Finding A Hypnotherapist

Finding a Hypnotherapist
People in areas outside of *easy travelling to my consulting rooms often ask me for advice on how to find a competent and properly qualified hypnotherapist in their area. Unfortunately there are many unqualified or poorly trained people calling themselves "hypnotherapists" in the UK, and professionalism is not currently enforced by mandatory registration.
However, to help you find a competent, qualified and ethical hypnotherapist, I recommend the following:

1. Make sure that your hypnotherapist is properly qualified and registered with one of the main professional associations in the UK. These include:

The General Hypnotherapy Register (MGHR, or GHR Reg)
The British Institute of Hypnotherapy (MBIH)
The Hypnotherapy Association (MHA)
The National Council of Psychotherapists (LNCP or MNCP)

Ensure that your therapist is competent at a level necessary to help you. Many Hypnotherapists are only trained and qualified to use simple suggestion therapy, which though useful for help with many simple problems is not sufficient if you are suffering from panic attacks, acute or chronic stress or anxiety, post trauma stress, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, eating problems, and a whole range of other problems needing hypnoanalysis, regression, and/or other psychotherapeutic interventions. You may wish to check if your therapist holds a current Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Enhanced disclosure Certificate also. This becomes essential if the sessions of therapy are for a minor.

2. Avoid hypnotherapists who make unrealistic claims about stated 'success rates' (e.g., 100% effectiveness). It is against the Advertising Standards Agency's code of practice to make such claims without supporting, well-researched, independent, statistical evidence. It is also against the code of ethics and accepted practice of many hypnotherapy professional organisations.

3. Expect a short free and no-obligation initial consultation if requested (except for one session therapies such as stop smoking, or simple relaxation or confidence boosting). Ask lots of questions at this initial session and be sure you feel you can trust your chosen therapist. Be awrae that any successful therapist will be very busy and free consultations will not normally be available at peak times (evenings and Saturdays perhaps) although this may vary.

4. Ask about payment methods. Most successful and experienced practitioners will accept cash, cheque and credit/debit cards, although credit/debit cards have not caught on everywhere just yet.

5. It's also worth asking what support materials (books, handouts, audio CDs, etc) your hypnotherapist will provide to support your progress through therapy, and will there be any extra charge for these (I would expect them to be included in the charge for sessions).

6. Don't be fooled by cut prices. No effective and successful hypnotherapist is likely to be found asking for fees under the local average (and nor should they be asking for fees well above the average either). For most areas of London this will be between 55 & 75 per sixty minute session. Cut price fees may mean cut quality therapy.

7. If you are at all concerned about your therapist, find another one.

Remember that good qualifications, registration and training are paramount

*Clients have travelled a fair distance (sometimes even from distant parts of the UK or abroad) to reach me, preferring quality, professionalism and reliability to ease of travel and perhaps even lower fees( even though I have always offered to suggest more local to their area).