How Can an Unethical  Hypnotherapist Con You?

More and more people seek help from Hypnotherapists.

Perhaps you are one of them and you have your own personal horror story?

Unfortunately, not all hypnotherapists are ethical and there are many who are dysfunctional, self-eluded and egotistical. And, unfortunately, those kind of Hypnotherapists have comfortable life styles, all paid by you.

It is my hope that as a practicing Hypnotherapist of over thirty years, that this article will help you to avoid those kind of Hypnotherapists, or at least to run as fast as you can from them once you realise you are being conned.
SOME GUIDANCE TO FINDING THE RIGHT HYPNOTHERAPIST
The very first thing you must do is use your common sense and listen to your gut feelings. If a Hypnotherapist claims to be able to 'cure' you of a myriad of ailments, then ask yourself a simple question, "Who does the 'curing', yourself or the therapist?'

The answer is so obvious. Nobody can 'cure' you without your permission and therefore it is yourself that manifests the 'cure'. All good therapists will only claim to be able to 'help' you to make the right decisions to effect any 'cure'.

You will notice that I have used inverted commas with the word 'cure'. The reason is that a reputable Hypnotherapist never uses that word as it implies that the ailment will no longer exist or return. That is so much nonsense as all ailments, no matter what, are capable of returning.

A reputable hypnotherapist will only claim to be able to help you resolve the ailment and get back to as normal a life as possible.

BEFORE MAKING AN APPOINT - WHAT TO LOOK FOR

1. If you know of anyone who has already received therapy from a Hypnotherapist, ask about the therapy, but not personal details. In other words, only ask for an opinion and not what was done or discussed during the therapy. Nobody wants to discuss their personal details, unless you are a very close and trusted friend. A recommendation is far better than any advertisement.

2. If you cannot find anyone to give you a recommendation, look for advertisements in your local press. Do not take the first Hypnotherapist you find as the only one but look for as many as you can. Now follow your gut feelings and chose at least three.

3. Phone each one and ask how long they have been in practice. If it is a short period, ask what work they did before that. It is amazing how many Hypnotherapist's adverts carry qualifications that have nothing to do with Hypnotherapy, so also ask what their qualification initials are.

4. Now this is very important. Ask the Hypnotherapist for a contact number or an address so that you can check out their qualification. This is the crunch! An unethical Hypnotherapist will dodge the question and mislead you. An honest Hypnotherapist will readily give you full details, especially about his or her training. Remember to ask how many study hours were involved in his Hypnotherapy Training and some form of reference to the training college. Honest therapists are proud of their training and qualifications and never hesitate in giving you any details you ask for.

5. Check the qualifications until you are satisfied and only when you are happy, make a booking, but do not, repeat do not, commit yourself to more than one session. If a Hypnotherapist insists that any treatment given takes more than one session and you have to pay in advance, do not make a booking. An ethical Hypnotherapist who knows what he or she is doing, never asks for money up-front. Indeed, they may not even ask for payment until after the first session is complete and even then you may notice an element of embarrassment. The caring therapist hates handling the money aspect.

YOUR FIRST SESSION - WHAT TO LOOK FOR

The first thing that you should always look for in a Hypnotherapist is professionalism. The keyword to that is simply 'respect.

If the Hypnotherapist is showing you respect, he will ensure that the session belongs to you and that your are 'the most important person in the room.'

The therapist will also ensure that his consultation room is clean, tidy and free of unusual noises, such as somebody in the next room shouting or the smell of cooking.

He or she will also ensure that you feel both physically and mentally comfortable. I've heard of Hypnotherapists that sit in comfortable arm chairs whilst his client sits on a hard chair because some idiot Hypnotherapy Trainer has told him that the client should not be too comfortable to prevent falling asleep. What an insult.

The Hypnotherapist should also show respect by dressing in a presentable way, and cleanly. Some Hypnotherapists think it is ok to wear dirty jeans and a crumpled t shirt because it is 'cool'. The days of therapists wearing suits and the men wearing ties, are far gone. but a clean, open-necked shirt is acceptable and there is now no need to wear a jacket. If the therapist is untidy, dirty and smelly, don't continue - walk away!

Everyday noises such as traffic, sound of vendors in the street outside the consultation room are acceptable as they will soon fade into the background under hypnosis and not be a problem. But people shouting and cooking smells inside the house or building are a problem as they can raise all sorts of anxieties in a venerable client.

If the Hypnotherapist asks you to pay in advance for the session, be wary. You could and possibly should ask if you can pay at the end of the session. If he or she disagrees, then you can be sure there is something to hide, especially if you are asked to pay in cash.

Again, if you are asked to pay up-front for a number of sessions, establish the true reason for it. It is possible that the treatment you are about to be given requires more than one session and would not be successful with only one. For example, I always suggest to my students that three sessions are required for permanent release from the smoking habit and to protect reputations, the three payments should be paid on the first session. The payment ensures the client returns for the necessary three sessions.

During the session, look for 'ego stroking'. By that I mean, is the therapist stroking his own ego telling you all about his own greatness in the field of Hypnotherapy, or is he concentrating on your problem and trying to find a way of helping you. I believe it is in order for a Hypnotherapist to let the client know that he has succeeded previously with a similar ailment as that installs confidence in the client's anticipation of success. But if he or she tells you about a hundred cases he has cured and how everybody in the world thinks he is the best thing since cut bread, don't believe him.

A good Hypnotherapist is a humble one.

CONCLUSION

So, taking all of the above into consideration, you should find yourself being treated by one of the most effective and wonderful therapies available to you and by an ethical and professional Hypnotherapist.

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NOTE:  The whole of this article can be reproduced providing the following Bio is included:

"Robert Shields, is the Principal of The Robert Shields College and runs a low cost Hypnotherapy Diploma Training Course that includes a money-back guarantee. Details can be found at: http://www.hypnotherapy-training.com He is also the originator of Fear Elimination Therapy that removes phobias and fears in minutes (Not N.L.P.). Details at: http://www.hypnotherapy-training.com/fet.html ."