How to choose a hypnotherapist

Hypnosis has been used for centuries, and continues to be very popular. So in this world of so much choice, how do you choose the right hypnotherapist?

person laying back in a chair

Hypnotherapy is unregulated so pretty well anyone can call themselves a hypnotherapist, so its important to do some research. Thankfully there are some simple checks you can make that will ensure you find someone easily that you can be certain has had appropriate training. Start with the CNHC - Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. They are an independent UK regulator set up with government support to protect the public by providing a voluntary register of health practitioners, including hypnotherapists. They use ten verifying organisations - professional associations - who check the training, insurance and experience of their members before you are eligible to register. Whilst not every hypnotherapist will choose to register, as it is voluntary, you know that those who have registered have at least had their professional credentials checked.

Some hypnotherapists may register with one of the Professional Associations but not go on to register with CNHC. As the associations are the bodies who check and verify the credentials of their members, these are also great places to check or search for a practitioner. There are many other 'advertising' directories such as Hypnotic World and Hypnotherapy Directory where you will find good information and a range of practitioners, but remember these are simply convenient places to advertise, and do not necessarily undertake any checks on the people listed with them. And of course you'll find many more ads across social media, and perhaps through personal recommendations.

As with many things you will find that hypnotherapists offer in person or virtual sessions. Virtual sessions can be good if you have difficulty in leaving your home, or really want to use a particular practitioner that is simply too far to travel to. Otherwise I have found that hypnotherapy is more effective in person, so perhaps first narrow your search to your local area. Whichever you choose the single most important thing is that when you first speak to a practitioner, you feel comfortable with them, and that you feel that you can trust them. Without this, your journey into hypnotherapy is likely to be unsuccessful, and I'll explain why shortly.

Sometimes you will see some practitioners with lots of letters after their name, and you might wonder which are 'better' or important. You may see that someone has a Batchelor's or Master's degree or a PhD, however that does not necessarily mean its in hypnotherapy, or even in a related field. Other letters may denote qualifications or memberships of relevant bodies, some very specific, others more general. The range is so wide that without some expert knowledge you may simply find them a minefield to navigate. Practitioners will refer to Solution focused, clinical, holistic, blended, cognitive, analytical as well as other descriptions - so how do you choose which is right for you?

Well, its all about that sense of connection. At its heart hypnotherapy requires a relationship of trust and openness between client and practitioner in order to be successful. So reach out to more than one practitioner to find out more about their services. Notice how well you feel you connect with them when you speak on the phone, how open they are to your questions and concerns, and what service they describe. A good practitioner knows that this is more important than accepting every client that calls. Just because the coat looks good in the shop window doesn't make it right for you, so just as you would try the coat on, check out whether that sense of trust and connection is there when you speak to them.

What about the price? Well these can vary quite significantly. Often practitioners see what others advertise and align with that, so someone charging more or less does not necessarily 'mean' anything. Generally speaking you will be offered a free initial call which is to answer your questions and find out more about what help you are looking for. You can take this opportunity to ask about the approach the practitioner will take, for example do they always use solution focused hypnotherapy or might that vary depending on your circumstances? Ask about whether they provide any recordings for you to listen to after the session. Packages can be good and bad. Sometimes you only need one session to resolve the issue, so a six session package could be selling you something you don't need. Other times follow up sessions are going to be required so a package that offers a saving against individually booked sessions can be good.

Its not always possible for the practitioner to tell you in the initial call how many sessions you will need. The first session with your chosen hypnotherapist may cost a little more than other sessions, because it may need to be a little longer. The practitioner will usually want to gather some information about how you do your particular problem. When it happens, when it doesn't. Generally the more bespoke the session is to you, the more effective it will be. However some hypnotherapists will tell you that 'it will take 4 sessions'. Where that is the case, simply ask them to explain more about that to you, or ask what happens if the problem is resolved after one session.

Hypnotherapy is helpful in so many situations that it is often difficult for a practitioner to narrow down the areas they can help you with. The nature of the internet search engine means that sometimes you will find everyone seems to want to help you with anxiety or weight loss, and that can be because they are the popular keywords that people are searching for, so they are what practitioners emphasise. A hypnotherapist will usually be able to help with a wide range of things, so if your search does not find someone that specifically mentions your issue, ask anyway. Whilst hypnotherapy is suitable for children (aged about 6 upwards) and adults, there are some differences so if you are looking for someone to work with your child, do find someone with appropriate training or experience working with younger children.

So - good luck with your searching. Check out CNHC or the professional bodies, ask about qualifications and insurance, and if it doesn't feel right, find a different practitioner. By all means, give me a call to find out more.