Beginner’s Guide on How to Become a Hypnotherapist

Has helping people appealed to you? You can make a career out of it. One of the most interesting and challenging niches is hypnotherapy.

Many of our peers undergo the consequences of stress. Therapy is gaining a lot of popularity and acceptance. Hypnotherapy is an attractive niche in the life-coaching industry.

Hypnotherapy has been in use for centuries. It is an alternative form of medicine highly popular for various reasons. The word “Hypnos” in the Greek Language means “Sleep”.

Here, we walk you through the basic know-how of becoming a hypnotherapist.

What is Hypnotherapy and a Hypnotherapist?

Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy. It uses hypnosis to create a change with lasting results. With less time.

A hypnotherapist is a qualified professional who helps people make changes in themselves. Hypnotherapists address those ailments that general medicine cannot.

A hypnotic state brings about a certain calmness and openness in a person. Build a trustworthy relationship between you and your client.

This is the first step in becoming a hypnotherapist.

You also need to know the science and business of becoming a hypnotherapist.

Hypnotherapy has two methods of therapy, suggestive and regression. In the suggestive method, the therapist suggests changes to the client during hypnosis.

People have been able to quit smoking with hypnosis. This is a good example here. It helps the patient improve in a positive manner, with more self-confidence. It takes less time too.

Regressive therapy is an analytical way of curing deep-rooted psychological problems. The hypnotherapist analyses where the problem stems from.

You can become a hypnotherapist in either or both these areas.

The Truth about Becoming a Hypnotherapist

As a hypnotherapist, you will need to learn how to guide your patients. You are responsible for your patient in their state of hypnosis.

You must be able to guide a patient through traumatic experiences.

An important skill to have is the ability to build a rapport. The challenge? To establish a safe environment.

Interview your prospective patients. A good questionnaire is helpful. This will help both of you establish professional relationships.

Always remember. A therapist

- cannot be a friend to their client.

- have emotional ties to their patient.

A therapist’s aim is like that of a doctor. You're there to diagnose and heal your patients. You offer advice and guide them.

Be focused while treating your patients or clients with empathy.

A Day in the Life of a Hypnotherapist

What does a hypnotherapist do in their daily routine? If you’re keen on becoming one, you must be curious about this as well.

First off, the flexible hours of a hypnotherapy practice are a plus. So balance your day with a schedule. You will have more responsibilities if you join a franchise or a corporate.

Becoming a hypnotherapist needs you to have a keen eye for psychological detail.

Most hypnotherapists have a dedicated hobby. This helps them keep their mind clear. Many practice meditation.

Meditating for an hour a day can help hypnotherapists focus better. Your mind is important as a hypnotherapist.

A hypnotherapist takes enough time to get to know your patients.

Be a good listener. Analyse what you listen to. You decide the number of clients you need to see in a day.

Most hypnotherapists practice their business from home. They maintain an online presence too. This is a balance you must aim to achieve in your daily life as a hypnotherapist.

How Long does it take to Become a Hypnotherapist?

A hypnotherapy course will take anywhere from two months to 2-3 years.

You will need a background in any of the following if you want to become a hypnotherapist:

- Traditional Medicine
- Counselling and Social Work
- Psychiatry or psychotherapy
- Behavioural sciences.

Best Hypnotherapy Training Courses Around the Globe

Hypnotherapy courses are available online and offline. But few are genuine. A valued and certified figure of authority will give the course an accreditation.

Here are some of the leading institutions in the world.

Hypnosis Motivation Institute

Founded in 1968, the Hypnosis Motivation Institute is America's first nationally accredited Hypnotherapy Institute. It offers the best training courses available today online and offline.

HMI offers two options for certified hypnotherapy courses.

1. In-Person Classes – HMI’s Residency Program
2. Interactive Online Video Training Program – HMI’s Distance Learning College

In-Person classes are the residency program. It offers a training period for one year including clinical hypnotherapist training. The resident students have a flexible schedule. They can work full-time and attend classes too. The clinical facilities are on-campus.

Last I checked, Hypnotherapy training cost 15715 USD. Students are eligible for scholarships, discounts and federal grants, reducing the fee to 9500 USD! This can be paid at in monthly instalments of 97 USD per month.

Here's the best part: The instalments can be paid AFTER 18 months, from the date of beginning your training program. After which, you just have to pay 97USD/month for 18 months!

That tuition is then reduced to $97 per month, starting 18 months starting 18 months later. HMI offers you a clinical hypnotherapy internship for 6 months along with your own hypnotherapy office. You have supervised clinical sessions too.

HMI's distance learning college offers hypnotherapy courses via online videos for 300 hours as per the accreditation requirements. They have library resources. You will have a personalised HMI instructor, 53 two hour video lessons, workbooks and online exams.

Become a hypnotherapist online for approx 3500 USD which you can pay in instalments! HMI offers the following tuition options.

Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis

SCEH is an organization of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, dentists and physicians who work towards the application of hypnosis for clinical diagnosis. They have a certification program to recognize practitioners of hypnotherapy. This is an online program too.

Certification is available for

• participants of programs offered by SCEH
• licensed medicine practitioners
• participants who have completed a hypnotherapy course or workshops from organizations recognized by SCEH
• applicant certified by a board of medicine, nursing, social work

For details on the certification and to learn how to become a SCEH accredited hypnotherapist check this link.

Milton H. Erickson Foundation

Dr Milton H. Erickson is considered the world's foremost authority on hypnosis and hypnotherapy. His student, Dr Jeffrey K. Zeig started this foundation to express gratitude to his mentor who never charged his students and to show him the difference he has created in the world of mental health research.

Though Dr Erickson passed away before the first congress held under this banner, it was the largest congress ever held for hypnosis at the time.

The foundation continued its work to offer as much as it could to budding hypnotherapists. Its hypnotherapy certification is one of the most valuable certification programs today. They have many training programs online and offline to learn hypnotherapy.

• Intensive Training in Phoenix
• Phoneix Masterclass
• 2018 Masters of Psychotherapy Online
• Institutes that have met the Foundations eligibility requirement to teach Dr Erickson's teachings

Erickson Institutes can be found in many countries across the globe. These are organizations created by professionals who have obtained permissions from the Foundation to teach Dr Erickson's methods. You can become a hypnotherapist by attending one of these institutes. Check this page to find an institute near you. Learn more about the Foundation here.

What Type of People are Hiring Hypnotherapists These Days?

Hypnotherapy is effective thanks to the nature of its results. It definitely heals.

Conventional therapy is expensive and takes many sessions. A person will defend a change they are trying to make when conscious.

This is why becoming a hypnotherapist is in demand. People understand the need for hypnotherapy.

What type of people will be a hypnotherapist’s clients?

Our competitive lifestyles demand high expectations. Childhood trauma has a coming back in people’s lives.

Post-traumatic stress disorders victims have also turned to hypnotherapy. These are the reasons that lead people to seek hypnotherapy.

Life coaching in the hypnotherapy niche is a rewarding profession.

Hypnotherapists are sought when patients have a problem that doesn't help them function. People of all ages seek hypnotherapy.

We all have demanding lifestyles. We forget to care for our mind and soul, along with our body.

More people realise this each day. That's why Hypnotherapy is very popular in the life coaching business.

Different types of people reach out to hypnotherapy. Here are some of them

- Celebrities

- War veterans

- Business professionals

- Athletes

- University students

- Marriage counselling, etc.

Certain conditions have gained better results when treated with hypnosis. Ex: Weight loss, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, chronic illness and pains.

Clients have reached out to hypnotherapists and healed, as compared to general medicine.

PubMed has access to a large database of life sciences and biomedical research. Here's the result of a survey conducted on the results of Hypnotherapy.

The graph says it all.

Hypnotherapists have been successful in treating phobias as well.

Deep-rooted fears leave a person with long-lasting effects. These effects could be mental and physical.

Fear of spiders, maggots, moths, and the dark are some of the examples cured by hypnosis.

Hypnotherapists are working on enhancing performance. These are not only in sports but also daily work.

Becoming a hypnotherapist for personality development, there's a niche!

What Most Hypnotherapists don’t get about Building a Business: Points to Remember

Hypnotherapy is a market that is in constant demand. Thousands are opting for alternate forms of therapy. But we do not have enough therapists. The time to become a hypnotherapist is NOW.

Hypnotherapy is a business with a flexible structure. You can make it as profitable as you want to make it.

The NY Times listed hypnosis-based professions to gain popularity in the 21st century. That was in the December of 1999.

Look at where we are now.

Generally, a Hypnotherapy session is 60-90 minutes long. You get paid for that duration. You can chalk out how much revenue you will need to make in a month or a year.

Your financial structure is clear but you need clients to get the bills paid. It’s time to research hypnotherapist marketing.

Invest your time in networking, blogging, website and social media too.

These are great ways to establish your expertise to an audience

- Workshops

- Events

- Seminars

You could host or attend them.

Maintain an efficient pattern of your daily functioning. The time and effort you invest in this business are rewarding.

Certifications and degrees (the genuine ones) will help your practice as well.

They give the validation you need to be an authority in your field. Your clients gain an assurance as well. You can have a separate practice too.

If it's difficult at first, join organizations or groups of hypnotherapy practice.

Many hypnotherapists start out as alternative healthcare practitioners. You could teach Yoga, meditation, dance along with Hypnotherapy.

There are dentists who have become hypnotherapists!

Sell Hypnotherapy as a solution to some of the most common mental illnesses of today.

You see what I did there?

Here a good example of advertising Hypnotherapy as a solution:

Being a hypnotherapist means your appearance matters. Aside from having to look professional, credible, and trustworthy,  you have to provide your clients the right kind of hypnotherapist work environment. The aesthetics of your wardrobe and your office space help here.

Your patients will approach your service if they feel they can trust you.

The Right Reasons for Becoming a Hypnotherapist

To become a hypnotherapist you need to know what exactly the subconscious mind is all about.

Hypnotherapy has the ability to change a person’s life. This responsibility lies in your hands.

Hypnotherapy is gaining popularity because it works! It has a higher chance of a positive outcome.

This is one of the main reasons why Hypnotherapy is a rewarding profession. It is satisfying to cure a patient of their fears.

This feeling helps you manage the responsibility of being a therapist.

Pursue this career to become a hypnotherapist. It helps you stand on your own feet and run your own business. You won this the day you decided to claim your hypnotherapy certification.

The flexible working hours are helpful. There might be days when you need a break.

You can always take a couple of days off, sit back, relax and collect your thoughts. You can get back to being yourself and helping your patients while pursuing a hypnotherapist career.

Hypnotherapy is a service to people in many ways. You are the third perspective they need. You are a guide to people who have lost their way. You will help them look for answers.

World’s Top 3 Hypnotherapists you must follow

Paul Mckenna

Paul Mckenna is a celebrity hypnotherapist. He's a coach who is also an author. He has written many books.

His topics cover curing diabetes, weight loss, smoking habits, treating anxiety and depression.

His latest book deals with trauma therapy.

He’s converted his books into audio formats as well and they’re on sale very often. Providing incentives to clients is a well-known business booster.

Here's an interesting business model. Mckenna has an app that promises change in 7 days. Time is money. The faster you get things done the better you can sell.

Susan Hepburn

Susan Hepburn is a famous celebrity hypnotherapist too. British actress Lily Allen shot to fame when she used hypnosis for weight loss.

She underwent the programme offered by Susan Hepburn.

Susan Hepburn offers a “discreet service and no-nonsense approach mixed with immense empathy”.

She has talks shows on TV and Radio and a chain of hypnotherapy clinics that help people stop smoking.

She gives two options for prospective clients. Book an appointment or buy a book: Both contribute to her finances.

Dr Nancy Irwin

Dr Nancy Irwin is a clinical psychologist and life coach. She is an incredible motivational speaker with 15 years of experience.

Her website has an eye-catching example. Simple and straightforward with compelling evidence.

She has ensured her media exposure is on a separate page.

She has books as well.