FAQs

Can hypnosis help me?

Possibly. Hypnosis is not a treatment in its own right, but it can be very useful alongside other psychological approaches. Hypnosis is one of many techniques which can form part of a treatment programme. For example, dentists may use hypnosis to help relieve pain and anxiety. Psychologists may use hypnosis alongside established psychological techniques such as cognitive-behavioural therapy. Doctors may use hypnosis within their usual practice. Nurses, physiotherapists and allied health professionals may use hypnosis within their practice when appropriate. In order to discover whether hypnosis is right for you, you need to explore with a potential therapist whether they may be able to treat your condition.

What types of condition can hypnosis help?

This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some examples:

Medical problems such as chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cancer
Psychological disorders such as anxiety or depression
Childbirth
Dental problems such as pain or anxiety associated with treatment
Habit disorders such as smoking

Is hypnosis dangerous?

Hypnosis is not in itself a dangerous procedure, but there are concerns that if it is not used properly then it could lead to negative reactions. Risks are minimised by seeing a therapist who is already trained to treat that problem in their normal practice without hypnosis.

Can I get hypnosis on the NHS?

If you live within the catchment area of an NHS clinician who uses hypnosis (perhaps one of our members) then you may be able to receive this form of treatment from them as an NHS patient. To find out, ring your GP, Dentist, or local Clinical Psychology Department.

How much will it cost?

All our members belong to their own professions and BSCAH is not involved in the fees they charge. This should be discussed with your potential therapist before you embark on therapy. See our ´costs´ page for more information.

Will I be under the control of the hypnotist?

No. You cannot be made to do anything in hypnosis which you would not do outside of hypnosis.

How many sessions will I need?

It is difficult to say as it depends on many factors such as your problem and the type of therapy involved.

Should I find a hypnotherapist in the Yellow Pages?

There are no official qualifications for hypnosis or hypnotherapy in the UK. BSCAH, and BSMDH – Scotland and and the Hypnosis & Psychosomatic Section of the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) are the only professional societies in the UK exclusively for health professionals who use hypnosis in their work. To paraphrase Dr Martin Orne “If a person is not professionally qualified to treat a condition without hypnosis, then they’re not qualified to treat that condition with hypnosis either. First you look for their professional certificate on the wall – Doctor, Dentist, Clinical Psychologist, or whatever. Then you look for their certificate of hypnosis".