How to Find A Good Hypnotherapist

by

Rebecca Ryan

As the number of qualified hypnotherapists continues to grow it is increasingly easy to access this form of therapy. However, success is not guaranteed and outcomes vary greatly from person to person. How can you stack the odds in your favour as you set out on the path of behavioural change? Let s look at how best to find the right hypnotherapist for you and how to avoid the common pitfalls that sabotage hypnotherapy results.

According to Webster s Dictionary hypnotherapy is psychotherapy that facilitates suggestion, reeducation, or analysis by hypnosis.

Hypnosis is defined as a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination.

Just to be clear, the aim of hypnotherapy is to help you get more of what you want, either stopping behaviours, like smoking cessation or weight loss, or starting behaviours, like public speaking or stress management. A hypnotherapy session will lead you to rethink, review and change the way information is stored in your brain.

Here are some of the actions that set up a great hypnotherapy session.

A good hypnotherapist will:

discuss with you why you want to change your behaviours and will determine your readiness for change

have you focused on your desired outcomes and understand what it is you want to achieve

will explain a little about the script and test your susceptibility to trance

debrief with you after the session

make you feel comfortable and positive about the success of the session.

A hypnotherapy session should include a thorough discussion of what your outcomes are and a debrief of what the hypnotic experience was like for you. Seeing someone who really understands your outcomes and your expectations dramatically increases the likelihood of making positive change.

Hypnotherapy is not always single session therapy. Some clients make radical change after just one session, for some clients it will take several sessions to see changes. This may be due in part to there being multiple causes for behaviours, for instance, one person might stutter when excited and another might stutter when under pressure. These multiple causes for behaviours make the initial consultation vital, the information you discuss helps your therapist determine the best approach to use.

Always choose a hypnotherapist that you feel comfortable with. The likelihood of changed behaviours is far greater when you are with someone you feel you can trust. The more relaxed you are the more open you will be and this openness does affect your level of suggestibility. The results of hypnotherapy are better the more relaxed you are.

If you would be more comfortable experiencing hypnotherapy in your own home you might like to try self hypnosis. DIY hypnotherapy is increasingly easy to access, there are mini-hypnotherapy sessions available for download onto smartphones and there are online sites for MP3s and scripts. Self hypnosis and pre-recordings are most effective when used daily for at least a month and revisited regularly in the months following.

If you decide to consult a professional hypnotherapist, here s what I recommend to avoid common pitfalls that sabotage hypnotherapy results:

have a thorough brief and debrief so you re both really clear about what you want changed

know your follow up options, if there will be more than one session when should you rebook and what, if anything, can you do in the weeks between sessions

understand if there are changes for you to make in your environment, ie throw out ashtrays

consider searching for a specialist in your change area.

Ignorance probably doesn t bring bliss when it comes to making behavioural change. Discussing the above points with your hypnotherapist will give you a good idea of the bigger picture and help to set your expectations of what lies ahead.

Personally, for best results I recommend seeing a professional. Often hypnotherapists have a specialty in a particular area and are well versed in the subtleties of making sustainable change easy. The best use of hypnotherapy is when both you and your therapist are crystal clear on the outcomes, you are relaxed and focusing on the hypnotic story and your hypnotherapist has the necessary skills to embed suggestions when you are most receptive. As the demand for hypnotherapy continues to grow we will be more and more educated in how to find exactly the right fit for our needs. Knowing what to expect and how to support your progress after your hypnotherapy session gives you the greatest chance of success.

Living Dreams is a Melbourne based Alternative Health Practice, led by Counsellor and Therapist Rebecca Ryan. Treatment is based on the development of the whole self. Rebecca works with a cross section of the community dealing with issues such as grief, trauma, depression, anxiety and behavioural challenges (eg. eating disorders) and anger management. For more information on Rebecca visit http://www.rebeccaryan.com.au

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