Diploma in Hypnotherapy
The Blackford Centre


Course Syllabus
Module 1 What is Hypnotherapy?
- Hypnotism in the media
- Origination of the term ‘hypnotherapy’
- Definition of hypnotherapy
- Uses of hypnotism
- Evidence that hypnotherapy works
- Professional environment
Module 2 History of Hypnotherapy
- Hypnotherapy in Ancient Times
- Hypnotherapy in Religious Texts
- Franz Anton Mesmer, the Father of Hypnotherapy
- The Nancy School of Bernheim
- Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychotherapy
- Milton H. Erickson and Ericksonian Hypnotherapy
- James Esdaile and Mesmeric Analgesia
- The Alchemical Theory of Hypnosis
- Hypnotherapy and Modern Medicine
Module 3 Myths about Hypnotism
- Myth 1: You will give up your free will
- Myth 2: Hypnosis is mind control
- Myth 3: You will get stuck in a hypnotised state
- Myth 4: It takes a long time
- Myth 5: Hypnosis is the same as being asleep
- Myth 6: You will not remember what happened
- Myth 7: Only the weak-minded can be hypnotised
- Myth 8: The hypnotist has magical powers
- Myth 9: Hypnosis is dangerous
- Myth 10: Using hypnotherapy requires no training
- Plus a few more myths you may encounter
Module 4 How does Hypnotism work?
- Getting a client into a relaxed state
- Light and medium trances
- Stages of a deep trance
- Heightened state of awareness
- Physical changes
- Rewiring the brain
- Open to suggestion
- Types of suggestion
- Bringing it all together
Module 5 How to hypnotise your Client
- Bringing your client to a relaxed state
- Rapid induction
- Progressive induction
- Direct and indirect induction
- Scripts
- The use of music and other “props”
- Tips for developing your own effective scripts
- Bringing your client back out of the hypnotised state
Module 6 Hypnotherapy Techniques
- Direct suggestion
- Indirect suggestion
- Parts theory
- Age regression
- Age progression
Module 7 A Typical Hypnotherapy Session
- An introduction to a typical hypnotherapy session
- Completing patient intake forms
- Discussing your billing procedures with patients
- Taking a complete medical history
- Discussing areas of concern to the patient
- Explaining the various treatments available
- Determining your average session length
- Focusing on the patient’s goals and objectives (and expectations)
- Entering a state of hypnosis
- Exploring the experience with the client
- Teaching your patient the essentials of self-hypnosis
Module 8 Using Hypnosis for Physical Problems
- Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation
- Fight insomnia with hypnosis
- Conquer chronic pain with hypnotherapy
- Whittle the pounds away with weight loss hypnosis
- Hypnotherapy for managing migraines
- Hypnosis: making chemo treatments easier to bear
- Anaesthesia: hypnotherapy on the operating table
- Hypnosis + arthritis = a better quality of life
- Hypnotherapy offers help and hope for IBS sufferers
- The new novocaine: hypnosis at the dentists’
- A labour of love – hypnotherapy for child birth
Module 9 Hypnotherapy for Psychological Disorders
- Using hypnotherapy to alleviate performance anxiety
- Hypnosis to de-stress
- Using hypnosis to overcome phobias
- Putting panic disorders to rest with hypnotherapy
- Eradicating eating disorders with hypnosis
- Treating post traumatic stress disorder with hypnotherapy
- Defeating anxiety disorders through hypnosis
- Dealing with depression with hypnotherapy
- Tackling exam anxiety through hypnosis
Module 10 Setting up Your New Practice
- A place to work
- Administrative tools
- Business bank account
- Positioning your practice
- What will you charge
- Budgeting essentials
- Creating a business plan
- Getting prepared
Module 11 Launching and Promoting Your New Practice
- Know your customer base
- Sources of work
- Your website
- Networking and referrals
- Using social media
- Digital marketing
- Non-digital marketing
Module 12 Finance and Legal Requirements
- The type of business you will run
- Keeping financial records
- Staying legal
- Getting paid
- Client information and data protection