In this blog, we’re going to be covering some of the most common questions about how to become a certified hypnotherapist, and answering these FAQs in short, bite-size chunks.
Do I need any previous training/experience to become a hypnotherapist?
The shortest answer to this question is, no! You don’t need any previous training, experience or qualifications to become a hypnotherapist. You can join a hypnotherapy course with absolutely zero experience… even if you’ve never been hypnotised yourself!
That said, if you do have related training or experience in the realms of; therapy, counseling, hypnosis, mental health, linguistics, meditation, and complementary or alternative therapies, these resources can be helpful additions to what you will learn during your hypnotherapy training, and can be added to your ‘hypnotherapy toolkit’.
Similarly, if you have experience in business management, marketing, customer relations, advertising, administrative work, etc., you will also find these resources will help you with the ‘business side’ of running a successful hypnotherapy practice.
What skills or qualities do I need to become a good hypnotherapist?
There are no mandatory skills that are required for you to become a hypnotherapist. Like any other profession, hypnotherapy is something that almost anyone can learn.
Sure, you need to have a decent grasp of communication and the language that you speak, but you don’t need to be a linguistic scholar. You don’t even really need a huge vocabulary! The key thing is that you are able to understand how language works and how to communicate relatively well, so that you are able to begin creating effective hypnotic suggestions.
In terms of qualities that -could- also be helpful as a hypnotherapist (but aren’t mandatory), there’s; empathy, compassion, emotional intelligence, high ethical standards, logic, creativity, flexibility, critical thinking, story-telling skills, active listening, the ability to read body language, persuasiveness, and the list goes on.
The one thing I will say, above all others, that makes a truly great hypnotherapist, is someone who truly has a passion for the subject, and a desire for helping others. If you have those things, then you’re already off to an amazing start!
What hypnotherapy qualification should I look for?
There are many hypnotherapy qualifications out there, and a lot of ‘non-qualifications’ too. By non-qualifications, I mean either courses that do not offer a certificate, or courses where the certificate you gain is not recognised as an industry-standard. Many ‘hypnotherapy qualifications’ out there fall into this category, and for lack of a better phrase, are not worth the paper they are printed on.
Don’t be blindsided by how ‘fancy’ a certificate sounds either. Some ‘diploma’ courses teach less than some courses that don’t even offer a qualification. In fact, we wrote a blog on that topic too!
So, if looking purely from a perspective of, “what is the best qualification/certificate?”, and “is it a well recognised industry-standard qualification? “, then we would recommend the National Guild of Hypnotist (NGH) certificate. In fact, we don’t just recommend it, we offer this certificate ourselves within our own hypnotherapy training course, because it is one of the most well recognised and respected hypnotherapy qualifications in the world.
Both Kate and myself are proud to be a part of the most long-standing, and largest network of hypnotherapists in the world. And as hypnotherapists certified by the NGH ourselves, we would definitely 100% recommend the NGH certification.
For more information on different qualifications and titles, such as certificate, diploma,
Does my hypnotherapy course need to be ‘accredited’?
The short answer is “no, but…”
It is not a legal requirement (in the UK at least) for a hypnotherapy course to be externally accredited. However, being a professional hypnotherapist is easier when you are given access to support and additional resources. Training that is accredited gives you these things, via the professional accreditation organisations. So, although it’s not necessary or mandatory, it can be worth considering a course that allows you to join a well-respected professional body, in order to gain their benefits.
As an example, not only is our course certified by the NGH (meaning you get 1 years NGH membership included, and can choose to renew if you enjoy their benefits), but we are also externally accredited by the FHT (Federation of Holistic Therapists), as well as the ACCPH (Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists & Hypnotherapists). It’s always good to have choices, and lots of options for additional support, we think!
What do I need to learn on a hypnotherapy course?
From course to course, you may be offered very different things in terms of content/syllabus. This is even true from providers offering the same qualification, including the NGH certification (as mentioned in the question above).
Some trainers/schools teach whatever they want, with no regard to a broader recognition of just how much more they could be including in their trainings. Unfortunately, this type of course is often lacking, and leaves students with holes in their knowledge and practical understanding of hypnotherapy.
Some courses consist of the ‘bare minimum’ in order to meet certain standards or criteria. This is better, but not all ‘certifying bodies’ have the same depth and breadth of qualification standards. So, it’s better, from the perspective of someone who wants a successful career as a hypnotherapist, to search for a course that covers as many of the core hypnotherapy skills as possible.
In short, what -we- think should be included on a comprehensive hypnotherapy course, would be the following:
- Theory about hypnosis and how/why it works
- Theory about hypnotherapy and how/why it works
- The pre-hypnosis/client intake process
- Creating hypnotic suggestions and metaphors
- Behavioural hypnotherapy approaches and theory
- Cognitive hypnotherapy approaches and theory
- Analytical hypnotherapy approaches and theory
- Regression hypnotherapy approaches and theory
- Teaching self-hypnosis and setting client homework
- The business of hypnotherapy
- Ethics
There are other, smaller topics that may also be incorporated, but this list contains all of the key things that you really need to learn to be a true professional hypnotherapist. They’re certainly included within our own hypnotherapy training! For more information on the above list, check out this blog.
What happens during a hypnotherapy course?’
Any hypnotherapy course worth its salt will incorporate both theory and practical development opportunities. Just as you can’t learn to drive a car by reading a book about it, with hypnotherapy, you also need to get practice doing it! That said, you do also need the theory side of things too!
So, look for a blended learning approach. Your course should include theoretical information, such as course notes and lecture videos. It should give you a chance to learn about the practical skills, with scripts, breakdowns of how they work, and demonstrations of the techniques in action. It must include homework activities, so that you can put what you’re learning into practice.
If a course doesn’t include all of those elements, then you’re not going to get the full picture, and you might be left with defecits. So, make sure to do your research before you commit to a course. You can always ask the provider/tutors directly (and should be able to). This will also give you a good opportunity to interact with the people who will be teaching you, so you can find out if they’re going to be a good fit …and more importantly, that they actually know what they’re talking about!
How do I choose the right hypnotherapy course and teachers?
As mentioned above, courses can vary, content can be dramatically different, and so can the delivery of the course materials. So, as well as checking that the course meets or exceeds the criteria mentioned in the last two questions, you need to take a closer look at the tutors themselves.
We recommend that if you can’t find information about the person who’s going to be teaching you, then that’s an immediate red flag.
Take a moment now, if you like, and Google either myself (Rory Z Fulcher) or Dr Kate Beaven-Marks. You will see that we are very visible online, and we have a range of hypnosis resources out there too. From numerous well-rated books on Amazon, through to YouTube videos with cumulative views in the 7-figures, and all of our blog posts and info on our website(s) too… It is quite apparent (hopefully) that we know what we are doing when it comes to hypnosis, hypnotherapy and training!
So vet your trainers. Make sure you are being trained by an expert, and not just someone who fell into teaching hypnotherapy because of that old adage; those who can do, those who can’t teach! You want to make sure that your trainers are not only great at teaching (and qualified to teach), but are also skilled hypnotherapists in their own rights!
How long does it take to learn hypnotherapy?
This question is like asking, how long is a ball of string? There are training options of various durations out there. Some are intensive courses, as short as a couple of days. Some are courses that last for years. So where’s the sweet spot? Well, to some extent, that depends on you…
Consider how you learn, as well as how much time you have available to both learn and practice. Consider how your memory works best, as well as your life situation/available time, and what’s going to help you to retain everything that you learn.
The way our course is structured incorporates online learning, that you can do at your own speed, along with fortnightly live training sessions on Zoom, over the course of a few months. By spreading out the training a little, like this, we have found that our students are better able to fit learning into their schedule. By ensuring the gaps in between live sessions aren’t too long, this reduces ‘skill fade’, and builds a deeper theoretical understanding of how hypnotherapy works. Couple that with practical homework activities, and you’re onto a winning formula for becoming a great hypnotherapist.
Can you become a certified hypnotherapist online?
Yes, you can become a hypnotherapist online, and gain a recognised qualification. However, the caveat is, that your learning and your student experience will not simply be transmitted online, and then work for you, without any effort. Like learning any new skill, you have to put in the work, the practice, and the time.
To master any skill, it is said, takes thousands of hours, and it goes without saying, you are unlikely to find (or need) a hypnotherapy course of that length. So, if you want to master hypnotherapy, first you have to learn it, and then you need to practice, practice and practice some more. As with any ‘therapy’, the real learning happens when you start working with clients. This is why, as standard with our course, we offer ongoing mentoring, support and supervision.
What does it cost to become a certified hypnotherapist?
As with duration, syllabus, trainers, etc., hypnotherapy course costs vary dramatically. So, cost can depend on many factors. There are ‘short courses’ out there that can be relatively inexpensive, but may be lacking in robustness. On the other side, there are courses that will cost upwards of 5-figures!
It is worth comparing what is covered on a course with the course fee that you will pay. Consider what you will get from it, in terms of content, practical skills, qualification, ongoing support, and anything else mentioned in this blog that you feel is an important consideration.
How much could I earn as a hypnotherapist?
The earning potential for hypnotherapists is huge. However, not all hypnotherapists will earn a huge amount of money.
You might be wondering why I would be so honest, considering we would obviously like to convince people to sign up to our hypnotherapy course. Well, the answer is transparency and honesty. As a hypnotherapy training provider, our aim is to ensure that you are given enough of the facts to determine whether a career in hypnotherapy is right for you.
So, yes, you have the potential to earn a very decent wage as a hypnotherapist. But, it’s not just going to happen overnight. And it’s not going to happen without you putting in the work – both therapy work, and business-development work.
As a hypnotherapist, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to charge £100 for a hypnotherapy session. Many hypnotherapists in the UK do. Some charge more, some charge less. But assuming £100 is the fee you set, here’s what you might earn with the following weekly numbers of clients:
- 5 clients per week @ £100 per session = £24,000 per year
- 7 clients per week @ £100 per session = £33,600 per year
- 10 clients per week @ £100 per session = £48,000 per year
To get to the point where you are consistently seeing 10+ clients per week is unlikely to happen immediately (unless you are a business whizz). But it definitely is achievable, but you need to learn how to do it! The business of hypnotherapy, as well as marketing yourself as a hypnotherapist, is something that we cover on our NGH Hypnotherapy Certification course, as well as in some of our short courses and blog posts too!
How do I get started in a career as a hypnotherapist?
The starting point is entirely up to you… You might consider that having read this blog, you have already started your journey. So, where do you go from here?
Well, you could dip your toes in the water by reading a bunch of free hypnosis blogs, to really get a feel for whether hypnotherapy is going to be a good fit for you…
You might take it a step further, and grab some hypnotherapy books, to dive deeper into the topic, at a low cost…
Maybe a short (non-certificate) course, such as our Hypnotherapy 101 course could be your intermediary step, to really get into it, before committing to your full hypnotherapy practitioner training…
And then, when you’re ready to commit, and to gain the skills and qualifications to set you up for a career as a hypnotherapist, book yourself a place on as good a quality hypnotherapy course as you can find. If you’d like more information about our NGH Certification course, you can find all of the details by clicking here.
We hope you’ve found this blog helpful, and that it enables you to move forwards towards becoming a qualified hypnotherapist. If you have any more questions about this topic, our training course, or anything else hypnosis-related for that matter, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help! Otherwise, if you’d like to learn more about our range of hypnosis and hypnotherapy courses, click here.
– written by Rory Z Fulcher
(Hypnosis-Courses.com Trainer)
