Hypnotherapy for Addictions...it's a speciality

I am considering renaming my blog ‘The BS Detective’ as I have noticed a theme in my past few episodes of calling out unhelpful and outdated information and this one is no exception….apologies in advance. I received an enquiry from the family member of a person with a gambling issue. This person was doing the right thing - phoning around various Hypnotherapists asking their advice on what role Hypnotherapy could play in assisting this person. This person told me that they had spoken to other Hypnotherapists (registered ones) that had said they would see the person for a one off session and guarantee a result. I don’t even know what to say about this….hence the possible BS Detective rename! If this were truly possible then surely there would be no people suffering with gambling issues in the UK – or drug and alcohol addiction either! When you are making an enquiry with a therapist, you need to know what questions to ask (see my blog episode ‘How to interview a therapist’) as there are many therapists that are registered with certifying bodies such as the General Hypnotherapy Register meaning they are bound to their Code of Ethics and will also likely be insured which is a sign that they take their work seriously. However, even this isn’t guarantee. I trained initially in Australia where complementary therapies are heavily regulated which, in my opinion is a good thing for all, clients and practitioners alike. I still hold myself to many of the standards that were required there even though they aren’t obligatory here such as ongoing supervision – meaning someone is critiquing my work on a regular basis. Assisting people with addictions is a specialist area of Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy and therapists should only be working with it if they have the specialist training and experience in this area. It is not something you just ‘try’ to help someone with or ‘wing it’. I have been working in this profession for 14 years full time in a professional setting and I am not qualified to work with addictions. I am specialised and experienced in anxiety and the other issues I list I can help with on my website (see list here). Therapists should be very aware of their experience, limits and abilities to be effective. Ethical therapists will refer to a specialist if they're not qualified to help and while Hypnotherapy can be a helpful tool, it's often part of a larger recovery plan for addictions. Resources such as Gamblers Anonymous where the person with the addiction and family members affected can get long term ongoing support for free. The nutshell of this episode is to inform the public to be cautious of therapists that say they will guarantee results or ask for the payment of many sessions upfront and to verify their qualifications and perhaps ask to speak to someone they have helped with the specialist issue. If I can help you or someone you know with the areas I am specialised in then please get in touch. Resources: https://ga-scotland.org/ https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/mental-wellbeing/addictions/problem-gambling/ https://www.sfad.org.uk/support-services/national-support-organisations/gambling-support-organisations Author Bio Paula Hamilton is a Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist with 14 years of experience in private practice and has helped hundreds of people to resolve the issues that were getting in the way of them living a life they could feel good about. She has a Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis & Strategic Psychotherapy and a Diploma in Applied Clinical Hypnotherapy (Dip.C.H.t.). She is a Senior Practitioner with the General Hypnotherapy Register (G.H.R. Reg.) and holds the Senior Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice (S.Q.H.P.). Paula is also an Acknowledged Supervisor with the General Hypnotherapy Register, providing one to one supervision for other therapists. She is registered with the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (C.N.H.C.) for Hypnotherapy.

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