Ian McLeod Therapy

HOW TO CHOOSE A HYPNOTHERAPIST

BEWARE! Choosing a qualified, experienced and ethical Hypnotherapist/Psychotherapist is not as easy as you might imagine.

In the UK today, anyone can refer to themselves and advertise as a Hypnotherapist. Without training, qualification or experience. They can simply write a website, print business cards and open for business. This is a situation which must change because the public are at the mercy of unscrupulous individuals seeking to deliver from misleading, to downright dangerous therapy.

So, how can you choose the right one?

HYPNOTHERAPY TRAINING

Ask about their training.

With whom have they trained?

How long did their training take?

What level was the training delivered at?

Did they pass written exams?

You can take an online course in Hypnotherapy. You can also take just a few weekends to 'qualify'. Ask yourself, would you entrust your therapy to someone who has trained online or sat in a training room for a couple of weekends? Or would you choose someone who has been trained over a period of years, received degree level instruction, completed rigorous written case studies and has been observed and tested by written examination?

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP

In the UK many professional associations will not recognise someone who has been trained online or by a limited part time course. As such, insurance may not be in place.

A professional association will have a code of practice which requires its members to subscribe to an ethical code of conduct. Ask for a copy of their professional code of conduct. Ask if they are a member of a professional association and check it out if necessary.

CONFIDENTIALITY

As part of your therapy you'll disclose much confidential and personal information. The Hypnotherapist should be commited to respect, protect and preserve Client confidentiality. This means that everything you discuss within a session is held absolutely confidential. Ask how your confidentiality will be protected and ensured.

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS AND REVIEWS The value of a Client testimonial or review published online is questionable. Why? Because:

Publication of a testimonial may make identification of a Client a possibility.
Testimonials which imply that the benefit a Client has obtained from therapy will be available to all potential Clients. This is not the nature of such a diverse practice as hypnotherapy/psychotherapy because each Client is unique and may experience a whole range of diverse personal benefits and outcomes. Such outcomes may be different for each Client.
The Client may be vulnerable to undue influence and feel a duty to provide a testimonial when asked.
The ability for a potential Client to determine the truth of a testimonial is beyond their means and the testimonial is therefore meaningless. At worst it may be misleading or untrue.

SESSION DISCOUNTS

You may see Hypnotherapists offer a discount price for block booking of multiple sessions in advance. Simply put, discounts for multiple sessions should not be offered. Why? Because until a Hypnotherapist has met and spoken to a potential Client s/he will not know in advance how many sessions is likely to be required in resolving whatever condition is presented.

CONCLUSION

Selecting a qualified, expeienced and ethical practitioner is essential for your therapy. A good Hypnotherapist will have no trouble answering your questions and providing proof of training, qualification, expertise, association membership and code of conduct to your satisfaction. When satisified, you can sit back in the consulting room safe in the knowledge that your therapy will be in safe hands.

Ian McLeod CHP(NC), MNSHP&M, DPLT