Frequently asked questions

If you’re intrigued by the idea of hypnotherapy but aren’t 100% sure what it is, or what it involves - you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re keen to quit smoking, ease anxiety or encourage healthy habits, hypnotherapy could well help.

Here we’ll go through some frequently asked questions to help you understand what hypnotherapy is, how it can help and how to find a hypnotherapist.

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a form of therapy that uses the power of suggestion to encourage positive change. A hypnotherapist will use relaxation techniques to help you reach a state where the conscious part of your mind is relaxed and your subconscious part is more open to suggestion.

They will then use suggestion techniques (where they ‘talk’ to your subconscious) to help encourage the change you’re looking for.  

Are there different types of hypnotherapy?

There are many different approaches and techniques used by hypnotherapy professionals - some of which may be more suitable for you than others. Your therapist may have trained in a specific type of hypnotherapy, or they may have studied a number of different approaches. It’s possible that they may have also crossed over into other disciplines, such as counselling, or complementary therapies.

We would advise taking the time to do a little research. As a client, it’s not necessary for you to understand the different types of hypnotherapy before your treatment. But, having a little insight can ease your mind and make you feel more relaxed about the experience.

What will happen in a hypnotherapy session?

Many hypnotherapists now offer an initial consultation, generally lasting around one hour and usually involving several elements:

• A discussion about your requirements and goals.
• Gathering personal information such as sleeping patterns, lifestyle information, medical symptoms or medication, any treatments involving other healthcare providers.
• An explanation of how the hypnotherapy process will work.
• Practical details such as cost, cancellation policy, how many sessions might be needed.

After your consultation, your session can begin. While the way your session works may differ from therapist to therapist (each will explain how the process will work), the following typical session structure gives you an idea of what to expect:

• A welcome chat where you can ask any other questions you have and get comfortable.
• Induction. The hypnotherapist will lead you into a state of deep physical and mental relaxation.
• Once deeply relaxed, the hypnotherapist can then begin 'change work' using techniques and approaches discussed and agreed to help you towards your goals.
• Once the 'change work' is complete, the hypnotherapist will begin the transition to wakefulness, in which you are gradually brought out of your trance.
• Time for any questions you may have, a summary of the session and progress made so far.

Does hypnotherapy work?

Hypnosis has the capacity to work for most people but some are more susceptible to suggestion than others. Being fully committed to the process and feeling that you can trust your hypnotherapist is key. It's also important to keep an open mind, as any scepticism may subconsciously dampen your susceptibility.

- Read Kev's story

What can hypnotherapy help with?

Hypnotherapy is especially helpful for habit breaking, stress-related issues and for a range of long-term conditions. In recent years the approach has been gaining steam in the medical world after a recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recognised hypnotherapy as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

To explore the areas in which hypnotherapy might be helpful, please see our Hypnotherapy areas section.

How do I find a hypnotherapist?

In the top left-hand corner of this page, you’ll see a box that says ‘Find a hypnotherapist near you’. All you have to do is type in your postcode, town or county and hit the search icon. This will take you to a list of all hypnotherapists working in your area. To find out more about each hypnotherapist, simply click on their name. This will take you to their profile, where you can find contact details, price lists and a description of who they are, what they do and how they can help you.

If you have a specific area of focus you want a hypnotherapist to help you with, use our advanced search which will help you narrow down your search results.

How many sessions of hypnotherapy will I need?

The duration of therapy will really be dependant on your circumstances and the reason for which you are seeking hypnosis. If you are seeking hypnosis for a one-off service such as smoking cessation, for example, some hypnotherapists will deliver hypnotherapy in a single session of up to two hours.

Other issues, however, may require a longer-term approach with regular weekly sessions. Your hypnotherapist will let you know how many sessions they feel you might need when you start therapy and will be flexible when it comes to decreasing or extending the number of sessions according to your progress and needs.

How long will hypnotherapy sessions last?

Again this is really dependant on both your hypnotherapist and your circumstances. One off services such as smoking cessation or gastric band hypnotherapy can last around two hours, while a general hypnotherapy session will usually take 50 - 60 minutes.

Can I get hypnotherapy on the NHS?

Access to hypnotherapy on the NHS is incredibly limited and while you can discuss the option with your healthcare provider, it’s not widely available and the majority of practitioners work privately.

Is hypnotherapy for children safe?

Hypnotherapy for children and young people is considered both effective and safe. Children tend to respond very well to hypnosis as they are naturally quite imaginative and use their subconscious minds a great deal more than adults do. Hypnotherapy can help to address a number of issues commonly experienced in childhood, including exam stress, sleep problems, bed-wetting, phobias and low self-esteem.

What training, qualifications and experience should hypnotherapists have?

There are currently no guidelines in place stipulating the training and qualifications a hypnotherapist must have in order to practice. However, industry guidelines recommend that individuals should have completed at least an appropriate diploma or have completed a course that involved a minimum of 450 learning hours, of which 120 must have been face-to-face.

Here at Hypnotherapy Directory, all members are checked to ensure they meet our proof policy so you can be assured they have appropriate training. We do however always recommend you carry out your own research and ask about qualifications and insurance before starting hypnotherapy sessions.

How can I train to become a hypnotherapist?

Making the decision to become a hypnotherapist can quickly turn from exciting to overwhelming when you discover the number of training courses available. To help you shift back to excitement, we’ve put together a training page with a few pointers on what to look for in a course and professional organisation.

We’ve also listed some training affiliate organisations that run courses that will enable you to join Hypnotherapy Directory once completed to help get your business off to a flying start.

More questions?

If you have a question we haven't covered in our FAQs, please get in touch.