The Use of Symbology in Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy offers many ways for clients to approach and resolve difficulties, often without the need to revisit painful memories directly. One of the most effective approaches is the use of symbology — working with images, colours, shapes, or metaphors that the subconscious mind creates.
What Is Symbology in Hypnotherapy?
Symbology refers to the natural tendency of the subconscious to express thoughts and emotions through symbols rather than words. These might be colours, sensations, images, or even imagined objects that appear during a session. The hypnotherapist invites the client to work with these symbols as stand-ins for the underlying issues.
For example, a client might describe their anxiety as a heavy grey cloud, or their anger as a locked box. These symbols then become the focus of the therapeutic process, providing a safe and effective way to explore change.
Why Use Symbols Instead of Words?
Talking about trauma can sometimes be overwhelming or re-traumatising. With symbology, the client does not need to re-experience distressing events or even explain them in detail. Instead, the subconscious provides a symbol that represents the experience. By working with that symbol, the client can process and may resolve the issue in a way that feels safe and manageable.
This makes symbology a blind method — the hypnotherapist doesn’t need to know the details of the client’s trauma. The work happens at the symbolic level, guided by the client’s subconscious mind.
Benefits of Symbolic Work
Safe and non-intrusive – the client never has to disclose personal details they don’t wish to share.
Empowering – the subconscious leads the process, showing the client its own language of healing.
Effective for trauma and stress – issues may be resolved without reliving the original event.
Universally applicable – because symbols are unique to each client, this method can adapt to many situations.
A Typical Session Using Symbology
n a session, the hypnotherapist may ask the client to allow an image or sensation to represent the problem. This symbol is then transformed in some way — for instance, shrinking in size, changing colour, or being released. These changes in the symbol mirror changes in the subconscious, leading to real improvements in how the client feels and behaves. Symbology in hypnotherapy is a gentle yet powerful method that allows clients to resolve deep issues without revisiting trauma. By working with the subconscious in its own language, it creates the possibility of lasting change while protecting the client’s sense of safety.