When I started looking for a hypnotherapy training school, I didn’t know what to look for. There seemed to be as many different approaches as training schools. They also all seemed to offer different qualifications. Some were accredited with this body and some with that and I became quite confused. Some offered very short courses and others offered more in depth training. Some courses were local, others only operated from London, or online.
In the end, I decided that I wanted a course that would fit my philosophy on life. One that was logical and positive while being accredited. I used to be a listener for the Samaritans. So I knew that taking people back into the negative emotions that they were feeling, only made them feel worse. For this reason, I ruled out the idea of a counselling and hypnotherapy combined approach. I then stumbled across the CPHT website and realised that everything they did had a solid foundation in Neuroscience. It was a positive, Solution-Focused approach that closely fitted my own philosophy. It used the best of NLP and as a trainer of NLP I felt reassured by that.
I then looked for a CPHT school close to home and realised that there was one almost on my doorstep in Manchester. The weekend dates suited my work schedule and I was able to pay for the course monthly. I contacted the school and was interviewed shortly afterwards.
In the interview I was asked whether I wanted to build a career as a hypnotherapist and I said yes. I was reassured by the interviewer that if that was the case then this was the course for me. That scared me to death, I wasn’t sure that I wanted a change of career. I had a very well paid job as a senior manager and although I was sick of the extensive travelling, did I really want to give up my job? Would I lose my financial security?
Despite these concerns I attended the course. I loved every weekend which amounted to 120 hours of tutor led instruction. We got to practice on colleagues, then friends and family and then real clients. This experience really gave me the confidence in my ability as a hypnotherapist. I acquired over 100 hypnotherapy hours before I’d even qualified! In addition, I was assessed practically by my trainer. I completed a written portfolio that contained a number of case studies and on completion of the course I gained 2 Diplomas. One in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy & psychotherapy from CPHT and the Hypnotherapy Practitioners Diploma from the NCH – assessed by NCFE as a level 4 qualification.
Most importantly, when I completed the course I was already seeing paying clients. Within 12 months of completing my hypnotherapy training, I became a full time hypnotherapist. I now work from 2 clinics and have around 40 ‘live clients’ on my books at any time. I love being a self-employed hypnotherapist; it has really changed my life. The amount of travel I do has reduced markedly. I have so much more freedom and flexibility in my life.
The best thing about it all is that I am helping others to achieve their goals. I love seeing the change in people as they start to get their life back on track. If you’re looking for a new career that will change your life, I believe that you’ve just found it!