Description

Hypnosis isn’t mind control — it’s a practical way to change patterns your willpower can’t reach.

In this episode of Ashes to Architects, I sit down with Hugh Sadlier, an 83-year-old hypnotist with 30+ years in practice and thousands of clients. Hugh recently released The Healing Power of Hypnosis, and we go beyond “quit smoking” to talk about what hypnosis actually is, how it works, and how real change happens when you work with the subconscious instead of trying to force it.

We unpack Hugh’s unique “4 R’s” approach (built after years of not fully resonating with the standard, suggestion-heavy method), how he teaches self-hypnosis in the first session, and what he’s learned helping people with anxiety, trauma, habits, performance slumps, and more — including a few stories that’ll make you rethink what’s possible.

What we cover:

• Hypnosis vs meditation, and who responds best
• The ethics: what to look for (and avoid) when choosing a hypnotist
• Why stress is higher now — and what it’s doing to people
• How habits become identity (and how to break the loop)
• Childhood roots, transgenerational “memory,” and even womb-level imprinting
• Past lives + karma (how Hugh approaches it, and how often it matters)
• The 4 R’s framework:
  1. Recognize the roots
  2. Release the impact
  3. Replace what was removed
  4. Reinforce until it sticks

Key takeaways:

• You can’t erase memories, but you can change their impact.
• A habit can be an old survival strategy running on autopilot.
• Reinforcement + repetition is what makes the change permanent.
• Always vet the practitioner’s method before you trust the process.

Chapters:

00:00 Why I wanted to interview Hugh

02:00 A powerful case story + why belief matters

06:00 “Direct suggestion” vs asking the subconscious

09:45 The 4 R’s explained (Recognize/Release/Replace/Reinforce)

15:30 Self-hypnosis basics + anchoring technique

18:10 Hypnosis vs meditation

21:00 Hugh’s origin story + career pivots

30:40 Hypnosis across history (rhythm, chanting, altered states)

34:10 What’s changed in 30 years (stress + modern life)

41:30 Why some people change faster than others

50:20 Transgenerational + womb “memory”

54:00 Past lives + karma as “memory”

1:10:40 Goals vs process + defining success as happiness

1:18:30 Ethics + when hypnosis is NOT appropriate

1:31:20 One-session breakthroughs (when it “clicks”)

Guest: Hugh Sadlier

Book: The Healing Power of Hypnosis

Website: hypno-health.net