Many people seem to think that it is only possible to make a part time living out of being a Hypnotherapist. The main argument for this seems to be that it is too difficult to find enough clients to sustain a full time practice. This has not been my experience and I know many colleagues who have built equally busy practices.

Having the Right Tools:

Of course finding clients, as with any business, is often the biggest challenge a Hypnotherapist may face, especially to begin with. However, with commitment and a willingness to learn three or four marketing tools (at CPHT we include marketing modules on our course) it is eminently possible to build a very busy practice.

Using Hypnotherapy With Those With Clinical Conditions:

In addition, Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy is a modern approach which does not just try and use hypnosis as a magic wand for everything. There are some traditional forms of Hypnotherapy which rely very heavily on hypnosis and suggestion therapy in order to help people. This traditional form of Hypnotherapy may promise to fix conditions within a very short number of sessions (perhaps in as few as three or four). Some conditions can indeed be helped with only a few sessions. Specific fears and phobias can be dealt with in handful of sessions. Helping someone stop smoking in just one 90 minute to two-hour session is also possible.

However, we know that clinical conditions such IBS, anxiety, panic attacks, depression and addiction (to name just a few) can rarely be miraculously overcome in one to four sessions. To suggest so would be to misunderstand the nature of these debilitating conditions. On our hypnotherapy training course we train our students to help people who suffer with these conditions whilst making it clear that in order to do so customers will have to come and see them for ten to twelve sessions and sometimes more than that. This is still extremely brief when you think that some people might see a talking therapist for many years.

Restrictions on Who Can Have Hypnotherapy:

I have also met some Hypnotherapists who have been told by their training schools not to treat people who are taking certain medications, such as anti depressants. At any one time up to 50% of my current clients are taking some kind of anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication. I can see how this would handicap a new Hypnotherapist in trying to build a full time practice. Fortunately, I trained with CPHT, where I was equipped to deal effectively with people who are on these medications. It is often these people who need our help the most so it is nice not to have to turn them away.

Success Attracts:

Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy also has a remarkable success record. And when something works the word soon gets around about it, which makes marketing easier and your client list longer.

So perhaps the reason Solution-Focused Hypnotherapists can build full time careers, out of doing something they love, is because they are able to treat more people, for more sessions, more effectively than those hypnotherapists who seem to think that it is only possible to do it part time.