Training With the IAPH - a Therapist's View

by IAPH Therapist Julie Rowland

How many questions does a budding hypnotherapist ask them selves when deciding which course is the best one to choose and how do you know that you have decided on the right answers?

There were plenty of questions that I asked myself 5 years ago...

How much will this cost?
How long will I be training?
Do I need any special powers ?
What if....who says....and why ?

I embarked on my first diploma with a different hypnotherapy organisation to the IAPH and gained what you may call a thorough and practical understanding of hypnosis and psychotherapy. And for that I will always be grateful. I set myself up in practice, shortly after gaining my qualifications and off I went. Trouble was, I was starting to see a slightly worrying pattern emerging. My clients kept coming back!!!! Granted, after a few sessions, they felt a lot better and off they would go.....but within a few weeks, my phone would ring and Mr Smith would be on the other end, telling me that his phobia of dogs had returned and could he come back to see me again. " of course you can, Mr Smith " says I, reassuring him outwardly. Inwardly, I was thinking.....there must be a reason that this keeps happening to me. I set about to find the reason why.

Driven by my inane desire to seek out this reason, I researched several other courses, amongst them, The HCB course as taught by the IAPH. I scanned the reading and my eyes fell on the bit that stated ' cause and effect ' ...EVERY neurotic symptom, must have a cause. This made absolute and perfect sense to me and I quickly enrolled and was promptly sent the correspondence. I also attended my first IAPH seminar shortly after and since that very day, I knew that hypno analysis as taught by the IAPH was the single most effective, fastest and natural form of therapy to resolve and eliminate just about every neurotic symptom that you could possibly think of!!

During the seminar, my mind kept wandering back to my phobic client, Mr Smith. " I know why I have a phobia of dogs....I was bitten by one when I was 9 years old "...says he. Previously I would have been prepared to accept that. But something, that was mentioned at the seminar changed my view completely....that one statement was.... " It takes the average person, approximately 2 years to get over the death of a loved one.....to resolve the extreme emotions attached to such an event " So I am sat there thinking... "if that is the case..... why on earth is Mr Smith still displaying an extreme emotional reaction to being bitten by that dog 35 years after it had actually happened?? What is driving this emotional reaction ? What is driving all of my clients current neurotic emotional reactions? Granted, I was very adept at placating the symptom, with my in depth knowledge of hypnosis...but what was actually CAUSING the symptom in the first place ?

I also realised that although I was very adept at treating my clients symptoms, I never really had properly got to grips with understanding the subtle differences between the symptoms and how different character types are prone to developing certain symptoms. For example, did you know that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) strictly doesn't really exist as a singular symptom ? That a client very rarely can suffer with both an obsession and a compulsion simultaeneously?

No, neither did I. I also wasn't aware beforehand, that eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia would have such distinctions in terms of the character types that they would afflict. I realised that this information was actually very essential. Previously I would set about hypnotising them with positive suggestion, without much thought to their character type and originating cause. Wonderful for short term symptom relief but a far cry from a permanent release of the problem.

I left that seminar, enlightened, hungry to find out more and to crack on with my HCB study course. I found every module fascinating and making complete and utter sense. The modules covered literally everything that you would need to know, to be able to treat a client in analysis and is structured in an easy to understand format. I also realised that it isn't rocket science.

I didn't need to be an eccentric genius to be able to understand and practice this therapy. I also found the support structure of the course an extremely valuable tool. There was always an experienced and helpful therapist on hand to answer literally any question that I had ( and I had a lot !! ) I realised the value of attending the seminars. They were literally putting the flesh on the bones of the modules I was studying. They were providing me with the valuable insight of seeing the theory put into practice. They were providing me with the confidence and skill to take away and utilise, right from the moment my client walks through my door.

But most importantly of all, they were reinforcing my belief that hypno analysis as taught by the IAPH is the single most effective and natural therapy in the world for resolving any neurosis. What I also found very encouraging, were that these seminars were being taught by recognised experts in this field, therapists themselves who have successfully treated tens of thousands of clients.

The seminars are a hugely important part of the learning curve. The other wonderful thing about them is the chance to meet like minded students and therapists, to discuss real life cases and to generally have a chance to socialise and really feel part of something. Its not all work you know !!!

There is a seminar available for every part of the HCB course. Before I even saw my first client for hypno analysis, I already had the confidence that I would be able to take them through those few sessions, armed with the knowledge and the belief that is instilled into you, both at seminars and from the HCB course notes. As a new therapist, you want to feel as though you have the backing and support of your organisation whenever you need it.

I felt very secure and confident with the IAPH. Regular supervision was on hand and a multitude of support systems were in place and easily accessible. I qualified shortly afterwards and have never looked back, mainly because it just hasn't been necessary to do so. I currently see on average between 25 and 30 clients a week. The majority of those clients have consulted me with a typical neurotic symptom, ranging from general anxiety and phobias, through to sexual problems, depression, panic attacks, obsessions, compulsions....you name it and I have seen it. I understand not just the therapy, but also my client, their character and their symptoms. My clients pick up on this and the rapport and trust between us, strengthened as a result. The one commonality that all my clients have is the ability to be able to resolve these symptoms permanently in as little as 6 - 10 sessions utilising hypno analysis as taught by the IAPH. And guess what........they don't come back !!!!!!!