Love Yourself Podcast with Brendan Byrne: Hypnosis, Forgiveness, and Reclaiming Control

Love Yourself Podcast with Brendan Byrne: Hypnosis, Forgiveness, and Reclaiming Control

In this episode, Allie Henry speaks with professional hypnotist Brendan Byrne about how hypnosis can help people rebuild confidence, reduce negative self-talk, manage pain, and release old emotional weight through forgiveness. The conversation focuses on practical mindset shifts and how hypnosis can support real-life change, from addiction recovery to performance improvement.

How Hypnosis Can Help You Reclaim Your Mind: Confidence, Forgiveness, and Focus

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a loop of negative thoughts, self-doubt, or stress, hypnosis might be more practical than you think. In this conversation with professional hypnotist Brendan Byrne, we explore how hypnosis can help you build confidence, practice forgiveness, and even shift your mindset in everyday life. You’ll also learn simple self-hypnosis techniques you can try at home, plus a clearer understanding of what hypnosis actually is.

What Hypnosis Actually Is

Hypnosis is often misunderstood. A lot of people picture stage performances or the idea of being “put under,” but Brendan explains it in a much more grounded way: hypnosis is the conscious application of your mind to change your subconscious. That matters because your subconscious is already running your life in the background. You don’t consciously tell your heart to beat or your body to digest food. Those processes happen automatically.

In the same way, your patterns of thought, reaction, and behavior are often running on autopilot too. Hypnosis is one way to interrupt those patterns and reprogram what’s happening underneath the surface. Brendan describes the subconscious as the part of us shaped by repetition. If you do something once, it’s a thought. If you do it 10 times, it becomes a habit. If you do it 100 times, it becomes structure.

That’s a powerful way to think about change: your current reality may be the result of repeated thoughts, repeated reactions, and repeated beliefs. Hypnosis gives you a way to become more intentional about those repetitions.

Why that matters for youIf you’ve been trying to change your life by forcing willpower alone, this approach may feel refreshing. Instead of fighting your mind, you’re learning how to work with it.And that makes hypnosis less mysterious and more useful.

Confidence Starts With What You Decide About Yourself

One of the strongest themes in the conversation is confidence. Brendan makes an important distinction: confidence is not arrogance. Confidence is not pretending you have all the answers. It’s not needing other people to validate your worth before you can move forward. It’s a decision to take responsibility for your own thoughts, choices, and direction. That idea connects closely to something many people struggle with every day. You may find yourself waiting for approval, waiting for reassurance, or waiting to feel “ready” before taking action.

But when your confidence depends on outside feedback, you give away too much control. Brendan puts it plainly: if you export your responsibility onto others, you end up stuck in other people’s opinions and expectations. That’s where hypnosis can be especially helpful. A good hypnotic suggestion doesn’t just say, “Be confident.” It frames confidence in a way that reminds you who you are becoming. Brendan gave an example along the lines of:

You have confidence and focus on your road of success

That wording matters because it reinforces identity and direction at the same time. Instead of treating confidence like something you must wait to earn, you begin to see it as something you can practice, reinforce, and embody now. A more useful definition of success Brendan also reframes success in a way that feels both simple and freeing: success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal. That means success is not a final destination where you suddenly “arrive” and become enough. It’s the process of moving toward something meaningful.

This is especially helpful if you tend to compare yourself to others. You do not need to have everything figured out to be successful. You do not need to look perfect, sound perfect, or be fully polished before you begin.You can already be on the road.That shift alone can reduce a lot of pressure. It allows you to stop measuring your worth by external approval and start measuring it by your progress.[INTERNAL LINK: Related article on building real confidence without relying on external validation]

Forgiveness Is a Form of Freedom

If confidence helps you move forward, forgiveness helps you stop carrying what is weighing you down. Brendan calls forgiveness a superpower, and that may sound dramatic at first—but the more you think about it, the more sense it makes. So many people are carrying old resentment, guilt, blame, shame, or frustration. And whether that pain came from something done to you or something you wish you had done differently, you’re still the one carrying it now. That’s why Brendan’s work includes forgiveness hypnosis. He describes it as helping people forgive themselves for what they have done and for what they have not done. He also includes forgiving others for what they have done and for what they have not done. That broader definition is important.

Forgiveness is not just about other people. It’s also about releasing the version of yourself that keeps replaying old mistakes. Why forgiveness is hard—and why it matters. In modern life, blame is everywhere. It’s easy to get pulled into mental loops of “they should have,” “I should have,” or “if only this had happened differently.”But Brendan’s point is that, in the end, you are the one carrying that emotional weight. And if hypnosis can help you let go of even some of that burden, it can create more room for peace, clarity, and action.He also connects this to a larger need for grace in daily life. We are all dealing with stress, pressure, and trauma in different forms. Forgiveness gives you a way to stop letting old pain define your current identity.That does not mean excusing harm. It means choosing not to remain imprisoned by it.

What forgiveness can unlock

When you forgive, you may notice that you feel lighter. You may also become more open to new possibilities because your attention is no longer split between the present and the past.That’s one reason Brendan emphasizes forgiveness as part of helping people reclaim their minds. When your mind is less crowded with emotional baggage, it becomes easier to focus on what matters next.

Hypnosis Can Support Real-World Goals

Another important takeaway from this conversation is that hypnosis is not limited to one type of issue. Brendan shared examples that ranged from confidence-building to pain management to behavior change.That matters because many people still think hypnosis is only for quitting smoking. While that can absolutely be one application, it’s far from the whole picture.Brendan has used hypnosis to help with:

• Confidence and focus
• Forgiveness and emotional release
• Pregnancy and hypnotic birthing support
• Morning sickness relief
• Addiction recovery support
• Pain management
• Performance improvement in music and sports

A few examples from the conversation

One client used hypnosis during pregnancy, including support for twin boys and help managing morning sickness. Brendan even created personalized audio tracks she could use in the morning. The result was not just personal support—she later shared what she learned with other pregnant mothers. He also described helping someone work through addiction and build a more stable life. In another case, hypnosis was used for pain management with wisdom teeth pain and neck pain.

There were also performance examples. A musician reportedly took his guitar playing to a new level after hypnosis. Another client, a golfer, used it to support athletic focus. Brendan even joked about helping someone step into being the lead singer of his band—and then, to his surprise, the client started singing right away. These stories all point to the same idea: hypnosis can help people access capabilities they already have, but may not yet be fully using.

The deeper point Brendan’s work is not about magic.

It’s about helping people access the mental state where change becomes easier. If your imagination, attention, and emotional state all align, you’re much more likely to act in ways that support your goals.

Simple Self-Hypnosis Tools You Can Try at Home

One of the best parts of this conversation is that Brendan shared a simple technique you can use without booking a session right away.His go-to suggestion is surprisingly simple:

Cancel

.If you notice an intrusive thought, a negative mental loop, or even an annoying ear-worm song repeating in your head, you can start using the word “cancel” as a mental command.Here’s how he describes it:

• Notice the thought or loop
• Say “cancel” to yourself
• Repeat it if the thought returns
• Use your imagination to picture the thought dissolving or disappearing

The key is repetition and consistency.Why this can workA lot of our mental habits survive because we keep feeding them. By introducing a new response—even a simple one—you interrupt the pattern.Brendan also explains that the technique becomes more effective when paired with imagination. If you picture the unwanted thought dissolving like a cloud, you give your mind a clearer replacement for the pattern you want to stop.This is not about forcing yourself to “never think negative thoughts again.” It’s about building a habit of redirecting attention.Another practical idea: positive, repeatable languageBrendan also emphasizes that if you’re using affirmations or self-suggestions, they should be:

• Positive
• Short
• Repeatable
• Easy to imagine

That’s important because the subconscious responds better to clear, direct language. Instead of focusing on what you don’t want, ask yourself:

What do I want more of in my life?

That question shifts the brain away from negation and toward direction.

Hypnosis Is More Common Than You Think

Brendan also makes an important point that many people overlook: hypnosis is not rare. In fact, you probably experience it all the time.He mentions a few everyday examples:

• When you’re falling asleep
• When you’re waking up
• When you’re driving and arrive without remembering every detail
• When athletes get “in the zone”

These are all states where your attention is narrowed and your mind becomes more receptive.That’s why radio ads can be so effective during long drives. It’s also why thoughts you repeat to yourself before bed or first thing in the morning can have such a strong effect.The broader takeaway is this: hypnosis is not some strange, hidden power reserved for a select few. It’s part of normal human experience. The difference is whether you’re using those states intentionally.And if you are, you can use them to reinforce the life you actually want.

A Few Final Takeaways From the Conversation

Brendan’s perspective on hypnosis is clear and grounded: you do not need to be broken to benefit from it, and you do not need to be “zoned out” for it to work. What you do need is willingness.

• Willingness to focus.
• Willingness to forgive.
• Willingness to stop outsourcing your worth to other people.
• And willingness to believe that your mind can be trained in a more helpful direction.

One of the most refreshing parts of the conversation is Brendan’s humility. He said he likes being able to admit when he does not know something.

That honesty fits the entire philosophy of the interview: real change starts when you stop pretending and start working with what is actually true.His final advice is simple and worth remembering: go easy on yourself.You deserve love, care, and space to grow. If hypnosis can help you reclaim even a little more control over your thoughts, your habits, and your emotional life, that can make a real difference.Want to explore more? Visit Brendan at

Brendad Byrne
Professional Hypnotist
Empowered Hypnosis
empowerhypnosis.app
@empowerhypnosis on Instagram and TikTok.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is hypnosis, really?

Hypnosis is a focused mental state where you become more receptive to suggestion. Brendan describes it as the conscious application of your mind to influence the subconscious.

Can you hypnotize yourself?

Yes. Brendan shared a self-hypnosis approach that uses repetition, short affirmations, and imagination. He recommends keeping the language positive and repeatable.

Does hypnosis work for everyone?

People experience hypnosis differently, and not everyone enters the same depth of relaxation. Brendan says there is no wrong way to experience it, and even light hypnosis can still be effective.

What can hypnosis help with?

According to Brendan, hypnosis can support confidence, forgiveness, pain management, addiction recovery, performance, and more.

What is a simple technique I can try today?

Try using the word “cancel” whenever you notice an unwanted thought looping in your mind. Repeat it consistently and picture the thought dissolving.

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In this episode:

• Brendan Byrne introduces himself as a certified professional hypnotist with more than six years of client work through Empower Hypnosis.
• He explains why forgiveness hypnosis is one of his favorite modalities, including forgiving yourself for what you did and what you did not do.
• Allie and Brendan talk about confidence as a decision and a mindset, not arrogance or external approval.
• Brendan defines success as the progressive realization of a worthy goal, not a finish line or outside validation.
• He shares examples of hypnosis helping with hypnotic birthing, morning sickness, addiction recovery, and pain management.
• Brendan explains hypnosis as conscious application that speaks to the subconscious mind and reshapes automatic patterns.
• He describes self-hypnosis methods, including using a deck of cards, repetition, imagination, and 108 affirmations.
• He says hypnosis is more common than people think, especially in moments like waking up, falling asleep, driving, and getting “in the zone.”
• Brendan offers a simple at-home technique using the word “cancel” to interrupt recurring thoughts or ear-worms.
• He closes with a reminder to go easy on yourself and give yourself more grace.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Meet Brendan Byrne and the focus on hypnosis
(02:44) Why forgiveness is a superpower
(04:32) Confidence and focus on the road of success
(05:31) Success as a process, not an endpoint
(07:35) Confidence versus outsourcing your self-worth
(12:24) What hypnosis is and how it works on the subconscious
(14:11) Self-hypnosis, affirmations, and the 108-card method
(17:03) Why hypnosis works better in a receptive, relaxed state
(19:12) Everyday hypnosis: waking up, driving, and getting in the zone
(24:47) A simple self-hypnosis tool: the word “cancel”
(27:38) Working with Brendan online and booking a consultation
(30:24) Human connection, gratitude, and support from loved ones
(32:59) What Brendan loves most about himself
(34:16) Helping clients find what they actually want
(35:16) Final advice: go easy on yourself