Monday, 16 March 2026 07:35 AM
Company Update
A new case study documents six months of complete pain relief in an 80-year-old man with arthritis, achieved without surgery, medication, or invasive treatment.
OVERLAND PARK, KS / ACCESS Newswire / March 16, 2026 / When a retired New York City resident reached out to hypnotherapist Harley Sears last September, he was desperate. Severe arthritis had left him with foot pain so intense he rated it 7 out of 10 on a standardized pain scale. Laser treatment had already been scheduled. He was simply looking for something to get him through the wait.
Six months later, his pain is at zero, and his podiatrist has postponed the laser procedure indefinitely.
"After the first session, he said the relief was 'like something out of the movies,'" Sears recalls. "What makes this case significant is not just the immediate response; it's the duration. Six months of complete pain relief in an 80-year-old with severe arthritis."
Teaching the Brain to Heal Itself
Sears used a methodology he developed called Placebo-Enhanced Hypnotic Intervention (PEHI™). Rather than simply guiding clients into relaxation, PEHI™ first teaches them the neuroscience: how the brain controls pain, how expectation can trigger the release of endorphins (the body's natural painkillers), and how descending neural pathways can dial down pain signals before they're fully processed.
Then comes the hypnosis: a vivid, guided visualization in which clients learn to activate those very systems on demand.
Real Effects, Measurable in the Brain
The approach is grounded in placebo science, a rapidly growing field that has moved well beyond sugar pills. Brain imaging studies have documented measurable endorphin release, shifts in pain-modulating neural activity, and real reductions in inflammatory response, all triggered by expectation alone.
Critically, research has shown that placebo effects persist even when patients know they're receiving a placebo, a phenomenon called open-label placebos, as long as they understand the underlying mechanisms. PEHI™ is built on exactly this principle.
"These aren't imaginary effects," Sears emphasizes. "We're simply teaching people to access systems their brains already have."
A Podiatrist Takes Notice
Perhaps the most telling detail in this case is the podiatrist's response. Physicians don't defer evidence-based treatments lightly. The decision to postpone recommended laser therapy reflects functional improvement substantial enough to be objectively observed.
The cost implications are equally striking. A handful of hypnotherapy sessions versus surgical intervention, ongoing medication, and repeat medical visits represents a meaningful difference for patients and the healthcare system alike.
Why This Matters Now
Chronic pain affects 24% of Americans (one in four adults), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rates climb sharply among those over 65. Meanwhile, traditional pharmaceutical solutions face mounting concerns around dependency, and many older patients cannot tolerate standard pain medications.
For Sears, the lesson of this case is both hopeful and humbling: "We're not suggesting hypnosis replaces medical care. This client worked with his podiatrist throughout. But it does raise a question worth asking: are we underutilizing what the brain can already do?"
About Harley Sears
Harley Sears is a hypnotherapist with nearly three decades of experience. He holds a Diploma in Hypnotherapy from HMI College of Hypnotherapy, a Wellness Counseling Certificate from Cornell University, and a Specialization in Integrative Health and Medicine from the University of Minnesota. He is a member of the American Hypnosis Association and the Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies, and is the author of the award-winning book The Magic in Metaphor. Sears offers virtual sessions nationwide via Zoom and monthly in-person sessions in the Kansas City area.
Contact Information:
Harley Sears
Phone: 913-999-5819
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.harleysears.com
SOURCE: Hypnotherapy with Harley Sears, LLC