How do I find a hypnotherapist?

[sashh]

So I'm having a lot of investigations at the moment, ultrasound, colonoscopy, X-rays etc.

Yesterday I was due to have a gastroscopy, which I was dreading. I really don't like not being in control of my mouth, the dentist has to let me have breaks for a scale and polish.

So yesterday, I got in to the room, I was given sedation and a mouth guard was put in. The next I'm sitting up and being wheeled back to recovery.

Apparently I had tried to grab the endoscope and remove it.

So I'm quite embarrassed about that but they have given me another appointment.

I'm trying to think of things to help we get through this and actually let the medical staff do their job.

I'm wondering about hypnotherapy.

My mum had it to stop smoking and she went from 40 a day to being a non smoker but that was decades ago in a different town.

I don't have anyone IRL to ask for recommendations.

So any suggestions of how to fine someone who is good? What do I look for? Any professional organisations I should look out for.

DH used to do hypnotherapy. I think there are a few different professional bodies covering this. Think they are much of a muchness but I guess you could read their code of ethics if you really wanted! However, as long as a practitioner belongs to a professional body, it should not matter which. It at least means they want to work ethically and you can complain to them if you’re not happy with their conduct.

I would not be taken in by fancy websites. Look beyond that at the detail - what qualifications do they have, how do they work, how much are sessions, when and where are sessions held? Some bodies have different levels of membership - usually, the more senior ones have gone through assessment processes to check they work to the highest of standards although they may charge more. Also, look at what sort of conditions they claim to work with. The longer the list, the less they specialise.

Most practitioners will usually be happy to have a free chat with you first. They won’t be offended if you don’t move forward with them. No one is going to be the right fit for everyone.

(I now work for a professional body in a related field so this is the advice I would give to anyone contacting us for help finding someone).

Good luck!

Thank you @ButterPiesAreGreat does your DH want to come out of retirement?

He moved into CBT about 10 years ago and works in NHS now. He figured out that helping people with mental health issues was the thing he found most rewarding. So that’s what he does.

He sounds like a good man.