Researchers at Baylor University have found that compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), hypnosis was more effective in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes. I've been interested in hypnosis for decades, and use it myself for relaxation and creative visualization. But this use sounds great, and it helps to improve autonomic balance leading to stress reduction!
Researchers at Baylor University have found that compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), hypnosis was more effective in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes.
I’ve been interested in hypnosis for decades, and use it myself for relaxation and creative visualization. But this use sounds great, and it helps to improve autonomic balance leading to stress reduction!
Researchers and practitioners argue that hypnosis could provide an alternative to hormone-driven therapies that can be expensive and come with their own risks. While it might sound far-fetched, studies of hypnosis treatment for hot flashes exist. Most of the research on behavioral interventions for menopause symptoms focuses on clinical hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but researchers at Baylor University wanted to dig deeper. In a 2025 scoping review, they found that compared to CBT, hypnosis was more effective in reducing both their frequency and severity.
Abstract
Background: Hot flashes can be a prevalent issue for postmenopausal women, but traditional treatments such as hormone therapy can have adverse side effects. Recommended psychotherapies for managing hot flashes include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and clinical hypnosis, but an in-depth review comparing the efficacy of both treatments is warranted.
Objectives: The aim of the present scoping review was to assess the clinical significance and efficacy of symptom reduction of CBT and clinical hypnosis as treatments of hot flashes.
Eligibility criteria: Peer-reviewed primary studies were included in this review if they were published in English, used CBT or clinical hypnosis as their intervention, included hot flash outcomes, and sampled women aged 18 years or older.
Sources of evidence: A search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO over December 2023 and January 2024.
Charting methods: Extracted information included eligible studies’ authors, year of publication, country, title, design, participant population, intervention type, control group, primary and secondary outcomes, and key findings.
Results: Of the 1847 studies identified by the literature search, 23 studies were included in this scoping review. While CBT was found to benefit bother and daily interference related to hot flashes, only studies investigating clinical hypnosis found significant reductions in the frequency and severity of hot flashes.
Conclusions: Clinical hypnosis was found to outperform CBT by a large effect in treatment for hot flashes based on the current state of the literature. While both modalities treat psychological distress, only clinical hypnosis demonstrates the ability to reduce the severity and frequency of hot flashes, thus showing clinical significance. Limitations and future directions for research into CBT and clinical hypnosis for hot flashes are discussed.
Keywords: cognitive behavioral therapy; hot flashes; hypnosis; menopausal; scoping review.
