450 E 96th St, #500, Indianapolis, IN 46240
450 E 96th St, #500, Indianapolis, IN 46240
Our fears are natural, protective response designed to keep us safe from danger. They alerts us to real threats and help us respond quickly when something feels off. However, when that fear becomes disproportionate to the actual risk, it can evolve into a phobia — a deeply rooted, irrational fear that disrupts everyday life.
Unlike general anxiety or worry, a phobia creates intense emotional and physiological reactions to specific triggers: animals, objects, places, actions, or even thoughts. People with phobias often recognize their fear is irrational — and that awareness can make the experience even more frustrating and isolating.
While fear and phobia exist on a continuum, both are treatable. At Hoosier Hypnosis, we help clients move from avoidance and overwhelm toward confidence and calm. Learn more about how we reduce anxiety and use hypnosis to create lasting change.
Phobias are learned behaviors, often formed through early experiences or traumatic events. These intense fears can arise from:
Childhood modeling: Watching a parent or caregiver react with fear teaches the nervous system to mimic the same reaction.
Direct trauma: A single frightening experience, like nearly drowning, can become a lifelong association.
Evolutionary imprinting: Some phobias, like fear of spiders or snakes, may stem from inherited survival mechanisms.
As we avoid these feared stimuli, the brain reinforces the association — a loop of anxiety and escape that grows stronger with time. Over weeks or years, what began as a minor fear can evolve into a life-altering phobia.
It’s natural to want to avoid what frightens us. But repeated avoidance actually strengthens the fear. Each time you steer clear of a situation, your brain receives confirmation that it was dangerous — whether or not that’s true.
This pattern creates a negative feedback loop, turning manageable fear into a disruptive phobia. Left unaddressed, it can affect relationships, work, travel, health, and parenting.
Many clients seek help not just for themselves, but because they worry about passing their fears on to their children. At Hoosier Hypnosis, we break this cycle by working with the unconscious mind to rewrite these patterns safely and effectively.
Phobias can produce both emotional and physical symptoms, including:
Immediate, intense anxiety when exposed to the fear
Avoidance at all costs — even when it disrupts life
Inability to function or focus when the fear is triggered
Awareness that the fear is irrational — yet feeling powerless to stop it
Rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath
Sweating, shaking, chills, or hot flashes
Chest tightness, nausea, dizziness, or confusion
Headaches or stomach “butterflies”
Dry mouth, pins and needles, and even panic attacks
When even thinking about the feared object causes anxiety, it’s time to take action.
Some individuals experience complex phobias, in which multiple fears become entangled. These cases are more difficult to treat, but not impossible.
For example, a person with agoraphobia (fear of open or crowded spaces) may also experience monophobia (fear of being alone) or claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces). These layered fears often lead to intense avoidance — with some individuals avoiding travel, public places, or even leaving home.
Hypnosis allows us to carefully unpack and reframe these interconnected fears at their root.
Yes — hypnosis is a powerful, evidence-informed method for addressing both simple and complex phobias. Rather than relying on willpower or rational thought (which often fails), hypnosis accesses the unconscious mind — where these patterns are stored.
Through deep relaxation and focused attention, we can safely update the fear response and replace it with calm, confident reactions.
A comparative study published in Psychotherapy by Barrios (1970) found the following recovery rates:
Psychoanalysis: 38% improvement after 600 sessions
Behavioral therapy: 72% improvement after 22 sessions
Hypnotherapy: 93% improvement after just 6 sessions
Additional research supports rapid relief through hypnosis — including one-session interventions for specific phobias (Öst, 1989). While results vary, many clients experience significant improvement in just a few sessions.
Want to understand more about our methods? Visit our page on how hypnosis works, or explore our full list of hypnosis services.
Fears and their negative counterparts, phobias, work on an unconscious level. It’s not something we consciously control. Hypnosis allows for communication with the unconscious to change the way in which you feel and interact with your phobia—ultimately, assisting YOU to overcome it.
Each hypnosis session at Hoosier Hypnosis is personalized based on:
How the phobia developed (if known)
Your current coping strategies
Your goals for resolution and confidence
Some sessions explore the root cause of the phobia, while others focus on simply neutralizing the emotional reaction. Regardless of the approach, you remain in control throughout the process.
We may also teach self-hypnosis and calming techniques to reinforce your progress and support long-term change.
Barrios, A. A. (1970). Hypnotherapy: A reappraisal. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 7(2), 95–102.
Öst, L. G. (1989). One-session treatment for specific phobias. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 27(1), 1–7.