For over a century, hypnosis has been a subject of serious scientific study, and today that research lives in a handful of dedicated, peer-reviewed journals.
If you want to read the evidence base for hypnotherapy rather than take claims on trust, it helps to know where that evidence is published. This post surveys five scholarly journals devoted to hypnosis and related mind-body work: what each one covers, who is behind it, whether it is still active, and a notable paper to start with.
It is the final part of our short series on the science of hypnotherapy, alongside why evidence matters, how to read a scientific paper, how to understand research results, and why the randomised controlled trial is the gold standard.
Hypnosis has been studied since the early 20th century, when figures such as Sigmund Freud and Ɖmile CouƩ used it in clinical practice, and researchers including Clark Hull and Milton Erickson worked to understand how it operates. The journals below carry that tradition forward.
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
First published in 1953 and now published by Taylor & Francis, the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis is the official journal of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, a constituent society of the International Society of Hypnosis. It is sometimes confused with the journal of APA Division 30, the Society of Psychological Hypnosis, which is a separate publication, Psychology of Consciousness.
It publishes both clinical and experimental work, from hypnosis as a therapeutic tool to the psychological and neural mechanisms behind it. Notable contributors over the years include Ernest Hilgard, known for the "hidden observer" research, and Michael Yapko, known for his work on hypnosis in the treatment of depression.
A good place to start is the classic meta-analysis of hypnotic analgesia, which pooled 18 studies and found a moderate to large pain-relieving effect (Montgomery, DuHamel, and Redd, 2000). The journal is also where the profession's current working definition of hypnosis was set out (Elkins, Barabasz, Council, and Spiegel, 2015).
American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis
First published in 1958, the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis is the official journal of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and has been published by Taylor & Francis since 2011. It focuses on the clinical and experimental use of hypnosis, particularly in psychotherapy and medical settings, with a strong thread of interest in cognitive and behavioural approaches.
Notable contributors include Milton Erickson, whose innovative approach shaped modern hypnotherapy. A worthwhile starting point is the paper introducing the Creative Imagination Scale, a measure of hypnotic responsiveness that you can try guiding someone through, without an induction, to see the results for yourself (Wilson and Barber, 1978).
Australian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
First published in 1973 by the Australian Society of Hypnosis, this journal covered the mechanisms of hypnosis and its clinical, therapeutic and performance applications. Its regular run appears to have ended around 2017, but the back-issue archive remains a useful resource.
It carried thoughtful work on topics every hypnotist should consider carefully, including whether recovered memories are real, fabricated, or both, a caution worth heeding before suggesting that anything can be "remembered" under hypnosis (Gow, 1999). This journal is not indexed in the main research databases, so its articles are best reached through the society's archive rather than by a DOI.
Contemporary Hypnosis
This journal began in the 1980s as the British Journal of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis, the journal of the British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis. It was renamed Contemporary Hypnosis in 1993, and later became Contemporary Hypnosis and Integrative Therapy. It has since ceased publication, but its back catalogue (indexed at SCImago) remains valuable, and the society lineage continues today through the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis.
Notable contributors include Irving Kirsch, known for his work on expectancy and the placebo effect. A strong starting point is the meta-analysis showing that hypnosis can reduce distress during medical procedures, which reported a large overall effect and is free to read in full (Schnur, Kafer, Marcus, and Montgomery, 2008).
Journal of Mind-Body Regulation
First published in 2011 and hosted by the University of Calgary as an open-access title, this journal focused on the interplay of psychological, physiological and behavioural processes in health, including mind-body interventions such as hypnosis, meditation and biofeedback. It is no longer active, with its last issue in 2014, but the full archive is freely available.
Because it was open access, it is one of the easier places to read hypnosis-adjacent research without a subscription, including work by Amir Raz on contemplative practice and the power of the mind.
How to actually read these journals
Several of these journals sit behind paywalls. A few practical routes in:
- Search PubMed and Google Scholar for the article title, where a free version is often available.
- Check the Directory of Open Access Journals and open-access archives like the two above.
- Look for high-quality evidence summaries in the Cochrane Library.
- If you are unsure how to judge what you find, see our guides to reading a paper and understanding results.
Frequently asked questions
Which journal should a hypnotherapist read first?
For clinical and experimental research with the broadest reach, start with the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, the official journals of two of the largest hypnosis societies. Both are still actively publishing.
Are these journals free to read?
Some articles are, and some sit behind a paywall. The Journal of Mind-Body Regulation and the Australian journal's archive are freely available, and you can often find free versions of paywalled papers through PubMed or Google Scholar.
Is the IJCEH the APA journal?
No. The IJCEH is the journal of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. APA Division 30, the Society of Psychological Hypnosis, publishes a separate journal, Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice.
Are all these journals still publishing?
The IJCEH and AJCH are active. The Australian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Contemporary Hypnosis, and the Journal of Mind-Body Regulation have ceased or gone dormant, but their archives remain useful.
Read the science for yourself
At Jacquin Hypnosis Academy we encourage practitioners to go to the source. These journals are where the evidence base for hypnotherapy is built. To make the most of them, read the rest of this series: why evidence matters, how to read a scientific paper, how to understand research results, and why the randomised controlled trial is the gold standard. You can also trial our training platform free for 14 days.
Sources and further reading
Elkins, G. R., Barabasz, A. F., Council, J. R., & Spiegel, D. (2015). Advancing research and practice: The revised APA Division 30 definition of hypnosis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 63(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2014.961870
Gow, K. M. (1999). Recovered memories of abuse: Real, fabricated, or both? Australian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 27(2), 81-97.
Montgomery, G. H., DuHamel, K. N., & Redd, W. H. (2000). A meta-analysis of hypnotically induced analgesia: How effective is hypnosis? International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48(2), 138-153. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207140008410045
Schnur, J. B., Kafer, I., Marcus, C., & Montgomery, G. H. (2008). Hypnosis to manage distress related to medical procedures: A meta-analysis. Contemporary Hypnosis, 25(3-4), 114-128. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2739386/
Wilson, S. C., & Barber, T. X. (1978). The Creative Imagination Scale as a measure of hypnotic responsiveness: Applications to experimental and clinical hypnosis. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 20(4), 235-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1978.10403940