Hypnotherapy Training FAQs – Get the Answers You Need
Choosing the right hypnotherapy training course is a big decision, and I know you probably have a lot of questions. That’s why I created this FAQ page—a place where you can get clear, honest answers from me.
Below, you’ll find a collection of short video answers covering the most common questions about our training, including:
✅ What’s the difference between the Foundation Diploma and Full Diploma course?
✅ Is this course accredited?
✅ Can I train online, or do I need to attend in person?
✅ Will I feel confident enough to work with clients after training?
✅ What career opportunities are available after qualifying?
Whether you’re considering a new career, expanding your skills, or just curious about hypnotherapy, these videos will help you make an informed decision before you enroll.
🎥 Scroll down and watch the video to get the answers you need.
Still have a question that’s not covered here? Get in touch! You can email me at hello@piece-of-mind.co.uk or book a free consultation to chat directly.
Read the Answers
Is this really for me?
People from all walks of life. In all the years I’ve taught this training, I’ve had people in their early twenties right through to people beyond retirement age. There isn’t one particular type of person who makes a good therapist. It’s somebody who’s interested in people. Somebody who’s open-minded. Somebody who has maybe been through some stuff in life and developed an interest in themselves and how their own mind works. But probably one of the biggest things is this: are you the kind of person somebody would actually want to come and talk to? You don’t need to arrive as some naturally gifted therapist. A lot of what you need can be learned.
You’re never too old to learn something new. I’ve trained somebody who was 74, and I’ve trained people who had successful professional careers, retired and then decided they wanted to do something completely different. If you’re ready to learn and you’re willing to engage with the process, age isn’t a barrier.
You’re not too young either. Life experience definitely helps when you’re sitting with somebody and trying to understand their perspective. Somebody who’s lived for 40 or 50 years will naturally have experienced things that somebody in their twenties hasn’t. But that doesn’t mean a younger person can’t become a good therapist. You might simply have to work harder at developing that understanding and awareness.
Absolutely not. Most people who come onto the course haven’t been in formal education for years. Yes, there is theory. But this is a very hands-on course. We talk. We demonstrate. We practise. You’re not sitting in a lecture theatre copying notes for nine months. If you haven’t studied for years, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn this.
Absolutely not. We’ve had lots of students with dyslexia and different neurodivergent profiles. Where appropriate, we can make reasonable adjustments and adapt how we support you. You don’t have to fit some perfect student mould to train as a therapist.
What if I'm terrified I'm going to be rubbish?
This is one of the most common fears I hear. In all the years I’ve been teaching, I’ve never had somebody who simply couldn’t learn to do it. Once you’re shown how to do it and you’ve had the opportunity to practise, most people realise they’re capable of much more than they thought they were. You don’t have to walk through the door already knowing how to hypnotise somebody. That’s what you’re here to learn.
No. I certainly wasn’t particularly good at public speaking when I trained to become a hypnotherapist. As you learn the skills and start practising them, your confidence tends to grow alongside you. You don’t have to arrive confident. You build confidence by doing the thing.
That’s a very common fear. That’s why practice starts from day one. You’ll practise with fellow students, and you’ll be encouraged to practise with appropriate people outside the training environment as your skills develop. By the time you sit down with your first genuine client, you won’t be trying something you’ve never done before. You’ve already practised it many times.
Part of becoming a good therapist is knowing your boundaries. You need to understand what you’re trained to work with and when something is beyond your level of competence. We talk about that openly during the training. You’ll also have a support network around you, including the training team, so you’re not expected to figure everything out on your own. Knowing when to refer or seek help is part of being a responsible therapist.
Absolutely not. Most people who come onto these courses have some lived experience of struggle. There’s actually something quite powerful about learning how to help other people while also understanding yourself better. As part of the training, you go on your own journey as well. You’ll learn things about yourself. You may change things. You may understand parts of yourself differently. There’s little point learning all these skills to help everybody else while completely ignoring yourself.
You only ever need to share what you’re comfortable sharing. Some students choose to share their experiences, and sometimes those stories become a really valuable part of the learning. But nobody is going to force you to talk about something personal or emotionally difficult. You can learn without handing your private life over to the group.
Is this really the right level of training?
Because there’s a difference between learning the basic mechanics of something and becoming genuinely confident and competent at it. I’ve done short training myself, so I know you can learn the fundamentals very quickly. But if you’re going to learn something properly, I believe you need time to practise it, make mistakes, get feedback and then practise it again. You could learn how to paint from an online video. Or you could spend nine weekends in a room with somebody who has spent their life painting. Imagine how much more you’d learn. That’s how I see therapist training.
No. We’ve deliberately structured the training so that the Foundation Diploma can stand on its own. You can complete the Foundation and decide that’s enough for you. Or you can decide part way through that this is absolutely what you want to do and continue into the Full Diploma. You can also come back later. I don’t want people committing to nine months of training because they feel they’ve got no other option.
The Foundation gives you a base of skills and knowledge that allows you to work within the scope of what you’ve been trained and assessed to do. That can include areas such as confidence, some fears and phobias and habit-related work. The important thing is that your scope of practice needs to match your training, competence and insurance. The Full Diploma gives you much broader training and a much wider therapeutic toolbox.
The Full Diploma takes you much further. You’re exposed to a much wider range of client presentations and deeper emotional work. You develop skills beyond clinical hypnotherapy, including areas such as NLP, coaching and additional therapeutic approaches taught within the programme. The aim is to develop a much broader and more flexible therapist rather than somebody who relies on one technique. You’re learning different ways of approaching a problem so that you can adapt to the person sitting in front of you.
What will I actually experience?
You’ll practise from the beginning. You’ll work with fellow students and you’ll be encouraged to practise appropriately with people outside the course as your skills develop. You’ll also complete three case studies as part of the Full Diploma, where you’re applying your skills to real presenting issues. The idea is that you’re not waiting until the very end of the course to suddenly discover what it’s like to work with somebody.
We’ve deliberately structured the course around people who already have jobs, families and lives. The Foundation is spread over four months. The Full Diploma runs over nine months. You don’t need to bury yourself in homework. We do want you to practise, though. I’d suggest allowing around four to five hours a week for your training, depending on where you are and how much you want to get from it. It’s not designed to take over your life.
Sometimes life gets in the way. If you give us notice, there’s normally something we can do to help you catch up. We can’t promise that every situation can be solved perfectly, but we’ll always do our best to support you. If something significant takes you away from the course for a longer period, there may be an option to move you onto another cohort. The important thing is to talk to us rather than simply disappear.
Absolutely not. Most people train alongside their existing job. In fact, that’s how I encourage people to do it. That’s how I built my own practice. You can start seeing clients part-time and gradually build your therapy work rather than making one massive leap and hoping it all works out.
Yes. I’ve done it myself. Most people start part-time and build their practice gradually, but it is possible to build a full-time living from therapy. What I wouldn’t tell you is that completing a course automatically gives you an income. Becoming a good therapist and building a sustainable business are two different skills. We help you start thinking about both.
That’s something we talk about. Not everybody has been self-employed before. Working for yourself requires a different mindset, and we introduce you to some of the things you need to think about when establishing yourself as a therapist, including marketing and building your practice. You don’t just learn what happens in the therapy room.
What happens after I qualify?
The end of the course is actually the beginning of our relationship. We have a community and a support network. There are opportunities to attend events, additional training and stay connected with other therapists. You’re not suddenly handed a certificate and told, “Good luck.”
Yes. There is ongoing contact with the training team, and depending on the professional pathway you follow, ongoing CPD and supervision are important parts of professional practice. We can support you with that. You’re not expected to know everything forever just because you’ve qualified.
Yes. There are lots of different ways to build a therapy practice. You can work from home, work online or rent a therapy room if that’s what suits you. The business side of the training helps you think about the different ways you might want to build your practice.
I work with clients online myself, including people throughout the UK and internationally, and online hypnotherapy is a normal part of my practice. There are some practical differences between working online and face-to-face, which is why we also show you how to work effectively in that environment.
You can, but working with younger clients brings additional responsibilities. Safeguarding, consent, appropriate boundaries, policies and procedures all need to be understood. These are areas we discuss as part of the training. You should only work within your level of competence and the requirements of your professional and insurance arrangements.
What about hypnosis itself?
No. We’ve had plenty of students who were sceptical when they arrived. All I ask is that you come with an open mind and a willingness to look at things from a different perspective. My job isn’t to force you to believe something. It’s to give you the opportunity to experience it, understand it and make your own mind up.
No. Stage hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy are very different applications. There are some underlying principles that overlap, but the purpose, environment and relationship with the person are completely different. We talk openly about those differences during the course. And no, you’re not going to accidentally make a client do something they don’t want to do because you’ve somehow learned a magic trick.
Absolutely not. One of the biggest mistakes I see is people trying to sound like somebody else. It sounds fake. I actively encourage students to use their own voice. You’re going to be talking to real people. If you suddenly put on some strange slow, theatrical voice, it can sound completely unnatural. As you practise, you’ll develop your own way of delivering hypnosis. But it should still sound like you.
No. I teach a style of hypnosis that doesn’t make you dependent on scripts. When you’re learning, scripts and notes can be a bit like stabilisers on a bike. They give you something to hold onto while you’re developing the skill. But eventually, you don’t need them. You learn to listen to the client and use the information they give you to formulate your sessions. That’s where the real skill starts.
Don’t worry about that. Part of our job is to teach you how to do it. You don’t have to arrive as a brilliant writer or somebody who can instantly create beautiful therapeutic language. It’s a skill.
What if I get it wrong?
That’s exactly why good training matters. You need to understand where things can go wrong, what your responsibilities are and where your boundaries sit. The fact that you’re thinking about this is actually a good thing. A therapist should have respect for the responsibility they’re taking on. The training helps you understand how to work safely rather than expecting you to know everything before you start.
That doesn’t automatically mean you’ve failed. Sometimes the person isn’t ready. Sometimes we’re working on the wrong issue. Sometimes the approach needs to change. One of the things I actively encourage you to do as a therapist is fail. Most people are terrified of failure. I look at it differently. Failure is feedback. If something isn’t working, you reassess, adapt your position and try something different. That’s part of becoming a better therapist.
That’s part of your training. We talk openly about scope of practice, boundaries and recognising when something isn’t appropriate for you to work with. By the end of the course, you should have a much clearer understanding of what sits within your experience and competence and when you need to seek help or refer. Knowing when not to work with somebody is just as important as knowing what to do.
What if I'm nervous about being hypnotised myself?
Absolutely. Experiencing hypnosis yourself is an important part of learning how to work with somebody else. And it’s completely normal to feel nervous the first time. It’s not a public demonstration. You normally work in smaller groups or quieter areas of the training room, so you’re not sitting there with everybody staring at you. As you experience it yourself, you’ll become much more comfortable with the process.
People respond differently to hypnosis. If somebody finds it difficult to engage with a particular experience, that doesn’t mean they’re incapable of learning hypnotherapy. We’ve had this happen before and it has never prevented somebody from learning. Sometimes it can even become useful because you start to understand your own responses, expectations and relationship with control. The important thing is not to assume there’s something wrong with you because your experience isn’t identical to somebody else’s.
What about assessment?
At Foundation level, there isn’t a formal examination. Your learning is assessed formatively throughout the training. The Full Diploma includes more formal assessment, including three case studies that are externally verified, an open-book examination completed from home and a practical assessment towards the end of the course. The assessments are there to demonstrate learning and competence. They’re not designed to catch people out.
You don’t have to be an exam person. There are systems in place to support reassessment if you don’t get something right first time. The important thing is that assessment isn’t designed to make you nervous or catch you out. It’s there to demonstrate that you’re learning what you need to learn. And assessment is only one part of the overall learning process.
How do I know this is a proper training route?
Hypnotherapy isn’t currently subject to mandatory statutory regulation in the UK in the way some healthcare professions are. That means there are courses available with very different levels of training and recognition. For me, that makes the quality of your training even more important. A recognised professional pathway can provide things such as professional standards, insurance requirements, CPD, supervision, complaints procedures and other forms of accountability. It’s one of the reasons I believe people should look beyond simply finding the quickest course they can find.
Do your research. It’s exactly what I’d do if I were spending a few thousand pounds on something. Speak to the person who’s actually going to train you. Ask them: are they still working with clients? When was the last time they sat in a therapy room? Do they still practise regularly? What experience do they have? What happens after you qualify? What support will you receive? And what’s your gut telling you? That last one matters too. If you’re going to spend months learning from somebody, you need to feel comfortable with them.
I actively encourage you to. Book a free consultation. Send me an email. Give me a call. Ask me all the awkward questions. There isn’t a hard sales pitch. I remember what it was like when I was looking at training myself. I had loads of questions. I’d much rather spend half an hour talking to you about what you want to achieve, what you’re worried about and whether the course actually fits what you’re looking for. Sometimes that conversation will confirm we’re the right place for you. Sometimes it might not. Either way, I’d rather you make an informed decision.
Nobody is going to force you to continue. If you realise it’s not right for you, you can leave. We’ll always apply the actual enrolment and cancellation terms that you agreed to, but the principle is simple: I don’t want somebody continuing a course simply because they feel trapped. If it’s not right for you, let’s talk about it.
What does it cost?
The Foundation Diploma is currently £1,300. The Full Diploma is £3,000 in total, with the Foundation cost forming part of that total if you progress. The Foundation can be spread across the four months of training. The Full Diploma can be spread across the nine-month training period. There can also be additional costs outside the training itself, such as professional registration and insurance, depending on the pathway you choose.
Yes. The £3,000 Full Diploma can be spread across the nine months of the course. If that particular arrangement doesn’t work for you, speak to us. We can discuss whether a different payment arrangement is possible.
No. You don’t need special equipment or expensive therapy kit. We provide what you need for the training. There are books that we recommend and having access to a laptop or iPad can be useful, but it’s not essential. You don’t need to arrive with a suitcase full of equipment. You need yourself.
What is the training actually like?
It’s very hands-on. There is learning content, but there are also discussions, live demonstrations and plenty of opportunities to practise. You’re not sitting there for two days while somebody reads slides to you. You’ll see something. We’ll explain it. We’ll demonstrate it. Then you’ll have a go. That’s how I believe this kind of skill is best learned.
They won’t all start from the same place. Some people will have experience. Some won’t. Some will be naturally confident. Some won’t. We work at a pace that allows people to learn and develop, and you’ll very quickly find yourself feeling part of the group. This isn’t a competition. You’re all there to learn.
That’s completely normal. Nobody expects you to arrive at a particular standard. We just want you to try. Everybody learns at different speeds. And you’ll probably find that somebody else in the room has exactly the same worry as you.
Our training environment is deliberately informal and relaxed. The training centre isn’t designed to feel like a university lecture hall. It’s a therapy and learning environment. You’ll very quickly realise that people are on the same journey and supporting each other. Getting something wrong isn’t embarrassing. It’s part of learning.
The question underneath all the other questions
That’s partly down to you. We can give you the tools. We can give you the knowledge. We can give you opportunities to practise. We can give you feedback. But you’ve got to take what you’ve been given and use it. Repeat it. Practise it. Learn from what doesn’t work. Keep developing. A certificate doesn’t make you a good therapist. What you do with the skills you’ve learned is what makes the difference.
I’d honestly say, let’s just have a conversation. It’s a big decision. I understand that. Give me a call or send me an email. Ask me whatever you want. I’d rather spend half an hour answering your questions and helping you think about whether this is actually right for you than try to push you into enrolling. And if you’d like to experience hypnotherapy yourself, I can offer you a free session so you can see what it’s actually like from the other side. I’ll do as much as I can to make the decision easier for you. But ultimately, it’s your decision. And I’d much rather you make it because you’ve got enough information to feel comfortable with it.
Thinking about training with us?
Book a free call about the course. We can talk through the Foundation Diploma and the full Diploma, in the classroom in Glasgow or live online, and whether it is the right fit for you.
Book a call about the course