Training in the UK, Advice please.

[-SL]

Hi All

After buying (and reading) many books on hypnotherapy and having been interested for some time I have decided to get some proper training with the aim of becoming a practitioner.

I was interested in http://www.lesserian.co.uk/ but their web site seems to have died, something I take as a bit of a warning sign. If this is just a glitch does anybody here know them? Are they worth the time and money?

If not are there any other UK hypnotherapy trainers that you would recommend? Ideally I would like a mix of distance learning and practical days/weekends. I'm on a very low income at the moment so somebody that accepts CDLs (career development loans) would be of great benefit for me.

Thanks

-SL

[Jack]

Hello SL,

Try www.hypnotherapists.org (http://www.hypnotherapists.org) which is the website of the National Council for Hypnotherapy in the UK. They have details of accredited courses.

Jack


Hi All

After buying (and reading) many books on hypnotherapy and having been interested for some time I have decided to get some proper training with the aim of becoming a practitioner.

I was interested in http://www.lesserian.co.uk/ but their web site seems to have died, something I take as a bit of a warning sign. If this is just a glitch does anybody here know them? Are they worth the time and money?

If not are there any other UK hypnotherapy trainers that you would recommend? Ideally I would like a mix of distance learning and practical days/weekends. I'm on a very low income at the moment so somebody that accepts CDLs (career development loans) would be of great benefit for me.

Thanks

-SL

[-SL]

Hi

Try www.hypnotherapists.org (http://www.hypnotherapists.org) which is the website of the National Council for Hypnotherapy in the UK. They have details of accredited courses.
Thanks for that, somehow I hadn't come accross that site before.

What I'm really after though is comment from people who have recent experience of these places, as I said I'm on a very low income and can't afford to blow a load of cash on a course that wont teach me much.

-SL

[Jack]

If you examine what the courses have to offer and the course you choose does not come up to expectations then as an NCH accredited course you have redress with the NCH and the course may lose it's accreditation.

Otherwise, like everything else it is caveat emptor - just don't buy a postal course which I guarantee will be next to useless.

Jack

[-SL]

just don't buy a postal course which I guarantee will be next to useless. So what is the collected wisdom of getting a combined distance with practical weekends? Is this still a waste of time and money or are they OK?

-SL

[Neurotic1]

So what is the collected wisdom of getting a combined distance with practical weekends? Is this still a waste of time and money or are they OK?

-SL
Hi SL

IMO there is no real substitute for practical, hands on hypnosis sessions when you are training as a hypnotherapist; performing various techniques under supervision by an expert can be very useful, almost essential, although it can depend very much on who you are training with and their own degree of skill.

Jack suggests a useful website for a UK hypnotherapy organisation. I would add another one (which I might add is my suggestion and therefore independant of this website)

http://www.bsch.org.uk/

This is the website for the british society for clinical hypnosis and is quite comprehensive.

[Jack]

Weekend courses spread over six months or a year can be quite good. the advantage is that you have a full 5 days to practice what you have learnt each weekend. A school may assign you a mentor or a supervisor whom you may contact at any time for queries.

If you do a course then my advice would be twofold: Read, read, read (not just the coursework) and Practice, practice, practice.

Jack


So what is the collected wisdom of getting a combined distance with practical weekends? Is this still a waste of time and money or are they OK?

-SL

[SunHyp]

Hi, I trained with the London College of Clinical Hypnosis (LCCH), who run courses at various centres the UK.

The practice organisation is the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis (BSCH), both have very good web sites.

Pete

[-SL]

Hi All

Thanks for the comments so far.Hi, I trained with the London College of Clinical Hypnosis (LCCH), who run courses at various centres the UK.

The practice organisation is the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis (BSCH), both have very good web sites.I've had a chat the LCCH, and this is who I'll probably go with.

One of the questions I asked the LCCH was how long is a sensable time before I could start my own hypnotherapy clinic, they did say, but I won't say what they said ATM to avoid swaying answers for this question:

How long do you think would be the quickest I could go from being an interested follower of hypnosis, who has read many books/articles/websites but has no practical experience, to opening a clinic. I will also mention I have studied psychology to degree level.

-SL

[Don]

You could start it within a week.
To become an expert practitioner will take the rest of your life.
To become successful will depend not only upon your studies of hypnosis but also of business. Since you didn't say anything about your business training, it's impossible to say.
To overcome the psychologist paradigm you've spend years training in and adopt the hypnotherapeutic paradigm will take????

[-SL]

You could start it within a week.
To become an expert practitioner will take the rest of your life.
To become successful will depend not only upon your studies of hypnosis but also of business.What I was after was more to do with helping people rather than "running the business". At what stage is it likely I'll be able to deal with the vast majority of problems people bring to hypnotherapists?

Since you didn't say anything about your business training, it's impossible to say.Sorry, I've spent many years as a self-employed computer consultant, so the business side isn't the problem it could be.

To overcome the psychologist paradigm you've spend years training in and adopt the hypnotherapeutic paradigm will take???? :eek: It never crossed my mind that studying psychology could be a hindrance to hypnotherapy as they deal with similar subjects, do you think this could be a drawback?

-SL

[Neurotic1]

What I was after was more to do with helping people rather than "running the business". At what stage is it likely I'll be able to deal with the vast majority of problems people bring to hypnotherapists?

Sorry, I've spent many years as a self-employed computer consultant, so the business side isn't the problem it could be.

:eek: It never crossed my mind that studying psychology could be a hindrance to hypnotherapy as they deal with similar subjects, do you think this could be a drawback?

-SL
SL

'How quick can I get into Practice?'

I could write some trite post in response and try and draw you into some pointless discussion to show you how cleverly pedantic I can be - but that would be wasting mine and your time. Sufficient to say there are many factors involved. I have experienced the LCCH. That is where I trained. They are VERY good IMO but they certainly don't teach you everything about hypnosis - but then neither will anywhere else. Training in hypnotherapy is very much like learning to drive - you really learn once you have passed your test and start to do it for real and unsupervised. Having said that, it always helps to keep an open mind and to develop yourself in any profession. I do not at all see that having taken a psychology degree is a hindrance to you - indeed it may offer you some interesting perspectives on hypnotherapy.

If you are looking for a simple answer to your question 'how long will it take', we could dissect that question until the end of time, but rather than be pedantic, lets just say IMO it will take until you have learnt enough to practise 'safely' (e.g; LCCH diploma level as an arbitrary - read the prospectus for course dates) to be able to set up in Practice and then it will take a lot longer to get the experience and further knowledge through reading, etc to become really good.

IMO there are several key revelations that most people experience in learning hypnotherapy - I don't think I have had them all yet but I think they mostly just require lots of experience and a sharp mind. However, that is just my opinion.

It may be useful to you to study NLP as well - it can be very complimentary to hypnotherapy and IMO help you 'get it' quicker.

Hope this helps and good luck.

PS this post is for you - take it or leave it; it is my opinion.

[Terry (existing)]

You ask, like so many visitors here, how long it will take before you are competent to practise on clients, and it is a question that deserves a considered reply, yet we have very little to base our reply on. I have read your posts several times for clues, and being the nit picker I am, and wishing to give you an honest reply, I am going to make some assumptions, and you can correct me if I am wrong. You have a degree in Psycology, yet there is no mention of you ever being in a position were you have used that learning, I am wondering why? You say you have been in business for yourself in the computer field, and have no worries about running a business of your own, but by the same token, you seem to be in a situation were you are depending on a Government loan to get training, and are on a very low budget. That doesn't seem like a recommendation to run another business, though you may well have your reasons for were you are. I mention all this because although we wish you well, and many will make encouraging comments to offer support, the facts exist, and must be faced if nescessary, so nit picking is left for me to do. I was offered a partership a few months after finishing my first training, which took about three months, and I turned the offer down. I am glad I did, I had no experience, and would undoubtedly have failed many clients, while today I can look back at my practise and recognise that without the pressure of needing to make money, I have had practically no failures, and some wonderfull successes.... My full time work supported me, and allowed me the comfort of doing what I wanted, and refusing any client I felt I didn't want to work with for whatever reason. My job with the bank now pays me a pension, so I am still able to pick and choose if i want to work or not. I tell you this because I am wondering if you are not putting yourself into a bind by thinking it easy to start a practise when you have no capital, and no experience. Lacking one is bad enough, but lacking both is death to my way of thinking, and I wonder at the likely hood of your getting a loan for this purpose. Have you specified what it is you want training in?

[Don]

:eek: It never crossed my mind that studying psychology could be a hindrance to hypnotherapy as they deal with similar subjects, do you think this could be a drawback?

-SL

The traditional psychotherapeutic model is that the patient is broken and the god-like healer will fix them. A more foreward-thinking and more modern model is that the patient is broken and together with the god-like healer (who is wise from years of study/practice), they will help the patient get fixed.

The hypnotherapeutic model is that given the client's knowledge and skill, the client is absolutely perfect just as he or she is. However, the client has certain behaviors that are no longer ecological in his or her life and wishes to change. The hypnotherapist simply gives the knowledge and skill so that the client can change.

So here's the difference: patient broke and god-like healer will fix vs. client is fine but needs information and new skills to make changes, and the hypnotherapist can share the information and help the person develop new skills.

In the West, the Patient-broke/Doctor-fix paradigm is the norm. The psychotherapeutic paradigm is simply a version of that. Most people, including most patients, believe in that paradigm. "I'm sick! You gotta help me, Doc. Gimme a pill or a shot so I'll get better." Then, like Jesus healing the sick with a touch, the doctor heals the patient with a prescription or injection.

If that is your mind-set, you may have to work to change that. If it's not, then you shouldn't have a problem. But....are you sure?

[-SL]

You ask, like so many visitors here, how long it will take before you are competent to practise on clients, and it is a question that deserves a considered reply, yet we have very little to base our reply on.I do realise I am asking a lot of peoples psychic abilities :^>

I have read your posts several times for clues, and being the nit picker I am, and wishing to give you an honest reply, I am going to make some assumptions, and you can correct me if I am wrong. You have a degree in Psycology, yet there is no mention of you ever being in a position were you have used that learning, I am wondering why?My studies into psychology were never intended to be for work (although I'm sure some of it filtered through without me noticing), I have always been fascinated by the subject of the mind. I originally took a simple night class in psychology and liked it so much I took it to degree level.

You say you have been in business for yourself in the computer field, and have no worries about running a business of your own, but by the same token, you seem to be in a situation were you are depending on a Government loan to get training, and are on a very low budget. That doesn't seem like a recommendation to run another business, though you may well have your reasons for were you are.I understand your point and your line of thought. I was in a rather successful partnership, however one day my partner (while I was away on holliday) decided to empty the business account, empty the office of all equipment, and do a runner. Needless to say, this crippled the business. leaving me to pay bills, complete contracts, and try to continue to support myself on no money and only the equipment I had at home.

I mention all this because although we wish you well, and many will make encouraging comments to offer support, the facts exist, and must be faced if nescessary, so nit picking is left for me to do. I was offered a partership a few months after finishing my first training, which took about three months, and I turned the offer down. I am glad I did, I had no experience, and would undoubtedly have failed many clients, while today I can look back at my practise and recognise that without the pressure of needing to make money, I have had practically no failures, and some wonderfull successes.... My full time work supported me, and allowed me the comfort of doing what I wanted,I do intend to continue with computer work in the mean time to keep things ticking over, the beauty of this type of work is it can mostly be done whenever there is time and not to a fixed schedule (as long as deadlines are met) but I've never been overly happy in this work. I've always felt I would be much happier if I were able to help people in some way. With the recent disaster with my computer business I decided this would be an ideal time to get off my arse and do it.

and refusing any client I felt I didn't want to work with for whatever reason.Out of interest how often does this happen, are there any recurring themes?

My job with the bank now pays me a pension, so I am still able to pick and choose if i want to work or not. I tell you this because I am wondering if you are not putting yourself into a bind by thinking it easy to start a practise when you have no capital, and no experience. Lacking one is bad enough, but lacking both is death to my way of thinking,I need the loan to pay for the course as that is currently out of reach, however day to day expenses are covered so things are not quite as black as you were worried about. I'm trying to take something bad happening to me and turn it into something positive both for me and anybody I can help in the future. And no I do not think this will be a walk in the park.

and I wonder at the likely hood of your getting a loan for this purpose. Have you specified what it is you want training in?Obviously until the paperwork goes in and gets processed nothing is definite, but I have been assured by several trainers and banks there should be no problem.

-SL

P.S. Sorry for another really long post.

[Terry (existing)]

I didn;t find your post overly long, probably because the information it gave was of help to me in replying to your request. Only one thing was not covered, and there is no need for you to reply to this if you so choose, just answer it to yourself. You have a degree, and could set up practise I imagine right away. Training in hypnosis will add to your skills it's true, and letters after your name gives you one up on those who don't. However, are you rusty from lack of use of what you learned, or is there some problem with that route? If so, that same problem might interfer with you practising hypnosis also, but for different reasons. In one you are rusty as well as lacking experience, while with the other, you lack experience and the in depth knowledge needed for success in many cases. However, from what you tell us, I think I can safely wish you luck knowing you have many of the problems covered. I imagine you could start practise after a good course, within a week or two provided you were careful as to whom you treated for what. Some things would require a small amount of knowledge, gained from books or online, while others would be beyond your skills, and should be avoided. Also, read Don's reply as to why hypnosis and psycology differ in aproach, it may be of great help in the future.....

[Neurotic1]

Hi Don,

That's an interesting concept. Where did you get those definitions from and what were they based upon? I know of several psychotherapists who take the view that the client is perfect...

[Terry (existing)]

I know many people who are psycologists, and have taken training in hypnosis. They are young and feel free to think differently to how they were trained. However, I believe Don is reffering to the aproach by instuctors in the two fields. I do know that clients of psycologists and psyciatrists often attend weekly treatments for many months, and even years. This rarely happens in hypnosis, and when it does, I get very suspicious of the motives of the practitioner.... I have worked with many of those who have a degree, and found them no different, so I imagine that when offered a better, or faster method, they will consider it, and use it if convinced....

[Jack]

The LCCH is indeed a good training organisation. My only problem is with the BSCCH which is directly owned by the school. I have never liked the idea of training schools owning the professional organisation to which they send their own students.

A professional hypnotherapy organisation should be totally divorced from the schools it accredits in order to remain above suspicion and ethically sound. Any other way invites corruption.


Jack

[odysseus]

has anybody mentioned one of the best? I did a search here and nowhere say Paul McKenna's name. it's just in my mind when someone says "hypnotism" and then says "UK" my mind immediately says to me "aha, paul mckenna"

seriously he is a great guy and a good teacher. a good Model if you would

[Don]

Younger people in various fields are always changing their outlooks.

However, I know numerous, established psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, etc., who all have the view that they can fix broken people.

[Diabolos]

has anybody mentioned one of the best? I did a search here and nowhere say Paul McKenna's name. it's just in my mind when someone says "hypnotism" and then says "UK" my mind immediately says to me "aha, paul mckenna"

seriously he is a great guy and a good teacher. a good Model if you would
I agree that he's reasonably competent, but I do have a couple of issues with him that have been illustrated on his current TV series being shown on Sky.

First, he has a habit of saying that his patients can or will be "cured" after his ministrations. This is something I was taught never to say, since curation is the province of medical doctors (which he isn't).

Second, he has often stated his opinion that all simple phobias can be "cured" in under one hour, and implies that if it takes longer that this that the therapist is incompetent. Apart from the "cure" issue again, as an NLP practitioner he must surely know better that to use universal quantifiers like "always" and "never".

In my opinion other training courses would be better in the first instance, and then follow up with courses such as those run by McKenna. In fact, I would suggest getting as broad a range of training as possible and then finding what sits best with your own style and way of being.

[Neurotic1]

Jack; that was my concern about the BSCH also in relation to LCCH. I don't think that there is a problem here but there certainly would be potential for a conflict of interests...

[Neurotic1]

Younger people in various fields are always changing their outlooks.


However, I know numerous, established psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, etc., who all have the view that they can fix broken people.

Terry & Don; thanks for clarifying.

[-SL]

In the West, the Patient-broke/Doctor-fix paradigm is the norm. The psychotherapeutic paradigm is simply a version of that. Most people, including most patients, believe in that paradigm. "I'm sick! You gotta help me, Doc. Gimme a pill or a shot so I'll get better." Then, like Jesus healing the sick with a touch, the doctor heals the patient with a prescription or injection.

If that is your mind-set, you may have to work to change that. If it's not, then you shouldn't have a problem.My farther (who died over ten years ago) was a renal patient who went on to have a transplant that after a few years started to reject. He was overseen by three specialists in the field, who could never agree on anything. This went on from my earliest memories until I was in my twenties. This has left me without the tendency to see doctors as the near deities that some people see them as, In fact I take great pleasure in referring to them as quacks.

I have always assumed I have taken this overview of people who work with the body to people who work with the mind. This is one of the things that first interested me in psychology and now one of the main things that attracts me to hypnotherapy, the ability of the mind (albeit with a little guidance) to heal itself.

But....are you sure?That does remain to be seen, but I hope so.

-SL

[-SL]

I didn;t find your post overly long, probably because the information it gave was of help to me in replying to your request. Only one thing was not covered, and there is no need for you to reply to this if you so choose, just answer it to yourself. You have a degree, and could set up practise I imagine right away.Strange as this may sound, I never thought of that. As I have said before I never intended to use my studies of psychology for work I studied only because it was interesting to me, I must have separated the two in my head. My future studies of hypnotherapy are taken with the express intention of helping people and this is obviously why I do connect the two here.

Training in hypnosis will add to your skills it's true, and letters after your name gives you one up on those who don't. However, are you rusty from lack of use of what you learned, or is there some problem with that route? If so, that same problem might interfer with you practising hypnosis also, but for different reasons. In one you are rusty as well as lacking experience, while with the other, you lack experience and the in depth knowledge needed for success in many cases.I'm still reasonably up to date with psychology, I'm active on a few forums and NewsGroups.

However, from what you tell us, I think I can safely wish you luck knowing you have many of the problems covered.Thank you.

I imagine you could start practise after a good course, within a week or two provided you were careful as to whom you treated for what. Some things would require a small amount of knowledge, gained from books or online, while others would be beyond your skills, and should be avoided. Also, read Don's reply as to why hypnosis and psycology differ in aproach, it may be of great help in the future.....I will keep a lookout for this.

-SL

[-SL]

has anybody mentioned one of the best? I did a search here and nowhere say Paul McKenna's name. it's just in my mind when someone says "hypnotism" and then says "UK" my mind immediately says to me "aha, paul mckenna"

seriously he is a great guy and a good teacher. a good Model if you would
I never took Paul McKenna seriously until recently, he was just a bloke who had a TV show where he made people think raw onions were apples and sold a load of these self-help tapes. I once went into a bookshop and asked if they had anything on hypnosis/hypnotherapy, the girl said "no, we've only a couple of books by Paul McKenna. Sorry"

With his new show on Sky I am starting to see him in a slightly different light but (to me at least) he still seems more interested in showing how wonderful he is than helping people. I do still enjoy the show though.

-SL

[odysseus]

well everyone can have their own opinions and realities, but he does teach serious courses.

Now about his claims..

god damn him being so confident!

[inandout]

Try www.ppdlearning.co.uk (http://www.ppdlearning.co.uk)

or beeleaf.co.uk