
How Hypnosis May Be More Real, and Powerful, Than You Think
From Chasing Life by CNN Podcasts
April 17, 2026 · 28 min
About this episode
Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses the science of clinical hypnosis with Dr. David Spiegel and its applications in pain, anxiety, and performance enhancement.
Most people might think hypnosis is just stage tricks. But the science tells a different story. Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with Stanford’s Dr. David Spiegel about how clinical hypnosis may help with pain, anxiety, and bad habits. He also explains why elite athletes use it to improve focus and performance, and how you might be able to use it yourself. Producer: Kyra Dahring Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Guest: Dr. David Spiegel
Topics covered
- hypnosis
- pain management
- anxiety
- bad habits
- elite athletes
- focus
- performance
Keywords
- hypnosis
- clinical hypnosis
- pain relief
- anxiety reduction
- elite athletes
- focus improvement
- performance enhancement
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Stanford
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