What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy attempts to address an individuals subconscious mind, using the power of suggestion for beneficial change. A hypnotherapist uses hypnosis to give relevant, positive beneficial suggestions to help an individual bring about the change they desire. Although hypnotherapy is not the same as sleep (the individual will still have awareness and control), hypnotherapists often require the individual to be in a deeply relaxed state to enable them to use their imagination fully. For this reason, it’s imperative that the individual feels completely comfortable with their hypnotherapist. Hypnosis is a different state of consciousness from being awake or asleep, and many people compare the deep, relaxed state of hypnosis to daydreaming.
Altered states of awareness have been recognised for thousands of years and hypnosis is widely accepted as a beneficial psychological therapy to access our inner potential. Techniques can be used to reveal issues from an individuals past that may be causing them distress, or the approach can be focused more on their present problems. Hypnotherapy can generally help with most emotional problems an individual is finding hard to cope with, and some physical problems can also be effectively treated with hypnosis too, such as IBS and insomnia. However, it’s important for an individual to consult their GP before approaching a hypnotherapist if they suffer from clinical depression, epilepsy or schizophrenia.
Hypnotherapists will often combine hypnosis with other psychotherapy and counselling techniques to benefit individuals. The techniques used will depend on the issue the individual is seeking help for. There are two main types of hypnotherapy:
Types of hypnotherapy
Suggestion hypnotherapy
Suggestion hypnotherapy involves the hypnotherapist giving an individuals unconscious mind a series of ‘suggestions’. These suggestions can help an individual to find it easier to do something they want to do (e.g. public speaking) or easier to stop doing something they don’t want to do (e.g. smoking).
Suggestion Hypnotherapy is often used when there is no root cause that needs to be dealt with, or when there are time constraints (such as an individual wanting to deal with a fear of flying). Suggestion hypnotherapy is often considered a short-term therapy compared with other types of therapy, and if changes occur, they can so so within the first few sessions.
Analytical Hypnotherapy
Analytical Hypnotherapy (also called hypnoanalysis) can be effective in dealing with deeper issues and involves psychotherapy using hypnosis. Analytical hypnotherapy seeks to find the root cause of a problem, and deal with the issue. For example, a phobia may be 'masked' using suggestion therapy, however the root cause will still exist. Analytical hypnotherapy seeks to identify the root cause and deal with it; the root cause then becomes powerless.
Analytical hypnotherapy is a very involving process and usually requires much more commitment than suggestion therapy. However, once the root cause has been identified and dealt with, the results can be life changing. Where as suggestion therapy manages a problem, analytical hypnotherapy aims to resolve it.
Does everyone respond to hypnotherapy?
It is important to recognise that it is not possible to hypnotise an individual against their will, and even if an individual is hypnotised, they can reject any suggestion that is not beneficial to them. Hypnotherapy is therefore natural and safe, with no harmful side effects. it is estimated that 85% of people will respond at some level to clinical hypnotherapy. Some individuals are more likely to respond to hypnotherapy than others and having confidence in the technique helps. Believing change from hypnotherapy is possible is important and if an individual is personally motivated to change hypnotherapy is more likely to succeed.
What qualifications and experience should hypnotherapists have?
Below are some of the professional associations for hypnotherapy in the UK. This information is subject to change so please visit the individual websites for full details. This list is not exhaustive.
National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH)
British Society of Clinical Hypnosis (BSCH)General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR)
General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (GHSC).
Suitably qualified practitioners may be awarded the General Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice (GQHP). A senior award (SQHP) is also available for practitioners who have fulfilled further criteria.
How do I know which hypnotherapist to choose?
- Location
Look for a hypnotherapist who is local to you. If you are having hypnotherapy for managing an issue without a root cause (e.g. smoking, public speaking, fear of flying etc.) location may not be as important as if you are having hypnotherapy for a deeper issue with a root cause (such as phobias, panic attacks etc.) where you will probably need more sessions; the closer your hypnotherapist lives, the more committed you may be to continue your sessions.
- Membership with a professional association
Decide if you’d like your hypnotherapist to be a member of a professional body. If you are wary about choosing a hypnotherapist, selecting one who is a member of a professional body means they work to certain standards of good practise and ethics. If a hypnotherapist is a member of a professional association they will make it clear on their profile.
- Fees
Fees may be an important consideration and it’s usually best to have a look at a number of hypnotherapists and compare their fees to get an idea of an average price. In general, expect to pay between £50 and £150 for an hour session. Fees often depend on the training and experience of the hypnotherapist, the area of hypnotherapy that's required.
- Full Profiles
Each hypnotherapist has an entire web page to display their profile on so you can read about as many as you wish before making your final decision. It’s vital you feel comfortable with your chosen hypnotherapist and have confidence in them as a professional. The more comfortable you feel, the more successful the therapy is likely to be. You may also want to think about whether you'd be more comfortable with a male or female.
- Final Decision
Read up on lots of different hypnotherapists before making your final decision and even contact a few to ensure you feel comfortable with your choice. It may be good to write down some questions before contacting them so you know exactly what you’d like to ask. Remember, hypnotherapy is natural and safe and can be completely life changing so don’t suffer with your issue for any longer.
There are currently no laws in the UK about the training and registration of hypnotherapists. However, when choosing a hypnotherapist it can be reassuring to know they work to certain levels of good practice. Hypnotherapists can register with a professional association of hypnotherapy with its own code of ethics and those who are members of a professional association will have met certain eligibility requirements. Members of The Banbury Therapy Centre who practice hypnotherapy are: