Searching for a Therapist

Choosing the right therapist is critically important to the success of your therapy, so we suggest you ring a few, and not just from this site. Hypnotherapists have many different styles and beliefs, as well as different levels of training, so research a little, and maybe use what you learn from this site to question anyone you approach.

Quest Institute Trained therapists require a certain type of client for our approach to work. If you’re looking for someone to fix you, hoping to lie back, look at a swinging watch and wake up magically cured of your problem then we’re probably not for you. [More on our approach to training]

We’re looking for clients who are motivated to change themselves and realise that the kind of change they’re after is the result of an active collaboration with their therapist. Improvement is possible quickly with clients who are curious and willing to put the work in.

QIT therapists don’t give guarantees, they just do their best – and we think their best is as good as you’ll find (but of course we’re biased). They have many tools and techniques that they’ll use depending on the kind of person you are and what you want to work on. We don’t use one-size-fits-all scripts, because we think everyone is different, so between you a unique approach and relationship is developed. In many respects they act as tour guides, we believe that everyone has what they need to solve their own problems, they just need help in accessing it. Because of this you may be surprised at how ‘normal’ cognitive hypnotherapy feels. There is never any element of control over you, you are never told what to do or how to live, our therapists skilfully use your resources and imagination to help you – and we all have more than we think.

In some respects we’re looking to do the opposite of what you expect. People think we’re going to hypnotise them to solve their problem. Actually we’re looking to de-hypnotise them. Let me explain. I mentioned earlier the experience of feeling that you weren’t in control of your actions. People who suffer from phobias, panic attacks, and depression would probably realise how this fits their experience. But how about people who want to stop smoking or biting their nails, but can’t seem to? Or lose weight? Or not feel sick when they have to speak in public? The list becomes almost endless when you think of it in this way. All hypnosis is self- hypnosis. People go into trance by allowing themselves to – it’s their trance. When people experience their problem they go into a trance until they stop ‘doing their problem’, and then they ‘wake up’ and say, “Why did I do that again?” And then they beat themselves up for being stupid, weak willed etc. I hope this is ringing bells for you.

So Cognitive Hypnotherapists involve you in understanding the patterns of thought and behaviour that make up the problem (and your trance state will be part of the problem), and then use techniques to change the pattern, including techniques that use your own trance states to help you. What used to be part of your problem becomes part of your solution. Imagine if you were as good at not doing your problem as you have been at doing it? It’s just a question of finding the right combination of techniques and suggestions to change the pattern in the most positive way.

If that made sense of your issue, you’re feeling excited now at the prospect of being able to take control of your own life, then our approach might be the right one for you. The main thing I want you to get from this is that there is hope, and most people can be helped. We’d suggest you either contact us, or use our On-Line QIT Therapist Finder to look for a QIT Cognitive Hypnotherapist in your area and give them a ring.