We choose not to work to named therapeutic protocols, or use trademarked techniques. It’s a decision we’ve made consciously. It doesn’t mean that you won’t get great benefit from working with people who do, but it’s just not for us.
We give attention to learning new skills, and commonly will learn specific protocols from experts and trainers, but we don’t want to have in mind to use a protocol or set procedure before we’ve even met you; that doesn’t seem an appropriate way to approach someone we know nothing about.
Furthermore, hypnosis, sometimes called ‘the trance state’, is natural; it belongs to all of us and is available to all of us. The skill of the hypnotist is important, but it’s the inner work you do that brings about the change. That can’t be trademarked.
We practice hypnotherapy according to the philosophy of Milton Erickson, MD. When he was teaching therapists, he said:
“Every person’s map of the world is as unique as their thumbprint. There are no two people alike. No two people who understand the same sentence the same way… So in dealing with people, you try not to fit them to your concept of what they should be.”
What does this mean for you?
It means you need to trust and have confidence in your therapist to have a range of skills, and to work with you in a way that suits your needs. This in turn means that your therapist should be someone who attends to their personal and professional development as a priority. We feel very strongly about this: therapeutic help is not a product. It can’t be named or packaged. This means that if your therapist decides to use a named therapeutic protocol with you they will have decided that after spending time to get to know you, and will adapt it to you, and it won’t necessarily adhere to the original protocol guidelines after all.
Your therapist should give attention to your needs, your personality, your worldview. You don’t deserve any less!