When I heard about the lockdown, my first concern centered around my ability to support my clients. I knew that carrying out hypnotherapy online was just as effective as doing it in person. I had used the video conferencing app, Zoom to help clients in the past. These tended to be clients who were housebound or those who lived too far from my practice to see me in person. In fact in 2017 I had started to see International clients via Zoom from Countries as far away as Vietnam. I saw clients achieve their goals in just the same way as if they were attending a face to face session. Clients with anxiety related issues got better, weight loss clients lost weight and the one gentleman I saw for stopping smoking, stopped.
So, I was confident that my online hypnotherapy sessions via Zoom would be just as effective as sessions at my clinic. Despite this I knew that some clients would struggle to find somewhere relatively quiet for their session. Initially, some clients were not entirely comfortable with the technology, but as we all got to grips with living online, that soon changed. However, I became aware that some clients weren’t convinced that online hypnotherapy would be as effective as that done in person. As the covid-19 session worsened this was a real concern to me. I began regularly hearing about the increasing number of people struggling with anxiety related symptoms
Recent Study And Testimonials Suggest Effectiveness
I realised that it was important to help people to see how effective it could be. Interestingly a recent study in 2018 looked at online hypnotherapy sessions carried out via Skype for IBS. The study compared the effectiveness of online versus face to face sessions. The format and content of all the sessions were the same. The study showed there to be no discernible difference in outcomes between the online group and the face to face group.
Among my own clients, I received comments such as ‘its so much nicer not having to drive home after a hypnotherapy session. I can just relax at home for the rest of the evening.’ Another commented ‘ I feel so much more relaxed being in my own home for the trance session’. One client was even kind enough to write a testimonial about their online therapy on my Facebook page. They said “I’ve had several sessions with Jenny and have recently changed to have them online. I was amazed that as promised there was no difference in the quality of the experience. The feeling of relaxation and reduction in stress level felt afterwards was the same. Thanks Jenny.”
Feedback From Students & Written Articles
I also train students to become qualified hypnotherapists with the CPHT Leeds training school. Nearly all the students on the current training course saw their clients face to face until Covid-19 stepped in. However, one student saw all her clients online from day one. She lives in Germany and was travelling over each month to attend the hypnotherapy training course. Her clients were spread across 6 continents at one point and all of them responded well to therapy, just as though she’d seen them in person. The other students have now moved all their hypnotherapy sessions to online, in line with Government advice.
An article in the Washington Post spoke about the increased intimacy of online hypnotherapy sessions. This was mirrored by another student, who had known her client prior to therapy starting. After moving to Zoom for her sessions after lockdown, her client confided things to her therapist that she possibly wouldn’t have done prior to online working. A sure sign of a higher level of rapport than she’d had before?
On top of all the therapeutic benefits, client’s save time & money by not having to travel to the clinic. They can really capitalise on the relaxed feeling they notice at the end of every session. Clients can see the hypnotherapist that’s right for them, regardless of where in the UK that therapist works. So if you’re suffering from an anxiety related condition and you’ve been putting off seeing a hypnotherapist until after the lockdown has been lifted, why wait? Get in touch with me today and start getting your life back on track.