Accredited Hypnotherapy Supervision

I am an Accredited Hypnotherapy Supervisor for the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH). I know the benefits of supervision, and continue to be in supervision myself even though I am not obliged to do so, because I understand the positive effects supervision gives to my clients, my practice and ultimately, my business.

If you are seeking a supervisor for your own hypnotherapy practice, I may be able to help you. I offer an informal and relaxed way of working, so that you can feel at ease and so that we might forge a good working relationship. That way, you get the most out of supervision.

Supervision provides the means of review and reflection by a therapist on their work, so that they might improve on their therapeutic practice in the future. Members of the NCH are required to be in contracted supervision from Licentiate status until they have been a Registered member for two years – a total of three years, minimum. It is done with the assistance of an Accredited Hypnotherapy Supervisor, when done on a one-to-one basis, and in the case of group supervision, with the input of other therapists, each of who has their own experiences to offer. Group supervision therefore may be able to give an added benefit to supervision, with the combined expertise of the group. Both formats of supervision have their own advantages, and it is up to you to choose the one you feel most comfortable with.

For supervision sessions to be meaningful, it is considered that a minimum duration of 30 minutes per session is required. This can be on a weekly, fortnightly, monthly or bi-monthly, or even quarterly basis, depending on the experience of the therapist and numbers of clients being seen at any particular time.

It is my role as supervisor to ensure that my supervisee is addressing the needs of their clients. It is also to aid the supervisee to reflect on their practice and thereby find ways to continue their learning whilst improving the service they provide. I’d like to think that this can be achieved through a non-judgemental relationship of trust and transparency between myself and my supervisees – a relationship that is based on safety and mutual respect. This is key to the relationship being successful. I don't want for you to feel that you are being policed in your practice. That’s not what supervision is about, in my opinion, but about finding a way to help you to be the best practitioner possible, so that your clients are getting the best service available, and therefore your practice can grow.

A large part of supervision is for the supervisee to review their past work with clients honestly and openly. By being critically reflected upon, it allows for experiential learning for the therapist that they can use in their future therapeutic sessions. Only by being honest and open with your supervisor, can you make supervision a true learning experience, and not merely a ‘box ticking’ exercise to satisfy the needs of your professional governing body.

Although it’s main aim is protection of your client, supervision is also about allowing you to identify your own strengths and any areas that need honing, thereby allowing you to develop an ethical and legal practice in a professional manner. 

In general terms, this is achieved through four core functions of instructing/teaching, whilst encouraging and internal locus of control, supporting/sharing, advising and monitoring/evaluating, in a non-judgemental way. Supervision should, wherever possible, be proactive rather than reactive, so that the therapist is anticipating potential problems and addressing them during supervision, before an ‘emergency’ arises.

Supervision can be done over the phone, using Skype or face-to-face. It can also be in a group setting of up to four other supervisees, or on a one-to-one basis. You choose the format the you prefer. 

As a hypnotherapist it is your responsibility to ensure that you are adequately supervised, and I will do my very best to help you achieve that, . Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your supervision needs further, in confidence and without obligation, of course.