Is practicing Hypnosis a pipe-dream?

[Pixeler]

I've posted before about finding quality instruction. I guess I've been thinking about a bigger issue as well.

In the U.S., is earning a living via hypnosis possible or a pipe-dream? Sometimes I think that's the reason there are so many training classes - one can't make ends meet with hypnosis therapies by itself.

In my case, I have worked in healh care a long time and have buisness skills, but is there really a significant market out there? I'm checking with counselors, therapists, and M,D's I know - but I'd love to hear from those of you that have already gone this route in your market.

[Don]

IMO the market is there--but just as with the iPod, it's up to an individual in a particular market to develop it.

The old saw that "If you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door" is no longer true (if it ever was true). Today it would be more accurate to say that nobody cares about the mousetrap if they think whatever is there will work for them. instead, you must do three things:

1) Show potential consumers of your product or service that they have a need.
2) Show how your service or product fulfills that need.
3) Tell people how they can obtain your service or product so their need can be fulfilled.

Just putting your name out and saying you're a hypnotherapist isn't going to do squat. You need to pay for advertising in appropriate places. You need to obtain free publicity. And until your available hours are filled, you have to continue doing that. Then, hopefully, it can continue on word of mouth.

Although most of the basic training classes seem to focus on "make a living helping others," etc., that is not the only reason people take such courses. Some people simply want to learn a skill. Some people have no desire to become a professional, but want to learn so they can help a friend or relative. Some people are already professionals in related fields (such as psychology) and want to add hypnosis to their list of available tools.

I don't have any figures, but I would guess--and it is only a guess--that perhaps one in five people who attend such classes want to be clinical hypntherapists, and then, as is traditional in all people trying to set up a business, perhaps one in ten of those people actually make it as a successful business.

[Poodle]

Do you really, really dream of this? Is helping people be all they can be your ultimate goal? How will this affect your life and that of your friends and family? Do you have the money saved to start the practice after training? It will take maybe three months to get your name out there to the public to and longer until it becomes a household word. Do you know the best way to have your answering machine pick up calls while you are working? Can you think of a very NLP'ish mind-grabbing name for your business? Do you even know what to call yourself to get in to see a medical professional? (Hint: You are NOT a hypnotist or hypnotherapist). Does one learn all one needs to learn in ONE training? I sure hope not.

Short Answer: If truly helping others is your life's goal and it doesn't get in the way of anything else (ecology check), you receive the proper trainings and LOVE what you are doing, it will work and it works beautifully. You have to have the patience of Jobe and a healthy bank account to live on until the business really pays off. Can you make a great living at it? That totally depends on YOU. What are you willing to invest of yourself? Hypnosis is a VERY, VERY people oriented business. You have to be willing to hear and know how to sort out all of the clients words, movements, expressions and ask the appropriate questions and have the answers on the tip of your tongue. I also believe in NLP training together with Time Line Therapy in addition to hypnosis. If not, you are cutting yourself out of a large market share. Do you want training so you can learn the history of hypnosis? Who cares? You can read that in a book!! Training should be LIVE, HANDS ON TRAINING WITH PRACTICE ON OTHER STUDENTS AND BEST OF ALL BEING ONE ON ONE WITH THE CI. Are you willing to work evenings and weekends? Being a people person you need to be there when people need you. Are you interested in even furthering your career to become a CI? I actually see hypnosis becoming more "main stream" in the not too distant future".

Most of those that attend training do NOT go into practice. I am thinking of my original class of 26. I do hypnosis and NLP (my PASSIONS), another person does NLP and a third started her own business taking NLP to corporations. The others -- either found they could not, or were there for personal reasons.

So now we are down to basics -- is this a pipe dream or a passion? You are the only one that can answer that.

[Merlin]

Making a good living with hypnosis has more to do with your small business skills than anything else.

[Poodle]

I just read an article today that "we" are losing in numbers even though the schools are training people classes by classes. Many find out they can't do it or don't have the patience for it, the people skills for it or the money to spend on it after training. The article did state that if this is YOUR PASSION, your pipe dream will come true.

It was never a pipe dream with me. It started when I was a little kid reading Edgar Cayce's books. At 19 I studied under a practicing psychiatrist. Along came life and work. Finally, my dream did come true and I could not be happier. I LOVE MY CLIENTS! They pay me big money so I am there for them ALL the way. I don't cut and run. On weight loss and smoking cessation I let any of them come back free for "tune ups" if something gets in the way of my work for one year after the sessions stop. I hand out guarantees for allergy cures for five years. I cannot guarantee every issue 100% but they KNOW I am behind they all the way. If I think a problem will take one session and it takes two, I eat the second. I am still extremely well paid.