I’m often asked how you become a hypnotherapist. There’s a certain mystery and allure surrounding hypnotherapy — and, occasionally, even a little fear. Popular culture has played its part, conjuring images of swinging watches, clucking like a chicken and the fear of being ‘under someone’s control’. But the reality is very different. Hypnotherapy is a powerful, evidence-based form of therapy. Becoming a hypnotherapist is not something to take lightly. It demands serious intent, deep motivation and robust, ongoing training.
So how do you actually become a hypnotherapist? And why did I choose to?
Why I became a hypnotherapist
Why do we do what we do? It’s a question I’ve asked myself for as long as I can remember — and that’s telling. When I look back over my career and personal development, I can see that I was always fascinated by what shapes human experience — our personalities, decisions, thoughts and behaviour. How much of who we are is formed by our conscious will, and how much is guided by unseen influences?
As a writer, I often explored psychological themes. I gravitated towards topics that dwell in the depths of the mind — personal experiences, the science of behaviour, emotional truths and cultural taboos. I’ve always been drawn to understanding not just what people do, but why.
I love the quote — often attributed to Carl Jung — “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” The idea that unresolved inner conflicts shape our external reality is a theme that has always resonated with me.
(I have to sidetrack for a moment here, because I can’t allow my love for a quote to interfere with accuracy! I’m sorry to say that there is no proof that Jung ever spoke or wrote these exact words. But it reverberates with a timeless truth and it does accurately and beautifully echo his insights. For instance, he did say:
“The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate. That is to say, when the individual remains undivided and does not become conscious of his inner opposite, the world must perforce act out the conflict and be torn into opposing halves.”)
This truth — that what we fail to resolve internally will manifest externally — is what drove me to explore not only my own self but also therapeutic work with others. It was the natural path to hypnotherapy, a modality that works directly with the subconscious to unlock transformation.
Myth-busting: What hypnotherapy is (and isn’t)
Hypnotherapy is often misunderstood. I don’t hypnotise people to make them act out of character. I don’t erase memories or implant new ones. And no, I can’t make you fluent in Spanish overnight. Hypnosis is not mind control, it’s a natural and common state of focused attention.
As the great psychiatrist and hypnotherapist Milton Erickson said:
“Trance is a common experience. A football fan watching a game on TV is awake to the game but is not awake to his body sitting in the chair or his wife calling him to dinner.”
When we use this natural state intentionally in therapy, it becomes a powerful tool for change, as the subconscious can be accessed most effectively. And the subconscious, rather than being a dusty attic of repressed memories, is a reservoir of creativity, resilience, and resourcefulness.
What college is really like
Training to become a hypnotherapist is not a quick fix or a weekend retreat. It’s rigorous. Or at least, it should be. I chose to do a very robust course with in-person classroom days, because I believe that real-life interaction and hands-on experience are essential. We live in an age where online learning is normalised, but I feel strongly that there’s no substitute for learning and practising with people in the same room. That’s not just a preference, it’s also, rightly, a requirement of the best professional organisations you can be affiliated with.
College involved long days of listening, learning and practising hypnotherapy techniques. There was homework, recommended reading and case studies. An appetite for learning will help. I am always reading hypnotherapy and psychology books.
What you get out of the course depends entirely on what you put in. You should expect to work hard if you want to be a safe, effective and ethical practitioner.
Choosing the right training
After careful research, I chose to train with the International College of Clinical Hypnotherapy Practitioners (ICCHP). Their courses are among the most comprehensive available and meet the standards of all major accrediting bodies, including the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR).
ICCHP graduates qualify not just as hypnotherapists but as Integrative Mind Body Health Practitioners, trained in a wide range of modalities including:
Clinical hypnotherapy
Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT)
Mindfulness-based approaches
Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)
Coaching and personal development
Complementary health tools
The course stood out for its emphasis on evidence-based practice, which was vital to me. I also valued the training in both direct and indirect suggestion techniques, which allow for more flexible and client-centred sessions. No two people are the same, so it’s important to have more than one approach in your therapeutic toolkit.
The responsibility of the title
Because hypnotherapy is a self-regulated industry, anyone can technically call themselves a hypnotherapist. But that doesn’t mean they should. It is critical to choose a well-accredited course and pursue recognised professional membership to ensure high standards of ethics, safety and skill.
Becoming a hypnotherapist doesn’t end with graduation. To do this work well, you must be committed to:
Ongoing learning and development
Regular clinical supervision
Personal growth and self-awareness
Adherence to a clear ethical framework
Hypnotherapy is not a static skill — it is a lifelong practice of listening, adapting, evolving and learning.
Becoming what you are
Whether you’re reading this because you’re curious about training, looking for a therapist or just interested in the human mind, I’m glad you found your way here.
I’ll leave you with the words of Milton Erickson:
“Life isn’t something you can give an answer to today. You should enjoy the process of waiting, the process of becoming what you are. There is nothing more delightful than planting flower seeds and not knowing what kind of flowers are going to come up.”
