Searching for a
hypnotherapist can be a daunting task, with so many to choose from on the
internet, how do you decide who is going to be right for you?
Ultimately it will come down
to who you like the look of and you may well end up going with your ‘gut
instinct’, however the following pointers will help guide you in the right
direction.
- Professional Membership of a recognised association or society
Any
hypnotherapist who is running a full time professional practice should show
they are a member of a professional body, such as the National Hypnotherapy and
Counselling Society (HS and NCS), the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR), the
British Society for Clinical Hypnosis (BSCH) or the National Council for
Hypnotherapy (NCH). When a hypnotherapist is registered with a body such as
these, it means they adhere to a code of conduct and ethics. It also provides
you the customer with a formal means of making a complaint should you need to
and the relevant support.
- Hypnotherapy Qualifications
You
may find some hypnotherapists with a long list of letters after their name.
Whilst this can look very impressive, be cautious that people are not just ‘padding’
their qualifications! Make sure any qualifications are RELEVANT to
hypnotherapy. For example a BSc or MSc degree is all very well but it may not
be anything to do with their therapy. In particular, look for either ‘DipHyp’
(Diploma in Hypnotherapy) or ‘HPD’ (Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma) as a
minimum. Other relevant qualifications could include the letters; SportsHyp
(Sports Hypnosis), NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), CBT (Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy), EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), TFT (Thought Field
Therapy).
- Member of an Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) scheme
Hypnotherapy
is an unregulated industry so it does not have any formal professional standard
applicable to training and qualification. The good news is that within the past
2 years, the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has created an Accredited
Voluntary Register (AVR) scheme which accredits voluntary registers of people working in a variety
of health and social care occupations, including Hypnotherapy.
In order
to be accredited, organisations that hold voluntary registers must prove that
they meet the PSA’s demanding standards.
This means the public can now choose to use people who are on a register that
has been independently assessed and approved. This provides assurance
that the registers are well run and that they require their registrants to meet
high standards of personal behaviour, technical competence and, where relevant,
business practice. (Look out for this AVR logo)
- Evidence of Professional Insurance
A good hypnotherapist will be more than happy to
provide details of their professional and public liability insurance including
the details of the insurance company and policy number. This shows that the
therapist is concerned and thoughtful about their practice and the clients they
see and are willing to invest in their client's safety.
- Do they offer a niche or specific area of expertise?
Hypnotherapy
is a very diverse form of therapy and can be very effective for wide variety of
issues. Some hypnotherapists try to be all things to all people in order to
market themselves as broadly as possible however. This does not make them a bad
therapist, however a good therapist will often specialise in a just one or two
areas which interest them in particular and which they may have additional
qualifications. This means they are far more likely to have the knowledge and
skills to help people in that area.
- Do they mention ‘stage hypnosis’ or hypnosis for
entertainment purposes?
If
you find a hypnotherapist who also offers stage hypnosis or does stage
entertainment shows, my personal advice is be very cautious about going to see
this person. Hypnosis done for therapeutic benefit and hypnosis done on a stage
for entertainment are two completely different things. If someone has completed
an online course in stage hypnosis, they will not necessarily have the relevant
skills and knowledge to offer someone effective hypnotherapy for more serious
issues such as trauma, anxiety and depression. Stage hypnosis is not governed
by any code of ethics as the person is not obliged to act under the guidance of
a professional organisation. Your own instinct should be your guide here and
please be highly cautious.
A
really good hypnotherapist who regularly achieves successful results will
naturally receive positive feedback and testimonials from happy clients. The
hypnotherapist will naturally been keen to display this feedback to prospective
clients, so take note of what other people say about a therapist on their
website, social media etc, in particular what results they have achieved.
If you have any questions not covered here, please
either email Christy or pick up the phone and I will be delighted to help in
any way I can. I also offer a free, no-obligation, 20 minute telephone
consultation to all.
Email me: Christy@christyhypnotherapy.com or call 07527 576245
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