Video Hypnosis with Children
You've found a practitioner who feels right, and they're a three-hour drive away. Or your schedule no longer stretches. Or your child is precisely the sort who won't walk into an unfamiliar office.
And one objection comes straight away: how could my child focus on a screen when they can't sit still for five minutes? It's the most common question, and the answer often surprises: on screen there are fewer objects to fiddle with and fewer ways to steer the conversation elsewhere than there are in an office.
This page is about the video format only: how to prepare the session, what frame to set at home, from what age, and when video isn't the right fit. What hypnosis offers children, and the reasons families come to us, are covered on our Hypnosis for Children page.
Why it works, sometimes better than an office
The child is at home. They know the room, the sounds, the smells. They haven't had to walk into an unfamiliar place or sit in a waiting room. For an anxious child, that's one obstacle gone before anything starts.
The screen is their territory. Children today talk to their grandparents, their friends and sometimes their class through a screen. It isn't a strange device to them, it's an ordinary one.
And, against expectation, they're often more focused. That's what the practitioners on our team report: in an office there are objects to handle, a window, a plant, a thousand ways to steer the conversation elsewhere. On screen the frame is tighter, and so is the attention.
For the family, there's everything else. No journey, more flexible times, follow-up that holds through an illness, a holiday or the unexpected. And access to a practitioner trained to work with children, even one who practises a long way from you.
What we know, and what we don't. On video hypnosis with children specifically, the research is silent: no published trial, no case series. What is documented sits one step to the side, with psychological follow-up by videoconference for young people: a 2025 meta-analysis covering twelve trials finds no difference from in-person work, though its authors stress that the data remain preliminary and concern anxiety and low mood above all. So we rely on our practitioners' experience, not on studies about this exact setting.
The frame to set at home
This is the most important part of this page, and the part that is missing almost everywhere. In an office the frame exists on its own: a professional place, a parent in the waiting room, a door that is never quite closed. At home that frame has to be rebuilt, and it's on us to tell you how. The points below are the ones the Ordre des psychologues du Québec sets out for remote practice with a minor, and we apply them.
An adult is in the home for the whole session. Awake, reachable, and your child knows it. This isn't an administrative formality: a child who knows a parent is nearby settles more easily.
The session happens in a living space rather than a bedroom, or in a bedroom with the door ajar. The living room outside busy hours, the dining room, a study: the aim is somewhere quiet, not somewhere closed off.
You can come in at any moment, and your child needs to know that too. It won't disrupt the session.
You're there at the start, for the conversation, and at the end for the debrief. In between, many children prefer to talk on their own, and that's fair enough: you can stay within reach without being in the frame.
No recording of the session will be made without your explicit agreement, and never by the child alone.
No contact between the practitioner and your child outside sessions. No messages, no social media. Everything goes through you.
On the technical side, check with the practitioner which platform is used and what becomes of the data. You have every right to ask, and a clear answer is part of doing this properly.
In Quebec, Law 25 requires clear consent given for specific purposes, and personal information about a child under 14 cannot be collected from the child without the parent's agreement. In France, health data must be held by a certified host.
Video available in French
Video transcript
Are you wondering whether online hypnosis is as effective for children as hypnosis in person? Do you wonder whether the lack of direct contact means fewer effects? Or perhaps you are even wondering whether online hypnosis works with every child? I answer all these questions in this video. So yes, online hypnosis works with children as well as hypnosis in person, and sometimes even better. Let me explain why.
First, I'd like to share with you how an online hypnosis session with children unfolds, in my own particular style as a hypnotherapist. Not all hypnotherapists structure their sessions the same way, but I'll explain how I do it. In general, I spend about 40 to 45 minutes with the child, depending on their age. When they are very young, it may be a little less.
At the first meeting, in the first 10 to 15 minutes, we talk about everything, about what interests them; I ask them questions, and the aim is to build a connection. Because in this kind of support, it is the connection that is key to making change possible, and especially with children, to open up their receptivity. Then, in roughly the next fifteen minutes of the session, we use symbolic tools.
With children, I don't do the same as with adults. In a hypnosis session for adults, we ask the person to keep their eyes closed for at least 30 to 40 minutes and to focus on things we suggest and questions we ask. So you can see that this isn't quite suitable for children, for whom it would be a huge effort, if they managed it at all, and which wouldn't help them open up to the process.
So with children, the hypnosis session takes the form of a game, a conversation. We make up a story together. Whatever the subject, the child chooses it, according to their imagination. And in this story, we develop key symbols, for example an astronaut if they want to visit space, or a mermaid if it's the underwater world, which will represent resources we want to see develop in the child.
For example, self-confidence, or safety, like when you give Mum a hug. My job as a hypnotherapist is to link the symbol we have developed with the child, for example the mermaid, to the inner resource the child experiences, so safety, and to connect it to an emotion the child knows. So when is safety? When do I feel safe? It's when I give Mum a hug.
So my job as a hypnotherapist is to link these three elements together: the symbol the child has developed, the resource, safety, and, so that the child knows what we mean when we talk about that resource, a positive memory of it. I build this up gradually through play, through conversation and exchange. And I usually suggest the child has paper and a pencil nearby, and at the end of the session we draw this key symbol so that it sinks in.
The meeting lasts about an hour. Once I've finished the session with the child, I invite you, the parents, back in front of the screen. Together with the child, we tell you what we did during the session, and then I take some time to wrap up with you and explain how to use the tools and how to follow up on them with the child before our next meeting. I often suggest a gap of two weeks, without a new session, to give the child time to experiment with their new resources and to meet the everyday situations they need in order to try them out.
After two weeks, we write to each other: I send you an email to find out how things are going with the goal, and from there we see whether you would like to book another session, depending on how the first one went. What is really key to how well hypnosis works with children is the child's level of receptivity. Sometimes, when children are very young, they find it hard to listen or to connect with me, and it really is that level of receptivity that makes the difference.
I am of course very passionate about supporting children, and I have experience in building a connection with them, whatever kind of child they are. And what is very interesting, as I said at the beginning, is that online hypnosis is sometimes more effective. I have this perspective because, living in the Laurentians for many years, I supported children in person, and now I mostly support them online because I live in the Gaspé, and I've noticed that sessions work better with children because they are more focused through the screen.
Because when we are in the same room, if the child doesn't really want to talk to me about their issue, they will talk to me about what's happening outside the window, or go and find a new game in the toy box. Anyway, you see what I mean, don't you? Those kinds of distractions. Whereas online, they have to stay connected with me, because the screen is the only thing linking us, and this often helps them be more effective and more focused on the goal.
I also regularly get the question: can I, as a parent, sit in on the session? There is no problem with listening to the session. What I often suggest is that, as soon as the child is comfortable, perhaps after a few minutes, because I often put children at ease very quickly, the parent leaves the child alone in front of the screen and goes about their business nearby, leaving the door of the room open if they want to listen. But simply so that the child doesn't constantly lean on their parent and can find their own inner resources to talk with me, I like them to be alone in front of the screen, and I find it works much better.
I support children from the age of four, so when children are very young, four or five, the parents sometimes stay with us in front of the screen to support the child as well as possible. Then we do the session all together, and I also ask the parents to imagine things with the child, to involve them in the session. So, only with young children does the parent sometimes stay in front of the screen; very often children are very independent and very happy to talk to me, chat and play, and they have a lot of fun.
So it's very easy for the parent to let the child be in their own inner dynamic. Depending on the child's age, what matters is that they are willing. When we are supporting teenagers, or children from about ten, it is really important that they agree to this support and are open to it, because that is what allows their receptivity. Below 8 to 10, depending on their maturity, we don't have to ask them, because it all happens through play; it's like one big game.
This is how I support children with issues such as anxiety symptoms, tics and OCD symptoms, once there has been a medical check and follow-up, and behavioural difficulties too, such as bedwetting and encopresis, again provided there has been a medical check beforehand. So I look forward to supporting your child and to being in touch with you through this hypnosis process.
They are very dear to my heart, and these sessions always take place with great joy and lots of fun. I look forward to meeting you.
Hypnotherapy is a complementary form of support and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns about your health, please consult a physician first.
Preparing the session
The essential point: your child has to agree. Show them the photo or the introduction video of the practitioner, or of several, and let them choose the person they feel like meeting. If they're not ready, don't push: it may be for later.
Explain what's going to happen, simply. That they'll be talking with someone, that they won't fall asleep, that they can stop if they want to, and that you'll be nearby.
On the practical side:
- somewhere quiet, where nobody will wander in;
- a good connection, and the device plugged in so it doesn't cut out mid-session;
- a working camera and microphone, tested beforehand, not at appointment time;
- headphones or earbuds if the house is busy;
- the screen at eye level, the child sitting comfortably;
- notifications turned off on the device being used.
And if the connection drops mid-session? It happens, and it's no great matter. The practitioner calls back and the session picks up again. Agree on a backup phone number in advance: it saves worry on both sides.
How a session unfolds
It follows the same steps as an office session.
The conversation, with you and the child, to understand the situation and set a goal.
The work with the child. Unlike with adults, there often won't be a formal induction of the "close your eyes and relax" kind, especially with a restless or simply curious child. The first aim is to build the connection and discover their world: their characters, their animals, their stories. The work is then done with that material.
The debrief is usually with you, to hand you the keys to the images used so the work can carry on at home. Some children, and teenagers above all, prefer their parents not to be too involved: in that case the debrief stays short, and that's to be respected. Sessions are shorter than with an adult: count on 30 to 45 minutes depending on age, and a child who drifts off after twenty minutes hasn't wasted their session.
When video isn't the right fit
Below six, we suggest meeting in person. Play, drawing and meeting someone carry poorly over a screen at that age. That's our own marker, not an official standard: no professional body publishes a minimum age for remote consultation. Some of our practitioners see children younger, from four, and the setting changes then: the parent stays on screen with the child and takes part in the session, which becomes a game for three.
Some children simply don't take to it, and that's perfectly fine. If the connection hasn't formed after a session or two, an office will suit them better.
And some situations call for something else first. We replace neither the paediatrician, nor the family doctor, nor a child psychologist. School refusal, repeated physical symptoms, marked withdrawal, established sleep problems, or the aftermath of a serious event: start with a doctor. Our hypnotherapists make no diagnosis.
Book an appointment
Tell us your child's age and what brings you. If video doesn't seem the right fit, or if your situation calls for a doctor first, we'll say so. Ask us a question or book an appointment. Then show the practitioner's introduction to your child: they're the one who decides. Our guide to video consultations covers the practical questions on the adult side, and the session can be held wherever you are in the world: that is precisely what this format makes possible.
If anxiety is what dominates, see our page on anxiety in children; if it's school, the one on school stress. Our practitioners who work with children in English see families in Montreal, La Prairie and Beloeil, as well as in Paris and Lille.
Where would you like to consult?
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Annie Mayrand
Gatineau - Cumberland (ON)
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Christian Rocher
Beloeil
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Montréal - Anjou
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Florence Aton
Sutton
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Sherbrooke
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Julie Rocque
Montréal - Jean-Talon
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Nuria Pérez de León
Montréal - Rosemont - Saint-Lambert
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Romain Rastoin
Bromont
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Réjeanne LeBlanc
La Prairie
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Frequently asked questions about Video Hypnosis with Children
Six, as a rule. Below that we suggest meeting in person: at that age, play, drawing and meeting someone carry poorly over a screen. Some of our practitioners see children from four, with the parent staying on screen alongside the child.
Often yes, and sometimes better than in person. There are fewer objects to fiddle with and fewer ways to steer the conversation elsewhere. The practitioner adapts the format, and there won't necessarily be an eyes-closed moment at all.
You're there at the start and at the end. In between, many children prefer to talk on their own. But you must stay in the home, awake and reachable, and your child needs to know it.
Yes, at any moment. It causes no problem at all, and your child needs to know that too.
A quiet living space rather than a bedroom, or a bedroom with the door ajar. The aim is somewhere without through traffic, not somewhere closed off.
Not without your explicit agreement. Ask the practitioner which platform they use and what becomes of the data: it's a fair question, and a clear answer is part of doing this properly.
The practitioner calls back and you pick up where you left off. Agree on a backup phone number beforehand: it saves worry on both sides.
Don't push. Show them several practitioners' introductions and let time pass. A child brought along against their will won't engage.
That's discussed at first contact. We don't give a number in advance.
Video suits teenagers very well, and many prefer it. See our page on hypnosis and coaching for teenagers.
Sources and references
On the frame for a remote session with a minor
- Points de repère en télépsychologie — Ordre des psychologues du Québec (in French). "Dans le cas de personnes mineures, déterminez où sera l'adulte lors de la session." The same page asks that the person have a private, confidential space, that everyone confirm no one is recording without prior consent, and that an emergency plan be agreed.
- Consentement aux services — Ordre des psychologues du Québec (in French), citing the Civil Code: a minor of 14 or over may consent alone to such care. Below that age it's the person with parental authority. We ask for the parent's agreement and the child's in any case.
On data protection
- Principaux changements aux lois sur la protection des renseignements personnels — Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec (in French). Personal information about a minor under 14 may no longer be collected from the child without the consent of the holder of parental authority.
- Télémédecine : comment protéger les données des patients ? — CNIL, France (in French). Health data hosting must meet the conditions of article L. 1111-8 of the public health code, meaning a certified host.
On supporting young people by videoconference
- von Wirth, E., Willems, L., Döpfner, M., & Kohl, L. T. (2025). Effectiveness of videoconference-delivered psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and their parents: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 31(4), 463-474. doi.org/10.1177/1357633X231199784 — no difference from in-person work across twelve trials, but an effect concentrated on internalizing disorders and data the authors call preliminary.
- Child & Adolescent Telepsychiatry — American Psychiatric Association. "Satisfaction has been rated as very high by parents, teens, and referring providers", alongside an evidence base described as developing.
- Ådnanes, M., Kaasbøll, J., Kaspersen, S. L., & Krane, V. (2024). Videoconferencing in mental health services for children and adolescents receiving child welfare services: a scoping review. BMC Health Services Research. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11177372 — screen fatigue, shorter attention and more distraction are among the difficulties clinicians report.
On hypnosis at a distance
- The Emerging New Reality of Hypnosis Teletherapy (2023). International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37040191 — the state of the question in adults; children aren't covered, which says enough about how thin the research is on this point.
Hypnosis as practised by the members of Solutions Hypnose is a complementary support approach. It is neither a medical act, nor a diagnosis, nor psychotherapy in the regulatory sense, and it in no way replaces a consultation, follow-up or treatment prescribed by a health professional.
Our practitioners do not assess and do not treat mental disorders or illnesses. They never ask for an ongoing treatment to be stopped or changed: that decision rests exclusively with your doctor.
No result can be guaranteed. The testimonials and examples presented on this page describe individual experiences and do not predict what you will experience.
In case of significant distress, unexplained physical symptoms or suicidal thoughts, contact a doctor, emergency services or a helpline without delay.
Page written by Sandra Djina Ravalia
hypnotherapist and art therapist
partner at Solutions Hypnose.
English version reviewed by David Veilleux
Updated .