Hypnotherapy for Surgical and Medical Anxiety

The Prepared Mind Programs

IN-PERSON AND ONLINE SUPPORT TO HELP YOU HEAL FASTER, BETTER, AND STRONGER.

A brief, structured, evidence-based hypnotherapy program for adults preparing for elective surgery, including orthopedic, cardiac, and oncologic procedures.

Patients learn self-hypnosis, guided imagery, and nervous system regulation techniques to manage pre-operative anxiety, support comfort through the procedure, and assist recovery.

Find Out if This Program is Right for You

Whether online or in person, the Prepared Mind is individual clinical work, distinct from workshop-based or audio-only preparation programs.

It is designed to complement the surgical team's care, never to substitute for it, and each engagement is coordinated with the patient's medical timeline.

Heal Faster, Better, and Stronger

• Session 1, Assessment and skills (pre-operative): intake and assessment of the patient's concerns, history, and goals; instruction in self-hypnosis and nervous system regulation for pre-operative anxiety.

• Session 2, Procedure rehearsal (pre-operative): Hypnotherapy for procedure day rehearsal, from arrival through waking, oriented toward calm, comfort, and cooperation with the care team.

• Session 3, Recovery support (post-operative): reinforcement of self-hypnosis skills for comfort, sleep, and adherence to the recovery plan.

• Audio recordings for daily practice to help you prepare for and recover from surgery.

3-Session Program Structure

• This program does not diagnose, treat, or manage any medical condition, and it makes no outcome guarantees.

• It does not replace anesthesia, prescribed medication, or any element of the medical team's care plan.

• Patients are encouraged to inform their surgeon and anesthesiologist of their participation; records of participation are available to the care team at the patient's request.

Scope and Boundaries

Appropriate for adults scheduled for elective procedures who report anticipatory anxiety, concern about anesthesia or post-operative pain, a preference for reducing reliance on pain medication, or difficulty sleeping before surgery. Ideal referral window is two to four weeks pre-operative; shorter timelines can be accommodated.

Patient Fit

• Randomized controlled trial (n=200): a 15-minute pre-surgery hypnosis session reduced intraoperative anesthesia and analgesic use and lowered post-surgical pain, nausea, fatigue, and emotional upset, with institutional cost savings of approximately $772 per patient. Montgomery GH et al., J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007;99(17):1304-1312.

• Meta-analysis (34 RCTs, 2,597 patients): hypnosis in adults undergoing surgical or medical procedures showed positive effects on emotional distress, pain, medication consumption, and recovery. Tefikow S et al., Clin Psychol Rev. 2013;33(5):623-636.

• Meta-analytic update (50 RCTs, 4,269 patients): confirmed reductions in pain, mental distress, and medication consumption in adult surgical patients. Holler M et al., Clin Psychol Rev. 2021;85:102001.

Evidence Based

Avinoam Lerner is a certified hypnotherapist (National Guild of Hypnotists) with 25 years of clinical experience, including service as a Cancer Recovery Specialist at the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is the author of four books on mind-body approaches to healing, a TEDx speaker, and his practice is grounded in psychoneuroimmunology. Sessions are held in person in Watertown, MA.

Referrals and inquiries: 781-492-2294 | avinoam01@gmail.com |

About the Practitioner

WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING

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I had a free consultation by phone, after which I quickly made my decision to fly 500 miles to work with him for three days. Why? He exudes knowledge, wisdom, empathy, and confidence that he can help. I have stage IV cancer, meaning I do not expect remission or a post-cancer healing period. Read More…
Diane C
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I’ve worked with many psychology professionals in my life. None quite like Avinoam. . . . [I]n 15 hours of time with him I grew more, changed more, and released more than I had done over years with other experienced and respected therapists. This comes from someone who was skeptical of hypnotherapy and hesitant. . . . Read More…
Paul W
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This was my first experience with hypnotherapy, and it did not disappoint. I have been to many therapists over the years and have to say this worked better for me than years of therapy. I went in not really knowing what to expect, but Avinoam has such an intuitive and caring way about him that I pretty much immediately felt at ease… Read More…
Sarah G
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Avinoam worked with me through hypnotherapy, which changed my life for the better. Ever since treatment, I’ve learned to love and accept myself. As a survivor of trauma and domestic violence, I was able to obtain my Bachelor's in Behavioral Health, leading to a master’s degree. Read More...
Farah M
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Avinoam has an amazing gift for this kind of work. He is kind, direct, clear, obviously a brilliant expert in the field, and embodies the highest of professional ethics, with clear and safe boundaries established and honored. He is patient, explains all that is going on, and truly listens and cares. Read More…
Michelle L
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Clear, kind, firm, precision psycho-surgery with Avinoam barely touches the experience of my 3-day intensive. His style of teaching while exploring the most genuine way for me to find my way out of needing to be sick is beyond words. Read More…
Blair L
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Avinoam is a uniquely insightful, compassionate healer. I went to him to help me with a lifetime of debilitating anxiety relating to childhood trauma, . . . . It's hard to explain or encapsulate what the experience means. All I can say is that if you are drawn to his work, it will open an infinite well of benefits. . . . . Read More…
Sarah P
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When I heard that one unforgettable sentence, “I’m afraid it’s cancer,” time suddenly stood still. Call it shock or disbelief, but in that very instant, I knew my life had just changed. . . .After talking to Avinoam for an hour, I knew he was the real deal. . . .I agreed to make the trip from the Bay Area to Boston to work with him in person. . . . [I]t was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. Read More…
Paul G
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Avinoam has a special gift. He is able to be honest in a way that’s comforting and helpful to me. He is very compassionate. I have done other programs, but nothing like this. I feel he is untangling all the loose ends in my life that have prevented me from true healing and probably caused illness in my body. Read More…
Robyn F
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Very very powerful modality that has shifted the ground under me. Avinoam is committed and devoted to helping you find healing for your own past and traumas so that you can become the most empowered and authentic self you can be. . . . This has by far been the most life-altering work I’ve experienced with Avinoam's care and guidance. Read More...
Esther C. D.
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Avinoam Lerner is divine-loving-wisdom-presence embodied. Skilled and sensitive. I worked with him over 10 years ago - fairly regularly for a time - and it changed my life, helped me heal emotionally, and I have practices I still carry with me from that experience. I did not have cancer, but emotional trauma at the time. Read More…
Julee V
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I felt so safe with Avinoam and he was the perfect “space holder” for me to courageously move through this process. His skill and expertise in guiding clients through this transformational work, combined with his empathy and compassion, set him worlds apart from other practitioners. Read More…
Anne C