What is QHHT (Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique)?
QHHT stands for Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique. It is a long hypnosis session developed by the American hypnotherapist Dolores Cannon, in which you are guided into a very deep state of relaxation and then asked about a past life you may "see" and about questions you brought with you. People often find it calming and memorable. It is a spiritual practice rather than a medical treatment: there is no scientific evidence that it shows real past lives or heals illness, and the "quantum" in the name is a brand name, not physics.
Where it comes from
QHHT was developed by Dolores Cannon, an American hypnotherapist who died in 2014, and is taught through her own training programme. The name carries the ® symbol, so practitioners trained in it write QHHT®. Other practitioners offer similar sessions under their own names, such as past life regression. Most of what is written about QHHT comes from the people who teach and practise it, so it helps to read it with that in mind.
What a session is like
- A long conversation first. You talk through your life, and write a list of questions you would like answered, perhaps about a worry, your health, your direction or your relationships.
- Hypnosis. You lie down and are guided into a deep, dreamlike state of relaxation. Practitioners call it a theta state, after a type of slow brainwave. You stay aware and can speak.
- A past life scene. You are asked to describe what you see, feel and hear, as if looking at another time and place. Many people describe vivid images and a strong sense of being there.
- Questions for the "higher self". The practitioner puts your questions to a part of you described as your higher self or subconscious, and you answer out loud. Many practitioners also ask it about the body, for relaxation and comfort.
- Coming back. You are brought up gently, and many practitioners give you a recording of the session.
Sessions are usually much longer than a standard hypnotherapy appointment, so ask how long yours will be.
Try something tonight
Curious how deep relaxation feels? A guided relaxation recording is a gentle way to find out at home tonight, before you decide on anything longer.
Relaxation recordings are not medical treatment. Please only listen somewhere safe where you can relax, never while driving.
Or see someone: find hypnotherapists near you
Hypnotherapists are listed with the hypnotherapists in the Practitioner directory, each with a phone number. Pick your town:
Or by what you would like help with: relaxation and wellbeing · Also: holistic and reiki practitioners
What people report
Many people say they feel deeply calm, tearful, moved or lighter afterwards, and some value the answers or the images they were given. Others feel very little. That is normal, and nothing is wrong with you if it does not "work" for you. Feeling rested after lying quietly for hours, being listened to carefully and having time to reflect on your questions can all be worthwhile in themselves.
What it does not do
Practitioners describe the scenes as memories of past lives, and the answers as coming from a higher self. Medical and scientific opinion is that there is no good evidence for either. Research on hypnosis shows that vivid pictures and "memories" can be shaped by the suggestions made, by what you already believe, and by things you have read or watched, and that they can feel completely real without being accurate. So it is best treated as an experience that may feel meaningful, not as a record of what happened to you or anyone else. It does not diagnose, it is not a treatment for any illness, and it is not a substitute for medical or mental health care.
Who should take care
If you have a serious mental health condition, are going through trauma or a crisis, or have any health condition that worries you, talk to your GP before any long hypnosis session, and tell the practitioner. Be cautious of anyone who tells you that you have something wrong with you that only they can fix, asks you to stop medicines, or pushes you towards a package of sessions.
How to choose a practitioner
QHHT is not regulated by law in the UK. Ask who trained them, whether the training is accredited by a professional body, whether they are insured, and whether they belong to a voluntary register such as the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), which holds a register for hypnotherapy. Accreditation bodies keep public directories, so you can check a claim yourself. Ask for the full price and what is included, including whether you get a recording.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have symptoms that haven't been checked, or you are under medical care, please talk to your GP as well.
More questions
Is QHHT the same as hypnotherapy?
It uses hypnosis, so it is a close relative. Standard hypnotherapy usually works on a goal such as sleep, nerves or a habit, in shorter sessions. QHHT is longer and is built around a past life scene and questions for the higher self, so many people see it as a spiritual practice.
Does QHHT prove past lives are real?
No. There is no scientific evidence that hypnosis recovers real past lives. Scenes described under hypnosis are generally explained by imagination, suggestion and things the person has read or seen. Many people still find the experience personally meaningful.
Does the word "quantum" mean it is based on physics?
No. It is a brand name, and the technique is not based on quantum physics. Nobody has shown any link between quantum mechanics and hypnosis sessions.
Can QHHT heal an illness?
There is no good evidence that it can, and a responsible practitioner will not promise it. Keep seeing your GP or hospital team, and keep taking any medicines.
Will I be in control?
Yes. In hypnosis you stay aware and can speak, move and stop at any time. A good practitioner explains what will happen first and does not ask you to give up control.
How long is a session?
Usually much longer than a standard hypnotherapy session, often several hours. Ask the practitioner for the exact time, price and cancellation terms before you book.