If you have ever had a hypnotherapy session, you have almost certainly received ego-strengthening, whether or not it was called that. It is the passage, often near the end, where the therapist tells you that you are becoming calmer, stronger and more confident each day.
It is one of the most widely used techniques in the field, and it has a specific origin.
Where it came from
The procedure was developed in the 1960s by John Hartland, a British consultant psychiatrist and author of a standard textbook, Medical and Dental Hypnosis. He published versions of his script from the mid-1960s and refined them into the early 1970s.
Hartland’s reasoning was practical. He found that patients were reluctant to give up a symptom until they felt strong enough to cope without it. So before tackling the symptom, he built them up. He described the procedure as designed to remove tension, anxiety and apprehension, and gradually restore the patient’s confidence in themselves and their ability to cope.
He later found it often helped by itself, with no further treatment needed.
Hartland drew openly on Émile Coué, the French pharmacist whose method of self-suggestion became famous in the 1920s through the phrase “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.”
“Ego” here simply means the self. The term has nothing to do with being egotistical.
What a script contains
Hartland’s original is a long monologue delivered in hypnosis. Its themes are:
- Physical wellbeing: “You will feel physically stronger and fitter.”
- Energy: more alert, less easily tired.
- Calm: “Your nerves will become stronger and steadier.”
- Clear thinking: better concentration and memory.
- Emotional steadiness: less easily upset or worried.
- Confidence: more faith in yourself and your abilities.
- Independence: able to stand on your own feet.
- Optimism: happier, more content, looking forward.
It relies on repetition and on the phrase “every day,” which frames change as gradual and continuing.
Modern versions
Hartland’s style was authoritative and general. Later therapists adapted it:
- Permissive wording: “you may notice” in place of “you will”
- Personalised content, built from the client’s own strengths and words
- Evidence from the client’s life: recalling times they coped well
- Imagery: a strong tree, a steady flame, an inner adviser
- Future rehearsal: seeing yourself handling a specific situation
- Self-compassion, which research suggests may be more useful than self-esteem alone
What the evidence shows
Ego-strengthening is used far more than it has been tested. The research is modest:
- One study compared an ego-strengthening procedure with progressive relaxation for self-esteem and mood.
- A study with collegiate soccer players found that those who received hypnosis with ego-strengthening suggestions had higher self-efficacy and performed better than controls, with differences still present four weeks later.
- Other small studies report effects on self-concept.
That is a thin base. There is, however, good general evidence for the things ego-strengthening relies on: positive expectancy, self-efficacy and mental rehearsal all influence how people perform and cope.
Why it probably helps
- It builds expectancy that change is under way.
- It shifts attention from what is wrong to what is strong.
- It counters harsh self-talk with a kinder script.
- It gives a pleasant experience of being spoken to with encouragement, which for some people is rare.
- It makes the next step feel possible.
Its limits
- Unbelievable praise backfires. Telling someone with very low self-esteem that they are wonderful can produce an inner “no, I’m not.” Suggestions need to be believable.
- It is not a treatment for depression or other clinical conditions by itself.
- General suggestions fade. Specific ones, linked to real situations, last longer.
- It does not replace action. Confidence grows from doing things.
Write your own
- List three things you have coped with. These are your evidence.
- List three qualities others would say you have.
- Choose one situation where you want to feel steadier.
- Write five or six sentences that are positive, present tense and believable:
– “I have handled hard things before, and I can handle this.”
– “Each day I feel a little steadier.”
– “I speak to myself as I would to a friend.”
– “I am allowed to take up space.” - Add an image of strength that means something to you.
- Record it and listen daily after a short relaxation.
Use “becoming” if “I am confident” feels false: “I am becoming more confident.”
The bottom line
Ego-strengthening is hypnotherapy’s oldest standard tool: a structured dose of encouragement. The research behind it is thin, but the principle is sound. Keep it specific, believable and kind.
Next in the series: Hypnosis in Palliative Care: Comfort at the End of Life
This article is for general information and is not medical advice.