Hypnotherapy 101 Course

• About your trainers
• Motivation for becoming a hypnotherapist
• Course overview

Detailed overview:

In the first section, you’ll find out more information about us – Kate and Rory – your hypnotherapy trainers, and why we’re qualified to teach you hypnotherapy. The next topic covered in this section is ‘why do you want to be a hypnotherapist?’, where you’ll learn a bit more about what hypnotherapy can be used for and some of the additional benefits that you get from becoming a hypnotherapist. Finally, we break down exactly what’s going to be covered during this hypnotherapy training course, to prepare you for all the information and topics that you’re going to learn about.

• Hypnotic terminology
• Hypnosis myths
• The conscious & subconscious mind
• History of hypnosis

Detailed overview:

In module 2, you’re going to be learning all about ‘the basics’, the foundation knowledge that you need in place in order to go on to be a successful hypnotherapist.

Firstly, you’ll learn about key terms used in hypnotherapy and what they all mean. For example, did you know you experience a ‘hypnoidal state’ numerous times each day? This section is supported by an extensive ‘glossary of terms’ in the course training manual.

Next, you’ll learn about hypnosis myths and misconceptions. This is important, because your hypnotherapy clients will sometimes come to you with unrealistic or unhelpful expectations about hypnotherapy and what they think is going to happen. These common myths are often based on the media’s often sensational portrayal of hypnosis in TV shows and movies. Getting any myths dealt with before a hypnotherapy session is an integral part of the pre-session process and will ensure that your session runs as smoothly as possible!

We then come onto the conscious and subconscious mind, giving you an overview of how your mind works and how hypnosis works with the mind, as well as a brief history of hypnosis, taking you back to 4,000+ years ago to the ancient sleep temples of Egypt, all the way through to hypnosis in the modern world. It’s a great idea to get an understanding of the history of hypnosis, because many of the highly effective hypnosis approaches and therapy techniques that we use today were developed many years ago!

• What are hypnotic phenomena?
• Types of hypnotic phenomena
• How to use hypnotic phenomena in the hypnotherapy session

Detailed overview:

Hypnotic phenomena, what does that mean? Well, it refers to the many different interesting things that you can get clients to experience using hypnosis. There are phenomena relating to the client’s subjective experience of time and that let them re-experience past events, phenomena that effect memory, that change physical sensations, there are movement-based phenomena (such as automatic writing), hallucinations, and post-hypnotic suggestion (which means having your client respond to your suggestions after the hypnotherapy session has concluded).

Almost all of the different types of hypnotic phenomena can be successfully utilised within the hypnotherapy session. So, learning how you can apply them is an integral part of your initial hypnotherapy training.

• Client contra-indications
• Informed consent
• How to deal with abreactions
• Hypnotherapy ethics

Detailed overview:

Client safety should always be a hypnotherapist’s number one priority. So, in this section you’re going to learn how to be a safe, ethical and professional hypnotherapist.

Contra-indications are the first topic, and this simply means you’ll learn about who not to hypnotise. There are certain medical conditions, medications and other factors that can influence both the safety and the effectiveness of hypnotherapy. It’s worth being aware of these factors before you start working with clients, so that you’re only working with clients when it’s safe to do so.

As well as contra-indications, you’ll learn about different types of consent and how (and why) to get consent from your hypnotherapy clients.

We then come onto ‘abreactions’ and how to deal with clients that have unexpected reactions to hypnosis or during the hypnotherapy session. You’ll learn a really simple way to deal with abreactions, whilst ensuring that your client is safe and supported.

Finally, we end this section with ethics. As you are going to be working with real clients that have real problems and real emotions, it’s important that you learn exactly what to do in order to be a safe and ethical hypnotherapy practitioner. So, you’ll learn how to act professionally and appropriately with your hypnotherapy clients, as well as being ethical whilst running your hypnotherapy business.

• The hypnotherapy process
• How to plan your hypnotherapy sessions

Detailed overview:

Module 5 of the Hypnotherapy 101 training course is where we start focusing on the hypnotherapy process itself. A hypnotherapy session isn’t just about hypnotising someone, giving them some hypnotic suggestions and then waking them up (though those are 3 important parts)! Learning what’s included in an effective therapy process and how to structure those elements within your hypnotherapy session will set you up with a solid session plan.

By structuring your session, you’ll know exactly what you’re planning to do with your client, and where you’re going after each step of the process. As well as that, having a pre-set structure for your session helps keep you on track so that you won’t overrun on your session time! Obviously, when you become a hypnotherapist, you’ll want your hypnotherapy sessions to run as smoothly as possible, and for your clients to see you as the consummate professional. By planning your session, you’ll be much closer towards achieving that goal.

• The importance of the initial consultation
• What information you need from the client
• How to create a bespoke therapy session

Detailed overview:

The client consultation/intake process is probably one of the most important parts of the hypnotherapy session, right up there with the actual therapy techniques themselves! In module 6, you’ll learn why the consultation process is so important, as well as what information you need to get from your client before the hypnosis process begins.

As well as getting the clients contact info and relevant personal/lifestyle information, you’ll also learn how to get specific information about their problem/issue and their therapy goal. By doing this, you’ll have all the information you need in order to create a bespoke plan for every individual client that you see.

It goes without saying that knowing exactly what you’re working on is the best way of providing a therapy session that’s highly focused and as effective as possible. By taking a thorough case history and tailoring your session to each client, you will be offering a truly valuable service, and will be many steps ahead of those hypnotherapists that aren’t taught how to get client information!

• Solution-focused therapy
• Setting client goals
• How to create SMART goals

Detailed overview:

As you might have realised, we already mentioned goals in the previous section. However, setting therapy goals with your clients is an integral part of the pre-hypnosis process. Now, if you let your clients come up with their own goals, they’d often be unrealistic or even unachievable. By having a goal that works for the client and that is realistic for them, they will be much more likely to stick to the therapy process and get to where they want to be!

As a hypnotherapist, the goals that you set need to be individually designed for each one of your clients, because all clients are different. You may get a number of clients come to you with the same problem – stress, for example – yet it may turn out that they all have very different therapy goals. This is because ‘the problem’ is not just the problem, it comes down to how the client is personally affected and how they would prefer things to be.

As well as making your hypnotherapy goals specific to your client’s needs and ensuring that they’re actually achievable, your goals also need to be designed in a way that a client can keep track of, so they can measure their own success. This makes them a part of their own therapy process and keeps them accountable to themselves.

Our aim as solution-focused hypnotherapists is to empower clients to move towards a solution to their problems, rather than focusing on just ‘reducing the problem’, and this is where goal setting comes into its own.

• Preparing yourself for the therapy session
• Preparing your therapy environment
• Preparing your client for success

Detailed overview:

Module 8 of this hypnotherapy training course is all about preparation, and getting ready to hypnotise your clients. The first thing you need to prepare is yourself, ensuring that your skills are on point, and that you’re confident about everything that you’re doing. Next, and equally importantly, you need to prepare the client for a successful hypnotherapy session. To do this, you’re going to learn how to deliver an amazing hypnosis pre-talk, where you educate the client about hypnosis, dispel any myths or misconceptions they might have, and generally put them at ease with the whole process (and with you as the hypnotherapist)! Finally, you need to prepare your hypnosis environment so that clients feel comfortable, and so that you have as much control as possible over what happens whilst you’re engaging in the hypnotherapy session.

• The importance of suggestibility tests
• How to test hypnotic suggestibility
• 3 different suggestibility tests:
  – The lemon suggestibility test
  – The magnetic fingers suggestibility test
  – The eye lock suggestibility test

Detailed overview:

Before you start hypnotising clients, it’s a great idea to figure out how suggestible said clients are, as this will likely have bearing on what you do in your hypnotherapy session. Module 9 will help you with this, as you’ll learn all about suggestibility testing.

In this module, we explore why suggestibility tests are useful as well as the different categories of tests available to you. Again, as all clients are very different and they won’t necessarily respond the same way to a suggestibility test, it helps to have a number of options that you can choose from.

In this section, we’re covering 3 different suggestibility tests, and you will get to experience them for yourself, as well as seeing them demonstrated.

• How to awaken your client from hypnosis

Detailed overview:

When you learn hypnotherapy, it can be a good idea to learn how to wake up your clients before you learn how to hypnotise them. That way, when you have hypnotised them, you’ll know how to get them out of hypnosis too! So, this section is all about how to successfully awaken your client or ‘re-alert’ them from hypnosis. In general, awakening a client is relatively easy, however there are some things to consider that can make your hypnotic awakening process super effective and much safer – which your clients will definitely appreciate!

• How to hypnotise & influencing factors
• Types of hypnotic induction
• 3 different hypnotic inductions:
  – The progressive muscle relaxation induction
  – The eye fixation induction
  – The arm-pull rapid induction

Detailed overview:

Module 11 of the Hypnotherapy 101 training course is all about how to hypnotise, as well as learning about some of the different factors that can influence the hypnosis process. Again, we’re going to teach you 3 very different ‘hypnotic induction’ methods, so that you have a number of tools in your toolkit, ready for the diverse types of client that you’re going to encounter in your hypnotherapy sessions.

You’ll learn the ‘progressive muscle relaxation induction’, which is one of the most commonly used inductions by hypnotherapists – you might even say it’s the industry standard for hypnotising clients.

Next, you’ll learn a quicker induction, the ‘eye fixation induction’, which is great for clients that need more of an external focus during the induction process (which we explain in more detail on the video).

Finally, you’ll learn a very fast induction, known as the ‘arm pull induction’. This super quick rapid induction involves giving your client a physical shock in order to get them into hypnosis, and it’s highly effective and can save a lot of session time too!

• How to deepen & intensify the hypnotic state
• Manipulating distractions
• 6 different deepeners:
  – The breathing deepener
  – The numbers & colours countdown deepener
  – The blackboard countdown deepener
  – The rocking deepener
  – The fractionation deepener
  – The special place deepener

Detailed overview:

Once you’ve created the state of hypnosis in your client, you then need to ‘deepen’, increase or intensify that state, so that they’re more receptive to the therapy suggestions that are to come. And guess what? As well as teaching you how to judge the depth of hypnosis that your client is experiencing, and how to ‘manipulate distractions’ (dealing with any interruptions and external noises during the session), we’re giving you 6 different hypnotic state deepeners that you can use with your hypnotherapy clients! These powerful techniques are a fantastic way to ensure that you can get your clients into a deep level of hypnosis, ready for change!

• Types of hypnotherapy
• Behavioural hypnotherapy approaches
• Cognitive hypnotherapy approaches
• Analytical hypnotherapy approaches
• Regressive hypnotherapy approaches

Detailed overview:

Before we teach you some specific hypnotherapy techniques, first we teach you what types of approaches are out there. All hypnotherapy techniques fit into just a couple of different categories, these are behavioural, cognitive, analytical and regressive. It’s useful to learn about these key concepts so that you know how best to structure your hypnotherapy session in a way that’s least intrusive and most effective for each client. So, in this section, we look at those 4 different types of hypnotherapy approach, exactly what they entail, and when you should use each.

• How to create bespoke hypnotic suggestions
• How to do hypnotherapy without scripts
• Types of hypnotic suggestions

Detailed overview:

Hypnotic suggestion is a fundamental part of the hypnotherapy process. When you train as a hypnotherapist, this is one of the skills that, if you learn to do it effectively, will put you head and shoulders above many of your competitors. Lots of hypnotherapists are not taught how to develop their own hypnotic suggestions, and rely on ‘hypnosis scripts’ that other hypnotherapists have written. Unfortunately, relying on scripts is limiting, as those scripts are not ‘universal’ and won’t necessarily work for each individual client. So, being able to craft and create your own hypnotic suggestions (and your own scripts!) is a key skill if you want to become a professional hypnotherapist.

In this module, you’ll learn about the various applications of suggestions and what your suggestions can be used to achieve. You will also learn about the 2 main types of suggestions – direct and indirect – and the different components of each. Finally, we cover a number of different types of indirect suggestions, including:

• Imagination-based suggestions
• Suggestions that utilise permissiveness
• Embedded commands
• Presuppositions
• Double binds

• Metaphors as a therapeutic tool
• How to develop your own therapy metaphors
• The 5-step metaphor building technique

Detailed overview:

Metaphor is another type of indirect suggestion, but because it’s one that is so widely used in the hypnotherapy world and with so many potential applications, therapy metaphors get their very own section. In this section you’ll learn why metaphors are such an effective therapeutic tool, as well as how to develop your own therapy metaphors. We break down the metaphor creation process into a simple 5-step plan that’s easy to implement. You’ll also get an opportunity to experience a tried-and-tested therapeutic metaphor that you can then go on to use or adapt for your own clients.

• The importance of ego strengthening
• Short, direct ego strengthening approaches
• Indirect ego strengthening approaches
• Metaphorical ego strengthening:
  – The boundary technique

Detailed overview:

One of the very first therapy techniques that you’re going to learn about is ego strengthening/ego boosting. The ego strengthening process is integral for many clients that you’re going to see, and it can help to build a clients internal resources, resilience, self-esteem and their ability to believe in themselves enough to make positive changes happen in their lives.

In this module, we cover simple direct ego strengthening suggestions as well as an example of a longer ego boosting approach that utilises direct and indirect hypnotic suggestions. Also, you’ll learn the ‘boundary technique’ which is a fantastic metaphorical ego strengthening approach that you’ll be able to use with the majority of your therapy clients, no matter what the goal!

• Creating emotional state changes with hypnosis
• The balloon release technique

Detailed overview:

In module 17, you’re going to learn how to help clients to quickly and easily release their unwanted emotions using the ‘balloon release technique’. This simple, effective metaphorical technique empowers the client to take control of their emotions, giving them a way to quickly change their emotional state.

• How anchoring works
• Creating powerful state anchors
• Anchoring as a resource for clients

Detailed overview:

‘Anchoring’ is the name of a behavioural hypnotherapy technique that has various different applications in the therapy room. Quite simply, the idea is that you create a powerful link between a physical action, such as squeezing one of your fingers in a specific way, and an emotional state. So, for example, you could set up an ‘anchor’ that meant when you squeeze the ring finger of your right hand, you immediately feel highly confident!

In this section, you’re going to learn how to teach the ‘anchoring technique‘ to your clients, so that they have a useful resource that they can use whenever they’d like, to instantly change their emotional state and feel a powerful, positive emotion!

• The impact of thoughts
• Stopping unwanted thoughts with hypnosis
• The stop technique

Detailed overview:

Many clients will come to you with unhelpful thoughts about themselves, their problem or some aspect of their life. These unhelpful thoughts can be intrusive and ongoing, and can create negative beliefs or behaviours that inhibit the client from leading a happy, healthy life. In this section, you’re going to learn the ‘stop technique’, which is a fantastic cognitive hypnotherapy approach that helps clients to disengage from those unhelpful thoughts, giving them more control over the way that their mind works, and helping them make their thoughts work for them, rather than against them!

• Cognitive hypnotherapy for belief change
• How to challenge unhealthy beliefs
• The courtroom technique

Detailed overview:

As well as unhelpful thoughts, clients may also have unhealthy beliefs that negatively affect them on a day-to-day basis. There are many common unhealthy beliefs that clients experience, such as believing they don’t deserve happiness, believing they must always be perfect, believing that they must always put others before themselves, believing they’re inadequate, or even believing that they can’t change. As you may have realised, these beliefs can be very life-limiting and can cause clients to behave and think in unhelpful ways.

In this module, you’re going to learn the ‘courtroom technique’, and this cognitive hypnotherapy technique is a fantastic way of disputing a client’s unhealthy belief, whilst maintaining rapport with the client. Within this metaphorical courtroom approach, the unhealthy belief is put on trial with the client as the judge. The client is then able to get a different perspective about their belief, often realising that the belief is unhelpful, illogical and unwanted.

• Analytical/Ericksonian hypnotherapy for insight generation
• How to create subconscious changes
• The wise person technique

Detailed overview:

By this point, you’ve covered both behavioural and cognitive hypnotherapy techniques. So, module 21 is all about analytical hypnotherapy and helping the client to gain insight from their subconscious mind. Analytical approaches are great for when a client wants to know ‘why’ they do (or don’t do) something.

Many hypnotherapists realise that often the client already has the answer or solution within themselves, even if they don’t realise it. This is where analytical hypnotherapy approaches can help bring such ‘unconscious solutions’ into conscious awareness. In this section, you’re going to learn the ‘wise person’ technique, which is a fantastic metaphorical technique for generating insight and subconscious change.

• Setting a client up for success with future pacing 
• Preparing a client to overcome future challenges
• Direct & metaphorical future pacing approaches

Detailed overview:

When you do therapy work with a client, your goal is that they are going to change – not just in the session with you, but beyond the session in their life, where that change is going to have a positive impact. So, in this module of the Hypnotherapy 101 training course, you’ll learn how to prime a client to go out and actually do what they need to do in order to succeed, using future pacing.

Future pacing is an integral tool of the professional hypnotherapist, and it’s used to take a client from ‘knowing’ to ‘doing’. So, you’re going to learn how to get clients imagining their future success, seeing themselves succeeding, working towards their goal, overcoming potential challenges and experiencing the benefits of making their change happen.

As always, it’s best if a hypnotherapist is flexible, so you’re going to learn both direct and metaphorical future pacing approaches in this section.

• The importance of client homework
• Homework tasks & types
• How to create client homework

Detailed overview:

Homework! The word alone can strike dread into even the toughest individual. However, homework is a truly useful addition to the therapy process that will help your clients see even faster results! As well as that, by engaging in homework, your clients will become a part of their own therapy solution, meaning you’re priming them to be able to help themselves. Clients truly benefit from and appreciate being empowered to help make their own changes, rather than relying on someone else to do it for them. So, in this module, you’re going to learn about how to set clients homework at the right level, and you’ll find out what kind of homework tasks might be best for different types of client.

• The benefits of self-hypnosis
• When (& how) to teach your client self-hypnosis
• Self-hypnosis tasks for clients

Detailed overview:

In module 24, you’re going to learn how to teach your clients how to use self-hypnosis, so they can continue the hypnosis process themselves at home, after the therapy session is over. Self-hypnosis can be a highly effective homework task for your clients, and it’s also something that you can use yourself to make positive changes in your own life.

You’ll learn when you should or shouldn’t teach a client self-hypnosis, how to set effective, achievable tasks in self-hypnosis for your clients, as well as learning the full self-hypnosis installation process. Teaching your clients self-hypnosis truly will take your hypnotherapy sessions to the next level!

• Full hypnotherapy session demonstration

Detailed overview:

In this penultimate section, you’re going to see a full hypnotherapy session from start to finish. This will help you to take all of the building blocks of information that you’ve learned throughout the course, fit them together and put them into place. Here are all of the elements that are included within the full hypnotherapy session:

• The consultation process/client intake
• Setting a SMART goal
• The hypnosis pre-talk
• The magnetic fingers suggestibility test
• The eye-lock suggestibility test
• The progressive muscle relaxation induction
• The breathing deepener
• Manipulation of distractions
• The special place deepener
• Direct and indirect suggestions
• The balloon release technique
• The boundary technique
• Future pacing
• Awakening
• Setting homework

• Moving forwards as a professional hypnotherapist
• Additional tips

Detailed overview:

The final section brings the course to a nice conclusion with a couple of extra tips to really help you get the most from the course material. We also give you some options for ‘next steps’ towards your life as a professional hypnotherapy practitioner.