Hypnotherapy Needs to Grow Up
Today’s offering falls into the rant category, so I expect to get some emails criticising this piece. I have been involved in the leadership of the profession since 1993, my friend and business partner created the first regular hypnotherapy conference through the National Council for Hypnotherapy. As an interest, our 9th Annual International Hypo-Psychotherapy Conference represents the 20th conference she and I have run.
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Many conferences have sprung up in the UK over the years since we started these conferences. Many have very useful presentations and are a good resource for the hypnotherapist in practice. However, there are others which give a platform to practitioners with questionable views, unproven methods, and out of control egos.
Now, everyone has a right to say their bit. However, it is the moderate, experienced and skilled presenters who allow this to occur. I get invitations to teach at conferences all over the world. Before I decide whether to go or not, I ask who else is presenting, if I have concerns about anyone I will be sharing a platform with, I will politely decline the invitation.
If Hypnotherapy is to be taken seriously as a profession, it needs to start looking at our public profile and as a profession need to start distancing ourselves from the hucksters and con-artists who still find themselves in our ranks. It’s not a nice thing to say, but it is true, every other profession has had to face this and therefore it is time for the hypnotherapy profession to grow up snd grasp the nettle.
