjective, sensory and emotional experience. It is classified as a symptom or a disease. Pain, in psychological terms, in contrast, is understood as a psycho-neurobiological phenomenon with biopsychosocial affects impacting self and identity. The outcomes of experimental and clinical hypnosis published research usually focus on process and medical comparisons, such as drug efficiency. They are frequently of limited evidential value due to their low methodological quality and a lack of replicability, though they do underscore the potential of clinical hypnosis for pain management.

To date, there is limited qualitative peer-reviewed research published on the lived experiences of using hypnosis for pain management in complementary health care settings. The growing interdisciplinary research in psychoneuroimmunology and neurobiology identifies that the psychobiological state of hypnosis can serve as a therapeutic tool to influence neurobiological processes for healing, including managing pain. For example, in managing psychological overwhelm, a condition reported as experienced by participants in this study, can cause the brain to respond in ways similar to a hypnotic state.

This IPA study explores the experiences of practitioners and clients in complementary practice to hypnosis interventions as part of a breast cancer journey.

Having obtained an MSc in psychology I qualified and became a practicing psychotherapist with the Spencelayh Practice Limited, Wellingborough, where I am now a director of the company. I am currently writing up my Professional Doctorate Psychotherapy dissertation for presentation by September 2026 to the University of Lancashire. The thesis topic is the experience of hypnosis for breast-cancer related pain. I am a member of the Committee of the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis.