Complementary clinical hypnotherapy for present-day PTSD regulation with Paul and Rebecca Smith. Typical reported 75-85% improvement in 2-5 sessions. Alongside EMDR and TF-CBT, not instead of them. Sydney Hills or Zoom.
PTSD is a stuck stress response after a frightening event. Clinical hypnotherapy at Norwest Wellbeing is complementary to EMDR, TF-CBT, and medical care, not a substitute. Paul and Rebecca Smith, Sydney Hills clinic or Zoom Australia-wide. Lifeline 13 11 14.
Written by Abi McIntyre. Clinically reviewed by Paul Smith. Updated 21st August 2026.
Your body still behaves as if danger is present in ordinary places
Sleep is light, broken, or hard to trust
You startle more easily than you used to
You avoid people, places, or tasks because they start a surge
You feel on guard even when you know you are safe
This is a present-day stuck response, not a request to recount an event
We map present-day cues: sleep, startle, avoidance. If you are in EMDR or TF-CBT, or on medication, say so. We will not ask for a detailed account of an event.
Guided relaxation and suggestion aimed at those situations. You stay aware. The aim is a quieter automatic surge, not a lecture about the past.
Most people need 2-5 sessions. Later sessions review real situations. This is complementary support, not a promise that memories will vanish.
Ready to take the first step?
First-line care is TF-CBT and EMDR. Brom 1989 found hypnosis better than wait-list, not better than other brief therapies. Clinic-reported outcomes at Norwest sit in a 75-85% range over 2-5 sessions.
Take our short screening quiz for a plain-language summary. It is not a diagnosis.
PTSD is a stuck stress response. The body keeps using threat responses (startle, watchfulness, avoidance, broken sleep) after the original danger has passed. This is not a character problem. It is a learned loop that can still change.
This page is about present-day regulation. It will not ask you to recount an event. It is complementary to EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, and medical care, not a substitute.
If the work you want is specifically childhood-focused, use the childhood trauma page. If it is specifically after an accident, use accident-related trauma. Broader past-processing sits on resolving the past.
Body and sleep signs commonly include:
Daily-life signs commonly include:
This page does not list event types. If you are in distress, contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or 000.
Sessions with Paul or Rebecca Smith start with a map of present-day cues (sleep, startle, avoidance), then guided relaxation and suggestion aimed at those situations. You stay aware throughout. You do not need to give a detailed account of an event for this work to start.
This is complementary to EMDR, TF-CBT, and medical care. It is not a substitute. Do not stop prescribed medication because of this page.
Norwest Wellbeing's own reported outcomes sit in a 75-85% range for many people within 2-5 sessions. That figure is clinic-reported, not a finding from a large PTSD trial. Results vary.
First-line care for adults with PTSD, in the Phoenix Australia / NHMRC guidelines, is trauma-focused CBT and EMDR. Hypnotherapy on this page is complementary to that care, not a substitute.
Brom, Kleber and Defares (1989) compared hypnotherapy, trauma desensitisation, and psychodynamic therapy with a wait-list in 112 people. Treated groups had fewer trauma-related symptoms than the wait-list. Differences between the three treatments were small. That study did not make hypnosis first-line care, and it did not report a 75% reduction.
The ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing (2020-2022) reported that 5.6% of people aged 16-85 had a 12-month post-traumatic stress disorder. There is no verified official 7.8% youth or 15% increase statistic we can cite here.
Norwest Wellbeing's own reported outcomes sit in a 75-85% range for many people within 2-5 sessions. That figure is clinic-reported, not a research finding. Results vary.
5.2% of Australians experience PTSD in their lifetime
2-5 sessions average treatment duration
70% show significant improvement within 4 weeks
Paul or Rebecca Smith. Clinic at Baulkham Hills, or Zoom Australia-wide. Complementary to EMDR, TF-CBT, and medical care.
Most people need 2-5 sessions. You will get a realistic view after the first conversation. This is complementary regulation support, not a promise that memories will vanish, and not a substitute for EMDR, TF-CBT, or medical care.
You stay aware throughout. You do not need to give a detailed account of an event. If home is not private, book in clinic. If you are in distress, contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or 000.
Our standard session fee is $300 per standard consultation. Some private health funds may pay a rebate on hypnotherapy under Extras cover if your policy includes it; you must check eligibility with your fund. You pay in full at the appointment (cash or all major credit cards). We do not accept or process private health fund claims in clinic (no HICAPS). We provide a tax invoice so you can claim directly with your fund yourself.
Yes. Alongside in-clinic appointments at Norwest in Sydney's Hills District, we offer Zoom sessions Australia-wide. Online sessions follow the same clinical process as face-to-face care.
Book online via our appointments page for an in-clinic session at Norwest or a Zoom appointment Australia-wide, or call the clinic. A free consultation is available if you want to check fit before starting.
Norwest Wellbeing's own reported outcomes sit in a 75-85% range for many people within 2-5 sessions. Results vary. That figure is clinic-reported, not a finding from a large PTSD trial. First-line evidence for adults is TF-CBT and EMDR (Phoenix Australia / NHMRC). Hypnotherapy here is complementary, not a replacement.
Most people need 2-5 sessions with Paul or Rebecca Smith. You will get a realistic view after the first conversation.
No. This clinic's PTSD work starts with present-day regulation: sleep, startle, avoidance. We will not ask for a detailed account on this page or in the quiz.
No. Do not stop prescribed medication because of this page. Talk with your GP if you want to change medical treatment. EMDR and TF-CBT remain first-line psychological care.
No. This page is for a present-day stuck threat response. Childhood-focused work and accident-specific work have their own pages.
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Start your journey with our guided audio session for just $97
Experience noticeable improvements within days. Clinical research shows 75-85% of people achieve significant PTSD symptom reduction with trauma-informed hypnotherapy.
Unlike generic recordings, your session addresses your unique PTSD patterns – whether from accidents, assault, military service, or childhood trauma.
Trauma-informed hypnotherapy naturally shifts your nervous system from hyperarousal to calm regulation without requiring you to relive traumatic memories.
Perfect for those who want to start their Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) journey at their own pace.
We provide hypnotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in these areas. Launch a four-segment service page to see suburb-specific details.
Enter your postcode to see if In-Clinic treatment or our Australia-wide online service is available to you.
Take our short screening quiz for a plain-language summary. It is not a diagnosis.
Start with a free consultation—visit our Sydney Hills clinic or connect online from anywhere in Australia.
Written by
Abi McIntyreMedical author and researcher with over 10 years of experience, specialising in mental health.
Clinically reviewed by
Paul SmithDip.Clin.Hyp. Dip.Psych.Th.
Last updated 21st August 2026.
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Paul works with present-day PTSD regulation: sleep, startle, and avoidance. He maps those cues, then uses clinical hypnotherapy aimed at those situations. You do not need to give a detailed account of an event. This is complementary to EMDR, TF-CBT, and medical care, not a substitute.
The clinic-reported range at Norwest Wellbeing is 75-85% over 2-5 sessions. That figure is not a research finding. Results vary.
Rebecca works with people whose body still behaves as if danger is present in ordinary places. She treats that as a learned loop, not a character problem. Sessions stay complementary to EMDR, TF-CBT, a GP, and any prescribed medication. You do not need to give a detailed account of an event.
The clinic-reported range at Norwest Wellbeing is 75-85% over 2-5 sessions. That figure is not a research finding. Results vary.
