Category: Supervision hours

Supervision hours

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Written by on Thursday 19th October, 2017

  1. JONNY FLOAT

    Interesting article. I was looking for a concussion. However I did learn alot about 1840. HMMMMM no tv just one on one. Sounds good to me.
    But look at what we have now and some still don’t understand it.

  3. hypnosynthesis

    Thanks for your comments. Although Faria did have a theory of suggestion, for various reasons, his historical influence was very limited. He’s seldom cited in the literature of hypnotherapy. Also, we wanted to keep the timeline simple and there are already several entries on Mesmerism, etc., which precede Braid’s introduction of hypnotism. Faria definitely wouldn’t be important enough to replace any of them.

    As for NLP, it’s not itself part of hypnosis but a related subject. Also, although NLP probably reached its peak of popularity with therapists in the 1980s and 1990s it’s very seldom mentioned in contemporary hypnosis research. It might be worth including, though, as it’s still very popular with a lot of therapists.

    You’re right to say that hypnosis research continues, although the last few entries on the timeline are more recent figures whose work continued after NLP was introduced. As for Virginia Satir, though, I don’t think she actually wrote anything connected with hypnosis at all. If you know of something by her that’s about hypnosis let me know, though, because I’d be interested.

  4. Hypnotist seeker

    Hi!
    I have seen many post on internet. But finally got what I really searching for thanks for giving the full information on Hypnosis and it’s theory.
    I like the comparison of these theory it is really intersting and informative..and I think Barrios’ theory is really good..
    GREAT!!!

  5. Bryan Knight

    Ever since I read a book of Braid’s years ago I have been impressed with his wisdom and insight. Now we have a modern hypnotherapist who seems to be equally objective and thoughtful.

    I particularly like Donald Robertson’s final two paragraphs. His Seven points are not easy for any of us to implement but sadly they are rarely considered by hypnotists with over-blown egos and no training in anything other than hypnotic techniques.

  8. Lindsay Smith

    In 2002 my wife & I went to visit friends in Mombai. I’d said to Varnie on the phone that I wanted to hear some Indian Music & visit a Meditation Centre. Varnie arranged for her sister-in-law who was from a famous family of musicians to visit her home parent’s home & sing a hindu hymn for us. After that Varnie’s elderly mother took me with Varnie’s daughter, dressed in shorts & looking like a tomboy to go to the Raja Yoga Centre. I was shown around by an instructor, a lady in white sari with a Masters Degree in Psychotherapy who had quit working in a clinic because she said that she had brought a few clients to the centre & ‘doing raja yoga’ had been much more effective than any other approach. I was taken to the main hall which had a ‘target’ in black & white rather like the bulleye discs that hypnotists used to use. I asked about the dogma, the music, how much? & so on. None of that. The only thing to do was to sit in silence & gaze @ the diagram. I was taken to a small room with a dozen or so people seated on benches all gazing @ a smaller version of the diagram & I joined them for a while. The instructor later said that if people benefitted they were welcome to give their time or donations to the centre. My wife is Malayalee, born in Singapore & raised a Catholic. St Thomas went to South India in the first century. When Europeans ‘found’ the sea route to India they were surprised to find Christians already there.

  10. Sousa Hari

    As someone who has meditated regularly with the Bruma Kumaris, I can understand the similarity to hypnotherapy. They (BKs) gave us guided meditation throughout their lectures and retreats, where we became relaxed and peaceful within. This would equate to being guided under hypnotherapy towards feelings of wellbeing and self healing.
    I had attended one hypnotherapy session before taking regular meditational retreats, but I felt this was unsuccessful as I did not close my eyes, yet I reached a trance-like state, looking at the pattern on the door curtain saw sectiond of the pattern turning in different directions. When the hypnotherapist spoke to me, I felt incredibly irritated that he was interrupting my reverie.
    I know feel that this session helped me to go into a much deeper meditative state, where I experienced visual ‘disturbances’ – all were pleasant, but infinately varied.

    I hope this is of interest to you.

    Sousa Hari

  11. Karrie

    I’ve often found the “Wait and See” strategy works best as it is generally when I’m trying to make things happen that problems arise. But then again, “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway®” is the mantra I live by, ever since reading the book by Susan Jeffers. “Be patient” or “just do it,” both pieces of great advice but quite contrary. Just like life.

  12. Mark Davis

    I wonder if this couldn’t be applied in modern clinical practice. So often a client is a little frustrated that I have terminated hypnosis or a deep muscle relaxation – especially if they are fatigued by insomnia or chronic stress. By clearly letting them know that there will be 20 minutes of absolute rest following suggestion therapy or imaginal exposure/re-conditioning therapy then I think clients will be very happy to go with that. However it probably means running 90 minute sessions.
    Remember many clients are often having one or more massages a month to get that total relaxation feeling.

    I think the benefits in terms of complete cortical rest and rejuvenation – as well as allowing suggestions to remain with no other competing activity or information – could be highly beneficial.

  13. Santapan Barua

    I am very keen to learn Hypnosis but I cannot afford it for my poverty. In that position I am begging hypnosis lesson from you.

    Santapan Barua
    BANGLADESH

    1. admin

      No problem. We have free online self-hypnosis lessons at the page below, which anyone can access,

      Online Self-Hypnosis Lessons

  14. RAMA

    very useful information , thoughtful and practical with literary support from no less a greta person as Shakespeare. very useful for OCD also. There is nothing certain in this world,true and everything may be unrealized fiction . Using imagination to create situations one is afraid of will “certainly” !!! be useful to habituate and thus accept uncertainty. CBT is tremendous. Please publish more articles in the same line which will be useful for millions of people. Thank u

  15. Online Hypnotism

    Hey thanks for your info, I have been in online hypnotism for 5 years now and have dealt with many hypnosis tricks but this article says it all.

  16. cognitive behavioral theraphy

    This is a good information. Thank you and keep up the good work.

    In my experience, though, full blown CBT seems to present more comprehensive and effective results as evidenced by the testimonies of those who underwent the program.

    I knew some people who underwent the program who think that this program is great. It helped them a great deal in becoming aware of the faulty areas of their thinking and how to change them. It’s a very eye-opening program that gives people the tools to improve themselves, and in turn, improve their lives.

  18. Jon Robinson

    Hi Donald,

    Thanks for posting the excerpt – when is it going to be released? I recently picked up a book on Stoic philosophy (The Stoics by Sandbach) as I found your references to it in the CBH course manual fascinating.

    It seems to me – with my albeit limited knowledge of the subject – that stoic philosophy really had a practical, therapeutic function. The same I think can be said of Zen Buddhism, which has always struck me as being far more similar to psychotherapy than religion, and a lot of the highly regarded zen texts of the last century reveal some pretty striking overlaps with cognitive and behaviour approaches. Anyway I digress; I can’t wait for the book!

    -Jon

    1. UK College

      Hi Jon,

      The book should be out very soon, perhaps within the next couple of months. It’s available for pre-order online. Stoicism was, basically, the most explicitly therapeutic of the ancient Graeco-Roman philosophical sects. In other words, it’s the closest thing to genuine, major psychotherapeutic discipline we have in European culture, prior to Freud. Modern CBT draws quite explicitly on Buddhist practices, especially in the treatment of depression. The literature of the Stoics is more integral to European languages and traditions, though, and has permeated our culture for over two thousand years, giving it a familiarity that Oriental traditions will never attain within our lifetimes.

      There are many parallels between Oriental and Graeco-Roman thought, though, and there were several points of contact between the two hemispheres in ancient times. The Buddhists have a scripture called the Questions of King Milinda, which records a dialogue between a Greek colonial ruler and a Buddhist sage, supposed to be dated around 100 BCE. However, it may surprise many people to know that because Buddhism was primarily an oral tradition, we have more certainty about Greek philosophical doctrines which may well predate “Buddhism” as we know it today, and could potentially have been assimilated into Oriental culture from Western sources. Buddhism is founded on the doctrine of impermanence (anicca vada), which fundamentally distinguishes it from most Hindu doctrine. However, whereas the earliest Buddhist scriptures only date from around the first century BCE, we know for certain that Heraclitus introduced the doctrine of impermanence (ta panta rhei = “everything flows”) to Greek metaphysics about four hundred years earlier, and this idea became central to the whole Platonic tradition.

      Regards,

      Donald Robertson

  19. Celeste Hackett

    I would really like to understand more about the techniques used in CBT. I am a hypnosis instructor and would like to talk more about what CBT is, what CBT is applied to (issue wise), how long it takes to resolve issues in most cases, and how many people finish the “work” positively changed by it.

    My question is, can you direct me to an easy read that covers these sorts of topics? Is this the book I seek? Thank you!
    Celeste Hackett

    1. UK College

      Hi Celeste,

      Well, this is an academic text that presupposes some basic knowledge of CBT so it’s maybe not ideal as the very first book to read, unless you’re also quite interested in philosophy. If you’re looking for a quick and very basic overview of CBT you might as well start with the Wikipedia article. CBT is used to treat a very wide range of issues but is particularly favoured in the treatment of clinical depression and most anxiety disorders, where it generally has a stronger evidence-base than other psychotherapy modalities. The average number of sessions varies depending on the particular treatment protocol being used and the problem treated. However, cognitive therapy for clinical depression was traditionally 16-20 sessions, including relapse prevention.

      How many people benefit? That’s a bit of a “how long’s a piece of string?” question. Some types of problem generally have much higher mean success rates than others, across the board, regardless of the treatment offered. On average, most people are “positively changed” by most therapies. However, more stringent criteria are normally used in research to test the clinical significance of treatment outcomes. About half the patients with clinical depression, on average, tend to exhibit clinically-significant improvement in clinical trials using cognitive therapy for depression. To answer your question, though, you really need to compare like-with-like by looking at specific studies. Assen Alladin recently published a well-received randomised-controlled trial (RCT) comparing hypnotherapy head-to-head against cognitive therapy for depression, and found they achieved very similar results.

      If you’re really looking for a very “easy read” then try CBT for Dummies by Wilson and Branch, which is actually a reasonably good starting point. I don’t think it will go into treatment outcome research in much detail, though. If you do want something a bit more technical then try Dobson & Dobson’s recent Evidence-Based Practice of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy.

      Hope that helps!

      Regards,

      Donald Robertson

  20. Dr Assen Alladin

    I am pleased to read about the citation of my research on cognitive hypnotherapy for depression. I am happy to read that the UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy offer courses in Evidence-Based Cognitive Hypnotherapy. My books (Handbook of Cognitive Hypnotherapy for Depression, 2007 and Cognitive Hypnotherapy: An Integrated Approach to the Treatment of Emotional Disorders, 2008) attempt to make hypnotherapy evidence-based. If there is a need, I would be happy to teach or offer workshops to the college.
    Sincerely
    Dr Assen Alladin

  21. Hypnosis expert

    Very informative post. You made some good points. I easpecially found it useful where you mentioned the step by step procedure to combine PST and hypnotherapy. Thanks for sharing the information

  22. Steven Hamilton

    I have pre-ordered the Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy from Amazon US but it does not appear to have been released here yet and I have not gotten any response from the publisher yet as to when it will be. It has been my experience that publishers often ignore this type of query. Do you have any idea as to when a US release will occur?

    1. UK College

      Sorry about the wait. It was published last week by Karnac and is now in stock on Amazon UK. I don’t know when it will be in stock at Amazon US but it probably won’t be very long. Only Amazon or the publisher would be able to give a more specific date, unfortunately. It should be soon but send them an email if you want to pin down the date.

      Donald Robertson

  23. karen

    Just to say thanks, I am training at level 4 on a counselling with CBT course. I have been finding it a tad difficult in relation to all the assignments we have to complete in such a short space. I am very interested in the roots of where it all began and I have found your work extremely helpful as the qusetion I am on is all about the historical developement of the model and its basic philosophy. I am very interested in your book and I intend to buy it. Karen Dunton

  24. Breville800JEXL

    Great post. I especially like the point about accepting your anxious thoughts. “Saying hello” to my anxious thoughts kind of makes me laugh instead of getting frustrated and feeling hopeless.

  25. Joan

    I have used your AWARE method for the past few years with some success, and it works pretty well if I catch it early. But what if the anxiety hits out of the blue, and reaches anxiety attack mode? It seems almost impossible to calm down and only a Xanex will suffice. Also, there are days my head is so tight and I seem to get these little pains that go from one side of my head to the other by the temple area. Slight headaches. And one more question: Last evening I was so exhausted from trying to control my anxiousness that I went to bed early, only to find out that I couldn’t sleep. I had to take a Xanex again to fall asleep. I hate having to take it. I’m very sensitive by nature and I don’t do well with most meds. But at least this helps me sleep. Is it possible to control anxiety and live without meds? I’m tired all the time.

    1. UK College

      Hi Joan,

      That’s good, well done on persisting in trying to help yourself in that way. It’s not easy. Sometimes taking Xanax can help but it’s not always the best strategy. Most people can learn to cope with anxiety without medication. Anxiety basically works differently from what we call “panic attacks”, and correct diagnosis is the key to effective treatment, especially where problems continue for some time. You should seek assessment by a clinical psychologist or cognitive-behavioural therapist, with a particular view to establishing what form of anxiety you’re suffering from and whether you’re experiencing actual panic attacks or not.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_attacks

      Regards,

      Donald Robertson

  27. Sheridan

    Thanks for this study review. I am a doula and support moms who use hypnosis for birth and it is so powerful! So I am agree with the findings of the study. Hypnosis helps moms in so many ways!

    I have gathered over 250 birth stories from moms using hypnosis for birth at http://www.pregnancybirthandbabies.com

  28. hypnotherapist

    Contrary to popular belief, hypnotherapy can benefit individuals in various ways. It is now being used to heal and even promote a positive energy to everyone making them attain the goal in their life, and even have a positive outlook and energy in life.

  30. Artjoy Hypnosis

    Great article!
    As a hypnotherapist I belief that every woman should use hypnosis for childbirth.Unfortunately so many mothers-to be are informed about this and even less take into consideration to use hypnosis, due to erroneous belief regarding hypnosis.
    I hope that your article will help some future mothers to think again about hypno birthing!

  31. Sheena Singleton

    Thanks for this study review. I am a doula and support moms who use hypnosis for birth and it is so powerful! So I am agree with the findings of the study. Hypnosis helps moms in so many ways! I have gathered over 250 birth stories from moms using hypnosis for birth at http://www.pregnancybirthandbabies.com

  32. Adam Eason

    Don, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

    I agree greatly with the point you make about attitude. I encounter many hypnotherapists around the UK who are determined to blame outside influences on their poor levels business:

    – Recession.
    – Too many hypnotherapists in their area.
    – Not enough good PR about hypnotherapy.
    – Opposition from Doctors and conventional medical agencies.

    These are things which you’ll never hear the busy hypnotherapist citing because they really are not an issue. They certainly should not be either.

    All the hypnotherapists that that are thriving that I encounter, are thriving in the same economic climate, are all in busy locations where many other hypnotherapists also work and yet they do not allow anything other than a progressive attitude to colour their approach and their business.

    I think those with the right attitude tend to be the ones that will be approached, that will be an appealing proposition to the public and will find more opportunities presenting themselves.

    I once gave a free talk to a business networking community in WInchester. It rained, and a seemingly measly two people turned up to the meeting, in a cold room above a pub. Initially this may seem quite demoralising. the organiser apologised and asked me if I’d like to leave and head home. I insisted that i still talk. I delivered the talk as if I were speaking to 500 people, with the same vigour and verve and enthusiasm for the subject that I always have. Doing all I could to ensure my captive audience of two were entertained and interested.

    One of the people in the audience came to see me as a client. He enjoyed it so much that he attended my self-hypnosis seminar. His dentist was so impressed with his approach to his dental appointments using his self-hypnosis that his dentist and wife attended my self-hypnosis seminar too.

    The dentist sent me over 20 clients and course delegates over the years, of whom several also went on to attend my diploma and buy audio programmes from my website. many of them also referred others.

    The attitude created all of that business which ensued.

    A very happy New Year to you Don, Adam.

  33. Sophie Fletcher

    Great article Don. When I started out I put lots of energy into marketing and my website, but as I got busy I took my eye of the marketing ball and became a bit complacent. Then I began to get quiet again.

    One of the biggest lessons that I learned from this was that it’s very easy to sit back when you begin to get busy and think everything will come through word of mouth, but stick at the marketing even if you don’t think you need to. When you are busy and self-employed your time is limited, well mine is anyway, so to keep it constant I started scheduling time once a week to drop leaflets, newsletters, do a talk, write articles.

    When starting out as well, get in touch with your local business link which runs lots of free and discounted courses on how to set up a website, marketing, book keeping etc. I found these invaluable as a start up and they really saved me time in the long run.

    Running your own business is never easy at the beginning whatever it is but the most successful people I know, are those who like Adam says, really believe in what they do and work hard to prove it .

    Happy New Year to you and Mandy,

    Sophie

  34. Carolyn Potter

    Great article Donald. New therapists should really take note of all those comments especially about websites. They are all really useful and valid. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a website, it just has to be honest and reflect who you are and what you do. The people who are attacted to what you put out will probably be the ones who respond best to your style anyway.
    One of the most valuable things I read at the start of my work as a therapist was a book called Hypnotic Writing by Joe Vitale. It doesn’t have much to do with hypnosis, but it’s message was clear. If you engage your reader you will get them on your side. They don’t really want to read screeds about all your wonderful qualifications and the skills you possess, they are more interested in how those skills can help them. i.e ‘What’s in it for me?’ After reading this book, I redrafted everything on my website, and the response rate went up enormously.
    Somebody also said to me that it takes two years to become properly established as a therapist. I am sure there are many who will buck this trend, but after the two year mark, I did find that things started to take off more. At that stage people will have seen your adverts several times etc, and you acquire the reputation of being ‘well established’.
    Continued sucess to you Donald, and to all new therapists out there, and hopefully 2011 will be a good year for us all.

  35. Nicola Whitehead

    Thanks Donald for a great article and everyone else for your helpful comments. I’ll be leaving my (as it turns out less safe than I thought) job to become a full-time therapist in a couple of months so your advice is very gratefully received.

    I would certainly agree with the comments about business skills and can wholeheartedly recommend Business Link. Their seminars are entirely free and range from basic business skills (financial stuff, marketing etc) to more detailed subjects such as website optimisation and copywriting. At times it felt like information overload but it was well worth the effort to put their advice into practice and I feel in a much better position as a result.

    I’d also agree with the comments about attitude. Having been made redundant I was feeling a bit less confident than usual and doubted my ability to start all over again, but after a severe self-talking-to I changed my attitude and got my first client, all in the same week!

    So, I wish you all a happy New Year and hope that after following all your good advice, by this time next year I’ll be running a thriving hypnotherapy business!

    Nicola

  36. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

    Wow! Thanks for all the comments. Over 100 people read this post within a few hours of it being put online. I agree with all your points so far. As Adam’s comment suggests, it’s strange to hear people, with an air of self-confidence, blaming their lack of business on the recession, etc. About three times this year, I’ve listened to people telling me all the reasons why “business is obviously down for everyone” in the therapy field. Then five minutes later I’ll be talking to a newly-qualified therapist in the same region whose phone is ringing off the hook.

    Donald

  37. Michael Cohen

    Can Recommend “Stress Inoculation Training” by Donald Meichenbaum under Psychology Practitioner Guidebooks. (Allyn and Bacon).Purchased this in the late 80s/early 1990 so unsure if still available but a good read and a book i refer to from time to time

  38. Philip Allen

    In an article such as this, surely, it should be pertinent to point out Prof Kirsch’s findings on
    ALLOPATHIC medicines for balance, especially his debunking of anti-depressants!
    There is a wealth of good scientific research in homeopathy which seems to be selectively
    ignored in the media.

    1. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

      You’re absolutely right. I think that may have been mentioned by me in previous posts, though. As you imply, Prof. Kirsch’s recent book The Emperor’s New Drugs, explains in layman’s terms his meta-analysis of antidepressants, which appears to show that their effects are virtually non-existent, or at least not clinically significant, when the placebo response is properly controlled for statistically. So, I agree, it may (if Kirsch is right) be that both homoeopathy and current (“allopathic”) antidepressants are equally ineffectual and pointless therapeutically. Kirsch thinks physical exercise and CBT are more reliable options for depression, although the research on CBT is actually quite vulnerable to criticism as well. It looks like psychological therapy can often help, but perhaps in even simpler ways such as problem-solving or behavioural activation.

      Cheers,

      Donald Robertson

  39. Nancy

    Thanks for sharing this – very good information (especially since it supports what I’ve been telling clients for years). I find many hypnotherapists don’t take the time to really explain the how and why of what they are doing works, but rather promote the magic bullet-ness of hypnosis. To me it is a shame, because the reality puts the power back in the client’s hands and more can be accomplished.

  40. Richard Laing

    I can easily accept homeopathy acting by suggestion in conditions like insomnia but is this being claimed also for acute fevers such as tonsillitis, flu, etc? In such casesI have observed and also experienced in myself, a rapid response, for example, temperature falling from 39.5 to 37.5 in less than half an hour in response to homeopathy. Those determined to deny homeopathy will insist all such instances are ‘spontaneous’ but this is simply denying facts to hold onto one’s preconceptions. I could accept 99% of homeopathic responses as explainable this way but not all. However I would agree most healing is due to the faith of the patient — see “Faith and the Placebo Effect” by Lolette Kuby.

    1. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

      Well, if homoeopathy does work homoeopathically in 1% of problems, it should be possible (and perhaps fairly easy) to demonstrate this experimentally. Without a comparison condition, though, it’s impossible to exclude the same non-specific (placebo) factors that, based on your premise, explain away the other 99% of responses to homoeopathic remedies. The onus of proof must always fall on those making the therapeutic claims, though. (Incidentally, the placebo effect isn’t necessarily the same thing as “faith”, e.g., there’s some reason to believe it’s partially attributable to classical conditioning in some cases.)

      Donald Robertson

  42. Richard Laing

    There is no one agreed meaning to the term “placebo”. For many it seems to imply ‘nothing happening’ which is not the useful meaning. You state the placebo effect to be something that “explains away” an observation, whereas I mean it as the real mechanism of cure. On this basis I presume you would say that if, say, 60% of asthma sufferers had a measurable improvement following procedure X, concluding this was a placebo effect would mean they didn’t really improve at all, whereas I mean a cancer could disappear from a placebo — as Kuby claims happened in her own case.

    1. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

      Sorry Richard, maybe I wasn’t clear enough but you’ve taken me to mean almost the polar opposite of what I intended. I would say that people who use “placebo” to mean “nothing happens” are simply using the term incorrectly and that they’ve fundamentally misunderstood the concept. Indeed, there would be no point controlling for placebo effects in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) if placebos generally had no measurable effect. I didn’t say that the placebo response “explains away” the treatment effects but rather the proposed (homoeopathic) mechanism of change. If we believe homoeopathy is a placebo then, by definition, that undermines the central claims upon which homoeopathy is based. However, the placebo effect may be very powerful. Indeed, as a hypnotist, I am an advocate of the “power of suggestion” which is arguably one of the main factors in the placebo effect. As Braid, the founder of hypnotherapy, argued, therefore, the fact that homoeopathic remedies are placebos undermines the theory of homoeopaths but provides (albeit indirect) support to the suggestion theory of hypnotists. (See the article above.)

      Donald Robertson

  43. Dr. Bryan Knight

    Excellent advice, Donald. You continue to impress me with your knowledge and refreshing viewpoints about hypnotherapy itself and the development of our businesses. You are so young to be so wise.

    An additional comment — do not follow the unfortunate example of a well-known British hypnotherapist who not only stole an American colleague’s website content, but presents her testimonials as his own.

    I underscore your suggestion that hypnotherapists specialise. This makes website effectiveness and ranking much easier plus you attract targeted clients, always more productive than offering a smorgasbord of services.

    And charge what you’re worth :-)

  44. Richard Laing

    Thanks for clarifying, Donald. We are in substantial agreement. I am thinking of enrolling for your CBT hypnotherapy certificate but should one train in CBT first?

  45. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

    Hi Richard,

    You definitely don’t need to have trained in CBT to do our hypnotherapy diploma course. It draws on some elements of CBT but it’s primarily about cognitive-behavioural hypnotherapy, as a distinct modality of treatment. It’s a practitioner training, designed for people who are new to the subject of hypnotherapy.

    Regards,

    Donald Robertson

  46. Dr. Bryan Knight

    Once again refreshing facts well-presented. Congrats. I wonder what reactions you have received from the old-school “subconscious ” or “unconscious” advocates let alone the “altered state” people. In my opinion, effective hypnotherapy of whatever stripe boils down to belief and ritual.

  47. becca b.

    Thanks so much for this article! It was incredibly helpful in my research on problem-solving therapy.

  48. Mdanadusu

    Thank you very much. I am going to release my own writings in Indian language. I got a lo t of informa on Pavlov

  49. Donald Robertson

    Dr. Barrios’ kindly gave his permission for us to reproduce his article on freewill. This is a thorny philosophical question, made more difficult by the ambiguity of the word “freedom”, which can refer either to freedom from obstacles to action or freedom from antecedent causal factors. In my book The Philosophy of CBT, I wrote at length about the Stoic concept of freedom in relation to modern psychotherapy, particularly the writings of Paul Dubois and Albert Ellis’ REBT. There I emphasised the value of a deterministic outlook for mitigating guilt or anger and cultivating empathy, a notion already forwarded by Joseph Wolpe, one of the founders of behaviour therapy.

    Dr. Barrios here refers to freedom in the sense of behavioural self-regulation, or self-control and autonomy. The freedom of the individual to modify and regulate their own behaviour (thoughts, feelings, and actions) in response to their environment is a central assumption of behaviour therapy, and other psychological therapies. This self-control may even be enhanced and extended by means such as self-hypnosis and autosuggestion training of the kind described elsewhere by Dr. Barrios.

    Hypnosis is defined here as a state of concentrated or heightened belief, which I think is consistent with James Braid’s original definition of hypnotism as focused attention (“mental abstraction”) concentrated upon a “dominant, expectant idea”. Dr. Barrios, elsewhere, in his own Pavlovian-inspired theory of hypnosis has emphasised the cortical inhibition and high-level conditioning processes involved in hypnotic induction and suggestion.

    Questions that might arise from this model include the potential role of “classical extinction” in relation to suggestion, i.e., whether the effect of negative suggestions (or autosuggestions) may be extinguished for therapeutic purposes through repeated exposure to them, according to conditioning principles. In the CBT treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), by comparison, repeated exposure to distressing automatic thoughts or worry is sometimes employed as a means of extinguishing anxiety responses to them. Further, in Beyond Freedom and Dignity, Skinner talked briefly about the Socratic method in psychotherapy and the effect of clients being encouraged to view insights and changes, controlled indirectly by the therapist’s questioning, as the result of their own efforts. The process of teaching clients self-hypnosis, rather than directly hypnotising them (“hetero-hypnosis”), in a similar manner to Socratic questioning, shifts the perceived attribution for changes on to the actions of the client, who assumes more responsibility for the therapeutic process, although it is still the therapist who guides those actions through questions and instructions. One benefit of adopting a “self-hypnosis” orientation is that it increases client autonomy and may improve the longer-term maintainance of improvement and help prevent relapse. By contrast, the client who attributes their improvement solely to the actions of a hypnotist, rather than their own use of self-hypnosis skills, potentially becomes more dependant upon returning to the same source for further assistance when setbacks and obstacles are encountered in the future. For this reason many modern hypnotherapists, influenced by behavioural psychology and cognitive therapy, place greater emphasis on training clients in the use of self-hypnosis as a coping skill for use after treatment has been completed. Braid always argued, in contrast to the Mesmerists, that all hypnotism was essentially self-hypnotism, and he provides the first documented account of the use of self-hypnotism proper, which he employed to cope with his own rheumatic pain. Braid likewise taught his patients to hypnotise themselves without his continued presence being necessary.

    Since the dawn of European civilisation, great thinkers have worked to develop systematic models of personal empowerment and self-control, which the Greek philosophers called the virtue of “sophrosyne” or self-mastery. Like Barrios, the Stoics, who represent the closest approximation to modern psychotherapy, saw heightened belief as integral to self-mastery and developed a psychological system based upon modelling the wise (especially Socrates), formulating verbally their strengths as “dogmata” or precepts (such as “know thyself” or “endure and renounce”), and rehearsing contemplation of them until they became “ready-at-hand” and psychologically integrated into the personality and behaviour of the novice philosopher. I consider this to constitute an important precursor of modern self-hypnosis, and other psychological therapies. Pavlovian theory provides one possible framework for understanding the neurological and physiological basis of these self-control strategies, as described by Dr. Barrios.

  50. Carolyn Potter

    The point Spiegel makes about the reasons why someone starts smoking being irrelevant is quite interesting. Certainly I can see his point in that adults smoking in in 1978 would have been largely unaware of the dangers associated with it, however young adults smoking in 2011 would certainly have been aware of the hamfulness unless they had been living in a vacuum. Although I rarely address the start of the smoking habit with my clients, I suppose the decision to start smoking might be that much more relevant knowing the behaviour would be so self-destructive and harmful?
    I use a combination of CBT techniques and Hypnotherapy for my clients, and although I don’t have 100% sucess rate, it really is very high, and I get lots of referrals from satisfied clients.

  51. Helen Back

    This is an interesting account of the development of the model of hypnotic suggestion but to what extent do you think analysis of the transference projections is a useful tool for promoting integration of the patient (in psychoanalytic therapy)?

  52. Sharon Stiles

    I think this article highlights the need to treat each person individually and not have a blanket approach. In my experience some people find it helpful to connect with the reasons they started smoking so they can feel comfortable about severing that connection. Others can easily move forward regardless.

  53. Craig Cox

    I find that a combination of regression therapy to remove the desire to smoke in the first place, as well as CBT suggestions work very well. Using this I find I get about an 80% success rate. Scripts should no longer have any relevance in the age of Elner and Client Centered Hypnotherapy.

    I also note that Elmans work is date 1964… Can we really take seriously failures and opinions that are 40 years old?

    The most important thing to understand with any addictive behaviors is; DOES THE CLIENT WANT TO STOP?
    If not, you are wasting your time and the clients time.

  54. Tony Watson

    I think that the term “all hypnosis is self hypnosis” is the best to give to the client when going over misconceptions.
    I feel that the therapist needs to use whatever will develop the clients belief and expectation.
    as to the history of who did what it needs to be history and we need to look forward to a training body for all therapists that unites us along the lines of the HPC
    Stage hypnotherapists is Paul McKenna also a good therapist? I think so

  55. belinda

    Yes! Its true you can change your physical and emotional state in a moment. I give in and relax, compassionately. It only takes a moment too!

  57. Berlin Hypnose

    I have had a client and she was bringing a friend from turkey and the friend did not speak german. She was just sitting during the session in the same room when I was working with my client her friend. She was also going into a light trance.

    Next week the client and the friend show up again together and they were telling me that her slleing problems are now over. It was just the state of hypnosis that helps her solving her problem without knowing it.

    It was a big surprice for me. :-)

  58. M.C

    You will see Hypnotherapist making claims of how good they are at smoking cessation. I got involved with hypnotherapy via using it my self to quit smoking. Here’s how I was first taught, do three sessions with the client to gradually get them off nicotine. This clashed with my own experiences of just one session which had nothing to do with nicotine reduction. I never used the three session technique but watch all other students fail dramatically. Our so called teacher claimed a 98% success rate with smoking. I asked how he worked the percentage out, his reply after the third session if they don’t contact you assume complete success. You could never get an accurate success rate because all Hypnotherapists are using different techniques and in my opinion most of the techniques are slung together made up nonsense. As for myself it took me two years to find the correct none contradictory technique. I spent time with the Hypnotherapist that I used to quit smoking and I now know this is the only correct technique.

  59. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

    The only thing I’d qualify slightly about your comments, Michael, is that research on smoking cessation suggests there are a number of different approaches which can help people to successfully quit smoking. See our other blog post on smoking cessation hypnotherapy:

    http://wp.me/pGGIP-Bu

    I’ve never heard of gradually “getting people off nicotine” as being a strategy in smoking cessation. Nicotine withdrawal is a factor, more in some cases than others, but the main factors are normally confidence, motivation and the ability to cope with high-risk situations and possible urges or other setbacks, i.e., relapse prevention. However, the best approach will vary somewhat, depending on the needs of the individual. 98% is an absurd “success rate” claim and the method for measuring it described would be completely inaccurate and therefore grossly misleading, and possibly in breach of the Code of Advertising Practice and the professional codes of certain therapy registers. A number of training organisations appear to have encouraged students to use similar claims in advertising in the past, but it’s something we would definitely urge people to avoid.

    Regards,

    Donald Robertson

  60. find collins

    Thank you for a most thought provoking and valuable article.
    Iam lead therapist for an organisation dealing with individuals affected by suicide and murder ,and I intend to use your information in our treatment protocol .
    Thanks again
    FinC

  61. Jenny

    What are you opinions on group hypnosis and in particular the methods used by Allen carrs Easy way which, in my opinion is based on reframing. I would be interested in any replies.

  62. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

    There’s no research on group hypnosis for smoking cessation that I’m aware of, certainly none that could provide much evidence of treatment efficacy. If someone had developed a particularly effective group approach they’d actually be falling over themselves to publish a pilot study at least, because they’d stand to make a lot of money as a result. So I think it behoves us all to be skeptical in the absence of evidence. That said, individuals seem to benefit from hypnotherapy for smoking cessation so there’s some hope that groups would achieve similar results but at less cost, although that would have to be tested to make a firm claim.

    Donald Robertson

  63. Brian Bell

    Hi
    Really interesting topic area.
    I am a Senior Lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton.
    Myself and two colleagues (David Bell – Dean Holyoake) run workshops for each mental health cohort around CBT and SFBT.
    We discuss as a key theme in each workshop the underpinning philosophies of both approaches. Feedback from students is excellent. It is something they really enjoy.

  64. worry wart

    This article blew my mind. I have been suffering from chronic worrying as long as I can remember. I’ve tried Sertraline to no avail, and I’ve seen a clinician who thought I had severe OCD and I will need to be on pills for the rest of my life. I’ve also seen a psychiatrist who said I don’t have OCD and the clinician was incorrect, and that I don’t need to take any drugs whatsoever. However, the paranoia and worry didn’t stop. My googling CBT and GAD (which I concluded I have because nothing any doctor said made any sense) led me to this link. I feel hope that finally, someone understands my problem. Here’s hoping this is a step in the right direction.

    1. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

      Glad you found the article helpful. GAD and OCD can be similar and easily confused, although they may also frequently be co-morbid, i.e., occur together. It’s better, usually, to seek a professional diagnosis rather than self-diagnose, although you’re right to consider the label you’ve received for your problem as clinicians often misdiagnose. There’s an excellent self-help book on worry and GAD called The Worry Cure by Prof. Robert Leahy that will provide you with a lot more information. I’m sure you’ll find it clarifies things.

      Regards,

      Donald Robertson

  65. worry wart

    Thanks for the response.

    I ended up buying “When Panic Attacks” by Burns, written in 2007. I’ve flipped through a few pages of it, and it sounds promising. However, when you said traditional CBT might not be effective at fixing this specific form of GAD, do you think I should just get “The Worry Cure” instead? Does at least one, or both of the two volumes above touch on this problem?

    Also, the former book mentions Exposure Theory as 1 of the 3 ways to treat worry drug-free, saying you should face what you fear. But this article seems to mention doing it via imagination might work, which I think would be far better. Unlike bridges or shopping malls, I fear actual people I don’t want to associate with anymore in my life. Any thoughts?

  66. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

    The first thing you need to do is establish what sort of problem you’re experiencing because the choice of treatment or self-help methods will usually depend upon that. Panic attacks are very different from GAD and chronic worry, and the CBT procedures used are essentially quite different. The Worry Cure would be more relevant to GAD, if that’s definitely what you’re experiencing. Exposure therapy is one of the most reliable strategies available for anxiety of different types. The way exposure is used for panic attacks is very different from its use in treating GAD, though. Exposure in reality (“in vivo”) is generally a bit more effective than in imagination (“imaginal”) but for some issues the latter is the most pragmatic choice available.

    Ideally, you’d have a therapist to guide you. Failing that, though, it’s best to carefully consider different approaches in books to see which one best describes your problem before settling on a therapy or self-help strategy to use.

    Hope that helps,

    Donald Robertson

  67. worry wart

    Indeed, it is truly worry I suffer from, not really anxiety. Just recently I’ve worried about the same thing for 8 months now with only irrational, albeit convincing, paranoia as my “worry fuel”. That’s right, 8 months! It is tiresome. As mentioned in your article, I’ve asked about 20 different people their thoughts, which were unanimous that I “don’t need to worry about it”. But as you guessed, it was a temporary relief cause I wasn’t 100% convinced. And guess what happened: something smallish that they and the professionals thought wouldn’t happen did… which automatically justified all my other worries. Another big cognitive mistake.

    Anyways, I’ve had a couple panic attacks but they were the result of thinking about “what if” scenarios with no in-between for months.

    From what I just wrote above I can conclude that anxiety for me only happens due to the excessive worrying, so I’m not fearful of panic attacks from unknown sources.

    It really sounds like The Worry Cure could help me. I only use the term “anxiety” because it’s so prevalent in this field. But really, I think this article focused on “worry”. GAD should really just be GWD, or perhaps a new field focusing on worry alone and not phobia anxiety should be forged.

    Lastly, I would like to explicitly state that I’ve done every one of the worry behaviors in this article, and I have suffered from everyone of the symptoms too. It is 100% relevant to my situation. I’m excited for the rare few of other people like myself who might find their way here. Due to the fact that none of the psychiatrists I saw had any clue what I was going through, despite me explaining it as clearly as possible.. I think this article and the research used to make it will be a breath of fresh air for many in the near future.

    Thank you for writing it!

  68. Alfred Bellanti

    Insomnia is a curious phenomenon. And it’s true that the more one “tries” to fall asleep, the more elusive sleep becomes.
    I recommended my clients that physical activity and mental exertion up to a point bring the mind and body to a point of tiredness where falling asleep becomes inevitable.
    Although this recommendation seems logical, clients often present with fatigue from not having slept and find the recommendation incongruent with the way they are feeling at the time.
    Benson’s technique of repetition of a word or phrase for 20 minutes is reminiscent of the technique of Transcendental Meditation introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. There are many studies to back up the benefits of Transcendental Meditation (TM).
    I have practiced TM since 1991 and have never suffered insomnia since then.

  69. Alfred Bellanti

    Recently I saw a client who said she was suffering from insomnia and was using a small dose of temazepan. After her first session of hypnotherapy she reported two successive nights of good sleep. The following night she decided to try to sleep without the temazepan and only obtained a few hours sleep as a result.
    The client came for a second session. I suggested she ensure sleep with half the previous dose of temazepan.
    On follow up she reported that her insomnia had not improved and was proceeding to start treatment with a SSRI.
    In curiosity looked up temazepan and discovered it can have withdrawal effects even after short term use. Anxiety was one of the effects, which could have caused the insomnia again.

  70. Michael Crompton

    Great comments from the authors above. In my first post I think you may of missed the real point I was making. That is the person who took a vast amount of money of me and many more is totally deluded in his own capabilities and knowledge as a teacher. We could argue and discuss who or what technique is the best. There can only ever be one best technique or approach and I suppose we are all striving for that with the best of intentions. My intentions are not to disregard other successful approaches but expose total nonsense. So I hope no one has taken any offence.Thanks.

  71. will i ever be free

    So glad to see this. My anxiety seems to be so deep seated, I fear I will never be rid of it. This article is encouraging, but it feels so wrong to think in new ways, I keep slipping back into the old comfortable ones. Owe it to myself to keep going, but so hard. Sometimes it’s just easier to accept that I will worry forever. Easier than to keep fighting!

    1. mandy

      Hi Claire,

      Worry is a normal part of life, so it can’t be eliminated completely of course. However, research on different treatments has generally shown that most people, even those with very severe and chronic worry, can reduce the frequency, duration and intensity of episodes and its impact on their life. So there is quite a lot to be hopeful about as long as you seek the right kind of help. Struggling against worry tends to have the paradoxical effect of making it worse, so the knack is generally to learn to accept worry if it happens without becoming too absorbed in it or prolonging it. That takes practice but it’s not a difficult skill once you get the basic idea.

      Regards,

      Donald Robertson

  72. Dr. Michael G Millett

    Hi Don,
    It`s nice to have come across you again and your blog here. I remember we conversed many years ago by email – several times in fact.
    I too enjoyed reading your article here and have subscribed to your RSS Feed. Wishing you well and continued success with the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy.
    Kind Regrads, Michael [Elevated Therapy International]

  73. Robert A. Yourell

    This isn’t criticisms of Ericksonian hypnosis. It’s criticism of claims by people that represent a small minority of people that claim to include Ericksonian methods in their skill sets. The effort to produce some data is interesting, but what does it mean? Different clinicians have different types of clients (different levels of difficulty). And what is hypnosis? Current theories are emphasizing conditions that produce compliant behavior without trance and other conditions that don’t satisfy a casual use of the term. Erickson used a very layered approach that was sensitive to many aspects of human behavior. Efforts to turn his approach into a systematically teachable set of methods and perspectives comprise a valuable part of therapist training that can be built upon as therapy continues to evolve.

    1. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

      Thanks. Interesting comments. It’s often claimed by “Ericksonians” that their approach is largely untestable and that conflicting data can therefore be discounted on that basis. However, that would arguably create an even bigger problem for the approach because it would mean that Ericksonians themselves have no way of knowing whether their strategies are effective or not compared to alternative methods, and whether they’d be better off doing something else with clients. Moreover, that information should normally be shared with clients as part of the process of obtaining informed consent. So there is a need to establish reasonably objective evidence for this and other therapeutic approaches. The dominant cognitive-behavioural theory of hypnosis is probably Kirsch’s “response set” model, which differs from what you describe and does ascribe causal properties to hypnosis, as a set of cognitions or attitudes, which have been confirmed by many experiments. Likewise, if Erickson’s approach isn’t readily teachable that probably casts doubt on its value as well as the claims of the many people who call themselves “Ericksonian”. That said, according to his contemporaries, Erickson himself would have been highly critical of much of what’s taught under his name, usually by people who never met him, and often (in my experience) by people who have read few or perhaps none of his published writings. I remember once talkig to an “Ericksonian hypnosis” trainer who had never heard Erickson’s voice on an audio recording or watched the videos of him. I think most people would agree that it’s quite difficult to understand Erickson’s writings without hearing or seeing what he was actually doing.

      Regards,

      Donald Robertson

  74. Lynne Kovan

    Lovely account of a wonderful experience, this is from the mother of the mother who was also there! I can’t say that I was as calm as my lovely daughter! The fantastic thing was that Poppy emerged calm and relaxed. She gave the midwives a little cry just to let them know she was OK, and then snuggled up to her parents, alert and beautiful. She has been a lovely, happy child since those moments. Not having any drugs involved made all the difference. Mandy was able to enjoy every minute and has no traumatic memories whatsoever. As for the father, Donald, you were amazing!

  75. John Beavin

    I question the statement “For example, when people successfully quit smoking, it is rare (though not impossible)for them to substitute some other negative behavior.” The statement hinges almost entirely on the word “successfully” because people who quit smoking commonly substitute the overeating symptom for smoking. Granted, this is a cop-out used for the excuse of resuming smoking in preference to obesity, and thus qualifies as unsuccessful therapy. Nevertheless, it remains a classic example of the validity of symptom substitution.

    1. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

      Thanks. You’re certainly right that people who quit smoking typically begin to eat more food. That they tend to put on weight been established beyond question by research in this area. However, what’s in question is whether they do so as a “symbolic” substitute expression of the same unconscious “root cause”, as traditional psychoanalytic theory claimed. It seems more likely that people who smoke have suppressed their appetite, perhaps biochemically or because they smoke when hungry instead of eating. Crucially, if both smoking habit and over-eating or snacking are tackled then the client does not normally find another problem erupting symbolically from their unconscious mind, contrary to Freud’s position. As the article concludes:

      This is a far cry, moreover, from the Freudian notion of “symptom substitution” due to unconscious dynamics, and only a seriously incompetent therapist would attempt to remove a self-comforting habit without also addressing the associated emotions. It isn’t a question of removing the symptom and its cause, but rather one of removing all of the symptoms from a mutually inter-dependant and self-maintaining cluster.

      1. John Beavin

        Thank you. I could not agree more completely that “only a seriously incompetent therapist would attempt to remove a self-comforting habit without also addressing the associated emotions.” In fact, I discontinued my practice several years ago when, after getting deeply into the study of the Spiritual Psychology of A COURSE IN MIRACLES, I began to intuit that I may have been putting too much emphasis on the isolated “self-comforting habit.” I would appreciate your thoughts about this excerpt from ACIM: “The aspects that need solving do not change, whatever form the problem seems to take. A problem can appear in many forms, and it will do so while the problem lasts. It serves no purpose to attempt to solve it in a special form. It will recur again and yet again, until it has been answered for all time and will not rise again in any form. Only then are you released from it.” Symptom substitution or not? Thanks for supplying this forum.

  76. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

    Thanks. I’m not really sure how to interpret that quotation, to be honest. I think t seems to imply that simply getting rid of a specific behavioural or emotional problem is pointless (“serves no purpose”), and will lead to relapse (“it will recur again”), unless you do something that’s not specified in the quotation (“until it has been answered for all time”). It’s too vague to comment upon really because it doesn’t say how the recurrence should be prevented. However, if it discourages people from changing bad habits that’s potentially a harmful thing, IMHO. Smokers have nothing to lose by quitting smoking and everything to gain, and the same applies, broadly speaking, to most habits for which people seek therapy.

  77. mark powlett

    I am always on the hunt for new texts to help expand my knowledge. Its not just about completing the mandatory CPD amount of hours but we are all learning all of the time so I am very much looking forward to reading this new CBT text

  78. Richard Laing

    intriguing that you throw out ‘trance’ which as a non-hypnotherapist I assumed was integral to the process. but it makes me wonder, what is left in the hypnotherapy process? in particular, how is it different from ‘ordinary’ CBT?

  79. UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy

    Some of the other articles on the website and books referenced answer that question in more detail. The short answer is that the concept of “trance” was not originally part of Victorian hypnosis anyway so nothing is lost or gained in that respect by abandoning the terminology. Moreover, the induction of a hypnotic cognitive set (mind-set) and the art of hypnotic suggestion remain central to the procedure. We gain a clearer understanding and one that’s easier to socialise clients to plus a wider range of interventions, most notably evidence-based principles and procedures for “hypnotic skills training” protocols, which have been consistently found to enhance hypnotic responsiveness, most notably the Carleton Skills Training Program (CSTP) developed by Nicholas Spanos.

    Donald Robertson

  80. NLP Training

    Interesting. Thanks for sharing. It’s no surprise that the reflection/ clarification has a high negative percentage.

  81. Prem Bajaj

    Hello Fabienne and Mark,
    Finally I have found the reason to meet the great couple and got the registration fee approved from my sweet wife!
    See you soon.
    Kind regards
    Prem

  82. Ali

    I have MSc In psychology. Could please answer these questions;
    1- what are the requirements?
    2- Procedures?
    3- How long will it take and how many days?
    4- Will be a registered HCPC profession?5- How much I have to pay in total? Is it possible to pay in instalments?
    Regards,
    Ali

  83. Mark Davis

    Hi Ali

    1/ The main requirements are reasonable fluency in English and willingness to learn this approach and help others.
    2/ Procedures? Do you mean to register? a) Pay Deposit online. b) We will confirm your place c) Complete student registration form online d) Pay balance e) Get preparatory materials (textbooks) and prepare for the course by some reading (optional) f) Attend course
    3/ The Diploma is three weeks long – comprised of three separate 7-day blocks: Stage 1, Stage 2 & Stage 3 – you can take them when you want but in that order. Total classroom hours: 136.5 hours.
    If you just want a basic training in hypnosis and already are a qualified therapist then you can just take the first stage – but there is much more on Stages 2 & 3.
    4/ No this will not lead to HCPC professional registration. It is BPS approved as CPD for registered psychologists. You can become a registered hypnotherapist with the qualification – but that is under a process of approved voluntary self-regulation (vs the professional titles that are regulated by statute by the HPC and the PSA).

    If you want more information then please do call us on 0207 112 9040.

    Thank you
    Mark Davis

    1. Mark Davis

      Hi Justin
      That is because this is a customised award and not a national qualification. However it is rated as equivalent to the NVQs.
      FYI – we are still in process with the Level 5 qualification with NCFE. So currently the qualification is Level 4.

      Thank you
      Mark Davis

  85. Hypnocentric

    Thats amazing, Thanks for posting this – how often do we get to see a letter from Dept of Health about hypnosis.

    Keep it up!

  86. Andrew James

    I love the post!

    I have been reading through your site and really love all the hypnosis info. It has been a great resource and I am truly grateful for the content :)

  87. Clotilda Claudia Harry

    I love to expand my whole and full knowledge in skills in performing hyponosis to cure the internal mind, body and brain of a human being in so much need to have the fullest of life at all ages whilst living till God call him or her in peace at all times. The core fundamental science that gives human beings fullest and happinesss in life.

    A great subject for all human beings to undergo in all levels, ages and in all countries of the world both Developed and Developing like one I belong in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific region so much in need of this healing process.

    I’m searching for a human being, a generous government of the world, to offer me a scholarship to attaend to this course (travel to UK for this course and a student visa sponsorship so I could attend this course) so I can help heal the world and my family members as well as the people of my country Solomon islands whom when needed to.

    love and regards,

    Clotilda Claudia Harry
    From the Solomon Islands.

  88. Sarah Ford

    This is mind blowing evidence but I’m at a loss as to why CB hypnosis isn’t used as an evidence based treatment in the NHS? Why has it not been adopted more widely?

  89. Mark Davis

    Hi Sarah, good question.

    Firstly NICE, who puts together the recommendations for NHS, have very high standards in terms of the design of the clinical trials. And most of the studies do not have sufficient rigour to pass that test.
    It should be noted that the hypnotherapy for chronic IBS is recommended by NICE – and should be available under the NHS.
    – And in the United States CBT+hypnosis is (was?) on the list of empirically validated treatments for obesity with the American Psychological Association (APA Division 12).

    For example there was a good study done by Dr Assen Alladin on CBT vs CBH for Depression. With better outcomes for CBH. However there needs to be TWO studies done (Randomised Control Trials) for CBH to really make the list and get attention.

    Basically we need more high quality research with good size samples (not 12 people in study but 120!)

    Secondly, training for hypnotherapy has been poorly standardised and regulated. Where to send someone to get trained? Moreover serious researchers can’t even agree what is hypnosis. Which creates even more fractures in the field.
    The profession is simply not very together. Which prompts caution from the NHS.

    That being said the NHS does regularly fund psychologists to take the Diploma we offer. Every year we have probably 3-4 NHS psychs take the training. Usually not mainstream Clinical Psychologists but those working in Neuropsychology or pain management or, for example, supporting children during difficult clinical procedures.

  90. Margaret Scott

    I would love to do some of your courses but as I live in NE England and have childcare and other caring commitments I cannot access training away from the area. Is there any possibility of holding training in Newcastle or at least York? I am sure there are many people who would love to undertake training but cannot commit to regular journeying and stays in London.

    1. Mark R. Davis

      Hi Margaret
      I understand the issue and we are working at some solutions.
      a) Fully online training supported by 10-15 hours of one-to-one tutoring (this would include reviewing practice sessions with a volunteer, case studies etc)
      b) Blended approach – online plus some classroom training. For example you might attend Stage 1 in person (e.g. Days 2-7) – and do the rest online.
      Or later we might setup a 3 day experiential training weekend to support the online course.

      In both cases you could get insurance and complete the professional assessment to gain the qualification.
      Please email us for more details if you are interested!
      Best regards
      Mark Davis

  93. GINTA ELSONE

    Hi Mark and Team,
    Thank you very much for given opportunity to watch Webinar. I enjoyed it a lot. I am a great believer in power of hypnotherapy and I would like to study it but as English is my second language I feel I may struggle to work as therapist with English speaking clients. Anyway, your college looks like very good environment to study evidence based hypnotherapy.
    If your offer at the end of video about complimentary self-hypnosis workshop still stands, I would be glad to attend it and see how I am doing.
    With kind regards, sincerely yours Ginta Elsone