Hypnotherapist

Hypnotherapists use hypnosis to help people with a wide range of mental health and emotional problems. They believe that, while hypnotised, the client’s sense of awareness is deeper. They can open their minds to positive suggestions that can help them to change the way they think, feel or behave.

Work activities

Hypnotherapists treat people with emotional, mental health and psychosomatic problems. They deal with a wide range of problems, including:

• Alcoholism and drug dependency.
• Panic attacks and anxiety.
• The after-effects of accidents and trauma.
• Phobias.
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Eating disorders.
• Problems with anger management.
• Depression.

Hypnotherapists believe that many problems that show on the surface are evidence of deeper-seated psychological or emotional causes. They believe that hypnosis allows us to reach a level of increased, deeper awareness. When the client is in this state of deeper awareness, the hypnotherapist might be able to work with them to bring about changes in the way they think, feel or behave. The client’s mind might become open to positive suggestions that could help them to overcome problems.

During hypnosis, the client is always in control and the hypnotherapist must work with the client’s co-operation. The hypnotherapist and client need to build up a caring, trusting relationship that is based on what the client wants to achieve. Generally, the hypnotic state is a pleasant, relaxing experience, in which the client is aware of physical sensations. With deeper awareness, the client might be able to remember the details of a traumatic incident, for example, the number plate of a car involved in an accident. These are details that the subconscious mind may have “remembered” but the conscious mind has not. The client might gain insight into the underlying causes of a particular problem. However, “memories” that come back to the client under hypnotherapy are no more likely to be accurate than any other memory.

When the hypnotherapist first meets a client, they must listen and talk to them to find out what the client wants to achieve. They discuss these goals, and the client’s medical history and relevant experiences in general. Next, the hypnotherapist will explain the therapy and what it might be able to achieve. Having assessed the client, the hypnotherapist will decide what form the treatment should take, for example, working with the client to find out what the root of the problem is or making positive suggestions to change the future. The hypnotherapist must use their judgement to decide whether or not to refer the client to their GP.

After the hypnotherapist has brought the client out of hypnosis, they discuss how the client felt and what they experienced. The hypnotherapist and client might need several sessions to make progress with some types of problem. Some hypnotherapists choose to specialise, for example, in stress, weight loss or giving up smoking.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a hypnotherapist, you’ll need:

• A strong sense of responsibility.
• Emotional strength, to deal with clients personal problems.
• Communication skills to listen and talk to the client.

The ability to build a trusting relationship with the client, working with them towards what they want to achieve. Because most hypnotherapists are self-employed, you’ll need the skills to build up and run your own business.

Pay and opportunities

Earnings for hypnotherapists vary. Most are self-employed and earnings depend on where they are based, the number of clients they see and the hourly rate they charge.

Self-employed practitioners can choose their hours of work to suit their clients. Employed hypnotherapists work around 37-39 hours a week. Self-employed practitioners usually have weekend and evening work. Some travel to clinics in the local area. There are opportunities to work part-time. Some practitioners combine hypnotherapy with other complementary therapies, such as reflexology or aromatherapy.

Demand for hypnotherapy has been increasing over the last 10 years, as complementary and alternative therapies have become more popular generally.

Most hypnotherapists are independent self-employed practitioners. Some hypnotherapists work from home or hire a room at a complementary therapy centre.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Because most hypnotherapists are self-employed, there are very few advertised vacancies.

Entry routes and training

At the moment, anyone can call themselves a hypnotherapist. Therefore, it is essential that clients, and GP who refer clients, have confidence in the knowledge, expertise and ethical standards of the hypnotherapists that offer their services to them. Hypnotherapists who have trained to the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for hypnotherapy can register with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) or the General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapies (GRCCT). At the moment, registration is voluntary. However, having your name on one or both of these registers will help you show your clients that you are properly trained and competent to practise. The GRCCT and CNHC recognise a number of professional bodies. You can find a list of these on the GRCCT and CNHC websites. You don’t have to belong to one of the recognised bodies to register, although this is strongly recommended.

Hypnotherapists can go on to specialise in areas such as giving up smoking, weight loss or anxiety management. Some hypnotherapists learn how to practise another type of therapy.

Qualifications

Training providers that run approved, accredited or validated hypnotherapy training courses don’t usually set entry requirements, although you should check with individual course providers.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Typically, approved training colleges run courses over one weekend a month for the length of the course (for example, ten months). Some training providers offer intensive courses over a two-to-three-week period, usually with breaks between each week of training.

Related careers

• Counsellor
• Psychiatrist
• Psychologist
• Psychotherapist