Yes, it can. Exam nerves aren’t just thoughts in your head. They’re also a very real response in your body, and when the two start feeding each other it can become hard to think clearly. Hypnosis is a very good way to help both settle.
The HSC starts this Tuesday, 13 October, and plenty of other exams are close behind. If you’re a student, you might be lying awake going over everything you haven’t done yet. If you’re a parent, you might be watching your child go quiet, snappy or off their food, and not knowing what to say. Both are very common at this time of year, and both can be eased.
Here is what is going on. When we’re afraid of failing, the body can treat the exam like a threat. The heart speeds up and the breathing goes shallow, and when that stress response ramps up it can become much harder to concentrate and find the information you actually know. That’s why so many students say their mind went blank in the exam room, even though they knew the work the night before. It isn’t a lack of ability. It’s a stress response turning up at the wrong time.
A few things you can do straight away, whether or not you ever see me. Breathe out for longer than you breathe in: in for four, out for six, a few times before a paper or when the worry starts to climb. Protect sleep, because a good night does more than another hour of cramming. Study in short blocks with proper breaks, and stop at a set time in the evening. When the thought is “what if I fail?”, ask “what do I already know?” and write down three things. And parents, try “what would help tonight?” instead of “have you done your study?” It lands very differently.
If your mind goes blank in the exam, don’t fight it. Put both feet flat on the floor, let your jaw and shoulders drop, and take one slow breath with a long exhale. Give your body a moment to settle, then find one question, or one part of a question, that you can answer, and start there.
In hypnosis, we can practise being in that situation differently. While the student is relaxed and focused, we can mentally rehearse walking into the room, sitting down, reading the paper, breathing steadily and allowing the information they’ve learned to come back to them. Instead of repeatedly rehearsing everything that could go wrong, they’re practising how they want to feel and respond. I find children and teenagers often respond beautifully to hypnosis. They’re usually very comfortable with imagination, visualisation and rehearsal, and I love giving them practical tools they can use for themselves long after the session is over.
If you or your teenager are struggling this exam season, I can help. I work with children, teens and adults, in Dubbo or online, and after 21 years in clinical practice I still love seeing a worried student walk out looking lighter. You can book a Child or Teen first appointment through my website, or if you’d like to talk it over first, book a free 30-minute chat and we’ll work out what would help: https://carolmacraebookings.as.me/strategy
Wishing every student, and every parent waiting at home, a calm exam season.
Carol