The Line with Dr Kristen Holmes

Dr. David Spiegel: The Hypnosis Technique Behind the World’s Best Golfers (And How You Can Use It!)

14 snips
Jan 29, 2026
Guest
David Spiegel
Dr. David Spiegel, Stanford psychiatrist and pioneering hypnosis researcher, shares decades of clinical experience. He unpacks what clinical hypnosis really is and how it differs from stage tricks. He discusses hypnosis for pain control, athlete performance—especially golfers like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods—and how tools like the Reverie app scale hypnotic techniques.
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INSIGHT

Hypnotizability Is A Stable Trait Linked To Genes

  • About two thirds of people are at least somewhat hypnotizable, and hypnotizability stabilizes by age 21.
  • Spiegel links hypnotizability to personality and genetics, mentioning a COMT polymorphism affecting dopamine metabolism.
ADVICE

Use Targeted Imagery To Change Physiology

  • Use imagery tied to what actually relieves symptoms to change physiology.
  • Spiegel had a migrainer imagine a bag of ice on her head and her migraines stopped for the first time in 10 years.
ANECDOTE

Medical Student Hypnosis Stopped An Asthma Attack

  • As a third-year medical student Spiegel hypnotized a 15-year-old in status asthmaticus and her breathing eased within minutes.
  • The intern protested it was 'illegal' but the patient improved and later pursued respiratory therapy.
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