Good News For Hypnotherapy
Since 2016, Southampton University began to offer hypnotherapy as an alternative to counselling for students suffering with anxiety and depression. Sixty two students took up this option in 2016-17 and one hundred and fifty took it up in 2017-18. Students are finding this service an effective intervention which is good news for both the students as well as the profession.
Southampton University should be congratulated for being open minded in its treatment of their students. So often universities are criticised for not doing enough to ensure the mental health needs of their students. Brief therapy, of which hypnotherapy is a leading modality, is a cost effective, evidenced based method to assist with a variety of psychological disturbances.
Mental health needs for our young adults cannot be overstated. Novel and imaginative thinking is needed, we have to start thinking laterally when it comes to Psychotherapeutic interventions. The UK has some of the most skilled practitioners and leading academics and researchers it is time for the university system as well as the NHS to use this knowledge and skill. Bluntly speaking the profession needs a seat at the table so that we can assist in policy advice to make psychological interventions more effective for the benefit of the public.
