In an interview with Elle, certified hypnotist Sera Lavelle explained her method for helping people overcome obstacles through hypnosis. "I use a confusion technique, plays on words, analogies, so that people ask themselves, 'Why is she saying that—does she mean this or does she mean that?'" As Lavelle queries patients, the questions bypass the conscious mind and interrogate the inner mind. This process helps patients arrive at life-changing realizations and, in some circumstances, develop new attitudes that support goals. For Maggie Bullock, the Elle journalist who underwent hypnosis for weight loss, the process seemed to yield results: She moderated her eating, tempered her dessert cravings, and made it to the gym.

At NY Health Hypnosis, Sera works alongside master-level hypnotist Victoria Sheiko. The duo practice a "non-suggestible" form of hypnosis, which involves clearing the mind so that it can focus on completely on the desired outcome, be it shedding pounds or overcoming fear of lemon Starburst.