Hypnotherapy for actors, musicians and performers
Do nerves let you down in auditions or on stage? Do you worry about forgetting your lines, or shaking in front of an audience? Hypnotherapy can help you feel calm, confident and focused, so you can enjoy performing at your best.
Hello, I'm Susannah. I am a clinical hypnotherapist and performance mindset coach in the City of London, helping actors, musicians and comedians perform with confidence. I have 20+ years of experience, working with everyone from drama students and new performers to high-profile celebrities. I offer bespoke, discreet one-to-one sessions in the City or online in the comfort of your own home. Contact me to find out more or book your initial consultation.
How can hypnotherapy help performers?
Hypnotherapy can help performers by calming performance anxiety and resolving the underlying thoughts and beliefs that feed self-doubt. In hypnosis, we work on whatever gets in the way, from audition nerves to forgetting lines or a shaking voice. Mindset coaching then helps you prepare well, handle rejection and build a career you enjoy.
What are the benefits of hypnotherapy for performers?
The benefits of hypnotherapy for performers include calmer nerves, more confidence and more enjoyment of performing. Hypnotherapy and mindset coaching can help you:
- feel calm and ready before you go on
- walk into auditions with confidence
- trust yourself to remember your lines, music or set
- keep your voice and hands steady
- be present and connected on stage
- bounce back from rejection and bad reviews
- sleep well, even on tour or after a late show
- handle the pressure of being in the public eye
- enjoy performing again
Meet Susannah Saunders: Clinical Hypnotherapist in London
Susannah Saunders is a clinical hypnotherapist with over 20 years’ experience, helping clients with anxiety, sleep difficulties, phobias, confidence and unwanted habits.
She founded City Hypnotherapy Centre in London in 2003 and previously worked for two years as an assistant clinical psychologist within NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Her qualifications and professional registrations include:
- BSc (Hons) in Psychology
- Senior Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice (SQHP), General Hypnotherapy Standards Council
- Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma (HPD), National Council for Hypnotherapy
- Registered with the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR). Registration number: 3034
- Registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Registration number: CNHC10269
Your appointment
£198Including VAT · approximately 50 minutes
- Individual sessions tailored to you
- Your initial consultation includes hypnosis
- A personalised hypnosis recording included
- Time to discuss your goals and review your progress
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Who does hypnotherapy for performers help?
Hypnotherapy for performers can help anyone who performs, from drama and music students to established, high-profile names. It suits actors, musicians, singers, comedians, dancers and presenters, on stage, on screen or in the studio. It can help whether you perform in the West End, on tour, at the Fringe or at local gigs.
Have you worked with celebrities?
Yes, I've worked with high-profile celebrities over my 20+ years in practice. Discretion is central to how I work, so client names and details stay private. I understand the pressures that come with a public profile, from press attention to performing under scrutiny.
Why see a hypnotherapist who understands performers?
A hypnotherapist who understands performers knows the pressures of auditions, opening nights, reviews and life on the road. That means we can get straight to work on what you want to change. As a clinical hypnotherapist and performance mindset coach, I combine hypnosis with practical coaching for performance.
Can hypnotherapy help with stage fright?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help with stage fright by calming your stress response and building your confidence. Many performers find their nerves grow over time, even after years of performing well. Anchoring, breathing techniques and mental rehearsal, where helpful, can help you walk on stage feeling calm and ready.
Can hypnotherapy help with audition nerves?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help you feel calm and confident in auditions and recalls. Walking into a room of strangers who are judging you can bring on nerves, even when you know the material well. Anchoring and mental rehearsal, where helpful, can help you settle quickly and show what you can do.
How can I feel more confident doing self-tapes?
You can feel more confident with self-tapes by setting a time limit, choosing your best take and letting it go. Self-tapes can lead to endless retakes and overthinking, and often silence once you've sent them. Hypnotherapy can help you trust your instincts, stop chasing a perfect take and move on to the next one.
Can hypnotherapy help if I'm afraid of forgetting my lines?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help if fear of forgetting your lines, known as drying, is affecting your performance. Worrying about drying can make it more likely, because stress makes it harder to recall what you know. Hypnotherapy can help you stay calm, so the lines you've learned are there when you need them.
How can I cope with rejection as a performer?
You can cope with rejection by separating the casting decision from your worth as a performer. Casting often comes down to things outside your control, like height, age or look. Hypnotherapy and ego strengthening can help you bounce back quickly and walk into the next room with confidence.
Can hypnotherapy help performers sleep better?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help you sleep better, even after a late show or on tour. Adrenaline after a performance, late finishes and changing time zones can make it hard to switch off. The personalised recording can help you relax at bedtime, wherever you are.
How can I cope with the stress of touring?
You can cope with touring by building small routines that travel with you, like a short self-hypnosis session each day. Constant travel, late nights and time away from home can leave you exhausted and homesick. Hypnotherapy can help you stay calm, rested and connected to what you love about performing.
How can I cope with uncertainty between jobs?
You can cope with uncertainty between jobs by focusing on what you can control, like your craft, your health and your next steps. Irregular income and time between jobs, which actors call resting, can knock your confidence and motivation. Mindset coaching can help you plan, and hypnosis can help you stay calm and positive.
Can hypnotherapy help with creative block?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help if you feel stuck writing songs, jokes or new material. Pressure, perfectionism and self-criticism can make it hard to create freely. Hypnosis can help you relax and calm your inner critic, so ideas flow more easily.
Can hypnotherapy help me recover after a bad performance?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help you move on from a performance that went wrong, like a dry, a cracked note or a gig that died. One bad night can replay in your head and make you dread the next one. The rewind technique and ego strengthening can help you put it behind you and go back on with confidence.
Can hypnotherapy help with red light fever in the studio?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help with red light fever, the nerves that hit when recording starts. Knowing every note or line is being captured can make you tense, so takes feel stiff. Hypnotherapy and anchoring can help you stay relaxed and natural when the red light goes on.
Can hypnotherapy help stage actors?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help stage actors with first night nerves, long runs and the fear of drying. Eight shows a week, understudy calls and keeping a performance fresh can take a lot out of you. Hypnotherapy can help you stay calm, focused and energised from the first preview to the final night.
Photograph by Yan Krukau on Pexels.
Can hypnotherapy help classical musicians?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help classical musicians with performance anxiety, orchestral auditions and solo nerves. Exposed solos, auditions behind a screen and the pressure to play every note perfectly can bring on tension and tremor. Hypnotherapy can help you stay steady and play with freedom and expression.
Can hypnotherapy help comedians?
Yes, hypnotherapy can help comedians with stage nerves, hecklers and the fear of dying on stage. Open mics, new material and a month of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe can test even experienced acts. Hypnotherapy can help you stay relaxed, think on your feet and bounce back from a tough gig.
What is solution-focused hypnotherapy, and how can it help?
Solution-focused hypnotherapy combines a forward-looking conversation about what you want with hypnosis to calm your mind. It's based on how the brain works under stress, and it suits people who want practical results. For performers, it means building on what's already working, one small step at a time.
What is mindset coaching, and how can it help?
Mindset coaching helps you get clear on what you want from your career and the thinking that helps or holds you back. Together, we set clear goals, plan how you prepare and build routines for auditions and performances. Combined with hypnosis, coaching helps new habits feel natural, so they last.
What is positive suggestion, and how can it help?
Positive suggestion is the use of clear, encouraging statements in hypnosis, when your mind is relaxed and open to change. For a performer, that might be suggestions for calm in the wings, a steady voice or enjoying the audience. Repeated on the personalised recording, these suggestions can help new responses feel natural.
What is ego strengthening, and how can it help?
Ego strengthening is a set of suggestions that build self-belief and remind you of your strengths and past successes. It's useful after rejections, a tough review or a gig that went wrong, when confidence takes a knock. It helps you feel steady and resilient, so one setback stays in proportion.
What is anchoring, and how can it help?
Anchoring links a calm, confident feeling to a small physical cue, like pressing your thumb and finger together. We create your anchor in hypnosis, and you can use it discreetly in the wings, the green room or before an audition. Over time, the cue brings back that calm, focused state quickly.
What is the rewind technique, and how can it help?
The rewind technique is a gentle way of taking the emotional charge out of a difficult memory, while you're relaxed in hypnosis. You watch the memory like a film, then run it backwards, so it loses its power. It can help after a dry, a heckle or a performance that keeps replaying in your head.
What is reframing, and how can it help?
Reframing is looking at a situation in a new way, so it feels more manageable. Nerves can become excitement and energy, and a rejection can become one step closer to the right role. In hypnosis, the new view can feel more natural, so it sticks.
What is EFT, and how can it help?
EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques, involves tapping on points on your face, upper body and hands while you focus on a feeling. It's a quick way to calm down in the dressing room or before an audition, ideally somewhere private. You can do it in a few minutes, wherever you are.
What breathing technique can I use before going on stage?
A useful technique is to breathe out for longer than you breathe in, which helps calm your stress response. You can do it in the wings, backstage or outside the audition room. I teach you this alongside anchoring, so you have quick tools for the moments that count.
What is mental rehearsal, and how can it help?
Mental rehearsal is picturing yourself performing well, in detail, while you're relaxed in hypnosis. A 2020 review of studies found mental practice, rehearsing a skill in your mind, has a positive effect on performance. Where helpful, we rehearse your audition, opening night or gig, so on the day it feels familiar.
What happens in a hypnotherapy and coaching session?
Each session combines a solution-focused coaching conversation with time in hypnosis, while you sit back with your eyes closed. Your first session is the initial consultation, which includes hypnosis, and later sessions start with what's gone well since we last met. After each session, you have the personalised recording to listen to at home.
What related support can I explore?
Read more about stage fright, public speaking, stress, sleep difficulties, anxiety and confidence.
What would you like to know about hypnotherapy for performers?
Auditions, confidence and the pressures of performing
Sessions are arranged directly with you, or through your agent or manager if you prefer. You can see me in the City or online by secure, encrypted Zoom, wherever you feel most at ease. Sessions are private and discreet, with confidentiality explained when we begin, and I keep client names and details private.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help you stay calm and grounded when your work and private life are under scrutiny. Press attention, online comments and being recognised in public can make it hard to relax. Hypnotherapy can help you switch off, sleep well and keep perspective, so you can enjoy your success.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help you feel calm and confident in interviews, on red carpets and at press events. These moments can feel more exposing than performing, because you're speaking as yourself. Anchoring and mental rehearsal, where helpful, can help you stay relaxed and present.
You can cope with criticism on social media by limiting how much you read and keeping it in perspective. A single cruel comment can stick in your head for days, even among hundreds of kind ones. Hypnotherapy and reframing can help you let it go and stay focused on your work.
Stage fright, or performance anxiety, is intense nervousness before or during a performance, even for experienced performers. Your body's stress response can react to being on stage, so you might get a racing heart, dry mouth or shaky hands and voice. Hypnotherapy can help calm that response, so you feel steady and ready to perform.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help if nerves make your hands, bow arm or voice shake when you perform. Shaking is adrenaline at work, and the more you fight it, the more noticeable it can feel. Breathing techniques, anchoring and hypnosis can help calm your body, so you play or sing with control.
You can handle bad reviews by keeping them in perspective, as one person's opinion on one night. A harsh review, or a run of one- and two-star notices, can knock your confidence for the rest of the run. Hypnotherapy and reframing can help you take what's useful and let go of the rest.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help if you feel like a fraud, even after success. Many performers worry they'll be found out, especially after a big break or a role alongside well-known names. Ego strengthening can help you recognise your talent and feel you belong in the room.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help you feel calm and focused on a first night or press night. Critics in the audience, friends and family watching and weeks of rehearsal can all raise the stakes. Self-hypnosis and the personalised recording can help you rest the night before and arrive ready.
You can be more present on stage by focusing on your scene partner, the music or the audience in front of you. Nerves turn your attention inward, to how you're doing, which can make a performance feel stiff. Hypnosis trains your focus, so you can get out of your head and into the moment.
Many performers feel low after a show because the adrenaline that carried them through drops away. The post-show comedown can be stronger when a run ends, a tour finishes or after a big night. Hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis can help you wind down, sleep well and feel steady between shows.
Many performers struggle with perfectionism because their training focuses on spotting and fixing every flaw. That's useful in rehearsal, but on stage it can turn into self-monitoring and tension. Hypnotherapy can help you keep high standards while letting go and enjoying the performance.
Comparing yourself to other performers is natural, especially when castings, bookings and success are shared on social media. It can leave you feeling behind, however well your career is going. Hypnotherapy can help you focus on your own path and enjoy your work.
Questions about your work as a performer
Yes, hypnotherapy can help screen actors with self-tapes, nerves on set and working opposite well-known names. Early calls, long days and repeating a scene take after take can test your focus and energy. Hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis can help you stay relaxed, present and ready when the camera rolls.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help band and session musicians with gig nerves, studio pressure and life on the road. Late nights, irregular income and the pressure to be at your best every night can wear you down. Hypnotherapy can help you stay calm, rested and confident, from soundcheck to the last song.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help singers with nerves that affect breathing, tone and confidence. Tension tightens the throat and breath, so worrying about a high note or a crack can make it more likely. Hypnotherapy and breathing techniques can help you relax your body and trust your voice.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help dancers with audition nerves, performance anxiety and confidence after injury. Constant comparison in the studio and intense competition for roles can take their toll. Hypnotherapy can help you feel calm and confident, and enjoy dancing again.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help TV and radio presenters with live broadcast nerves, autocue worries and on-air confidence. Live television leaves little room for error, which can make every broadcast feel high-pressure. Hypnotherapy and anchoring can help you stay relaxed and natural on air.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help drama school and conservatoire students with auditions, showcases and performance nerves. Drama school auditions, end-of-year showcases and recitals can feel like everything depends on them. Hypnotherapy can help you stay calm, believe in your ability and enjoy your training.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help established performers, including high-profile names, with the pressures that come with success. Bigger stages, higher expectations and public scrutiny can bring new nerves, even after years of performing. Sessions are discreet and confidential, and can fit around rehearsals, filming and touring.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help you rebuild your confidence when returning to performing after a break or an injury. Time away can make the stage feel unfamiliar, and you might worry whether you've still got it. Hypnotherapy and mental rehearsal, where helpful, can help the stage feel familiar again.
Yes, hypnotherapy can help any performer who feels nerves or pressure, from magicians and circus artists to drag artists and DJs. Live audiences, skills that must land first time and the pressure to stand out are common across performing. Hypnotherapy can help you feel calm, focused and confident in your own performance.
Hypnosis and mindset coaching techniques
The miracle question is a coaching tool that asks you to imagine waking up tomorrow with the problem solved. You describe what you'd notice first, like walking on stage feeling excited or enjoying an audition. Those details become clear, practical aims for our sessions.
Scaling is a coaching tool where you rate where you are now from 0 to 10, like how calm you feel before a show. We then look at what would move you one point higher, which keeps progress practical. It's a quick way to track change from session to session.
Self-hypnosis is a skill I teach you, so you can relax and refocus your mind on your own. You can practise while resting safely in the dressing room or at bedtime after a show. With practice, it takes a few minutes.
Hypnotherapy for performers works by calming your stress response, so the calm, clear-thinking part of your brain stays in charge on stage. In hypnosis, we work on the negative stories, thoughts and beliefs at the root of the problem, like doubting your talent. Then, where helpful, you mentally rehearse performing calmly and confidently, so on the day it feels familiar.
Combining coaching with hypnosis works on two levels: the plan you make consciously, and the subconscious habits that get in the way. Many performers know what they should do, yet nerves and old habits throw them off course. Hypnosis helps the plan you make in coaching feel natural, so it holds under pressure.
Nerves make it harder to think clearly because stress can interfere with attention, working memory and recalling what you know. That's why lines you know perfectly can suddenly vanish, or your fingers can feel clumsy. Hypnotherapy can help lower your stress, so you feel calmer and better able to concentrate.
The stress bucket is a way of picturing how stress builds up over time. Every audition, late night and rejection adds to it, while sleep, rest and support help you recover. We use it as a simple way to talk about what is adding to your stress and how hypnotherapy can help you feel calmer.
Appointments, research and choosing a practitioner
The personalised recording is the audio of your hypnosis session, for you to listen to at home between sessions. It's ideal at bedtime, especially on tour or after a late show. Listening regularly helps reinforce the positive changes we make together.
Yes, you stay in control throughout hypnosis, aware of what's happening and able to open your eyes at any time. Hypnosis is a natural, focused state, a bit like being absorbed in a good book. Most people find it very relaxing, and you come out feeling refreshed and alert.
It's both: practical, goal-focused coaching combined with clinical hypnotherapy. We focus on what you want and how to get there, using hypnosis to make the changes feel natural. It suits busy people who want practical, forward-looking help.
Hypnotherapy for performers is private and discreet, with confidentiality explained when we begin. I offer a service arranged directly with me, and I'm registered with the Information Commissioner's Office, number ZB654528. My privacy policy explains how I look after your information.
Yes, you can have hypnotherapy online by secure, encrypted Zoom, which can make it easier to fit around rehearsals, filming and touring. You can join from home, a hotel or a dressing room, wherever you can talk freely. My online hypnotherapy page has more detail.
The number of sessions varies from person to person, depending on what you'd like to work on. We talk it through at your initial consultation, so you know what to expect.
My fees are listed on my prices page, and I'm happy to answer any questions before you book. You can contact me to book your initial consultation.
Research suggests anxiety is common among performers, linked to the pressures of the industry. A University of Westminster study for Help Musicians UK found anxiety and panic attacks were common among musicians. The Actors' Trust's 2026 survey found high anxiety among 39% of actors and 34% of stage management, compared with 23% of UK adults.
Research suggests hypnosis can help reduce anxiety, and mental rehearsal can help performance. A 2019 review of studies found hypnosis helped reduce anxiety. A 2020 review found mental practice, rehearsing a skill in your mind, has a positive effect on performance.
When choosing a hypnotherapist or performance coach, look for recognised qualifications, professional insurance and someone who understands the performing world. You can check my training and professional registrations through my qualifications page, the General Hypnotherapy Register and the CNHC. I hold the SQHP and HPD qualifications and have been practising as a clinical hypnotherapist since 2003.
I'm Susannah Saunders, a clinical hypnotherapist and performance mindset coach based in the City of London. I founded City Hypnotherapy Centre in 2003, after two years as an assistant clinical psychologist in NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. I have a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, I'm registered with the General Hypnotherapy Register, and I've worked with high-profile celebrities.
Self-tapes, understudy nerves and practical questions
Hypnosis can help with the nerves that show up when someone listens, even when you play well at home. You might start watching every movement, grip harder or worry about the next difficult passage. We work on the anxiety and self-doubt behind that change, so you can trust your preparation and concentrate on the music.
I can help if you keep doing another take and never feel ready to send your self-tape. We look at the perfectionism and worry about being judged that make it hard to choose. Hypnosis and mindset coaching can help you trust your decisions, send the tape and get on with the rest of your day.
You can stop going over an audition by working on the self-doubt and disappointment that keep bringing you back to it. Getting a recall or being pencilled and then losing the job can be hard to put behind you. We work on taking useful feedback, keeping the casting decision in perspective and feeling confident about your next audition.
Hypnosis can help with understudy nerves and the uncertainty of possibly going on at short notice. You might know the track well but still dread the call, worry about entrances or feel under pressure to prove yourself. We can work on trusting your preparation and settling your nerves before you go on.
We can discuss appointments around your run, filming schedule or tour. Online sessions via Zoom make it easier to meet from a quiet, private place while you're away. Contact me with your availability so we can agree a time when you can talk freely and relax afterwards.
You can check my qualifications on my about page and verify my registrations through the CNHC and my General Hypnotherapy Register profile. My CNHC registration number is CNHC10269 and my GHR registration number is 3034. I hold a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, HPD and SQHP qualifications, trained with CPHT, and founded City Hypnotherapy Centre in 2003.
Where can I read the research and check your registrations?
Page reviewed by Susannah Saunders, clinical hypnotherapist (SQHP, HPD) and performance mindset coach, November 2026.
How can I book my consultation?
Contact me to find out more about hypnotherapy and mindset coaching for actors, musicians and performers, or book your initial consultation.
