Hypnosis has been used to treat conditions like anxiety and pain, but Los Angeles hypnotherapist and mother of three Lisa Machenberg says it can be a very effective parenting technique. She’s even given her unusual method a name – hypno-parenting.

Machenberg first started using hypnosis on her children to help them get through the night without wetting the bed, but has since then used the clinical technique to aid them deal with things like performance anxiety or focusing difficulties. The Malibu-based therapist also admits to using hypnosis on her kids and husband in order to make sure things run smoothly around the house. “I hypnotize my children and my husband to do things for my benefit all the time,” she recently told Barcroft Media. “We have a household to run. Many times, I exert influence so my children are able to get their chores done, so this house runs efficiently.”

Photo: ABC News

Lisa’s 17-year-old daughter, Rayna, says she has always known about her hypno-parenting techniques, adding that it has had a positive impact on her life. “Being able to push back on stress and think about it deeply and do self-reflecting was a skill that I’m really grateful that my mom taught me,” she said. “I think it still influences me a lot today and helped me develop into the person I am right now.”

Husband Brian Ney claims he doesn’t mind being put under hypnosis from time to time, but jokingly adds adds that “maybe that’s because she’s hypnotized me to think so.” Lisa’s 19-year-old son admits that dealing with hypno-parenting can get a little overwhelming. “It could get a little crazy when she tries to hypnotise us at every single possible situation that she can,” he says. “It could get a little overbearing — she gets in your head.”

Photo: Lisa Machenberg/Facebook

“Although there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that hypnosis can be a good parenting tool, Lisa Machenberg assures us that it really works. Hypnosis and parenting is a natural combination,” she said in an interview. “If we learn hypno-parenting, we learn how to hypnotize our children to be cooperative, peaceful, have containment and have good study habits because they have focus and have more resilience out there in the world.”

Machenberg claims she has hypnotized over 1,000 children in the last 23 years. She charges $125 per hour for her hypnosis sessions and also works with parents on strategies they can use at home. Sometimes she even teaches kids self-hypnosis techniques.

Even though she could use hypno-parenting to get kids to do all kinds of things, Lisa says she only uses her powers for good. “We can . . . hypnotize our children to be the best that they can be,” she said. “We can solve conflicts in a wonderful, peaceful way that creates not just good children, but helps them grow into good adults.”

Sources: Barcroft TV, ABC News