Asking friends or relatives for a recommendation is a good starting point as they will have first hand experience. But if you don't have any recommendations to contact, the next step for most people is often the Yellow Pages or the internet. Many therapists have their own website and these can be useful sources of information. Most of the larger professional hypnotherapy organisations also have their own database of members and they should be able to give you information about therapists in your area.

Below are some points to consider when choosing a hypnotherapist. It's important to remember though, that you need to feel at ease and able to talk to them. For hypnotherapy to be successful, there needs to be a good level of rapport between you and your therapist. Hypnotherapy is very much a two-way process and is not something that is done to you but with you.

Some points to consider

Qualifications and training
At present there are no statutory training requirements for hypnotherapists in the UK. This means that there are a large number of training courses available ranging from professional training programmes lasting over a year, to internet correspondence courses with no supervision and little or no formal assessment. Completion of most courses entitles people to put letters after their name and so how do you choose someone who is suitably qualified?

As a starting point, you should look for someone who has a diploma in Hypnotherapy (also known as Clinical Hypnosis or Therapeutic Hypnosis) which has been awarded by an independent external body such as an exam board or professional society. Many diploma courses are internally verified which means that the training school or college awards their own qualification at the end of the course.

It's not really possible to list all the criteria that a 'good' course would fulfill because courses and teaching approaches vary so widely. As a general guide, a comprehensive hypnotherapy diploma should consist of a mix of classroom based theory and practical sessions which are taught and supervised by experienced lecturers. Such courses usually involve a substantial amount of coursework along with formal written and practical exams in order to pass the course and be awarded a diploma qualification.

Membership of a professional society or organisation
As with training courses and qualifications, there are quite a number of societies and organisations that hypnotherapists can belong to. Some training schools also have their own society which students become members of upon completion of their course.

It's worth making sure that a therapist belongs to a reputable and independent organisation which requires its members to meet minimum training and supervision requirements as well as adhere to a code of conduct. Most of the larger organisations also have a complaints procedure and require their members to be fully insured.

Supervision with another therapist
Many of the larger professional societies and organisations also require their members to have a supervisor. This doesn't mean that the therapist is inexperienced though. The purpose of supervision is so that therapists of all levels have someone who acts as a mentor, provides support and advice as well as encouraging them to evaluate their work so that they can continue to use best practice when working with clients.

Experience of working with the problem for which you are seeking help
Most hypnotherapists work with a wide range of issues including many that are listed on the hypnotherapy page of this website. Some therapists also undertake further training or have experience of working in specialist areas such as palliative care or pain management.

Number of sessions required
Whilst it's not always possible to give an exact figure in terms of the number of sessions required, a therapist should be able to give you a rough outline based on their training and experience. Do not be surprised if a therapist says that they need to meet you first in order to give you an idea of how many sessions may be needed. Although they may have worked with the problem that you're seeking help with before, every client is different and people respond differently to hypnosis.

Cost of sessions
Some therapists offer a free initial consultation whereas others offer an initial consultation which is paid for, but is often a little longer than a regular session. Booking a free initial session can be an attractive option because it allows you to meet the therapist and decide whether you want to book further sessions before you spend any money. However, it is worth mentioning that hypnosis or hypnotherapy does not usually take place at these sessions and they are often quite short in duration.

With a longer paid for initial consultation, a thorough background history is usually taken so that any future sessions can be focused on working on the problem or issue. Hypnotherapy often takes place as well to prepare you for future sessions as well as general suggestions being given for confidence and wellbeing.

Before making your first appointment with a therapist, you should know how much a session will cost and how long it will last. Most therapists charge per session and this will vary depending on the area and the therapist. Some also offer programmes for certain issues such as stopping smoking, where you pay one fee for a fixed number of sessions.

There are no right or wrong answers and you should choose a therapist who is suitably qualified and experienced as well as someone with whom you feel comfortable working.