The Youth Is The Future
I have been having many conversations with colleagues both on this side and the other side of the “pond” about the future of the hypnotherapy and psychotherapy professions. The conclusion I have reached is that for both professions to survive we must attract and retain younger people as practitioners. Now for the record I do not consider myself old, but as I enter the second quarter of my 28th year in practice, I have come to realise certain “truths”.
I was often the youngest person in my field. I sat on the Governing Board of UKCP when I was a mere 26 year old, at conferences and convention I was conspicuous in that I tended to be the only chap who was not grey haired. I had assumed at that time, by now there would be a whole army of younger practitioners taking their place within the field as both practitioners and leaders. This sadly has not happened.
For the professions to remain fresh we need the enthusiasm of youth and the professional bodies which represent the professions must take an active role in encouraging this. All too often, the professions as a whole seem a frightening and intimidating place for our more junior colleagues. They often will not speak up and will become frustrated and in some cases leave the field.
I strongly urge my professional colleagues and associations to realise that for the professions of hypnotherapy and psychotherapy to rightly flower, we must start actively encouraging younger practitioners into our ranks.
