Episode Summary
In this riveting and deeply personal conversation, Chris Schembra sits down with Grace Smith — one of the world’s most respected hypnotherapists and the founder of the #1 hypnotherapy brand in the world — to explore how hypnosis can unlock peak performance, emotional clarity, and authentic leadership in the modern workplace.
Chris opens the episode by recounting how Grace helped him through a dark moment in 2021, using hypnotherapy to reconnect him to purpose, possibility, and a record-breaking year in business. From there, the conversation expands to cover Grace’s origin story, her groundbreaking work with high-achieving CEOs, and why hypnosis is less about “fixing” and more about revealing the strength already inside us.
Grace shares stunning stories from her early career — including how she helped a paralyzed man regain movement in a single session, a man who would later become her father-in-law. Together, they explore how the subconscious governs behavior, how leaders can reprogram outdated belief systems, and why gratitude often lives just beneath stress, waiting to be uncovered.
This episode is a masterclass in neuroscience, personal growth, and emotional intelligence for anyone looking to lead with clarity and courage in a world of chaos.
Key Themes
- Subconscious blocks and business growth
- The science of theta brainwave states and peak performance
- How trauma and stress quietly shape executive decision-making
- Why hypnosis helps leaders find clarity, confidence, and intuition
- The power of gratitude as a renewable energy source
- How to lead with presence in a world of distraction
Notable Quotes
- “When the subconscious is working against you, you’ll never reach your true potential.” – Grace Smith
- “Gratitude is there—it’s just buried beneath stress. Hypnosis helps you feel what’s already been inside you.” – Grace Smith
- “You’re not fixing broken people—you’re polishing the gem that was always there.” – Chris Schembra
- “Hypnosis gave me the pause I needed to take action toward healing. One week later, I bought a ticket to Italy.” – Chris Schembra
- “The brain doesn’t just change overnight because your circumstances improve. You have to rewire it—consciously.” – Grace Smith
- “I work with people whose decisions shift tectonic plates. When their subconscious is clear, the world moves with more grace.” – Grace Smith
- “Every subconscious breakthrough is followed by what I call a bonus miracle—change you didn’t even expect.” – Grace Smith
- “When you’re in theta, you bypass the ego. That’s where the intuition lives. That’s where the clarity begins.” – Grace Smith
- “We’re not adding anything. We’re removing what’s in the way of who you already are.” – Grace Smith
- “Hypnosis isn’t mind control. It’s mindset liberation.” – Grace Smith
- “Grace didn’t just help me recover—she helped me remember who I was before the noise.” – Chris Schembra
- “You can read every business book in the world. But if your subconscious is working against you, you’re building on sand.” – Chris Schembra
- “She’s not giving you a new mind—she’s handing you the keys to the one you forgot you had.” – Chris Schembra
“Sometimes the only way forward is to pause long enough to hear the voice underneath the fear.” – Chris Schembra
Featured Stories
- Grace’s first hypnotherapy session helped her quit smoking — and changed the course of her life
- How a United Nations peacekeeper paralyzed from a stroke moved his hand again in a single session
- Chris’s vulnerable account of his 2021 mental health crisis and the role Grace played in his recovery
- Why CEOs with billion-dollar companies are turning to hypnotherapy for their next breakthrough
- The neuroscience of flow, intuition, and decision-making under pressure
Resources and Links
