Can Hypnosis Help You Lose Weight Or Quit Smoking?

NEW YORK (CBSNEwYork) -- Losing weight or quitting smoking can be a struggle for some people, but now some big name stars are turning to hypnosis to help.

If you're looking to break a bad habit or take control of something in your life, Dr. Svetlana Kogan says clinical hypnosis may be for you.

"The purpose of hypnosis is to address these deeply seeded conflicts between the subconscious and the conscious so that we can get to the root of the problem," said Kogan, author of "Diet Slave No More!"

Popular among the stars, Matt Damon credits hypnosis for quitting smoking and Reese Witherspoon was hypnotized before tackling her role in the movie "Wild."

Now, in an effort to control weight, stars like Fergie see a hypnotist regularly to control overeating.

According to Kogan, there's one thing that controls successful weight loss.

"What percentage of a weight-loss program is the mind in control of?" CBS2's Alex Denis asked.

"I would say 99.9 percent because this is just a muscle it gets bigger, it gets smaller, but it is completely controlled by here," Kogan said, pointing to her head.

A 30 minute session, feels like guided meditation.

Patients slip into a deeply relaxed state, highly responsive to suggestions and direction.

"We can drive in these messages deeper, and help them to carry them out day in and day out," Kogan said.

Kogan admits hypnosis alone won't magically help patients drop weight; her clients keep food logs to track progress and identify missteps. But she feels their success is long-lasting because they find balance.

"The important thing is, we want to reclaim our perfection that we were born with," Kogan said.

Sessions range in price depending on length and insurance.

Kogan says some habits can be broken in one session, while others take a little longer depending on how open the person is to this type of therapy.