Michael Hughes
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This professional is currently not accepting new clients at this time.
This professional is currently not accepting new clients at this time.
Supervision details
June 2025 Update: Still fully booked with supervision. There are no spaces left. I’m at full capacity with supervision and more than enough to do.
Many of the therapists I have the privilege of supervising often refer to me, with much kindness, as the "oracle of knowledge” or “Mr Neuro”. I’m truly humbled by their words, as I know that I am just a part of a much larger process of learning and growth. The insights I share are built on the experiences and wisdom of so many others, and I am grateful to be in a position where I can contribute to their journey.
20 years ago, I was fortunate enough to be taught and supervised by David Newton – The father of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy who founded the Clifton Practice in Bristol and subsequently CPHT. David taught me how to get the very best from therapy practitioners and learned how to assist them with confidence/coaching to empower them to flourish and evolve. David was also an early inspiration that sparked my intensive laser-like focus towards everything neuroscience that was to become the bedrock of my clinical work for more than two decades.
Having trained in 2005, I have over 20 years direct full-time clinical experience with clients and conducted thousands of hours in the consulting room. I became a supervisor in 2010 and I have well over 15 years direct experience of supervising other therapists 1:1 or in group, as well as other supervisors and senior supervisors.
Experienced senior therapists choose to see me as their preferred supervisor because of the specific and rather eclectic way I supervise, needless to say, it is not dull or boring but erudite, fun, informative and sometimes inspiring - a similar style to how David Newton so effortlessly delivered.
15 years ago, I decided that supervision itself required updating somewhat, so I decided to bring things up to a higher standard, shortly afterwards I was approached to become Supervision Director but I respectfully declined as I was simply far too busy and it didn’t fit within my requirements for appropriate work/life balance as sacrificing my weekends and evenings wasn’t something I was remotely interested in doing. I simply disagree with my evenings and weekends being interrupted and I’m a big believer in having time off to decompress from a busy and complex caseload.
I also believe that taking adequate time-off is essential to prevent burnout. If you don’t believe burnout exists in therapy then you are simply misguided and mistaken. Burnout exists but pretending it doesn’t is simply naïve and it’s certainly not healthy. One needs to have adequate awareness for appropriate self-care practices for the benefit of yourself as a therapist and for your clients to get the very best from you, as a therapist.
In the years that followed I made it my mission to continue to improve and ensure that supervision evolved to the highest standards.
Earlier in 2024 I started supervising some of the top therapists in the therapeutic world in Harley Street, UK and worldwide.
I now offer 1:1 Supervision online only - via Zoom that is booked at a prearranged time and payment in advance only. Face-to-face sessions are no longer available as in person sessions are reserved for my clients and this is non-negotiable as I no longer see any therapists for 1:1 therapy. Just online supervision. There is no provision for face-to-face in-person supervision.
Fees
Prepayment Supervision Fees for students and therapists Zoom are: 1:1, or Telephone interim support may be broken down into smaller sessions.
Once the cumulative total is 1 hour it is considered a full session and this will have used up your £60 prepayment for that hour.
Please note: I do not provide supervision or professional guidance without payment of the agreed fee in advance. Supervision is a professional service - not a free offering - and I maintain clear boundaries around this.
It's important that graduates and newly qualified therapists understand that professional knowledge and support are not complimentary. Requests for "free meetings," informal coffee chats, or unpaid guidance will not be accommodated, as I do not have the capacity to offer my time without appropriate compensation.
Supervision is not an extension of your course or diploma; it is a paid professional relationship. For over twenty years, I have always invested in my own supervision, and I expect those I supervise to do the same.
The knowledge, skill, and experience I offer as a supervisor constitute a business service and will be treated with the same professionalism and respect.
Supervision Fee £60 I previously provided group supervision but this is not something that I currently offer. This was retracted for various reasons, mainly due to its huge success but I became far too busy.
I still partake in offering 1:1 online and phone supervision to a select few senior therapist practitioners, other supervisors and other senior supervisors that I have chosen to work with but applications for new graduates or therapists who are seeking supervision with me are currently closed as I’m simply far too busy.
All good wishes,
Michael
Michael Hughes
BA (HONS) HPD, DHP, MNCH (ACC SUP HYP), CBT HYP, SFBT HYP, SFBT SUP HYP, SQHP (Senior Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice). Senior Clinical Hypnotherapist, Senior Psychotherapist, Senior Accredited Clinical Hypnotherapist Supervisor and Talking Therapies Supervisor. Established 2005. 20 years of direct clinical experience. 15 years experience of supervising other therapists in clinical practice. Mobile: 0796712293. Face to face in Bristol and now also part of the team at one of the top UK clinics in Harley Street, London. Supervisor & Mentor to the top Senior therapists in the UK and abroad.
Contact hours - strictly 9 am to 5 pm Mon to Fri only. I do not provide an out-of-hours service and will not respond evenings or weekends as the time to decompress from a complex caseload is essential.
Update: June 2025 : I now only supervise other senior hypnotherapists/senior psychotherapists and these are only accepted on a case-by-case basis due to the very busy nature of my client caseload.
Please note that working with me is a selective process. This is not simply a matter of enquiry followed by automatic acceptance. I evaluate each potential collaboration carefully, and I expect the same level of mindfulness in return.
If you are not yet at a senior level in the profession, or if you require regular contact during evenings, weekends, or bank holidays, then - respectfully - you may need to seek a supervisor better suited to those needs. This is not negotiable.
Clear boundaries are essential to the way I work. My phone is turned off and put away during evenings, weekends, and public holidays. This practice is grounded in current neuroscience, which shows that constant digital alertness and hypervigilance dysregulate the nervous system. We did not evolve to be in a state of continual responsiveness, and I believe in working in ways that support both mental health and professional effectiveness.
Hypnotherapists may become members of the General Hypnotherapy Register if they satisfy certain criteria with regard to both training and ongoing requirements as determined from time to time by the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (GHSC).
Members are either registered at Practitioner status (which confirms that the GHR acknowledges their qualification to practice), or Affiliate status. Although Affiliate level registrants will have completed a sufficient number of training hours to equip them to commence seeing clients on a limited basis, the GHR does not acknowledge them to have yet been trained to full practitioner level.
All GHR Registered Practitioners are required to accept the published Code of Ethics and Complaints & Disciplinary Procedure.
The National Council for Hypnotherapy holds one of the largest registers of independent Hypnotherapists in the United Kingdom and strives to maintain the highest standards among its members.
There is an agreed Code of Conduct, an established Complaints & Disciplinary Procedure and all members are obliged to maintain comprehensive Public Liability & Professional Indemnity Insurance, maintain regular CPD (continuing professional development) hours, and attend Supervision when needed.
The CNHC encompasses many types of alternative therapy, including hypnotherapy.
In order to be admitted to the register a practitioner must have studied to the National Occupational Standards for that profession/discipline, or have reached the equivalent of the National Occupational Standards through other relevant training or at least three years of experience and been assessed by their peers.
A practitioner must also have professional insurance and agree to abide by the CNHC Code of Conduct, Performance and Ethics.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
