In the UK, the hypnotherapy field is unregulated. In some countries, you need a medical qualification or be a duly ordained religious practitioner. It varies a lot.
So in the UK, anyone can set up shop and call themselves a hypnotist or hypnotherapist, and the quality of service can vary enormously.
My advice would be to ask:
1 – Where have they trained, what’s their experience?
If they hesitate or can’t answer, that’s a red flag. Have they just read a hypnosis book, or have they trained with a reputable training provider you can check out. Of course, if they have decades of practice, that school might be gone, but still ask about their experience (which will lead to the 2nd question in a moment). Being part of a national register sounds good, but it doesn’t mean that much. I’m registered with the CNHC simply because it makes it easier for people to claim back on their private insurance.
2 – Are they still training or at least have regular supervision?
It is recommended to have CPD ( Continuing Professional Development), to keep your skills sharp, or at least have supervision to make sure they are doing things right. It’s easy to fall into bad habits and have skills going stale. Even renowned trainers meet-up with others and learn from them. Only arrogant people will claim to know everything there is to know.
3 – Do they have insurance and are they DBS checked (in the UK at least)?
A DBS check is not a fool proof guarantee but it helps with peace of mind. It also helps with claiming the cost of therapy with your insurance provider when applicable.
4 – Do they have verifiable testimonials or reviews?
Copied and pasted testimonials on someone’s site may look good. Some even have video testimonials and that’s great, but reviews from platforms such as Google, Facebook or Trustpilot allow you to check that the testimonial comes from a real person.
5 – can they help you with the specific issue you’re having?
There are many things that can be helped with hypnosis, and many things that can’t. And with the things hypnosis can help, it’s unlikely one therapist is confident to help you with all of them. For example, I can help you with anxiety-related issues, help with bad habits, and many other things, but I don’t offer hypno-birthing. Some colleagues specialise in that.
If I’m not confident I can help someone, I would decline and recommend they book someone else. If I can, I’d refer you to someone I trust. The priority is the safety of the client, and providing good service. You shouldn’t pay good money for the therapist to just blag it. It’s important a therapist knows their limits.
6 – Yeah! Bonus question! For yourself this time. Ask yourself, do I trust this person?
Hypnosis is cooperative and if you are not comfortable with someone, for whatever reasons, it will affect the result. We know I’m adorable and qualified, but maybe someone doesn’t get on with my accent or my beard. That’s fair enough, I won’t take it personally…much. Find someone you’re happy to work with. Listen to your guts.
Feel free to ask before booking. It is not rude, and any decent therapist will be happy to answer and put your mind at ease. I’ve added a page on this site that answer most of them to save people time.
