How can hypnotherapists help clients improve mental health?

It may surprise you to know that according to a survey report tabled in the House of Commons, 1 in 6 people in the UK aged above 16 have experienced a mental health problem at least once in the past week. The proportion is even higher in women. Prevalence has also been increasing since 1993. Yet it is only in recent years that greater attention has been given to improve mental health.

Mental health concerns are considered a global challenge. This blog delves into how hypnotherapists can help clients improve mental health. Before that, we will provide a brief glimpse into the type of mental health problems individuals commonly face.

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Mental health definition

‘Mental health’ relates to how we think, feel and behave. A definition of mental health is that it is a term given to our cognitive, behavioural and emotional wellbeing. Whether good, or poor, our mental health will influence our physical health, our daily life, and our relationships. It is normal for our mental health to vary, at times feeling brighter, at others less so. Depending on our circumstances, our work, relationships, community or society (as well as many other things) can influence us, as does our genetic makeup and how we were brought up. Just as we are able to improve our own physical health, so we can improve our mental health. For hypnotherapists, they are also able to work with clients to enable them to make positive changes and also learn how they can help themselves.

Quality of mental health

Good mental health generally helps someone feel good about their life. They can have the resilience to cope with challenges and bounce back quicker and/ or more easily.

Poor mental health can relate to anywhere from feeling a little anxious, stressed or low mood, through to a mental health disorder. Life can see more of a struggle, and new challenges can seem more problematic as a result.

Whilst we may actively work to improve our physical health, such as with a healthy diet, hydration, sleep and exercise, it seems that to improve mental health is not always considered.

Common mental health concerns

Stress

Stress is described by Mind as how someone reacts when they feel under pressure or threatened, commonly when they are in a situation that they don’t feel they can manage or control. The Health and Safety Executive have a different definition, which is particularly useful, talking of ‘the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them’. Each person will have a different limit for stress.

A survey by Statista states that 79% of the people in the UK said that they experience stress frequently. Stress leads to many health problems and costs the nation dearly, with 33% of short-term absences at work being attributed to it, according to the same survey. When clients seek hypnotherapy it tends to be for issues they are experiencing (e.g. physical or emotional symptoms) , yet working to improve mental health will be commonly part of an overall stress management strategy.

Anxiety

Anxiety is generally described as a feeling of unease, like worry or fear. This can range in intensity from mild to severe. It can very specific or generalised anxiety In addition, health-related anxiety is becoming more commonly discussed, particularly post-Covid.

Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or job interview.

Anxiety is an equally severe problem (to stress), with approximately 6.6% of people suffering from it. Anxiety, if left untreated, can lead to a whole host of problems like hypertension, digestive, respiratory, and nervous system problems. A hypnotherapist will work with a client to help them develop tools to address their present anxiety and also apply those tools to future concerns, thus developing effective coping strategies and anxiety reduction/ prevention skills.

Phobias

Harvard Medical School suggest that a phobia is a type of anxiety disorder with a persistent, excessive, unrealistic fear of an object, person, animal, activity or situation.  Commonly, someone with a phobia either tries to avoid the thing that triggers the fear, or struggles through, but with high levels of anxiety and distress.

According to some estimates by the NHS, the number of people who suffer from some type of phobia in the UK stands at 10 million. One reason why phobias are such a big problem is because they affect people across sex, social background, and age. Anyone can experience a phobia. Hypnotherapy is a superb therapy for clients who wish to improve mental health by alleviating a phobia.

Insomnia

Insomnia is often described as a common sleep disorder, where it can be hard to fall asleep or stay asleep, or someone wakes up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. People report still feeling tired when they wake up. Insomnia can lower energy and affect mood. It also can affect physical health, work performance and general quality of life.

Insomnia may be the primary issue. Or, it can be due to another mental health issue. The result of so many people suffering from mental health problems is that 1 in 3 people in the UK have experienced insomnia at one time or another. Insomnia has a cascading effect on the individual, leading to more problems like lower productivity, fatigue, mood issues, diabetes, and so on. To improve mental health with hypnotherapy, a client’s sleeping habits, behaviours and beliefs are considered and appropriate sleep hygiene developed.

Depression

Depressive disorder, or depression, is a common mental health condition that can happen to anyone. According to the World Health Organisation it is characterized by a low mood, or a loss of pleasure or interest in activities or daily life. People might experience changes to the eating habits (eat more or less) and have disturbed or unrefreshing sleep. It is estimated that more than 75% of people experiencing mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries receive no treatment.

Depression, is considered by many to be the most widely spread mental health disorder. In the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics, 1 in every 6 adults experiences it. This statistic refers to adults who experience moderate to severe symptoms. The percentage is even higher when you take mild symptoms into account. Hypnotherapy is a great approach to improve mental health for those with depression, due to the wide range of approaches a hypnotherapist can choose from. This allows for a gentle yet highly targeted approach that is sensitive to the rate of change that the client can cope with.

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

The NHS consider PTSD to be a mental health condition which results from very stressful, frightening or distressing events. People may have a range of symptoms, such as flashbacks, insomnia and nightmares, and these may have a significant impact on the person’s quality of life.

According to the World Economic Forum, in 2019 1 in 13 people in the UK were suffering from PTSD. The numbers could be higher post-Covid. Both hypnotherapy and hypno-EMDR are very helpful in addressing symptoms of trauma and giving the client coping strategies that will help them engage with their daily life.

Popular remedies to improve mental health

Counselling

Counselling is a talking therapy, focused on exploring thoughts, feelings and behaviours, in order to gain a better understanding of the self and of others. Sometimes the focus is on change, other times, it is about coping with the issues. There are many models of counselling, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Psychodynamic therapy. In the former, the therapist works to help you change how you think and behave through talking. The latter takes a therapeutic approach to discover the connection between a client’s past and present and change their mindset. Some critics of counselling suggest that insight, once gained, may not be acted upon, and that some talking therapies can also be lengthy in their duration.

Medication

Whilst prescribed medication, or over-the-counter remedies, can be used to work on the symptoms of mental health disorders, they don’t necessarily address the disorders themselves. As a result, some clients find them lacking in long-term effectiveness.

Self-medicating

Some individuals will resort to unhealthy coping strategies, such as increasing alcohol consumption, increased reliance on junk food or comfort eating, or the use of recreational drugs.

Seeking support from friends and relatives

Talking with friends and relatives about your problems will help you vent your frustration, and they might even offer a suggestion or two, but those are layman’s suggestions.
Therefore, at best, you can get a short-term reprieve from your mental health problems.

Self-Care

The mental health organisation Mind suggests that increasing self-care can have a significant impact in enhancing wellbeing and working to improve mental health. Their tips include:

• Connecting with other people
• Doing something creative
• Engaging in learning activities
• Improving sleep
• Paying attention to physical health
• Reducing stress
• Spending time in nature (also gets exercise)
• Taking time to relax

The NHS also offer some useful wellbeing enhancements suggestions, including promoting the learning of new skills, doing things for others, and having a healthy and balanced diet.

Practising mindfulness

Many mental health issues have some element of excessively delving into the past or worrying about the future. Mindfulness can help you take time out of this, by gently focusing on the present and being present in the moment. While this can help reduce the severity of the problem, it may not make the problem disappear.

How hypnotherapists use hypnotherapy to help clients improve mental health

Hypnotherapy is a brief, strategic, collaborative, solution-focused and goal-focused talking therapy.  A hypnotherapist will generally explore the emotional, cognitive and physical aspects of the issue with the client, discuss the client’s goals and formulate a plan to help the client achieve what they want. Some work will be conducted more in a conversational hypnosis type of working (as though they are chatting) and other work will be in formal, eyes closed, hypnotic trance work.

A range of strategies will be employed, as most appropriate for the client. Some of this may include,

Resourcing and ego strengthening

The client is given resources and strategies so that they are better able to cope with a change process.

Behavioural change work

This works with a client’s behaviours and actions. During this form of therapy, the hypnotherapists help the client enter a hypnotic state in which the subconscious mind becomes more receptive. The therapist helps the client to modify certain behaviours through suggestions to change their habits or actions. The results are faster since the therapist communicates with the subconscious mind instead of the conscious one in the trance state. Mental rehearsal during this process enables the client to practice their new responses whilst in hypnosis.

Cognitive change work

Clients’ distorted ways of thinking, their limiting beliefs and unhealthy thinking strategies are examined and the therapist works together with the client to develop (and practice) new, healthier ways of thinking.

Analytical change work

Another approach which a hypnotherapist can take is to explore the client’s memories in a trance state to find the start of the problem and gain insight. This insight enables the client and therapist to work together to find new ways of responding, without the original dsyfunctional ways of being.

Hypnotherapy to improve mental health – Case study

Rather than just sharing the theoretical ways in which hypnotherapists help clients to improve mental health, we will also share a case study.

According to a case covered in the National Library of Medicine, a client suffering from anxiety disorder was treated using hypnotherapy without the use of medicines. The 45-year-old client insisted on not taking medication to deal with anxiety caused by stomach issues. After multiple hypnotherapy sessions, the client indeed experienced relief from anxiety and other symptoms of anxiety like palpitations, cold sweat, and the root cause of abdominal pain.

Benefits of hypnotherapy to improve mental health

Solution-focused approach

Hypnotherapy focuses more on creating long-term solutions for clients, working through the problem, understanding its’ origin and purpose,  and finding a desired and achievable solution. As the direction of therapy is forward-focused, this helps avoid a client feeling immersed, regularly, in their problem state.

Faster results

Compared to other talking therapy options like counselling, the number of hypnotherapy sessions required to experience improvement can be significantly less. By working in a strategic and solution-focused way, and giving clients resources and strategies to employ outside of the session, clients can often feel that they are already moving forward after the very first session.

Effective habit change

According to an article in MIT, 45% of our daily actions are initiated through habits. Consequently, most mental health problems that people suffer from are also initiated through habits, albeit bad ones. The reason why hypnotherapy is so effective is because it can effect habit change. There are numerous advantages of changing bad habits like:

• When you alter habits for improvement, the results are long-lasting.
• It’s possible to eliminate unwanted responses, behaviours and actions by replacing bad (undesirable) habits with good ones.
• Better habits improve your life overall; improving habits has a cascading positive effect on the client’s life.

Aids self-development

Apart from better habits, hypnotherapy can help you eliminate a self-limiting mindset, elevate your self-esteem, and increase your self-confidence. When someone is able to enhance their general mental health, not only can this benefit mental health issues, it can also improve their life holistically. Thus boosting resilience and reducing the impact of any future challenges, helping to maintain good mental health.

Long term results

As per a study published in the National Library of Medicine, even for complicated health problems like irritable bowel syndrome, hypnotherapy can provide long-term benefits. The study concluded that the beneficial effects of hypnotherapy lasted for at least 5 years in most patients, which speaks volumes about the effectiveness of hypnotherapy.

Another study  compared the long-term benefits of hypnotherapy and CBT among ADHD patients. It found that patients who used hypnotherapy experienced better improvement. The study concluded that hypnotherapy provided long-term relief to patients from core symptoms of ADHD.

Communication with subconscious mind

Within hypnotherapy, clients are able to engage fully, both with their conscious mind and their subconscious mind, thus working more broadly. This helps a client gain greater insight into how they function, and leads to more choice for the client about how they care for themselves.

Has a calming effect

Talking to a hypnotherapist about a traumatic experience or personal problems can be uncomfortable for many individuals. Uncomfortable situations can stress any individual. On the contrary, hypnotherapists can talk with a client both in and out of hypnosis. Working in a hypnotic state can help people remain calm and relaxed.

Not only that, hypnotherapy helps you develop better habits and behaviours, which further help you gain more control over your life, which further reduces anxiety. Thus, hypnotherapists have a calming effect on client’s lives, leading to improved physical and mental health.

Conclusion

As seen from these benefits, hypnotherapists can help improve the client’s mental health in more ways than one. That’s the reason why hypnotherapists are in great demand. An increasing number of people who are suffering from such mental health issues are also taking the help of hypnosis to deal with their problems and lead a better life.

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If you would like to help others make positive enhancements to their lives and become a professional hypnotherapist,  we recommend you check our awesome Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course.

Finally, if you would like to find out more about the awesome Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma that HypnoTC , do please visit our Diploma page and have a browse through the information about our world-class, award-winning training.

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– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks and the HypnoTC team
(HypnoTC Director)

In your life, you are more than just a hypnotherapist. As well as your hypnotherapist persona, you may be a relationship partner, a parent, a son or daughter, a friend, a neighbour, a colleague, a team mate, and many other roles that you may not have even considered. With each of these roles, come both benefits and responsibilities. By the time you address all of these responsibilities, there may be little energy left for your own needs. Whilst that soak in the bath with candles and a glass of wine, or that snuggle on the sofa with a mug of tea and a good movie might seem an extravagant use of time that you could instead optimise to work on your business, spending time focusing on your own self-care is a critical aspect of being an effective hypnotherapist in the long term.

Imagine a garden pond. Whenever it rains or snows, the pond fills up and the streams leading from it distribute that nourishing water throughout your garden, keeping your pond at the right level. However, if you don’t take care of the pond, those streams can get blocked. Then, when it rains, the pond overflows, no longer able to work effectively, flooding some areas of the garden, and leaving other parts of the garden missing out.

Unlike the physical effort of having to dig out weeds in order to maintain a pond, self-care for hypnotherapists is much more easily achievable. Whilst, as humans, we are less able to deal with stresses that come out our way if we are already physically and emotionally depleted, as therapists, we have the knowledge and tools available to us to develop helpful coping strategies and to boost our resilience. Rather than list all the multitude of hypnotherapy approaches you could use within your own self-hypnosis sessions, or perhaps in a therapy swap with a colleague, this blog is a gentle reminder of some of the key fundamentals of personal self-care.

There are clear benefits, both personally and professionally from investing in our own self-care. Therapists who neglect their own personal needs, who don’t take time to nurture themselves, can be less able to convey the benefits of doing so to clients. They can have less empathy and find it more difficult to build and maintain rapport, which is not ideal when rapport can significantly aid the therapeutic process. This can then reduce their professional success and lead to low self-esteem. Furthermore, therapists can become unhappy with their therapeutic practice, and can even develop feelings of resentment towards their clients.

From a physical health perspective, addressing fight/flight responses and promoting the relaxation response can prevent the adverse physical effects of chronic stress, whilst eating healthy food and having sufficient hydration helps keep the body functioning well, and better able to cope with times of high demand. From an emotional health perspective, taking time to care for yourself creates a mental balance and can help to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue.

Personal time is a fundamental aspect of good self-care. Whilst personal time needs can vary according to your level of introversion or extraversion, some personal time is essential. Giving yourself time to have a balance in your life is more than a work-life balance. It may be that the most pressure is currently coming from your personal life. However, if you don’t address that, then it can adversely affect how you work with your clients, such as with a low frustration tolerance. It is important to get enough rest and have quality time out away from work or whatever is causing you pressure (not just when you are exhausted at the end of the day). When you do have time out, focus and be present in those moments. For example, if you take a bubble bath, leave your phone in your bedroom. Focus on the sensations of the water, the sound of gentle music (if there is any), perhaps the scent of a candle, even watching the flicker of a candle flame as you bathe and relax. By moving your focus away from whatever is pressuring you, you are able to allow your mind to work out your problems, benefit from self-reflection and gain insight without deliberate thought.

Also, on the topic of time, it is beneficial to regularly allow sufficient time to plan your day, week and month. This can help you be objective about priorities and can help you avoid focusing on doing the easy or pleasant tasks, rather than the important and beneficial ones. Indeed, the busier your life, the more important good time management skills are.

As well as helping the mind to rebalance, the body benefits from care as well. When someone is stressed, they start to tense up physically, and this tension can, over time, cause physical symptoms, even injuries. A few minutes of ‘progressive relaxation’ can help the entire body release tension that you may not even have been aware of. This can help with blood flow and boost body functioning.  Let’s also not forget the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. So, a healthy diet, sufficient hydration and activity/exercise keeps the body functioning and more able to resist physical and psychological stress. In addition, having good sleep hygiene is a fundamental component of personal care. Not only enough sleep but good quality sleep and a healthy sleep routine.

At first glance, this might all seem like common sense. It might be something you likely already know. Yet, just for a moment, think about how balanced your life truly is. How good are your strategies for avoiding having your buttons pushed, or dealing with what happens if a stress response is triggered? When was the last time you truly focused on what you are doing, whether that is at work, mowing the lawn, or even whilst arguing with a friend or relative? Take time soon to simply focus on all the different aspects in your life, and become aware of what you are holding on to that no longer serves you any benefit, as well as what you can add in to your life that will help you live the most rewarding life for the whole you. After all, you deserve it.

If you’re not sure where to start, and you’d like help creating mental balance in your own life, contact us directly to book a hypnotherapist supervision session, where we can help you move forwards.

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We hope that this blog about creating mental balance as a hypnotherapist has been helpful. If you have any questions about this topic or anything else for that matter, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks
(HypnoTC Director)

Do you tend to work with a steady and consistent range of the same type of client issues, such as weight management, phobias and general anxiety? You may find that you are so accustomed to working with these conditions, that they no longer ‘push any buttons’ for you. Any personal issues that may have arisen previously, you will have already worked through. For example, you may have had a phobia of spiders, yet after working with so many clients on this topic, you have ‘desensitised’ yourself and are no longer ‘triggered’ into an anxiety response by any mention of spiders. As an experienced therapist, you are likely to be aware of your own issues (if any) and how they may be affected by working with certain clients.

…but what about issues that you don’t have? Experiences that you haven’t had? How might you be influenced by a client, or a series of clients, presenting with trauma experiences? How will you cope with hearing the details of those difficult situations, often in fine detail?

Whilst discussing these experiences with your clients in an empathetic way, you can start to connect with the thoughts, feelings and emotions they went through at the time, and even perhaps are experiencing now. As a result, some therapists can have a vicarious experiencing of the same trauma/emotions, with some individuals more susceptible to the impact of this vicarious experience. For some therapists, they will listen, understand and recognise that it was a poor experience for the client and be focused on helping them work through the trauma and develop coping strategies. For other therapists, they can start to hold on to some aspects of the trauma themselves. So, how you then deal with this vicarious experiencing, or ‘Secondary Traumatic Stress’ (STS), which is the term that relates to trauma experienced indirectly, can lead to compassion fatigue (reduction in ability to empathise) and burnout (feeling drained or overwhelmed).

How you might be affected by STS can be different for each person, although it can have an adverse effect on the therapeutic relationship you have not only with the client experiencing the trauma, but other clients as well. As well as there being some overlap with compassion fatigue and burnout here, therapists suffering with STS may also be reluctant to engage with the business side of their practice, such as replying to email and voicemail enquiries and messages from existing clients. There can also be avoidance, in terms of a reluctance to book sessions with clients. Indeed, a therapist may start to avoid any potential clients who would wish to work with topics that the therapist regards as emotional or triggering.

A therapist’s behaviour within the therapy consultation may also change. They may start to avoid asking any questions relating to anything traumatic or that might generate high emotions. This may affect every aspect of the intake process, from the initial overview and exploratory questions, through to the details of the client’s experience or situation, and even any goals that the client may wish to work towards. They may also decide to obtain no information at all, and thus attempt to work ‘content free’ (which is not recommended), placing the responsibility for effective targeting of the work onto the client. As a result, a therapist may both experience a reluctance to formulate a treatment plan and/or have sufficient information in which to agree a beneficial treatment plan with the client.

STS may also affect how the therapist works with the client during the session. They may seek to avoid gaining any new information that arises during the session, so adopt a ‘one-way’ approach with the client, such as reading long scripts or giving the client little opportunity to share any new insights, thoughts, memories or emotions in a more collaborative therapeutic alliance, which is always preferable. Where there are discussions within the session, the therapist may seem distant or detached and the client may feel that the therapist isn’t fully engaged or fully present in the session. There are two potential consequences of this. Firstly, this can adversely affect rapport, possibly making the client shut down any further exploration of the issues. Also, the lack of objective analysis of relevant information gained during the session may impair ongoing solution-focused work.

Another undesirable impact on rapport relates to the emotions that the therapist is experiencing during the session that the client can become aware of; such as anger, irritation, frustration or resentment. As a result, these unhelpful emotions and behaviours of the therapist may lead to the client feeling the therapist is not supportive, and they may feel unheard and, as a result, can feel frustrated, thus also affecting rapport.

It can only take one poor session for a client to terminate therapy. Whilst they may move on to another therapist, the poor experience can lead to the client being reluctant to share their personal details again, a case of ‘once burned, twice shy’. Another negative consequence can be that the client does not engage in any further therapy, thus prolonging their experiencing of unpleasant symptoms.

How do you deal with STS?

A ‘prevention, identification and treatment’ strategy is useful for any therapist working with issues that may result in STS. From a prevention perspective, it can be useful for the therapist to consider any risks to development of STS, such as life experiences (e.g. a predisposition to burnout, past trauma), mental health issues (past or present) or symptoms, such as anxiety, stress or depression. You may also consider what strategies you are already employing to cope with these experiences and symptoms and how robust and effective those strategies presently are. Is there capacity to deal with more? What works well and what could be improved or strengthened? Some useful prevention strategies include:

Creating a strategy and developing sufficient skills to be able to respond when any signs of STS arise

Development of assertiveness, both in terms of maintaining boundaries and being able to say, ‘yes’ and ‘no’ appropriately

Enhancing written and verbal communication skills (e.g. being able to clearly say what you mean)

Positive creative expression, such as art, cooking or nature-based, such as gardening

Work-life balance with a diversity of interests and activities and managing both personal and professional time and resources

Mental relaxation, such as self-hypnosis, mindfulness or meditation

Maintaining professional boundaries can also aid prevention of STS, keeping to a realistic caseload and spreading complex cases throughout your week,  as well as allocating sufficient breaks between clients who are working on trauma can make a big difference. Taking annual leave is also beneficial in giving a physical and emotional separation over a longer period of time, allowing a therapist to really let go of what they have been holding.

From an identification perspective, it is good practice for a therapist to be aware of their own emotional state prior to a session, so they know what is their own ‘stuff’ and what is the clients. In addition, at the end of the therapy session, reflective practice can help a therapist take a step back from the possible intensity of the session and consider the impact of what they have heard. As well as personal awareness and reflective practice, peer/group or therapy supervision can help you recognise and explore any STS. Flags for STS include:

Anticipation of poor outcomes or disaster

Avoidance of engagement with some clients or prospective clients

Avoidance of places, activities or people that are associated with client work

Disturbed or disturbing dreams about clients

Easily started or jumpy

Emotional numbness

Gaps in recollection of client sessions

Lack of positivity about the future

Poor concentration

Reduced interest in other people

Reduced physical/psychological activity

Reliving experiences of clients

Sleep disturbances

Stress sensations (e.g. heart pounding) when thinking about clients

Thoughts of work cause disturbance

When addressing STS (treatment), both personal and professional support can be beneficial. Boosting self-care and working on your personal psychological well-being is important. It may be that restructuring your working day, changing your working hours, or even taking a break can help you refocus. This is also a good time to draw on support from friends and family and increasing the amount of time you spend focusing on non-work topics. Both quantity and quality of self-care are important. On days when you are busy, then those 10 minutes reading a book, or chatting with friends can help you restore your personal balance. Particular strategies you may wish to explore include:

Increasing self-care, particularly relating to diet, exercise and sleep

Downloading thoughts and emotions into a diary (e.g. written, audio, video), with the option to review those entries later

Engaging in therapy as a client; such as working with a therapist who is experiencing in helping people with STS

Engaging in therapy supervision (A well-trained and experienced supervisor will be aware of strategies to avoid themselves also experiencing STS)

Contributing to a peer support group, and gaining insight into the coping strategies of others

Developing new self-care approaches, such as starting a new form of exercise (e.g. yoga) or other positive self-soothing techniques (e.g. progressive relaxation, or self-massage)

Ultimately, it is beneficial for all therapists to be aware of how they are working with clients and be observant for any signs of STS, and then take appropriate steps to address those, both in the interests of the therapist and for the clients with whom they work. We hope that this blog about therapist health and avoiding ‘secondary traumatic stress’ has been helpful. If you have any questions about this topic or anything else for that matter, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks
(HypnoTC Director)

It is likely that you will have some boundaries that keep your friends, family and working relationships healthy. For instance, would you be happy with a friend phoning you at 3am for a chat? A family member not turning up to an event you had previously agreed to attend together? A colleague being abusive to you because they were in a bad mood? Probably not, but usually these things won’t happen as you likely have pre-arranged boundaries that would help you avoid these situations. In the same way, it can be good to have therapy boundaries. These are not just for the benefit of the therapist, but also for the client. They help both parties understand what is expected of them, how they will conduct themselves and even what to do when things don’t go as planned.

Some therapists will have formal boundaries in the form of a ‘code of conduct’ or ‘terms and conditions’ on their website, or in a format that can be sent to a client prior to a session. Others will have perhaps a more flexible approach and discuss these verbally or informally. So, if you are working (or wish to) as a therapist, what types of therapy boundaries might you have?

Attendance and cancellation

The first boundary that many therapists will think of is in regards to therapy session attendance and notice periods for cancellation or changing a session time/date. It is a good idea to have a standard cancellation policy, having at least 24 hours margin between any costs you incur for a therapy room and a client cancelling. For example, if your therapy room has a 24-hour cancellation policy, meaning you can cancel your room up until that point without paying a fee, then your client cancellation policy may be 48 hours, so that you have time to cancel your therapy room without incurring charges. With late cancellations, you might charge the client all or a percentage of the therapy session fee.

Payment and non-payment

Also related to your cancellation policy is the topic of payment. Do you have a policy for when a client needs to pay for their session? For example, do you require payment a minimum of 48 hours in advance? If so, and the client doesn’t pay, how do you address that? Cancel their session? Go ahead anyway? In order to avoid ‘no shows’ and very late payments, having a payment policy and sticking to it can save you a lot of time and frustration.

Also, as well as addressing cancellations and late payments, your boundaries may include how you deal with clients who arrive late to sessions (e.g. just giving them the remainder of time for that session, rather than extending the session at your cost), and how to deal with those clients who simply don’t attend.

Before you read further, if you are new to hypnotherapy and want to become a professional hypnotherapist or, if you are already qualified and looking to upskill, we recommend you check out our award-winning HypnoTC Hypnotherapy Diploma course.

Find out more about our Hypnotherapy Diploma course

Client and therapist conduct

Even once the client has successfully paid and arrived for the therapy session, how they conduct themselves will benefit from clear boundaries – this can also be applied to how you conduct yourself with them. For example, it is commonly considered reasonable to expect a client to be appropriately dressed for therapy, e.g. perhaps not attending in a bikini or bare chested. Your boundaries may include the use of a blanket or cover to ‘cover up’ a client if they arrive unsuitably dressed. ‘Dress’ boundaries may also address how you present yourself to your clients. Perhaps avoiding low cut tops, short skirts or shorts and focusing on appropriate professional dress for the setting.

In addition to dress standards, personal conduct is another area that benefits from having defined boundaries. It is reasonable to expect a client to behave in an appropriate manner. Whilst getting upset or tearful or expressing their anger about a situation may be a relevant part of the therapy, physical or verbal abuse directed towards the therapist may not be acceptable to you.

Client confidentiality

In any talking therapy, including hypnotherapy, clients will disclose personal information. It may go without saying (but we are saying it anyway), clients will expect confidentiality. Your therapy boundaries are likely to reflect where, when and how you might have to breach confidentiality and also how you will respond to a client who breaks their own confidentiality. For example, you might do some great work with a client for smoking cessation and they talk about it later in an interview and mention your name. Do you consider yourself then free to talk about this? Or maintain your originally stated confidentiality?

Therapist self-disclosure

On the topic of disclosing information, some therapists share their own personal life experiences. This may be to show to a client that all humans, even therapists, have failings or challenges; a concept sometimes associated with humanistic and existential psychotherapy approaches. However, other theoretical perspectives, including psychoanalytical (Freudian, Jungian) consider therapy a mirror for the client, so don’t generally promote self-disclosure. Apart from the clinical approach perspective, there is also an ethical component, including whether it is appropriate for the therapist to be using the client’s therapy time to talk about themselves. Furthermore, there is a business point to also consider. A client may not respect session confidentiality, nor is there any obligation for them to do so, unless perhaps it is explicit in your therapy contract. Therefore, if, as a therapist, you disclose something of a personal nature, it could end up spread across the media or social media. Do you really want the world (including your peers) to know that you too had erectile dysfunction?

Client exclusions

As well as boundaries relating to client’s information, therapists may also wish to have boundaries regarding the types of clients who they will or will not work with. This may be certain personality types, such as those with narcissistic behaviour, or poorly controlled anger, or even certain conditions, such as psychosexual disorders, addictions or fetishes. Remember, you don’t have to work with every single client that contacts you for a session – you’re in charge of which clients you choose to work with, and which you might choose to avoid working with.

Client interaction

How you interact with your clients is something you are also likely to consider within your therapy boundaries. Do you have defined ‘office hours’ during which you answer/return client phone calls and emails? Do you set days with office hours? Or do you tend to reply whenever you have a moment. If you reply to client emails at 11pm at night, they may come to expect it, and even become upset when you do not respond immediately. An additional point to consider here, particularly if you work from home, is whether you will accept clients ‘popping in on the off-chance you are free’, or calling round whenever they want to tell you something. Do you really want someone knocking on your door at 2am because they have had an argument with their partner? Having boundaries here can help you to avoid unwanted situations, and will ensure that you are able to maintain distance from clients when you are out of working hours.

Gifts and gratuities

Taking a positive perspective for a moment, perhaps your therapy sessions have been so exceptional and wonderful that your client wants to give you a gift or gratuity. Do you accept gifts from clients? If so, is there a limit? Would you be okay with a box of chocolates, some flowers, or maybe a cash tip, such as an extra 20% of your session fee? How about a brand new £1,000 phone? Or a £100k car? Does the client’s motive for giving you the gift get factored in? If they are doing it to ‘buy’ your silence (even with a stated confidentiality policy), is that as acceptable as if the client is just truly grateful you helped them overcome a significant problem? Whether you accept gifts or not can be worth thinking about, just so you know how to respond if and when it happens.

Social and personal relationships with clients

Finally, where (if anywhere) are your boundaries regarding personal relationships with clients? How would you respond to a client who invites you to a party? Or the theatre? How about a week on their yacht, or in their European villa? Would it make a difference if you are no longer seeing them as a therapist? Then, beyond a friendship, how would you feel about engaging in a potentially intimate relationship with a client? Can a client (or ex-client) relationship ever truly transition from client-therapist to an equal romantic/sexual partnership, or does the client-therapist relationship exist, in some form, in perpetuity? Is it a case of ‘once a client, always a client’? These relationship-related conflicts of interest can be even more broad than just friendly or romantic relationships. For example, imagine that you work with a lovely client who is a surgical consultant, and you help them to deal with an addiction (successfully). Then, a couple of years later, you are referred to a consultant for surgery and find it is your ex-client? Can you change relationships then? Would you be comfortable swapping roles? Would you want to even if you could?

Developing boundaries

You may find that as you develop as a hypnotist or hypnotherapist, limits and rules you set yourself for how you deal with therapeutic relationships, may change. You may start off with very loose boundaries, perhaps oversharing personal information, finding it hard to tell clients when their behaviour is unacceptable (e.g. rude, not paying, late arrival). Alternatively, you might start with overly rigid boundaries, where you might seem distant or detached (emotionally, physically). However, over time and with experience, you will begin to refine, develop and tweak your healthy and flexible therapy boundaries, knowing and understanding your professional needs and being able to communicate them effectively. When you do this, you will find the results make your therapy business much easier to manage, and you will feel secure in the knowledge that your boundaries are there to support you (and your clients) just when you need them.

We hope that this blog about developing boundaries as a therapist has been helpful. If you have any questions about this topic or anything else for that matter, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks
(HypnoTC Director)

Therapist self-care matters!

Being a hypnotherapist or talking therapist can be a highly rewarding and satisfying occupation. You are in a position to help clients make significant and positive changes, enhancing their quality of life. However, this work can also be highly challenging and emotionally demanding and can, without self-care, lead to feeling depleted, distressed or burned-out, and, as a result, a less-effective and less compassionate therapist.

This may be experienced as a growing sense of emotional exhaustion, a lack of care or loss of ability to be empathetic, or even a reduction in any sense of achievement. Depending on client caseload, there may also be aspects of vicarious traumatisation, which is sometimes considered as secondary traumatic stress. This can result in compassion fatigue, intrusive thoughts and images relating to the client’s issues, even physical symptoms.

Common factors that can contribute to the above issues include; isolation (lack of peer contact or professional debriefing; lack of feedback (clients not giving positive feedback, so missing out on a sense of achievement or of feelings of being appreciated); narrow range of client issues (e.g. all depressed or all trauma clients); poor boundaries (putting others needs before your own); poor fee management (e.g. charging too little, late-paying clients); time pressures (too much work, too little time); weak administration systems (lack of skill in managing paperwork, records and running a business).

In addition, regardless of the best intentions of a therapist to keep personal issues away from their work life, in reality there is no real line drawn in the sand that keeps professional and personal lives completely separate. Each will have an influence and impact on the other. As a result, clinical effectiveness and therapist emotional well-being can be influenced by a pressured personal life, whether family, relationships, health, hobbies, even troublesome neighbours.

Whether professional or personal in origin, pressures can build and, for a while, you may not even notice them or might be subconsciously ignoring them. Being self-aware in a therapy session can enhance your therapeutic work in many ways and can help you notice early warning signs before they escalate into something potentially more damaging.

Behaviours to notice in the therapy room can include;

• accepting high workloads to keep too busy to think on other issues
• avoiding taking scheduled breaks
• being bored, distracted, disinterested or irritated by clients
• clock watching, waiting for the session to end
• feeling emotionally drained or exhausted during or after certain client sessions
• feelings of fatigue, even during the start of a work day
• finding yourself staring into space and unable to focus on work
• isolating yourself from other professional colleagues
• lack of enjoyment at the end of a session
• low motivation to promote positive client changes
• reduced feeling of enjoyment of life
• seeking emotional support and nurturing from clients
• the inability to feel rewarded or gratified by work
• violating or ignoring your own professional boundaries

In addition, you may also have emotional or physical symptoms that indicate an issue, such as; disordered eating; disturbed sleep; general aches and pains; poor concentration; poor symptom management of chronic conditions; headaches; self-medicating (e.g. alcohol).

Engaging in self-care will help you develop your physical, mental and emotional well-being. This, in turn, enables you to fulfil your professional responsibilities more capably. When you consider your level of self-care at present does it help you..

• act in a confident and professional manner?
• behave in a warm, caring manner with unconditional positive regard?
• conduct yourself in accordance with your professional code, and legal and ethical standards?
• engage in professional development?
• have a range of leisure activities to engage with and relax away from work?
• have a system of leaving client work at work?
• keep your sense of humour?
• maintain a strong support network of friends and family?
• regard clients’ issues as interesting and enjoy working with them?
• regularly feel energised and positive about your work with clients?
• regularly notice new or varied interest in your professional work?
• regularly undertake therapy supervision?
• think objectively about your clients’ challenges and problems?
• use your own therapy skills to benefit yourself?

Therapist self-care

Therapists will often have their own self-care strategies. Some helpful and resourceful, others less helpful. Building a range of supportive and positive self-care approaches can help a therapist develop a healthier sense of professional and personal balance. Some useful self-care strategies include:

Self-care strategy #1 – Spend time checking in with yourself

Schedule a ‘professional review’ with yourself on a regular basis e.g. once a month or once a quarter. Become familiar with your own warning signs (e.g. self-medicating, fatigue or irritation). Notice how you ‘do’ distress, what your early burnout symptoms are, or what the first indicator is of a reduction in empathy or compassion. Ask yourself the questions you may have been ignoring, such as, “Am I working too much?”, “Do I feel I have enough personal time?”, “Am I been affected by my clients?”, even, “What do I need?”.

Self-care strategy #2 – Get regular exercise and have a nutritious diet

You might wonder quite how fit you need to be to sit down all day and talk to clients. It might surprise you to know that physical fitness has a strong connection with mental health and resilience. A healthy diet will give you the nutrients to enable you to think and work effectively, whilst boosting your immune system and helping you work and sleep better! Food affects us not just on a physical level, but also on an emotional and psychological level. The more challenging or demanding your present schedule, the greater care your mind and body will require in order to maintain a strong level of performance. Consider yourself as a therapy athlete.

Self-care strategy #3 – Work smarter not harder or longer to make time for yourself

What routine tasks do you do that you could automate, delegate or contract-out? For example, do you manually email a consultation form to new clients? Could you have a form on your website instead? Do you input your accounts manually onto a spreadsheet? Could you use an online accounting programme instead?

Self-care strategy #4 – Allocate personal hours and put them in your calendar

Work can have an interesting way of expanding to fill available time, particularly if you are self-employed. It is natural to want to build and develop your business. Yet, if you spend all your energy on work, over time this can deplete your personal reserves and you will have less and less to give. It can be helpful to manage your own personal time and actually schedule your personal time. This helps you better balance your work and life obligations.

Self-care strategy #5 – Make time for healthy relationships

As a therapist you are likely to be in contact with clients who have issues, challenges and problems. This can be draining over the course of a week. Make time to meet up with friends and loved ones and engage with people who are positive, supportive and encouraging. Consider people who you have relationships with. Are they mutual relationships? Are they reciprocal? Is there a healthy give and take? Or are you the friend or relative who is the fixer? That everyone goes to when they want something done or a problem solved, but never expect you to need or want support or help.

Rather than taking whatever hours are left over from work commitments for personal time and relationship time, schedule time in for these things (and not just that final half-hour before falling into bed in exhaustion).

Self-care strategy #6 – Create and maintain healthy boundaries

Do you find it difficult to say no? When a client asks for a last-minute session to be fitted in at the end of an already long day? When people ask you to work for less (or free)? Professional boundaries support a healthy and fulfilling work life. Furthermore, personal boundaries help you live a more balanced and stable life. However, setting and maintaining those boundaries can be a real skill and something that can be learned and developed.

The first step in having healthy boundaries is to have an idea of what your limits are. Think about what you find acceptable or tolerable and also what you feel is not acceptable, uncomfortable, or unbearable. For example, think about a recent situation where you were ‘persuaded’ to do something you initially did not want to do. When you then did it, how did you feel afterwards? Glad you had gone beyond your comfort zone? Or uncomfortable that you did it? Even resentful for being ‘persuaded’? Did you feel taken advantage of?

The next time someone is pushing you to, or beyond your initial limit and you notice feeling uncomfortable, that can be a sign your boundary may benefit from strengthening. Working on your assertiveness can help you to respect your own boundaries and convey them to others. This can start with simply giving yourself permission to say ‘no’. To put your needs first. To even think about what is making you feel uncomfortable and address it, perhaps by negotiating an outcome that works well for both parties.

Effective therapist self-care helps you live a healthy and rewarding life which will benefit your clients and enhance your work with them, as they will receive care from a healthy and resilient therapist. We hope that this blog about self-care for therapists has been helpful. If you have any questions about this topic or anything else for that matter, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks
(HypnoTC Director)

This blog explores how hypnotherapists can consider time optimisation within their hypnotherapy business.

How to develop good business practice skills is taught to our students throughout the course, and is particularly focused on in weekend nine of our Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course.

Our Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course is award-winning and designed to give you both competence and confidence. Wherever you are on your journey, and whatever your learning differences, preferences or additional needs, you will find that at HypnoTC we are passionate about helping people to become the best hypnotherapist they can be.

If you have yet to start your hypnotherapy training journey, or would like to refresh or upskill, do have a look at our Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course and discover how you can train with HypnoTC to become a professional hypnotherapist.

To find out more about training with HypnoTC, and becoming a professional hypnotherapist, click the button below.

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Time optimisation

Here are 4 useful tips on optimising your time in order to be more efficient in your therapy practice.

Tip 1: Using your sector for optimal change

 What therapy techniques are you superb at? What therapy techniques do your clients respond best to?

Where the answers to these two questions intersect, this is your sector for optimal change. Here, time optimisation will benefit as you will often achieve quick wins with your client, have ‘movement’ and plenty of progress. This will motivate your client and you as a therapist.

Conversely, if you’re using an approach that doesn’t work for the client, for example, if you are brilliant at authoritarian work, yet your client hates being told what to do, then something needs to change. It is easier for you to change your approach, than attempt to get the client to change their receptivity (they are more likely to go somewhere else!).

This ‘sector for optimal change’ is not fixed. It will change as you progress through therapy with the client. Their needs and desires will evolve as they achieve momentum in the change process.

Tip 2: Purposeful work

 Whatever the client’s knowledge, understanding, thoughts, ideas and motivation for the session, then your initial consultation and treatment planning can be used to help develop them beyond that point.  By helping your client become better informed and higher motivated, you are adding value and purpose, so increasing engagement and client participation.

By understanding what needs to happen and what will be the outcome, the client knows clearly where the session is headed. If they disagree, there is time to change focus and to clarify their ‘therapeutic goal’. Far better at this point than at the end, when they say it hadn’t gone the way they wanted.

“So that” are your special words here. “We will be focusing on healthy eating motivation during this session, so that you will be able to cope well with the social function you are attending next week”. These special words are not just for the start of the session either.

By using them to address the “What’s in it for me?” aspect throughout the session, you are helping the client remained focused on their key objectives. For example, “You will practice your breathing exercises daily, so that when you are feeling stressed you will be able to use them effortlessly”.

Tip 3: Resources, resources, resources

 There is no need to reinvent the wheel with each new client. When you create a wonderful metaphor for one client, make a note of it. The popular 3 R concept (reduce, reuse, recycle) can greatly aid time optimisation.

Create a log of useful stories so you can call on them and re-use them for other clients, this helps you reduce the amount of time you spend preparing for each new client.

You can also recycle well-established techniques by taking a new perspective on them. What works great for public-speaking anxiety can also be adapted to enhance sporting performance. Not only are you being efficient with your time resources, you are allowing yourself space and time to create new resources, which you can then also re-use and recycle.

Group and peer supervision and practice groups are great ways of sharing good practice. It is also an ideal place to recycle effective techniques. You are able to teach each other how your technique works from a practitioner perspective. In exchange, you will learn techniques from those you have taught. This can reduce the amount of time that you may spend seeking out new approaches, learning them and finding out how they work. Someone else will have ‘road-tested’ them for you.

Tip 4: Business management

Finally, as hypnotherapy is a business, are there areas in your business management where you could reduce duplication and effort? The classic 80/20 principle can be helpful here. Are you spending 80% of your time for 20% of your achievements? Do you laboriously enter all your receipts into a spreadsheet and have a complex analysis for your accountant, when a stapled pack of them or a simple typed list would be sufficient?

Are there marketing and advertising strategies that you can recycle? When you are creating advertising campaigns (e.g. Facebook), look back at past campaigns and notice what worked well. Explore which aspects of that campaign you could re-cycle to work effectively for your new campaign.

How about administration work that you could re-use for better time optimisation? Do you have standard template letters that you can adapt to send to GP’s and other healthcare professionals? Rather than writing a letter from scratch each time, adapting a pre-structured letter will save you time and effort. Giving you more time to do other productive and creative work.

Business networking meetings are a great resource for the busy therapist who is working on boosting their time optimisation. Just as in your supervision and practice group meetings you can share and learn therapy knowledge, skills and resources, so here you can develop your hypnotherapy business skills and reduce the amount of time you need to devote to individual networking.

Whether it’s being able to re-use good accountancy tips, or finding a way to recycle another business’s sales promotion strategy, someone else will have done the majority of the work (their 80/20) helping you achieve the opposite and gaining 80% of benefit from 20% of work.

Even if you are not yet a very busy therapist, optimising your use of time can give you the room to grow and expand your business, whilst keeping the running of that business efficient.

We hope that this blog on time optimisation for the busy therapist has been helpful to you. If you have any more questions about this topic or anything else for that matter, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

Our hypnotherapy course

If you would like to help others make positive enhancements to their lives and become a professional hypnotherapist,  we recommend you check our awesome Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course.

Finally, if you would like to find out more about the awesome Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma that HypnoTC , do please visit our Diploma page and have a browse through the information about our world-class, award-winning training.

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– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks
(HypnoTC Director)

Most hypnotherapists, at least in the UK, are self-employed. This means that not only are they responsible for the hypnotherapy work they do, but they are also business owners. As a result, there won’t be a manager whose job it is to ensure that they take appropriate breaks, follow health and safety rules, and do all that is necessary to complete their working day in at least as good a condition as when they started. This blog offers some tips and suggestions about what you can do to keep yourself well at work, wherever it is that you are working.

The workplace

You may have several locations that you consider as your workplace, perhaps a couple of consulting rooms that you use to see clients. Maybe also using a room in an allied health practice (e.g. physio) or an ad-hoc arrangement with a dentist or doctors’ surgery. Even, occasionally, visiting a client in their workplace or home, or them visiting you in yours. However, your ‘workplace’ refers to your ‘place of work’ and thus can also include your sofa, if this is where you type up your therapy notes, the local coffee shop, when escaping the noise/disruption of working at home, even your car if you regularly find yourself parking and sending lengthy emails or making calls. It can be useful to assess each of your workplaces on a regular basis. Notice if anything is causing stress or discomfort and identify measures to address it promptly.

Travel

You may be surprised at how much work-related travelling you engage in during a week. Perhaps you see a client at a therapy room in the morning, drive home for lunch, pop off to the accountant before seeing another client in the evening. Maybe you are driving to your appointments. Alternatively, you could be using public transport. Is your vehicle comfortable? Safe? Reliable? If using public transport, is it regular? Frequent? (One bus an hour could be a lot of time lost if you miss it by a couple of seconds). Is it safe to use this transport during all the hours that you work, or might you need to take a taxi later at night? If you are working long hours and have a long drive of an evening, what you do you do to stay alert whilst driving? All things worth considering for your overall health and wellbeing at work (or on the way to/from work).

Personal safety

Is your therapy environment safe for you to work with clients? Is there anyone else in the building you could call for if there was a problem? Do people know where you are? Particularly when visiting clients in their own home, do let someone know where you will be and what time you expect to finish and send them a message or call them when you have left the client.

Taking care of your voice

As a talking therapist, your voice is like a fragile and valuable instrument, yet so often it can be harshly treated or simply taken for granted. It is something to take care of and nurture, rather than abuse (e.g. yelling / screaming a lot during a lively game of football). If you are going to be talking for a while, then consider using some warm-up exercises:

Also, drink plenty of water during your session. Avoid overly milky drinks if you find this makes you produce more mucous. Consider whether it would help if you stopped smoking (if you do), or reduced your coffee intake (if you have a lot). Also, if you are at all ‘coldy’ avoid repeatedly clearing your throat, as this can irritate your throat. So, sip water instead. As well as the above video on vocal warm-up exercises, check out this video for other tips on the hypnotist’s use of voice…

Protecting your posture

If you are working in an office type set up at home, it can be good to set up your workstation as though you were in a corporate situation. There is a lot of information about ‘Display Screen Equipment’ (DSE) Regulations and it can be useful to do some research and find out more about how to set up your PC / laptop in a way that is least stressful for your body.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK offer a helpful DSE assessment checklist that encourages you to consider your keyboard, mouse, trackball, screen, software, furniture and work environment (e.g. lighting). Remember, if you are curled up on your sofa with your laptop or tablet, this may not be the best posture for you to work in.

Also, when you are working with clients, many therapists get into a habit of leaning forward or slumping in their chair. This can be unhelpful as you may develop pain, stiffness or soreness from working in a less than balanced and supported manner. Ensure that you can sit up in your chair, with your back supported, your chest and shoulders open, and your ears above your shoulders (e.g. good posture).

Recognising and addressing stress

Something that can have a huge impact on your posture, without you even really being aware of it, is stress; which can result in muscle tension, aches and pains, even poor sleep. A useful way of defining stress is where the demands placed upon us, exceed our ability to cope. It can be good to spend a few moments each morning assessing your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. Notice if there are any psychological (mental and emotional) pressures, worries or concerns. Consider what action you can take to address these. Also, become aware of what you body is telling you. Do you feel refreshed and alert? Or is there some lingering fatigue, muscle tension or aching? Assess what the cause of this may be and how you can reduce the likelihood of this becoming a ‘norm’. It can be useful to repeat this exercise at the end of your day, learn any lessons and identify any necessary changes that will reduce their impact on your stress levels.

Considering your own health

If you are your own manager, then it is up to you to manage your own health. If you don’t look after yourself, there will be little of the ‘effective’ you remaining to be able to help others. Whilst, as a business owner, there will likely be some times when you need to work longer hours or more frequently, do also take advantage of the quieter times to gain some balance in your life. Developing resilience and creating a work-life balance is important for your long-term health, effectiveness and business longevity.

Seeking help

There are many sources of help available to you as a hypnotherapist. If business-related, it may be that you can get some useful business or financial advice from some of the enterprise organisations (even banks can be very helpful). For personal matters, friends and family can be wonderful sources of support or encouragement. For something more hypnotherapy-focused, engaging in regular supervision, whether peer, group or individual (1-2-1) supervision (or all three), can help you gain new perspectives and develop new tools that will help you both in your hypnotherapy practice and as a business owner.

We hope that this blog on wellbeing at work for hypnotherapists has been helpful to you. If you have any more questions about this topic or anything else for that matter, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks
(HypnoTC Director)

A simple internet search on ‘time management’ will result in an immense number of suggestions around ‘making a plan’, or creating a ‘to do’ list. But what is a good plan? Is it an immense list of everything you will ever need to do, in microscopic detail? Is it a few notes jotted on a scrap of paper? Many of us will indeed think of some form of ‘to do’ or ‘actions’ list. We might even prioritise it, perhaps as ‘low, medium and high’ priority actions, or schedule them in to our day, with specific times.

Tip No.1: Plan for tomorrow, today

Most people tend to be less productive, or tired, towards the end of their working day. This is a great time to undertake the relatively simple task of planning your next day. Not only does this help you get a running start the next morning, with your day neatly scheduled, but it also helps to ‘download’ all those tasks from your mind’s focus, enabling you to start to unwind and switch off from work, rather than ‘carrying’ all the work for tomorrow through the night and occupying your thoughts. This then can help you rest, relax and recover better, placing you in a better position to be more productive the next day.

Tip No.2: Prioritise honestly!

Consider the tasks and what outcomes you wish to achieve as a result of completing those tasks. What do you want to be different after the task has been achieved? When prioritising, several different factors will come into your decision-making process:

• Whose priority is it? For example, whilst you may think it low, a colleague may need your response, so for them it is high.
• What type of priority is it? Perhaps a certain task would be assigned a low-priority because it is boring or hard work, yet, if the thought of the outstanding task nags at you subconsciously, completing that task may actually be a higher priority, even if only for your mental well-being.
• Time effects may alter a priority. If something is urgent but low priority, you may wish to schedule it before something higher priority but with a softer timescale. The Eisenhower Matrix can be really helpful here (‘What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important’).

Tip No.3: Give tasks realistic timings

We can be incredibly optimistic in our assessment of how long a task will take to do. A useful approach is to consider how long you would anticipate a friend or colleague taking to complete the same task. Perhaps also think about how long you have taken to do comparable tasks. Having a schedule for your work, with approximate timings, can help you work out where you have flexibility and avoids over-loading yourself or under-utilising your available time. It can be better, psychologically, to go back to your action lists and select an additional task to complete, rather than spend time each night ‘carrying-forward’ a whole host of tasks you didn’t get done that day.

Tip No.4: Allow time for reactive work

Do you schedule in time for interruptions? Unless you are psychic you may not be able to schedule in when you will be interrupted. However, you can allow time in your day to enable you to respond promptly to reactive tasks. Of course, another benefit of a planned schedule, is that if the interruption is trivial, then you can legitimately say that you have something else scheduled and won’t be able to do it immediately.

Tip No.5: Know your productive time and use it

Some people are at their most productive at the start of their working day, others take a while to ‘warm up’ or ‘come up to speed’. By knowing when you concentrate best, think most clearly and have the sharpest focus, you can allocate your most valuable work to this time in your day. Use this time for your complex decision-making tasks, your high creativity tasks and your mentally-demanding work.

Tip No.6: Be mindful

Keeping focused on what you are actually doing, rather than thinking about what you have already done, or what you are going to do, can help you complete that task more effectively and more efficiently. Also, be aware of your ‘typical’ days. If you know that you are crammed full of essential yet mainly reactive work on a Friday, then do avoid putting a lot of planned work into your schedule that you are unlikely to complete. Also, if you know that you cannot live your life without time on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, schedule in time to engage (meaningfully?). This can avoid losing time when you feel over-loaded and just want a quick break (which can turn into distracted hours). Setting the timer on your phone works well. By knowing that you will be able to look again in an hour or two, can enable you to refocus on your work more comfortably.

Tip No.7: Be flexible

Although having a plan, even a timely schedule, can help you focus on what needs to be done, it is useful to keep a flexible mindset towards that schedule or plan. Sometimes, things change. Being able to review and revise your tasks and priorities can help you smoothly re-focus your workload and gain the most valuable outcomes for your time and efforts.

Whether you are a hypnotherapist, hypnotist, talking therapist or simply interested in improving the quality of your own life, engaging in time management and planning your working time can actually make you more efficient, giving you greater productivity. This can enhance your self-esteem and self-efficacy and also optimise your access to and enjoyment of your leisure time. Rather than restrict yourself to a schedule or plan, it can be incredibly freeing to know that you are able to focus best on what is most important to you.

We hope that this blog on continued time management has been helpful to you. If you have any more questions about this topic or anything else for that matter, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks
(HypnoTC Director)

What are core values?

Why are they important?

What do they bring to personal development and therapy?

As we go through life, we develop principles and beliefs that are of the highest importance to us. These are our ‘core values’. Our core values are unique to us. Every single person on the planet has a different set of core values (though some may be similar). Our life experiences help form these core values and those same experiences can generate change in those values, as our priorities change. In addition, key aspects of our personality also affect our core values, giving us the standards by which we live our lives. With a combination of ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’ helping in the formation, maintenance and constant development of our core values, no two people, even if brought up together, will have identical core values. Indeed, they could be dramatically different.

Why would you want to know your own core values?
Have you ever done something and it hasn’t felt ‘quite right’ at the time? Perhaps you accepted a job opportunity that looked good to others, but wasn’t quite you? Or even let go of a friendship without really knowing why it wasn’t working for you? It may be that the values associated with that job, or that friend, were not compatible with your core values.

When people “live by” their core values, they tend to experience a greater level of emotional fulfilment, than if they were to go against them. Some people even find that going against their core values leads to psychological disturbance on some level, whether subtle or extreme. Core values can be thought of almost as a “code of conduct” that we have developed for ourselves, that helps us choose how to act and react in a way that is congruent with the things that we value most. That said, many people (including clients) are unaware and unfamiliar with the idea of core values, so it’s (generally) unlikely that your clients will already know their own core values…but they’re definitely worth knowing.

As a coach, therapist or hypnotherapist, why would you want to know the core values of your client?
By finding out the client’s core values, you will be better able to formulate your treatment or coaching strategy, in a way that is congruent for them. Where strategies and treatment approaches meet one or more of a client’s core values, they will resonate better with them on both a conscious and a subconscious level. Clients may simply find that they ‘feel right’. The better focused your work, the more effective it is likely to be, and the more successful the outcome for you and your client.

So, how do you find out what the core values of your clients are?
 It’s actually relatively simple. Let’s say you are at the start of a session with a new client, you can give the client a list/set of core values (at least 100 different, various ones), and ask them to consider each and every core value briefly, arranging them in low, medium and high importance piles. Then, from the high importance stack, you want your client to whittle the core values down to around five that are of the highest importance. Many more than five and their focus is likely to be too diluted. The key to getting a ‘true reading’, is to have the client sort through their core values quickly, without giving them a chance to over-think the selection process. They need to do it based upon their immediate gut feeling.

So, how do I use this core value information?
 When you have established what the client’s core values are (for example; Free will, Creativity, Independence, Freedom, Diversity) they can then be applied in various ways throughout the therapy process. Indeed, they can influence your entire overall approach with that client. For example, if they value independence and creativity, you are unlikely to do well setting them a prescriptive task, where they have to follow a set process, but may do better with an exploratory task where they get to feel more independent and creative.

A key application of core values, particularly from a solution-focused perspective, is within the goal-setting process. If your client’s goals are connected and congruent with their core values (or at least with one of them), then the goal is much more likely to resonate with the client on a personal level, in a way that they can truly engage with. If a client comes to you with a goal that goes against any of their core values, this is something that you’d be best knowing before you start your therapy or coaching process. Also, by becoming aware of their core values, clients are able to make their day-to-day decisions and plans strongly connected to their values too. This enables them to live by their values more in everything that they do, which can increase self-esteem, self-fulfilment and self-actualisation.

In which areas can I use this approach with clients?
Popular applications of core-value congruent change include; addictions, anger, anxiety, bereavement, grief and loss, binge eating, bruxism, confidence, disordered eating, exam/interview/test nerves, fears and phobias, goal achievement, insomnia, nail biting, memory, pain management, performance anxiety, public speaking, relationship issues, sadness / low mood, self-esteem / self-confidence, smoking, sport performance, stress management, weight management, and much more.

How can I find out more?
If you feel that core values are something that you’d either like to use for yourself, or integrate into your own therapy or coaching practice, then you might like to check out our Core Values Cards. These 108 core values have been strategically selected so that any client, regardless of age, sex, race or location, will be able to choose the core values that best resonate with them.

In addition, with your set of Core Values Cards, you’ll also receive detailed instructions on how to use them even more effectively with clients; helping them to engage with their core values throughout various parts of their therapy process.

Buy your set of Core Values Cards on Amazon now:

Buy on Amazon

We hope this blog has been helpful, and if you have any questions relating to this blog or the subject of core values, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

– written by the HypnoTC team

This blog explore the use of hypnotherapy to promote a stress-free Christmas.

Working with stress, including its’ identification, management and solutions, in terms of thoughts, and behaviours, is taught on our Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course.

For a well-qualified hypnotherapist, many of same principles can be applied to any life stressor situation. If you would like to become a hypnotherapist, or perhaps refresh or upskill your existing qualifications, you can find out more about training with HypnoTC and our hypnotherapy diploma course; the ideal training for you to become a professional hypnotherapist.

Our Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course is award-winning and designed to give you both competence and confidence. Wherever you are on your journey, and whatever your learning differences, preferences or additional needs, you will find that at HypnoTC we are passionate about helping people to become the best hypnotherapist they can be.

If you have yet to start your hypnotherapy training journey, or would like to refresh or upskill, do have a look at our Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course and discover how you can train with HypnoTC to become a professional hypnotherapist.

To find out more about training with HypnoTC, and becoming a professional hypnotherapist, click the button below.

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A stress-free Christmas?

For some, Christmas can be more stressful than moving house, getting married, becoming a parent, or getting divorced. Whether it is the shopping for the ideal gifts for the person who has everything, or the cooking of a perfect mammoth feast, or even the obligatory visits to relatives who are a bit ‘challenging’, people can both love and hate the festive season and it can be an exhausting time. Yet your experience of Christmas is what you make it. A little planning ahead and a positive mindset can lead to a stress-free, delightful and even rejuvenating festive season.

In the media, whilst shopping for seasonal events, we are bombarded by images and ideas about ‘the perfect Christmas’, yet such a thing as a perfect, stress-free Christmas doesn’t really exist. This ‘pressure’ can build unrealistic expectations, that can ultimately lead to Christmas stress and disappointment.

Unfortunately, we can subconsciously allow the demands of Christmas to weigh us down and create stress. A body under stress produces the stress hormone Cortisol (which helps in fight or flight situations). High levels of this hormone can inhibit brain function, slow metabolism, break down muscle and increase blood pressure.

Our neuroendocrine-immune system processes and structures from our central nervous system, hormonal systems and immune systems, and these are connected in complex relationships… Emotional and mental demands can cause stress hormones to increase, affecting our immune systems and our health, and leaving us less resilient or able to cope with the demands of the festive season. For some, stress at Christmas time can cause depression and anxiety. For others, either actual stress, or the anticipation of a lack of a stress-free Christmas will cause people to ‘self-soothe’ with unhealthy coping strategies, such as too much food, too much alcohol, or even other substances.

However, just like any potentially stress-inducing event, it is possible to employ simply strategies to reduce the likelihood or impact of seasonal stress. For a stress-free Christmas and a good end to the festive season, plan for a good start and a helpful route through the festivities. Here are the 12 tips of Christmas, that can help you to reduce your festive stress levels…

1. Plan ahead for a stress-free Christmas

“There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full.”
~ Henry Kissinger

Plan ahead, and make a thorough list of all that you need to do, the things you want to buy and of key timelines and events. After Christmas, review the list and update it ready for the next Christmas. Have realistic expectations, and keep your plans ‘SMART’ (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely). If there are certain tasks that can be completed early, then planning to get those out of the way, can allow some additional space for last minute demands on your time.

Also, be intelligent in how you handle these tasks. For example, if Christmas card writing is a hassle, consider using an online card provider. Once you have input the recipient’s emails, you can re-send cards each year with minimal effort. Otherwise, pick a quiet night some time before Christmas and write out and address all the known cards you will need to send.

2. Shop smart for a stress-free Christmas

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think”
~ Christopher Robin

If you hate the hustle and bustle of shops, then organise your Christmas present / gift list and go shopping online. You can schedule food and drink deliveries as well, meaning you can relax or get on with other tasks, instead of braving the bustle of busy food shops and some people engaging in ‘trolley rage’ and ‘fighting for parking spots’.

3. Pace yourself for a stress-free Christmas

“A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work”
~ John Lubbock

Take time out each day to be calm. Listen to relaxing music, practice self-hypnosis or meditation, get a massage, or take a soothing bath. Eat as though you are planning for a major event, with healthy nutritious food (eat turkey, it contains tryptophan, which is used to make serotonin, a brain-calming chemical).

On stressful days, it can be easier to eat little and often to better balance your energy and avoid peaks and dips. Also, keep hydrated, especially if you are having the odd glass of wine (or more). Even a small reduction in hydration can impair your thinking processes and add to any perceived level of stress. Another great aid to stress reduction is exercise.

Now you might think you are doing a lot of running around getting ready for the holidays. Yet, this can be inconsistent ‘active’ exercise. Sustained exercise can increase energy levels, boost your immune system, help you sleep better and be better able to cope with frustration. Also, mentioning sleep, sufficient sleep can avoid irritability, grumpiness and being short-tempered, and will help you feel more resilient and better able to cope with the demands placed upon you.

4. Avoid over-stimulation for a stress-free Christmas

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it”
~ Lou Holtz

Acknowledge your feelings.  If you are feeling over-pressured, then address it as early as possible, rather than letting the feelings build to an explosive point. Notice whether you are using coping strategies that ultimately may make things worse… For example; drinking a lot of coffee to keep you going when you are feeling tired. We know of the unhelpful effects of caffeine in the body, but also, caffeinated coffee stimulates cortisol, even if you are in a resting state – so lay off the stimulants and relax…

5. Balance demands for a stress-free Christmas

“Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you”
~ John DePaola

A vast array of sometimes conflicting demands can be placed upon you over the festive season. Be realistic as to what you can definitely achieve, what you are likely to be able to achieve, and what would be nice if you have the time or the resources (and when all the other demands have been met). Prioritise and review your priorities regularly.

Make sure you prioritise yourself and time for relaxation, to ensure you have enough energy to actually ‘enjoy’ the holidays rather than ‘endure’ them. Ensure you have sufficient ‘you’ time, to relax in the way that best suits you. This may be playing a game or watching something funny, watching a film, taking a bath, or listening to music. For some, even ironing can be relaxing, for others it is self-hypnosis, mindful meditation, or a massage.

Be kind to yourself this Christmas season. Regularly, take time for ‘Stop and Think Moments’. Ask yourself: Why are you doing what you are doing? At which point will you have done enough for today? Are you busy doing things others think are important, busy doing things you think are important, or just being busy because you like being busy?

6. Keep control for a stress-free Christmas

“Stress is not what happens to us. It’s our response TO what happens. And RESPONSE is something we can choose”
~ Maureen Killoran

Keep a positive mindset within yourself. Avoid being critical of yourself to yourself, or to others. Be kind to yourself and do avoid being negative, as this can isolate you from solutions to challenges. Take time to boost your own sense of self. If you spend all your time and energy focusing what didn’t happen (past), or what could happen (future), you are going through today without even realising or benefiting from it in any way.

Unhealthy, irrational or negative beliefs, about past, present or future events, whether real or imagined, can lead to unwelcome emotions (e.g. anger, anxiety, depression, guilt) and unwanted symptoms (e.g. tension, fatigue, illness). In addition, as financial stress can ruin your enjoyment of Christmas, keep control of your finances by creating a budget and sticking to it.

7. Use your support systems for a stress-free Christmas

“We can boost our immune systems by strengthening our social networks”
~ Wayne Dyer

Reach out to family, social and community support systems, not just for them to help you, but for you to offer help to others. It can be very rewarding to be able to give assistance to others, although without over-stretching yourself! Do consider how others respond to the festive season. If you have friends who may be alone or lonely over the holidays, explore whether you can include them in any social events, although some people choose to be quiet over the holidays.

 8. Positive relationships can help achieve a stress-free Christmas

“Stress is caused by being HERE but wanting to be THERE”
~ Eckhart Tolle

Following on from the last point, spending time and interacting with others can help reduce stress and enhance self-esteem. Aim for a sense of balance. If you ‘have’ to spend time with people / family that are not pleasant, then also plan to counter the chore with something rewarding or positive. Social skills take practice and if you are naturally quiet or shy, it can be stressful if immersed in a busy environment, such as a party, especially as people can be more ‘themselves’ when alcohol is around.

Developing and rehearsing some coping strategies can be useful. During the festive season you may be more likely to meet up with, or be in contact with, people you haven’t seen or spoken with in a long time. If you find yourself struggling to make ‘small talk’, it can be useful to prepare, in advance, some questions and discussion points and a few interesting highlights of what you have been up to recently.

If you are off visiting relatives, perhaps that super-critical aunt who will never have anything positive to say to you, accept in advance that she is a ‘character’ and choose to not take it personally. Christmas is a great time to set aside family and social differences and find common ground.

9. Define your role and delegate for a stress-free Christmas

“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on”
~ Havelock Ellis

YOU don’t have to do everything. Engage with your assertiveness skills and say ‘no’ early on, rather than take on tasks that you don’t want to do, only to then start a festering resentment. Where other people could (or should) help, delegate.

Do you really have to wrap all those presents by yourself? Could others help prep the Christmas dinner? Perhaps family or friends can do some of it. Share the work; share the fun too.

10. Be flexible with changes to routine to help achieve a stress-free Christmas

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another”
~ William James

Christmas is generally a change from your normal routines. You can either view the preparation and celebrations as chores and tasks and activities to be got through and endured, or you can choose to view the whole experience as an adventure. A time of exploration and a beneficial break from everyday routines. As already mentioned, good planning can be really helpful in reducing stress, by allocating sufficient time to get essential tasks completed.

Avoid attempting to pack too much into each day; allow some down time and also build in some flexibility, so if one event over-runs, you are not in a huge rush to get to the next one. Keeping your healthy habits through times of stress or challenge, can help your body function better and enable you to cope better.

 11. Set a stop time to help achieve a stress-free Christmas

“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering”
~ Winnie the Pooh

Plan the point at which you stop all the preparations and simply start to enjoy the experience. Whether it is the month before Christmas (wow, that is organised!), the weekend before, or even early evening of Christmas eve, at some point, transition from all the ‘go-go-go’ and simply stop, relax and start to enjoy the Christmas holiday in your own way.

 12. Be present on the day!

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment”
~ Amit Ray

Instead of thinking about past good (or better) Christmas’s and how future ones could be better than the present one, how other people’s Christmas’s are better than yours, or how you wanted the day to be totally perfect (it never is), stay present in the moment on Christmas day. Notice the good details, however small they are. Take the day as it comes, rather than measuring against possibly unrealistic expectations.

Being present can allow you to connect to the beauty, delight and magic of special moments during the day. It can help you manage your energy better (negative ruminations can be very draining), as well as helping you make better informed choices (as you know what is going on, will understand more and won’t miss key information).

By being present, you are living fully, allowing more of your true self to emerge, whilst being more in control and better able to engage in all the festivities. In addition, your interpersonal relationships will be healthier, as you are more aware of your needs and those of those around you, so more able to develop empathy and compassion and communicate better and more effectively.

Finally, by being present in the moment, rather than reacting to thoughts and emotions that can cause negativity and conflicting mind states, you can develop and maintain an inner strength, happiness and peace …and what better way to spend Christmas Day?

We HO-HO-hope this blog on 12 tips for a stress-free Christmas has been helpful, and if you have any questions relating to this blog, do please get in touch, because we’re always happy to help!

Also, both of us here at HypnoTC: The Hypnotherapy Training Company wish you a very Merry Christmas, and we hope you have a Happy New Year too!

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If you would like to help others make positive enhancements to their lives and become a professional hypnotherapist,  we recommend you check our awesome Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma course.

Finally, if you would like to find out more about the awesome Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma that HypnoTC , do please visit our Diploma page and have a browse through the information about our world-class, award-winning training.

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– written by Dr Kate Beaven-Marks
(HypnoTC Director)