Does hypnotherapy work?
It works for most people and most problems most of the time. It is not a magic wand or miracle cure. It is a partnership with the therapist or coach acting as a facilitator, empowering the client to achieve their goals. Just like medicine, it may not bring about the desired change in some people.
Do the effects of hypnotherapy last?
The effects of therapy and coaching can last a lifetime. We aim for lasting results, where clients are not reliant on our help to maintain the solution.
Is there a scientific evidence base/research proving it works?
Hypnotherapy: a constantly growing one. For some issues, we have randomised controlled trials - the type of research conducted to test whether medicines work. We also have lots of qualitative research, case studies, therapist's own observations in the therapy room, feedback from clients after therapy, and clients returning to work on another issue or recommending hypnotherapy to other people.
EMDR: a growing scientific evidence base which started with post-traumatic stress disorder and progressed into minor trauma, depression, and now into most areas of therapy - even sports performance.
NLP - less researched. Anecdotally, therapists using the approach and their clients see great results. Research funding is the main obstacle here.
Coaching - a sound evidence base has grown around this area, helped along by its heavy focus on measurable outcomes. Research is showing the benefits in business, career decision-making, personal growth, sport, and all manner of other topics.
How much does it cost?
This varies, depending on the therapist. Price is often (not always) linked to experience and qualifications. Overheads can be involved too. Some therapists work from rented offices or specialise and have high training costs.
Some therapists publish their prices online. Others choose not to because they want people to call. This has benefits such as:
1. Prices will always be current. Websites can become dated, especially if the therapist relies on a web designer's services.
2. Some therapists, including ourselves, believe that rapport is essential. Web prices encourage some people to shop around based on price alone. We believe talking to a therapist (without obligation) is essential to assess the therapist and rapport.
3. Occasionally, the reason for not mentioning price on a website is an oversight of web design, to hide high prices, to hide prices from other therapists, or because the therapist doesn't have a pricing policy or creates bespoke solutions. We wouldn't expect these reasons to be commonplace.
Does my health insurance cover therapy or coaching?
Hypnotherapy: some insurers cover and some do not. Others cover subject to certain criteria. Please see our information page on health insurance provision.
EMDR, NLP and Coaching: you would have to ask your health insurance provider. Some policies allow people to choose extras and cover may be available if one or more of these were added. We are members of just one professional association (hypnotherapy). If membership is required for EMDR, NLP or Coaching, cover may not be possible.
How many sessions are required?
Coaching is usually a longer term relationship where growth continues indefinitely or until specific goals have been reached. Therapy is often on a particular problem and the client exits when the problem is gone.
The number of therapy sessions depends on the nature and severity of the problem, whether there are lots of related problems or just one, the client's motivation, how challenging the client's goals are, and many other factors, some of which can change during the course of therapy.
We would love to be able to give an exact number of sessions but realistically we can't. Neither we, nor clients, know for sure what will come up in therapy, or whether life events will change our goals.
A definite and known number of sessions can sound appealing if you are on a budget or short of time but this can cause problems. To offer a definite number of sessions, a therapist would have to do one of the following:
- Put everyone through the same course of therapy (a 'package') and ignore their individual needs and differences.
- Bring therapy to a premature close if necessary to meet the promises made.
- Surprise the client by adding more unplanned sessions.
- Overestimate the number of sessions required to buffer any additional therapy required.
Experience has shown us that our clients would rather we invest in them individually and work flexibly to achieve a lasting solution. As a rough guide, however:
Hypnotherapy: most issues take between 3 and 6 sessions. Hypnotherapy is regarded as a brief approach amongst the psychological therapies.
NLP: 1 double ('breakthrough') session to 4 sessions or more, depending on whether the goal is small, singular, and tightly defined or whether we are working on a big project such as career progression or ongoing personal growth.
Coaching: usually a number of months. Initially, a few sessions are held in close succession to understand the challenges and discuss strategies, etc. Then they become monthly sessions. This allows time to implement strategies and achieve goals. Unlike therapy, this relationship is normally viewed as longer term.
The decision to end therapy or coaching is ideally negotiated between client and therapist. Of course, you are free to terminate at any time if you choose to leave sooner.
We guarantee that we will terminate therapy at the earliest time, whilst ensuring good care and the continuing welfare of our clients.
Do you offer guarantees?
This questions usually relates to therapy, particularly in relation to addictions and other areas where people feel they have no control.
We can guarantee that:
- We will bring our knowledge, experience, skills and effort to bear on the problem.
- We will end therapy at the earliest time, whilst ensuring your good care, continuing welfare and, as far as possible, a sustainable result.
- We will always work with integrity.
- We will always have your best interests at heart.
No responsible therapist could offer a guarantee of 'cure', just as a doctor wouldn't promise a medicine will work. All forms of therapy, whether they be hypnotherapy, cognitive therapy, chemotherapy, relate, medicine, etc. work differently on different people and can fail to bring about the desired change in some people.
Similarly, we cannot expect a client to offer us a guarantee that they will remain completely motivated, that they will always follow through on agreed tasks, that no new information will come to light during therapy that could impede progress, or that no impactful life events, such as changes in personal or work circumstances, will occur.
Ultimately, therapy requires a partnership in which the client is highly engaged and committed and the therapist works in good faith to help.
Can you provide success rates?
This is a common and perfectly reasonable question to ask. It would help a client decide whether therapy per se, or a particular therapist, is right for them and for their particular problem.
However, therapists are not supposed to provide success rates (some professional associations forbid it) for a number of reasons:
- Quoting a high success rate for a problem can leave people who don't succeed feeling even worse about themselves. If we quoted (as an illustration) 99% success with smokers, how would a smoker feel if it didn't work for them?!
- It is the individual that matters. Other people are different and they are not a reliable guide as to whether a person will be successful. Everyone has a different set of problems, personality, support structures, motivation, etc.
- Verification of a therapist's success rates is awkward. Unscrupulous therapists could lie about their success rates and there are no independent auditing procedures.
- How should we measure 'success'? The therapist might think they were successful but the client might not. The client might think they were successful but the therapist thinks the result could have been better. How long does a client go without smoking, putting on weight or experiencing a panic attack, for example, before they can be sure therapy has been successful? Is success a partial removal of the problem, enough to make it more manageable, or a full cure? Measuring success is very complicated!
These issues put psychological therapists of all persuasions in a bind. We want the best for our clients and there is even evidence that positive expectation increases the chance of success. Yet if we over-promise, and results do not occur, clients may be unhappy with us, themselves, or the therapy we used. Ultimately, then, it requires trust that we are all working in good faith.
How long is each session?
Each session with us lasts 50-60 minutes. Professional therapists who value their time and their client's time are very careful about this. It isn't healthy for therapist or client if sessions overrun by too much.
Why doesn't my doctor provide therapy?
Only a small number of doctors have training in therapy and most do not have the necessary time to spend with patients. They usually refer people to a professional therapist.
Is it necessary for a doctor or psychologist to refer me?
In most cases a referral is not necessary.
If you are claiming on health insurance, you would not normally need to obtain a referral from a doctor or psychologist but you may wish to check with your provider.
However, if your problem is a medical one, such as headaches, IBS or a skin complaint, it should be properly diagnosed by a doctor first and you should continue taking any medication. If it is psychological, again, you should continue with any support you are currently receiving and see our work together as an additional form of help, or discuss your options with all involved. You need to bear in mind that some doctors, psychotherapists and psychologists make judgements, especially about hypnotherapy, without properly understanding it. Their thoughts might come from seeing hypnotic stage shows!
In some instances, the therapist might, with permission, want to speak to a client's doctor, psychologist, or other professional before proceeding. This is to make sure they understand the condition and to make sure their work is likely to be useful and complimentary.
How do I find the best coach, therapist or hypnotherapist?
Australia & NZ have many therapists to choose from. This is a very personal choice. We can provide some ideas to help:
- Location - it is worth travelling to see the right therapist. But it needs to be a distance you can keep up for a number of sessions.
- Cost - therapy is definitely worth investing in and it can be life-changing. Price sometimes, but not always, reflects a therapist's training and experience. An experienced therapist may charge more per session but you could achieve a result in fewer sessions. It needs to be affordable over a number of sessions.
- Qualifications, skills and knowledge - training varies considerably in quantity and quality.
- Professional membership - ideally in place as this ensures the therapist attends regular courses and supervision, abides by a code of ethics, and is insured. However, someone who is not in a professional body is not necessarily working to poor standards. Conversely, professional membership is not necessarily a guarantee of high standards.
- Rapport - feeling comfortable with the therapist or coach is really important. Trust your instincts.
Having a look around a website and having a chat with a coach or therapist is the best way to assess these criteria.
Can I bring someone with me?
It is preferable that you attend alone. Sometimes, if a client has someone else in the same room or nearby, such as their partner, it makes them less likely to openly explore issues, especially if they involve the other person. Sometimes the client becomes embarrassed about their issues. With hypnotherapy, they also sometimes become giggly about entering trance if someone they know is watching.
Some clients need accompanying for physical, mental, or age-related reasons and each situation is assessed differently.
If you have someone drop you off they could visit Buddina beach, just 5 minutes walk away, do some shopping in Kawana Shopping World, or read in Kawana library.
Will I need to do anything between sessions?
Sometimes we agree simple and manageable assignments. For example, you might be asked to repeat a technique we have used in therapy or coaching, empowering you with something you can use on your own, and sometimes reducing the amount of contact with us.
Assignments are sometimes for the client's direct benefit and sometimes to help the therapist or coach understand the problem or solutions better.
Can I be reassured that my hypnotherapy is confidential?
Yes. Client data are not shared with anyone. In exceptional circumstances we may be forced to share information. This may be for your welfare or for the greater good:
- Where it is in the client's interests because they pose an immediate danger to themselves, e.g., they are considering suicide.
- Where the welfare of others is at risk, e.g., we have reason to believe a client is plotting a terrorist attack.
- Where we must release data by law.
Therapists and coaches may also discuss their work with their supervisors, peers or a professional association to obtain supervision and advice. This ensures they are providing the best service. However, in our practice, we have never found it necessary to disclose the client's name or any identifying details. It is an ethical requirement that any colleagues we speak with also maintain confidentiality.
What should I wear?
You can wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. Occasionally people remove hard contact lenses for hypnotherapy if they are worried that rapid eye movements (like those you experience when falling asleep) will be uncomfortable. Most people leave them in without any problems.
