Clinical Hypnotherapy Online - How it All Began
In this blog, I am going to tell you the story of how I started my own online hypnotherapy business. I will also explain the many benefits that Online Hypnotherapy can offer. This idea has enabled me to work with 100's of clients via the internet from all over the World, with incredibly successful results and extremely high levels of client satisfaction.
How did you get started? Does online hypnotherapy actually work?
I get asked these sorts of questions all the time. I can still remember the first time that I entertained the idea of providing Clinical Hypnotherapy Online to my clients. I must stress that this was a very long time ago now as this story already feels a little bizarre given the recent situation with the pandemic. I was sat in a meeting with several other Clinical Hypnotherapists when somebody raised the idea of delivering Clinical Hypnotherapy sessions over the internet. The very notion that this was an idea we should entertain was met with a fairly strong negative response. The conversation very quickly moved onto why online therapy wouldn’t be as effective, couldn’t be done and why ‘it just wouldn’t feel right’. If I am to be perfectly honest, my initial reaction was somewhat similar to that of my peers; ‘surely online hypnosis couldn’t possibly be as effective as face to face hypnotherapy’......... However, the more I thought about it, the more confident I became that delivering high quality hypnotherapy online could be possible. I’ve never been someone who’s happy just to ‘tick along’ and maintain the status quo; I've always embraced change as a positive experience. I very quickly convinced myself that this avenue needed to be investigated and set about planning how online hypnotherapy could be performed effectively.
I thought about all the things that people had initially insisted wouldn’t be as effective over the internet; banking, food shopping, clothes shopping, auctions, Christmas shopping, watching television…….. Not only have improvements in technology meant that those attitudes are now outdated, but technology has progressed so rapidly that the very thought that anyone would be of the opinion that the internet wouldn’t be effective in the areas mentioned almost sounds absurd. So I switched my thinking - how could I make this work? After much thought, I believed that there were two issues needing significant consideration; 1. What would I need to deliver high quality hypnotherapy sessions and 2. What would the client need to ensure that they could receive hypnotherapy sessions over the internet?
What would I need for online hypnotherapy sessions?
What I didn’t want to do was to just start offering online sessions as an afterthought and an ‘add-on’ to my face to face sessions. If this was something that I was going to offer, I needed the client's online experience to be as close to perfect as I could make it. After some thought, I came up with my list of essentials:
The best computer that money could buy
A high speed internet connection to ensure that there would be no disruption in the hypnotherapy sessions
High quality audio equipment. Technology that would produce sound quality as good as being in the same room as a client was incredibly important
An HD camera that I could use if I needed to sketch diagrams within hypnotherapy sessions
A communication platform that I could use which enabled me to control as much of the session as possible. I didn’t want clients to worry about anything other than the hypnotherapy session itself.
Not exactly an insurmountable list and entirely within the realms of possibility.
What would the client need for an online hypnotherapy session?
There would be no point in spending time developing online therapy sessions that couldn’t be accessed by the general public. I therefore needed to ensure that the list was as minimalist as possible. I eventually eventually settled on the following:
Access to a computer/tablet/mobile phone (obviously) with a good internet connection would be essential
Earphones would be preferable as it would enhance the clients experience, but they would not be essential
Somewhere comfortable for their hypnotherapy session to take place such as a couch or a bed. This needed to be away from any pets (particularly dogs) who may become unsettled, particularly during the hypnosis part of the session.
And that was where it all started. As far as I was concerned, I didn’t need much more to develop high quality online hypnotherapy sessions and set about developing my ideas and my website.
After a significant amount of research, I worked through my plan. Even I was surprised with the level of quality that I could provide during an online hypnotherapy session. For example, the audio quality was so good that not only did clients feel as if I was in the same room as they were, but I was able to drown out all background noise. I was even able to conduct a Clinical Hypnotherapy session whilst someone in the adjacent building to my practice had decided to start drilling holes in the wall... The client was completely unaware that this was going on and all they could hear was my voice. Hypnotherapy is effective, but even the most experienced hypnotherapist couldn't drown out that level of background noise in a face to face session! I felt that this level of technology would be a game changer in terms of delivering high quality therapy over the internet.
Benefits of Online Hypnotherapy
Although I do still provide face to face hypnotherapy sessions at the prestigious Observatory Practice in Plymouth, my focus in recent times has inevitably been channelled towards developing online sessions. This focus has obviously been magnified with the recent pandemic and restrictions on face to face therapy. As a result, I’m now firmly of the belief that not only are online hypnotherapy sessions just as effective as face to face sessions, but they can actually be more effective for several reasons.
It’s convenient. Undergoing hypnotherapy within the comfort of your own home is a huge positive for many people. In particular, people who require help in overcoming high levels of anxiety and depression have found this approach to be hugely beneficial. They are now able to put their entire focus and energy into the session instead of being worried about visiting a practice. Some people find that lying down and closing their eyes whilst being in the same room as a relative stranger is uncomfortable. Conducting hypnotherapy online overcomes this problem.
It’s far more accessible for many people. For some, travelling to and from a hypnotherapy practice can be quite difficult, particularly for those who live in isolated areas. Online hypnotherapy breaks down those barriers and enables people to access clinical hypnotherapy from wherever they wish.
It’s cheaper! Clinical Hypnotherapists offering online sessions are able to offer sessions at more competitive rates. This is because their overheads are nowhere near as big as therapists who conduct sessions in the traditional way.
It’s time efficient. Travelling to and from a practice takes time. In most cases, the time that people need to set aside for a hypnotherapy session doubles once travel time is taken into account. Receiving Clinical Hypnotherapy in the comfort of your own home is much more time efficient. All a client needs to do is turn on their computer and click on a Zoom link provided when they book a session.
It can be anonymous. Many people wishing to pursue therapy wish to remain anonymous. It is sometimes uncomfortable speaking with someone knowing that they reside in the same area, particularly if those discussions are of a sensitive nature. Booking a Hypnotherapy session over the internet means that people are able to book sessions with therapists who are based in completely different areas of the country. It’s even possible to work with Clinical Hypnotherapists in other countries should people wish to do so. In addition to this obvious benefit, clients also have the option of turning off the camera meaning that the hypnotherapist will never even see them.
Clinical Hypnotherapists can be far more flexible in the times that they can offer. I have set working hours, but people can contact me and ask for a booking outside of these times. As I primarily work online, I am in a position to offer this. Early morning and late night sessions are now possible and clients regularly request sessions outside of ‘traditional’ working hours.
I have never looked back since launching Clinicalhypnotherapyonline.com. I have always loved my work, but this has enabled me to move forwards into a new and exciting area; one that will continue to grow both in popularity and effectiveness. Still sceptical? Book a FREE Consultation and see how I can help you. What have you got to lose?
I am a Qualified Solution Focused Hypnotherapist who specialises in Online Hypnotherapy. You can find out more About Me here.
Want An Idea of What to Expect with Online Hypnotherapy? Read Mark's Story
I was initially sceptical about hypnotherapy, but at the prompting of my wife I googled. Luckily Brendan's site appeared on page 1. An initial consultation revealed Brendan to be professional and empathetic and in no way a pushy salesman. After only five sessions, I am literally a changed man. Brendan listened, suggested, prompted and counselled and used all of this to programme some outrageously effective hypnotherapy. The result? Brendan's hypnotherapy has helped me to overcome years of anxiety and depression so that I now manage my moods and life's ups and downs much more easily. I can highly recommend Brendan as a compassionate, friendly, non-judgemental counsellor who gives generously. In fact, Brendan is so effective and honest that after 5 sessions, by my own judgement, I was so improved that he was clear that there was no need for me to pay for further sessions. Thanks Brendan, you're a lifesaver! Highly recommended!!! 5 stars!!!!
Mark - Cheltenham
Want to hear more from the people I've worked with? Read Google Reviews from people who were happy to share their journey.
