Why You Keep Avoiding Marketing Your Hypnotherapy Practice (And How to Fix That Without Feeling Pushy)
Why You Keep Avoiding Marketing Your Hypnotherapy Practice (And How to Fix That Without Feeling Pushy)
By Timothy September
Last month during a Mastermind call, one of our members—a brilliant hypnotherapist with over a decade of experience—made a confession that stopped everyone in their tracks.
"I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than post on social media about my practice," she admitted. "Every time I sit down to write an email or record a video, I freeze up completely."
The chat exploded with comments:
"Same!"
"I feel physically ill when I try to promote myself"
"I just can't do the whole look-at-me thing"
But get this —these are all exceptionally talented practitioners who get life-changing results for their clients.
So why is marketing so terrifying for so many of us?
The Hidden Roots of Marketing Resistance
If you break out in hives at the thought of telling people about your hypnotherapy practice, I want you to know something important: there's nothing wrong with you.
Your resistance to marketing isn't laziness or some character flaw.
It's often rooted in something much deeper.
And there’s nothing worse than a lazy root - whatever that means!
But all jokes aside, you’re not alone.
As a hypnotist, coach, hypnotherapist, or even a traditional therapist, we sometimes think we are on this special island of magical unconscious knowledge.
The truth, though, is that everybody experiences some type of resistance to doing something incredible.
Ask someone like, Lori Hammond, Ryan Montis, or Anthony Serino if they ever feel even a “tiny” hint of resistance and you’ll be surprised.
And it’s not just our industry.
In fact, there are several core reasons why skilled practitioners avoid marketing like the plague.
Let’s break them down:
1. The Impostor Monster
"Who am I to claim I can help people with this problem?"
This thought haunts many of you, especially those who've experienced profound transformations through hypnotherapy themselves.
You know hypnosis works, but some part of you questions whether you should be the one doing it.
One of our members, James, put it perfectly: "I felt like a fraud charging people for something that seemed so natural to me. I kept thinking someone would call me out and expose me as a fake."
Sound familiar?
The bottom line - practically everybody experiences this: Professional athletes, professors in high level universities, doctors, lawyers, and yes, famous hypnotists like Mike Mandel, all have faced down the Imposter Monster.
Heck, Lori Hammond has a whole podcast on the subject → Check it out here
2. Visibility Trauma
For some practitioners, the fear runs deeper than impostor syndrome.
Many of us had early experiences where standing out or being visible led to criticism, rejection, or even danger.
Maybe you were ridiculed when you raised your hand in class.
Perhaps your family culture discouraged "showing off."
Or maybe your authentic self was met with rejection in the past.
These experiences create an unconscious link between visibility and pain that can trigger a fight-or-flight response when you try to market yourself.
But if I’m being honest, as great as some of you are when it comes to helping your clients…
Many of you struggle with helping yourself.
And a few of you are downright oblivious to your own inner workings.
So if this is your first time being introduced to yourself - say hello!
Because the only way to overcome this is to invest in yourself.
The sooner you do some self-work on this issue, the faster you’ll notice a difference in your business.
3. The Spiritual Bypass
"If I'm truly meant to help people, they'll find me."
This belief is particularly common among practitioners who view their work as a calling or spiritual practice.
There's a noble-sounding idea that marketing is somehow beneath you—that it's ego-driven rather than service-oriented.
I've been there myself.
For years, I waited for the universe to send me clients while I struggled to keep my practice afloat.
Spoiler alert: that's not how it works.
Talk about ego.
Have you ever received anything by just sitting around doing nothing?
Probably not.
If the universe was that generous, we’d all be sitting around our living rooms in our underwear eating ice-cream, all while truck-loads of one-hundred dollar bills were poured out into our Olympic sized swimming pool.
I digress.
What I’m trying to say is, whatever your worldview, the premise is still the same - you can’t be a successful farmer without putting in the labor.
4. The Expert Trap
Many hypnotherapists are excellent at creating transformation but have never learned basic marketing skills.
This knowledge gap creates anxiety, and rather than learning these skills, we avoid them entirely.
It's like a fear of public speaking—the less you do it, the scarier it becomes.
And the scarier it becomes, the more you avoid it because it’s scary.
Rise and repeat.
I get it though.
Doing something brand new can be pretty scary.
However - how did you make it through life up to the age you are now?
You probably learned a lot of life lessons and made a bunch of mistakes.
Now look at you!
Scars, injuries, diseases, and anything else aside - you are here!
Which means something as simple as learning how to market yourself is probably easier than the last decade or so you’ve lived through.
Right?
Because the truth is, the only way your business will get better is by learning this business skill.
Marketing is just that - a skill.
And if you don’t learn it, your business will suffer and you rob all your potential future clients of ever seeing you.
Because marketing is about reaching the people who deserve to work with you the most.
Not punishing you because you don’t know how to do it yet.
5. The Authenticity Conflict
"Marketing feels fake and manipulative. I don't want to be one of those people."
This objection usually comes from seeing bad marketing—the kind that feels sleazy, pushy, or inauthentic.
But here's the truth: that's not marketing.
That's bad marketing.
And you don't have to do it that way.
Case in point, Chris Thompson and I once saw a hypnotist’s ad on a social media platform that said, “Control Their Mind Forever. Use Hypnosis To Seduce Your Prey” or something stupid like that.
You see, THAT is bad marketing.
Not only is it bad - it’s AWFUL.
That isn’t how hypnosis works; that’s how THIS person thinks hypnosis works
Even if it DID work that way - what is wrong with you?!
So let me ask you - is that you?
Are you wanting to use hypnosis for unscrupulous reasons?
Probably not.
You’d probably experience a scruple or two. (yes, that’s a real word)
That is, of course, assuming you aren’t like that person I spoke about earlier. And no, I don’t mean Chris (although you should ask him about the dick chant!)
Ultimately, learning to market yourself is one thing.
But, coming to terms with what it is you are selling is another.
Reframing Marketing as an Act of Service
The turning point for most of our Mastermind members comes when they realize a profound truth: effective marketing isn't about you at all.
It's about the people you're meant to serve.
Every day that you don't make yourself visible, someone who needs exactly what you offer continues to suffer unnecessarily.
Think about it this way: If you knew that someone was drowning and you had a lifeline, would you withhold it because you felt uncomfortable about drawing attention to yourself?
Of course not.
Yet that's exactly what happens when you hide your gifts out of fear, discomfort, or misplaced humility.
Inside the Pykthos Growth System, we teach a framework called the Perfect Client Snapshot.
This tool helps you deeply understand who you're uniquely positioned to serve.
When you're crystal clear about who needs your help and how their life improves after working with you, marketing stops feeling like self-promotion and starts feeling like an ethical obligation.
As one member put it: "I realized I wasn't marketing for my ego. I was marketing for Sarah, my ideal client who's been struggling with anxiety for 15 years and doesn't know that freedom is possible."
And unless Sarah knew about you, she’d be spending another 15 years hoping you’d show up.
That’s why marketing is important - and marketing yourself toward the people who need you the most is more importanter-er.
But marketing isn’t about jumping into the ocean to save somebody - it’s about putting yourself in front of the right audience.
You know…the people who matter?
And in order to do that, you have to know where they hang out.
Finding Your Authentic Marketing Channel
Not all marketing channels are created equal—especially for sensitive, empathic practitioners like hypnotherapists.
The mistake many make is trying to force themselves into marketing methods that feel completely misaligned with their personality and values.
If you're an introvert who values deep connection, creating dance videos on TikTok might feel excruciating.
Likewise, if you're someone who processes ideas verbally, writing long-form blog posts could be torture.
In the Pykthos Mastermind, we help practitioners identify their natural communication strengths.
Want to know what yours are?
Here is a list of common ways people communicate and the different ways you can do it in the digital space:
1. Written Word Communicators
These practitioners express themselves best through writing.
Their marketing sweet spots include:
Email newsletters
Blog posts
LinkedIn articles
Journalistic-style content
If this is you, you’ll probably want to focus your efforts on building a social media presence on platforms like:
LinkedIn, Medium, Substack, Bluesky, and X (formerly Twitter) – where thoughtful written content and professional insights are appreciated.
2. Visual/Spoken Communicators
These practitioners shine when speaking or demonstrating.
Their marketing sweet spots include:
Podcasts (guesting or hosting)
Video content
Webinars
Live talks and workshops
If this is you, you’ll probably want to focus your efforts on building a social media presence on platforms like:
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook Live – where visual storytelling and video engagement are king.
3. Relationship Builders
These practitioners thrive in one-on-one or small group settings. Their marketing sweet spots include:
Networking events
Partnership building
Referral cultivation
Small speaking engagements
If this is you, you’ll probably want to focus your efforts on building a social media presence on platforms like:
Facebook Groups, LinkedIn, and private communities like you can build on the Pykthos platform or Circle – where deeper connections and conversations happen.
4. Behind-the-Scenes Creators
These practitioners prefer to create systems rather than be the face of their practice. Their marketing sweet spots include:
Building referral networks
Creating exceptional client experiences that generate word-of-mouth
Developing content that others can deliver
Creating automated marketing systems
If this is you, you’ll probably want to focus your efforts on building a social media presence on platforms like:
Pinterest, YouTube (for SEO evergreen content), LinkedIn (via content curation or team/company pages), and in your private communities like you can build on the Pykthos platform – these are where your ideas, systems, and processes can quietly scale without needing to be constantly in the spotlight.
The key insight?
Marketing that aligns with your natural strengths doesn't feel like marketing at all. It feels like sharing, connecting, or creating—activities you might even enjoy.
Take Jen, one of our members who dreaded marketing her hypnosis business. For 15 years, she’s owned a successful acupuncture practice that was 99.9% word of mouth. It wasn’t until she realized that her referral business was, in all honesty, her doing marketing!
Now she doesn’t feel the dread - but instead she found an opportunity to grow her hypnosis business without doing anything extra.
The Power of Story Over Selling
If there's one thing that transforms marketing from painful to powerful, it's this: focus on stories, not selling.
Stories bypass resistance. They engage emotions. They create connection.
And perhaps most importantly for hypnotherapists, they demonstrate transformation without sounding like a sales pitch.
Inside our Brand Messaging Blueprint, which helps members in the Pykthos Mastermind dial in on how they speak to their ideal customers.
Regardless of how you market, telling stories will amplify your offer and help your customer relate with you.
So what types of stories can you tell your customers? Let’s dive into three simple, yet powerful story themes:
1. Client Transformation Stories
These showcase the journey your clients have taken (with permission and appropriate anonymization).
Think of these like reading a review for a product you are about to purchase - but hidden inside an interesting story.
Usually, these transformational stories follow a simple structure:
Where they started
What they tried before
How they found you
What the process was like
Where they are now
With this easy formula, you’ll give your potential customers a better understanding of what they are buying and if it’s for them.
2. Personal Why Stories
These explain why you do what you do.
Everybody loves a hero’s journey.
Think about some of your favorite novels, like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter - there is a clear start, middle and end.
So for you and your narrative, examples of personal stories might include:
Your own healing journey
A pivotal moment with a client
The problem you became obsessed with solving
Your unique approach and why it matters
Ultimately, you are showing your future customers that you are real, authentic, and understand the path they are taking to arrive where you are.
3. Insight Stories
These share wisdom without directly selling.
Most of you have experienced these types of stories from some of your favorite brands, without ever knowing they were doing it.
They might include:
A surprising discovery from your practice
A common misconception about hypnotherapy
A new perspective on a familiar problem
A tool or technique people can try themselves
In the Pykthos Mastermind, you’ll discover something we teach from DigitalMarketer called the Customer Value Journey, which is the typical step-by-step flow your customers take from never knowing who you are, to eventually becoming a paid customer.
In order for a stranger to turn into a buyer they typically need some type of “A-ha” moment. A simple moment of clarity or insight that helps them connect the dots from their problem to your product or service as the solution.
The truth is, when you lead with stories, you never have to "sell" in the traditional sense.
The transformation speaks for itself, and interested people naturally want to learn more.
How Automation Saves You From Marketing Burnout
Ok. Let’s be serious for a moment.
You’ve read this entire article, had your own sparks of genius, and are now feeling the overwhelm of everything you have to do.
How do I know this? We see this pattern frequently in the Pykthos Mastermind.
A practitioner finally overcomes their marketing resistance
They start creating some content
Maybe they even gets a client or two from it... And then promptly disappear for months because it was so emotionally taxing.
Does this sound like you? (it’s ok to raise your hand, I’m not judging you)
Truth-be-told, this stop-start approach is exhausting and ineffective.
The solution? Automation.
Using the Profit Process Map from our Pykthos Growth System, we help practitioners create systems that maintain visibility even when they need to step back.
In a single diagram, you’ll be able to see where the customer is at in their journey with you, and what’s supposed to happen next.
This gives you plenty of time to plan ahead, promote what is coming up, and have a strategy - instead of flailing around lost at sea.
Your marketing efforts should practically feel effortless.
Here's what sustainable marketing automation looks like:
1. Batched Content Creation
Instead of trying to create content every day or week, set aside dedicated time to create multiple pieces at once. Many of our members do a quarterly "content day" where they create 3 months of material in one go.
This is why we have dedicated faculty members, like Ryan Montis, Lori Hammond, and Anthony Serino.
They’ve got more years doing the social media content creation thing than many of our practitioners do running their business.
You get their specialty trainings and workshops included in your Pykthos Mastermind membership.
2. Scheduled Deployment
Use scheduling tools to release this content over time. This ensures consistent visibility without the constant pressure to perform.
Luckily, you get the Pykthos Platform with your Mastermind membership - which has a fully functional social media scheduler and content management system.
Talk about easy-mode. When you take the time to sit down and simply schedule your content to go out in advance, you’ll get hours of your life back that typically goes unnoticed.
This means more time with clients and less time with social headaches.
3. Repurposing Content
Create systems to transform one piece of content into multiple formats. A single interview can become a blog post, social media content, and email material with the right forethought.
Chris Thompson often shares this concept he learned called Splintering.
Here’s how it works - take long form content, like an interview, and splice it up into smaller chunks as mentioned above.
You could also do this with a course you created.
Instead of giving the whole thing away for free, as an example, you could offer Lesson 1 for free, and then sell the rest of it as a follow-up.
This gives you your time back and will give your customer an easier way to experience what you are offering without risk.
Nobody likes risk.
4. Nurture Sequences
Build email sequences that automatically engage with new subscribers, sharing your best stories and insights without requiring daily attention.
Use your e-mail list and a nurture sequence as an evergreen, evergrowing way to get your customer more familiar with you.
This is why the different types of stories I wrote about previously are important.
As much as nobody likes risk, there are very few people who enjoy reading only facts and figures.
Think about it. It’s much easier to tell a story to your audience about a time you helped a client with a ridiculous problem more than just saying, “I used hypnosis and they got a result.” ever would.
5. Platform-Specific Optimization
Each platform has optimal posting frequencies and content types.
Systems can help you meet these requirements without overwhelming yourself.
On the Pykthos Platform (included in our Mastermind), you can create these automation systems without needing to patch together multiple tools or learn complex technology.
One member, Michael, was able to reduce his marketing time from 15 hours per week to just 4 hours per month through smart automation.
Because he got his time back, this meant he could put more effort into what mattered (working with his clients) instead of trying to fix something that wasn’t working.
The Five-Touch Minimum
One final insight that has transformed marketing for many of our members: understand the "five-touch minimum."
Research consistently shows that most people need to encounter you or your message at least five times before they seriously consider working with you.
(And even more recent research has put that number closer to SEVENTY times. Yes, you read that right.)
How does this work?
Simply put, customers don’t happen immediately. They will browse your social media accounts, talk to friends, read reviews, do their own research, and then, after careful consideration, make a purchase.
This means that your brilliant blog post or powerful video isn't a failure if it doesn't immediately bring clients.
It's just touch #1 (or #2 or #3) in their journey toward becoming a client.
When you understand this, marketing becomes less pressure-filled. Each piece of content is just one step in building a relationship, not a make-or-break moment.
Emma, one of our members, tracks where each new client first encountered her and how many touches they had before reaching out. Her average? Eight touches over 2-3 months.
"Knowing this completely changed how I feel about marketing," she shared. "Now I see each post or email as just planting seeds. Some will grow quickly, others might take months or even years. But that's okay—I'm playing the long game."
We even know this ourselves at Pykthos - which is why we hope and trust this blog post gets you at least one step closer to becoming a Pykthos Mastermind member.
Your Next Steps to Marketing with Integrity
Alright - If you're ready to move past your marketing resistance, here are three practical steps you can take today:
Step 1: Identify Your Core Block
Which of the resistances I mentioned resonates most strongly with you?
Is it impostor syndrome?
Visibility trauma?
The authenticity conflict?
Identifying the root cause is the first step to addressing it.
And if you need help with this, I’m sure there are plenty of hypnotists inside of The Mike Mandel Hypnosis Academy or Enter the Loop that can help.
Step 2: Choose Your Natural Channel
Based on your communication strengths, which marketing channel feels most aligned?
Start there—don't force yourself to use platforms or methods that feel fundamentally wrong for your personality.
Then, start batch-creating content for that channel.
And if you need help with building your catalog of awesome, we’ve got you covered in the Pykthos Mastermind.
As a member, you get custom built GPTs and AI that will give you a weekly content plan, help you write the copy, and even create images for you.
It’s pretty remarkable everything you get when you join.
Step 3: Collect and Tell Stories
Finally, start gathering stories of transformation—both your own and your clients' (with permission).
These will become the foundation of your marketing, allowing you to connect without "selling."
Inside the Pykthos Mastermind, we don't just tell you to "get over" your marketing resistance.
We help you understand it, work through it, and build systems that honor your natural strengths while ensuring you remain visible to those who need you.
Our members get access to:
The Pykthos Platform with all the tools you need to automate your marketing
The Brand Messaging Blueprint to clarify your unique value
The Perfect Client Snapshot to understand who you're meant to serve
Weekly coaching calls where we tackle marketing challenges head-on
A community of practitioners who understand the journey you're on
And a heck-of-a-lot more
This is exactly the kind of transformation we help our members through. If overcoming your marketing resistance sounds like exactly what you need right now, you'd probably love the support we provide in the Mastermind.
Click here to see what the Pykthos Mastermind is all about.
Remember: Your work matters too much to remain hidden. Every time you find the courage to share it, you create the possibility for someone's transformation.
That's not pushy. That's purpose.
Timothy September
Co-Founder / Team Pykthos
