Choosing a good hypnotherapist

Incredibly, anyone can legally set up as a hypnotherapist, even with no qualifications or experience. So it is vital that you do some homework! Here are some the things to consider when choosing a good hypnotherapist:

1. Qualifications and experience
2. Registered with a professional body
3. In supervision with a more experienced hypnotherapist
4. Fully insured
5. Someone who listens
6. Someone you trust
7. A professional
8. A fair price
9. Is 'NHS registered' good?
10. Trust your judgement

1. Qualifications and experience

As a minimum, therapists should have a diploma in hypnotherapy. A HPD (Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma) is held in high esteem and is a very reliable hypnotherapy qualification. It is awarded by an external body (Northern College of Further Education) which sets a high standard for the content and quality of courses and administers external tests to ensure students from different training schools achieve the same high standard of knowledge and skills. This standardised qualification may soon become obligatory for professional recognition.

A DipH or DipHyp is an internally verified qualification. This means that the same training school that the therapist paid for their tuition also happens to be the assessor and awarding body of the qualification... and hypnotherapy training schools vary widely in quality.

A degree in Psychology or Counselling is highly desirable. Although hypnotherapists deal routinely with the mind, communication and behaviour, surprisingly few therapists have these qualifications. Beware of irrelevant degrees. Some therapists list a degree (e.g. BSc, BA, MSc, MA or PhD) alongside their name, suggesting they think it is important to you. Yet very often they don't tell you their subject. It could be a degree in architecture or physics which, despite showing a high standard of education, does not make them any better qualified to understand the human mind!

You may come across other letters after people's names that reflect membership of professional bodies rather than qualifications. Please ask the therapist to explain what all the letters mean. They should be happy to help. A GQHP, for example, is a General Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice. This is awarded by the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council to acknowledge an adequate level of hypnotherapy training.

In terms of experience, it is important to find someone who knows what they are doing. We wouldn't want a mechanic who hadn't got a clue working on our car and it is even more crucial when dealing with the mind! Make sure your therapist has seen many clients. However, although it can be helpful, it is not essential for them to have dealt with your particular issue before. The therapist can apply general techniques to any problem that has a psychological component and then tailor the treatment plan by working in your experiences, needs and goals. top

2. Professional membership

It is important that the hypnotherapist is registered with a professional body. The professional body lays down codes of ethics that members have to adhere to, giving you confidence in their conduct.

3. Supervision

All hypnotherapists should be in supervision. The supervisor is experienced and challenges the therapist on their approaches and offers advice and support. The supervisor encourages the therapist to reflect on their practice and to see what they could improve. More experienced hypnotherapists meet others at the same level of expertise for 'peer supervision'. top

4. Insurance

The therapist should be fully insured against accidents on their property, malpractice, etc. top

5. Someone who listens

Although good hypnotherapists are busy people and can't spend long on the phone they should listen carefully and politely answer general questions with confidence and clarity. Trust your immediate impressions. If they don't listen on the phone will they listen in the therapy room? top

6. Someone you trust

You need someone you trust. Do they have your interests at heart? Would you be comfortable? Are they members of a professional body? You also need to like them enough to build a good professional relationship. However, an effective therapist has to be tough at times, perhaps offering home truths, asking difficult questions and setting tasks that mean facing your problems. top

7. A professional

Beware of hypnotherapists who sip tea all afternoon with their clients, think their clients are their 'friends', do not value their own or their client's time, or charge very low fees. Professionals are busy, confident, and keen to help you find success rather than trying overly hard to be liked and be your friend or encouraging dependency. They build rapport with you and you both feel comfortable. Professionals treat you and themselves with respect. They are non-judgemental and they invest in you by asking lots of questions about you rather than stating streams of facts, offering endless personal thoughts, or providing too many examples of their own experiences or of people they know. top

8. A fair price

Therapy fees reflect the therapist's initial training, continuing professional development, insurance, therapy room and equipment, professional membership, admin, preparation, supervision, the risks of self-employment such as no sick pay or paid holidays, and of course, the sessions themselves. Very low fees could suggest the therapist is short of work, inexperienced, offers a poor quality service, or they undervalue themselves and have low self-esteem. Very high fees could mean the therapist has high overheads e.g. working from business premises or is paying commission to someone else for advertising and a brand name. More highly qualified and/or experienced hypnotherapists will normally charge more for their services. top

9. Is 'NHS registered' good?

There is no particular significance in an NHS or BUPA registered provider number. The numbers do not signify NHS or BUPA approval of the hypnotherapist; any service provider can apply for one. The numbers are issued by the NHS and BUPA purely for administrative purposes in case a doctor refers a patient to a therapist and NHS funding can be used, or a consultant such as a medical consultant or a clinical psychologist refers a BUPA registered patient to a therapist.

In the words of the NHS National Administrative Codes Service "The possession of an Independent Provider code in no way indicates that the Department of Health or the NHS acknowledges the competence or otherwise of the provider."

Some hypnotherapists belong to the 'NHS Register of Complementary & Alternative Practitioners'. Again, it may sound appealing, perhaps lending authority and building a sense of trust. However, such practitioners are neither be employed nor selected by the NHS and this register is not even run by the NHS! Therapists have to pay money to have an entry in this commercial database bearing the NHS name. The register is simply sent to NHS professionals e.g. GPs in the hope they will refer patients to alternative and complimentary practitioners.

In sum, it is not a bad thing. But if therapists are economical with the truth it is not as good as it may sound. top

10. Trust your judgement