How Hypnosis May Be More Real, and Powerful, Than You Think

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

More episodes of Chasing Life

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Chasing Life podcast page.