Why I’m Proud to Call Myself a Hypnotherapist (And Why You Should Be Too)
In an industry currently flooded with "mindset architects," "anxiety gurus," and "wealth manifestation coaches," I want to take a moment to ground us in a bit of reality.
I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve worked with professional musicians, elite sportspeople, TV stars, and household-name actors. You won’t see their faces plastered over my social media, and I don’t use their fame as a marketing hook. Why? Because the bedrock of therapy is confidentiality and trust. If a client can’t trust me to keep their business private, how can they trust me with their subconscious mind?
I am a Clinical Hypnotherapist. I’m proud of that title. While I am extensively trained in NLP, SFBT, and EFT, I don’t hide behind vague labels. I use those modalities as tools in my kit, but I never step outside my realm of competency just because I "saw it on TikTok." I won't sell you weight-loss peptides or supplements. I sell therapy. Period.
The Myth of the "Package"
One of my biggest bugbears is the modern obsession with "high-ticket packages." I’ve heard of people being quoted £4,000 to resolve panic disorder. It’s predatory.
I recently worked with a client who was quoted exactly that. We sorted his issue in three sessions. He now tells everyone: "I’m so glad I found John; I was about to get ripped off."
My pricing is transparent. Each session is an individual charge. I don’t do subscriptions. The client decides when to come and for how long. With clinical hypnosis, we can often resolve issues in a single session—so why on earth would I sign you up for a ten-week "transformation journey" you don’t need?
Solution-Focused Doesn't Mean "Problem-Ignorant"
There’s a misconception that being Solution-Focused means ignoring the client’s pain. I’ve heard of practitioners abruptly interrupting clients the moment they mention their struggle. That isn't therapy; it's rude.
The 3 R’s of therapy are Rapport, Rapport, and Rapport. If you ignore a client's problem, you’ve lost the rapport, and you've lost the client.
I work in a person-centred way. This doesn't make me a counsellor; it means everything I do is about you. I am not a god, I’m not a miracle worker, and I’m certainly not the "expert" in your life. You are the expert. I am simply a facilitator—a bloody damn good facilitator—helping you answer the question: "How would you like to show up when the problem is there?"
To My Peers: Look Through Your Windshield, Not the Rear-View
As a supervisor and mentor to hypnotherapists worldwide, I apply the same ethics to training as I do to clinical work. I see too many newly qualified therapists being preyed upon by "Millionaire Mindset Academies" promising a flood of clients if they just buy one more expensive course.
If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
The only way to build a sustainable business is to build it one client at a time, reputation by reputation. I attract more clients than I can fit in without paying a penny to "lead generators" or "business coaches." I do it by being fair, and bringing results from working with clients. My reputation is far more powerful than false promises.
My 4 Rules for the Modern Hypnotherapist
If you are a practitioner starting out, or a veteran feeling lost in the noise, remember this:
Ground Yourself: You are a hypnotherapist. Be the best at what you do and stay within your scope of practice.
Focus on Your Road: There are a lot of us out there. If you spend all your time looking in the rear-view mirror at what others are doing, your eyes aren't on the road ahead.
Check Your Ego: You aren't God reincarnated. You are a facilitator for the client's own change.
Be Fair: Don’t exploit vulnerability. If you came into this to help people, then help them. A fair hourly rate is a good wage. If you’re here to exploit mental health for a "laptop lifestyle," please find another industry.
I love this profession. Hypnosis is "what I do." Let’s keep it professional, keep it ethical, and keep it real.
Are you a hypnotherapist looking for ethical supervision, or a client ready to get to work? Let’s have a conversation about how we can move you forward.