“Close your eyes and imagine you’re standing beside a beautiful waterfall. Crystal-clear water tumbles over the rocks, sunlight sparkles on the surface, and a rainbow appears in the mist…”
What happened just then?
Did you see it?
Really see it?
Or did you simply understand the words without any picture appearing in your mind?
If you’re in the second group, you might have spent years wondering why guided meditations, mindfulness apps or relaxation recordings never quite seem to work for you. Have you sat there thinking, “Am I supposed to be seeing something?” while everyone else around you appeared completely absorbed.
If that’s you, then you’re definitely not alone.
For some people, visualising a waterfall takes no effort at all. They can almost see the colours, the movement of the water and the light reflecting from the rocks. Others experience something much vaguer – perhaps just a passing impression or a hazy outline.
And then there are people who see… nothing at all. Not darkness. Not a blurry picture. Just… nothing.
That experience has a name: aphantasia.
For many people, discovering that aphantasia exists is a huge relief. Suddenly there’s an explanation for why visualisation exercises have always felt confusing, why meditation teachers keep asking you to “picture a peaceful beach”, and why friends genuinely seem to be able to “see” memories in a way that you simply can’t.
The good news is this:
If you have aphantasia, you can still benefit from hypnotherapy.
In fact, good hypnotherapy isn’t about forcing everyone to imagine the same thing. It’s about finding the approach that works best for your brain.
What is aphantasia?
Aphantasia is the inability, or greatly reduced ability, to voluntarily create mental images.
When someone says, “Picture your front door,” some people can actually see it in their mind’s eye. They notice the colour, the shape of the handle, perhaps even the pot plant sitting beside it.
Someone with aphantasia knows what their front door looks like. They can describe it perfectly well. They simply don’t experience a mental picture.
One of the simplest ways to explore whether you might have aphantasia is with what’s often called the apple test.
Close your eyes and imagine an apple: What colour is it? Can you see the stalk? Is it shiny? Can you turn it around? Is there a leaf attached?
For someone with vivid visual imagery, these questions are easy because they’re looking at an image in their mind.
For someone with aphantasia, the answers usually come from knowledge rather than imagery: “Apples are usually red or green.” “Yes… they normally have a stalk.” “I know what one looks like, but I can’t actually see it.”
It’s a bit like knowing your best friend’s phone number without seeing it written down. The information is there. The picture isn’t.
The same thing can happen with other senses too. Many relaxation recordings invite you to:
- hear birds singing
- smell freshly cut grass
- feel warm sand beneath your feet
- taste your favourite ice cream
- imagine the scent of lavender
Some people can recreate these experiences vividly in their minds. Others can’t. Perhaps you can imagine music but not pictures. Perhaps you can remember the feeling of hugging someone but can’t imagine the smell of the sea.
Or perhaps none of these experiences appear in your imagination at all. This is known as global aphantasia.
Everyone’s experience is slightly different, which is why aphantasia exists on a spectrum.
How vivid is your imagination?
Not everyone falls neatly into “can visualise” or “can’t visualise”. Most people sit somewhere in between.
Researchers often use something called the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) to measure how vividly people experience mental images.
Some people have incredibly vivid imaginations and can picture scenes almost as clearly as real life. Others experience vague or indistinct images. People with aphantasia sit at the opposite end of the scale, reporting little or no voluntary visual imagery.
If you’re curious, you can take the questionnaire yourself through the Aphantasia Network (link at the end of this article).
Is aphantasia and hypnotherapy just about pictures?
No, it doesn’t have to be. Although the word aphantasia is usually used to describe visual imagery, people can experience differences across other senses too.
For example, you might:
- see no mental images but hear music perfectly in your imagination
- be able to imagine touch but not smell
- imagine emotions more easily than pictures
- think almost entirely in words, concepts or facts
This is one of the reasons why two people with aphantasia can have very different experiences. There isn’t a single “correct” way for the brain to imagine.
There are simply different ways of processing information.
What does neuroscience tell us?
Scientists are still learning about aphantasia, but brain imaging studies suggest that when people visualise something, areas of the brain involved in seeing also become active, even though their eyes are closed. People with aphantasia appear to use these networks differently.
What’s important to understand is that this doesn’t mean anything is wrong with your brain. Your brain simply processes information in a different way.
Instead of relying on mental pictures, you might naturally think through the use of language, logic, movement, feelings, concepts or body sensations.
None of these ways of thinking is better than another. They’re simply different.
Why guided meditation doesn’t always work
If you’ve ever listened to a guided meditation and found yourself getting increasingly frustrated, there’s a good reason.
Many relaxation recordings follow a familiar script.
“Picture yourself walking through a forest…”
“See the sunlight shining through the trees…”
“Imagine the colours…”
“Notice the beautiful flowers…”
If your brain doesn’t naturally create those images, it can start to feel less relaxing, possibly even more frustrated, and more like an exam you didn’t revise for. You might even find yourself wondering whether you’re doing it wrong. Well, you’re not. It’s just that the recording simply isn’t talking in the language that your brain prefers.
Imagine trying to follow a recipe written in a language you don’t understand. The recipe isn’t bad, and you aren’t bad at cooking—it’s just NOT being presented in a way that works for you.
The same can be true of meditation, relaxation and, occasionally, hypnotherapy.
Fortunately, good hypnotherapy is much more flexible than many people realise.
So… can hypnotherapy still work?
Absolutely.
This is probably the question I get asked most often when people discover they have aphantasia. The simple answer is yes.
That’s because visualisation isn’t the therapy. It’s just one tool.
The real purpose of hypnotherapy is to help your mind and body settle into a calm, focused state where positive change becomes easier. Visual imagery is just one route to get there. For some people it’s the easiest route and for others, it’s completely unnecessary.
So, what is hypnotherapy actually trying to achieve, is visualisation the only one way of getting there, and how can sessions be adapted if you have aphantasia?
What is hypnotherapy actually trying to achieve?
People are often surprised to learn that the goal of hypnotherapy isn’t to make you see beautiful images or drift off into another world. The aim is much simpler than that. It’s about helping your brain move from a busy, alert state into one that’s calmer and more focused.
When we’re rushing around, worrying, overthinking or feeling stressed, our brains spend much of their time in what’s known as a Beta brainwave state. This is great when we need to solve problems or concentrate, but not so helpful when our minds are racing and we can’t switch off.
As we begin to relax, our brain naturally shifts into Alpha brainwaves. This is the state many people experience when they’re deeply relaxed, absorbed in a good book, walking in nature or just beginning to drift off to sleep.
With deeper relaxation, we may also spend time in Theta, a wonderfully calm state associated with creativity, learning and making new connections.
This shift happens naturally every day. Hypnotherapy simply helps you get there on purpose. Visualisation is one way of encouraging that shift—but it isn’t the only way.
Finding the approach that works for your brain
One of the things I love about Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is that it can be adapted to the individual. If visual imagery comes naturally to you, we might use it. If it doesn’t, that’s absolutely fine too.
Instead, we can use the senses and experiences that do work for you. For someone with aphantasia, that might mean paying attention to:
- the feeling of your feet resting on the floor
- the gentle rise and fall of your breathing
- the weight of your arms becoming heavier
- warmth spreading through your body
- your muscles softening as they relax
- a growing sense of calm inside
This is very similar to practices such as Yoga Nidra, where the focus is on internal awareness rather than creating pictures in your mind. The destination is exactly the same. We’re simply taking a different route to get there.
Listening to your body
There’s another word that’s helpful here: interoception. Interoception simply means noticing what’s happening inside your body.
For example:
- your breathing slowing down
- your heartbeat
- feelings of warmth
- heaviness in your limbs
- tension beginning to melt away
- a sense of comfort or ease
These internal sensations give your brain plenty of information to work with. For many people with aphantasia, tuning into these feelings is much more natural than trying to create mental pictures.
What about techniques that normally use visualisation?
Sometimes hypnotherapy uses future-focused imagery.
For example, if someone is preparing for a marathon, in hypnotherapy they might be invited to imagine crossing the finish line. The important thing here isn’t actually the picture. The important thing is helping the brain experience success before it happens.
If visual imagery isn’t available, we simply use a different way of creating that experience. Instead of asking you to picture crossing the finish line, I might ask you to become aware of your breathing after you’ve finished. Or hold the running T-shirt you’ll be wearing on the day and notice the feel of the fabric in your hands. Or imagine the weight of the medal around your neck. Notice the sense of pride, achievement and relief in your body.
Your brain is still creating meaningful connections. It’s still rehearsing success. We’re simply using touch, emotion and body awareness instead of mental pictures.
The same applies when working with confidence, public speaking, interviews, exams or sports performance.
What about phobias?
Visual imagery is sometimes used in phobia work too. Again, if someone has aphantasia, there’s no need to force visualisation. Instead, we can work with thoughts, feelings, body sensations and other sensory experiences that feel much more natural.
The goal is never to produce vivid pictures. The goal is to help your brain build new, calmer responses and there are many different ways of doing that.
You don’t have to feel left out
If you’ve spent years listening to guided meditations thinking,
“Everyone else must be doing this better than me.” or “I can’t see any of it.” please know that you’re not failing. Your brain simply works differently.
Good hypnotherapy isn’t about expecting everyone to fit the same script. It’s about understanding how your mind works and adapting the experience so it feels natural, comfortable and effective.
Traditional visualisation vs an adapted approach
| Traditional approach | Adapted approach for aphantasia |
|---|---|
| Picture yourself on a beach | Notice the rhythm of your breathing |
| See the waves rolling in | Feel your body becoming heavier and more relaxed |
| Imagine the colours of the sky | Notice the warmth spreading through your body |
| Picture yourself succeeding | Focus on the feelings of confidence and achievement |
| Visualise crossing the finish line | Hold your race T-shirt and connect with the feeling of reaching your goal |
Both approaches are working towards exactly the same outcome—a calm, focused brain that’s ready to make positive changes.
Did you know?
Many people don’t realise they have aphantasia until adulthood. Often it’s because someone casually says something like“Picture an apple.” or “Can you see your mum’s face in your mind?”
Only then do they discover that other people are genuinely experiencing mental images rather than simply thinking about them. It can be quite a surprising—and reassuring—realisation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone with aphantasia be hypnotised?
Yes, absolutely. Hypnotherapy doesn’t depend on visual imagery. It works by helping you reach a relaxed, focused state, and there are many ways to do that besides visualisation.
Can I meditate if I have aphantasia?
Yes. You may simply find body-based mindfulness, breathing exercises or sensory awareness practices more effective than guided visualisations. Yoga nidra breathing practice can be really helpful for visual aphantasics looking for a more effective relaxation.
Does everyone with aphantasia experience it in the same way?
No. Some people can’t create visual images but can imagine sounds or touch. Others experience reduced mental imagery across several senses. Everyone’s experience is unique.
Is aphantasia a disorder?
No. Aphantasia isn’t considered a disease or mental health condition. It’s simply a different way that some people’s brains process information.
Can hypnotherapy be adapted for me?
Yes. Every session should be tailored to the individual. Rather than expecting you to visualise, I can use language and techniques that work with the way your mind naturally processes information.
Want to find out more?
If you’ve recognised yourself in this article, I hope it’s reassuring to know that you don’t have to miss out on the benefits of hypnotherapy simply because you don’t experience mental imagery.
At The Reset Room, I tailor every hypnotherapy session to the individual. Whether you naturally think in pictures, words, feelings or body sensations, we’ll work with the way your brain works—not against it.
If you’d like to find out whether Solution Focused Hypnotherapy could help you, book in for a free, informal chat and I can answer any questions you may have.
Further information
The Aphantasia Network
Take the VVIQ (Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire)
