Hypnotherapy online: How to prepare

In all the time that I have been in practice, I have provided therapy via Skye or Zoom. For me, it's not a new thing. But for many of you reading this, who might not have experienced hypnotherapy before, online hypnotherapy will be a completely new experience.

Why choose hypnotherapy online?

It's fair to say that many clients prefer to come to my therapy room. For one thing, they know they will not be disturbed, and feel less inhibited in my environment than in their own.

As long as you have a place where you can talk undisturbed, and have an internet connection - you can receive therapy almost anywhere.

So, why would someone choose hypnotherapy via Zoom? When you choose a course of hypnotherapy with someone like me, you often find that there is a great degree of flexibility - as long as you have a place where you can talk undisturbed, and have an internet connection - you can receive therapy almost anywhere.

I have provided therapy to people all over the UK, Europe and South America in parks, car parks and lay-bys, to clients in their place of work, and in their homes, all through the internet. Many of those who have left reviews are actually clients that I have worked with remotely.

Some approaches to hypnotherapy are better suited to online working than others. Kinetic Shift, for example, is very well suited to online working. Indeed, online sessions need not be limited to hypnotherapy alone. Many other hypnotherapists like myself, also use things like Emotional Freedom Technique, NLP or Brain Working Recursive Therapy (BWRT®) during online therapy sessions. 

7 easy ways to prepare for online therapy

It is very simple, but there are one or two things that you might need to consider.

1. You will need to be able to find a place and time where you will not be disturbed for the duration of the session.
2. You will need to switch off your mobile phone and close social media apps like WhatsApp, Facebook and anything else that might distract you with notifications.
3. If there are others in the building, you will need to know that you can speak as freely as if you were in my therapy room.
4. You will need to tell others that you must not be disturbed for the duration of the session. This might mean arranging childcare.
5. If your internet is flakey it is a good idea to turn off any devices that might be connected to your wifi to ensure the best signal.
6. You will provide me with a telephone number in case the connection drops and the name of someone who I can call should you require it.
7. Test your microphone and speakers before the session.

What about support between sessions?

Most therapists are happy to offer a certain level of additional support between sessions. There will of course be a broad variation between clients' needs and what is suitable for the therapist. You should discuss this at the start with your therapist to establish the 'ground rules'. 

Where appropriate I provide 'homework' and self-help practices (for example self-hypnosis recordings) that can be used between sessions and help speed up the process and keep the momentum going. 

How do I pay?

You would need to discuss that with your therapist. But make sure any form of payment is secure. I accept payment through iZettle, bank transfer or PayPal. Your therapist is likely to have similarly secure arrangements for receiving fees. 

A final word

Apart from the obvious difference between therapy in-person and online, it should be just as easy, and just as effective.