Hypnotherapist
Hypnotherapists use hypnosis to help people make positive changes to their health, lifestyle and behaviour.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could:
- meet with a client to discuss their medical history and life
- suggest courses of treatment
- put your client into a hypnotic trance
- make positive suggestions and statements
- take notes and write reports on progress
Working environment
You could work in a therapy clinic, from home or at a health spa.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could move into teaching hypnotherapy techniques.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to understand people’s reactions
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be flexible and open to change
- customer service skills
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
How to become
You can get into this job through a specialist course run by a professional body.
You could do a course recognised by a professional bodies related to hypnotherapy, including:
- National Council for Hypnotherapy
- The National Hypnotherapy Society
- British Society of Clinical Hypnosis
- General Hypnotherapy Standards Council and General Hypnotherapy Register
Courses usually involve practical workshops, self-study and written assignments. You might have an advantage when applying for courses if you have a background in healthcare or counselling.
Some hypnotherapy courses are aimed at qualified psychologists or healthcare professionals. You'll need a relevant degree or professional qualification for these.
Career tips
Most hypnotherapists are self-employed so it will help if you have some experience of running a business.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join an accredited register for professional development and to make industry contacts.
Further information
You can find out more about careers in hypnotherapy from the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis.
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External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.