I lie in bed watching a YouTube video, waiting for the fun to begin. A woman does a voiceover of a still photo of an enticing female backside. I admit it’s having an effect on me. The photo is arty and I am irritated. I find myself annoyed by the length of the video—a daunting 24 minutes—and the peculiar accent of the woman attempting to hypnotize me. I think she’s Irish, but horny Irish, and her voice never rises above a whisper. This is not what I expected. 

I won’t lie, after having someone speak naughty to me at length, I’m turned on, but am I in a trance? Not so much. 

But while erotic hypnosis may not be for me, it could be for you. Let’s find out.

What is Erotic Hypnosis?

So, there are different kinds of hypnosis. There’s the kind my friend Kelly Ann experienced as a child. “My dad was an amateur hypnotist and he would make my arm stiff as a board, put straight pins in my hand, stuff like that.” We’ll call that stage hypnosis. 

Wikipedia defines hypnosis as: “…a human condition involving focused attention, reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.” Now we’re coming to it…oh, those naughty, naughty suggestions. 

Erotic hypnosis is for sexual purposes, with an especially strong focus in the BDSM community. 

Kaitlyn, a prolific writer in New Orleans, describes it this way, “Erotic hypnosis, to me, is using hypnosis as a tool to enhance the eroticism and intimacy of a scene. It’s a tool, just like any other BDSM implement in the toolbox.”

Tiffany, a writer in Lafayette, Louisiana, began studying general hypnosis in college. She eventually transferred her skills to erotic hypnosis. She says, “In any case the subject wants to feel something they can’t find usually.  I have even had requests for vampires, werewolves, tentacles. I don’t judge, people like what they like. I simply guide them into a trance-like state.”

And the result? “From there I reward them with exactly what they desired in the first place, letting their own pleasure drive them deeper so they can enjoy it more. Some can cum on command like this, others might go only in their own minds.  But it’s not uncommon for some to…make a mess.”

What is it like to be hypnotized?

As I found with the nice dirty-talking lady from Ireland, perhaps I’m just not comfortable with the process.  And being comfortable is essential. So for me, it’s like listening to an Irish lass say “cock” over and over again, until you get bored and look at actual porn. 

Others, (thankfully) see it differently. Take Kaitlyn. “For me, being hypnotized is a very relaxed and focused experience. I’m not asleep – far from it. I’m extremely focused on my hypnotist the entire time: on what they’re saying, and the experience and sensations that they’re trying to create. Regardless of what you’ve read or seen online and on TV, hypnosis isn’t one-sided – it’s a collaboration between hypnotist and subject.”

As an example of a posthypnotic suggestion, Kaitlyn says: “One word is all it takes – a simple whisper in my ear, and suddenly any stress from my day melts away, replaced with desire. One whisper and I’m as horny as a teenager on prom night – a need that grows with each breath. My breath quickens, my skin becomes more sensitive, and every erogenous zone on my body aches to be touched. In an instant, all I can think about is sex with my partner.” 

Tiffany relates a session she conducted which demonstrates the pluses to erotic hypnosis in kink play. “The subject sits across from me, her arms tied to the chair, legs wide, and her mouth gagged. Her eyes close as she writhes lightly, believing tongues are drifting over her body, teasing her nipples, spreading her lower lips, her toes curl as she feels things holding her that are not there. She feels hot just because I suggested it, my words have become her very world. She waits for every step of her fantasy to play out, the tongues making her edge, she cannot cum without permission.

“I count down, and at the last number I make her beg. Beg to cum for Madame. And they do, and I let them whine a little as they remain at the precipice of pain and pleasure, and give the last number. And I let them cum, cum themselves deeper into trance. The next time will be even better, the tongues feeling more solid, real. She’s doing it to herself, and I control it, guide it, and move on. There are other fantasies to indulge. Other dreams that my words will make her reality. And every step she surrenders more, because in the end…it is exactly what she always desired.”

Hypnosis vs. Hypnotherapy 

Paul is a hypnotherapist in Sydney, Australia, and owner of orgasmhypnosis.com. “We’re a well-being business where we do clinical hypnotherapy and psychotherapy. We actually have a local practice here in Sydney.” Referring to his website, he adds, “We also have audio downloads of erotic hypnosis.”

About his craft he says, “There’s quite a big difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy.” He explains, “Everyone knows hypnosis as in what they see on a stage or something like that. They see a show. To be able to say you do hypnosis, you could potentially go and take a weekend course, and then go, ‘Okay, I’m capable of hypnotizing someone.’” But about hypnotherapy, he says that, at least in Australia, you need a “diploma level” of certification, and that, “Rather than putting someone under with hypnosis and giving them basic suggestions, what we’re actually doing is we’re using a lot more strategic psychotherapy within the sessions to evoke a greater effect.”

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t do erotic hypnosis. “What we do is try and use those techniques though in audio sessions that we provide online.” He continues, “Face to face we call it erotic hypnotherapy. When it’s online, and what I’d call scripted, you know, that’s hypnosis.”

About the trance state that hypnosis requires, Paul says, “We take you into a trance state. We take you down to a deep level of trance. A level just before you’re about to drift off to sleep. In a normal person’s day when they fall asleep and they wake back up, they’re actually going into that same state of trance, and then passing through it when they wake back up.”  

According to Paul, hypnotherapy can address a lot of sexual issues: it can allow a man to hold back his climax at will, help men and women achieve orgasm hands-free, overcome erectile dysfunction, aid in overcoming sexually-related PTSD, et al. He says that after listening to his recordings a few times a week for a few weeks, “Your sexual experiences will be more intense, easier for you to orgasm, easier to touch yourself and get greater sensation out of those feelings.” 

But he explains that you have to commit and you have to believe for it to work, “When we see someone face to face, we say to the person, ‘How committed are you? What’s your percentage of commitment?’ and you wouldn’t believe how many people say, ‘Well I want to fix my problem, and I’m about 80 percent committed.’ The problem is, you need to be a 100% committed.” He continues, “If you’re going to download erotic hypnosis and go, ‘I bet it doesn’t work,’ you pretty much put the thought in your subconscious mind that it won’t work. And, not surprisingly, it doesn’t.”

Kaitlyn definitely believes hypnosis is fun. She cheers it on, saying:

“Increased relaxation is a big asset. Erotic hypnosis can help you relax and enjoy the moment in a scene or in the bedroom. How would it feel to be able to focus completely on your partner, with all unimportant distractions fading into the background? 

“You can do things with erotic hypnosis that might be impossible for you in real life. For example, I’m physically unable to experience things like certain types of rope play – but with hypnosis, I’ve lived out those fantasies in a way that was very real to me, and safe for my body. Hypnotic fantasies can be very vivid for an experienced, willing, and creative subject.

“However, the biggest advantage for long-time couples is increased intimacy. There are few things more intimate than trusting someone deeply enough to let them play inside your head – and that’s also one of the reasons why it’s considered a form of edge play in the BDSM community.” 

Can this be abused? 

The consensus is no. As both Tiffany and Paul point out, you can’t be hypnotized to do something you don’t already want to do. Paul says, “Absolutely not possible, whatsoever. When you’re in a trance, I’ll give you an example; if you’re sleeping, I can’t manipulate your mind to get up and go rob a store. Unless you were that way inclined, ‘I might rob a store.’” He adds, “In a trance you can never make a person do anything they wouldn’t do in an alert state.”

But Kaitlyn looks at it a bit differently. “When used well, it can be great fun for both parties. When used poorly, someone could get hurt. Abreactions happen, bad suggestions could cause some friction in a relationship, and, as with any BDSM play, it’s not going to be for everyone.”

Perhaps erotic hypnosis isn’t for everyone.  That said, after talking to Paul, Kaitlyn, and Tiffany, I firmly believe it could be worth exploring. Sensual pleasure with no unhealthy side effects; where’s the harm?  It could be fun. 

Paul had some final words that I found inspiring: “What you truly believe to be true, gives you the ability of making physical changes. How your mind thinks and perceives to be true, becomes true.”