What Kind of Questions Should I Ask When I Call?

It is important that when you call a hypnotherapist that you get all of your questions answered.  It is actually an important part of the hypnotherapy process.  Modern hypnotherapists understand that if you feel uneasy about him or her, or the process of hypnosis or hypnotherapy, that the uneasiness can get in the way of having a successful hypnosis session.  So, if you find that you make a call and that person is unable or unwilling to answer any and all of your questions on the telephone, then you should reconsider whether you want to work with that person.  You should not be required to come in for a consultation in order to get your questions answered fully.

So, whatever questions you may have should be asked and fully answered before making the appointment.  Now let me offer you a few questions that you might want to consider asking. 

• How many hypnotherapists work at your Center?
  
  Some people would rather come to a successful center where there are several hypnotherapist working.  This increases the likelihood that there will be hypnotherapists that specialize in an issue that you want to address.  Also, many times a thriving office with more than one hypnotherapist is evidence of a professional and successful organization.
   

• Do you have a office or do you work out of your home?
  
  For some people hypnosis and hypnotherapy is a side-line, and they practice it out of their home rather than working in a professional office.  There are some very good hypnotherapists who work out of their home, so it is up to you to decide if you would rather have your sessions in someone's home or in a professional office environment.  Sometimes you can save money by seeing a hypnotherapist who works out of his or her home, because that individual has less overhead.  If you are going to work with someone who has an office in their home, ask him or her about the office set up and how they manage to avoid interruptions and noise (i.e., made by the family dog, children, and people coming to the door.)
   

• Are all of your hypnotherapists certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists or other national organization?
  
  All of our hypnotherapists are certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH).  The NGH is the largest and oldest hypnosis organization and has also certified hypnotherapists working in 42 other countries.  It is well respected because of the training requirements, and ethical standards required to remain a member.
   

• What are your cancellation policies?
  
  Before you make that appointment find out what happens if you need to make or change an appointment.  Most professional office require 48 hours notice to make a change.  This is because each hypnotherapist can only see about 5 clients per day, and losing one or two appointments a day due to last minute changes would make it nearly impossible to run a successful practice.  However, there are exceptions such is the case of bad whether.  You might be leery of a hypnotherapist who has no such policy.  Perhaps they do not take their practice seriously, do not see many clients or are simply new to the profession..
   

• Do I have to purchase a package of sessions?
  
  It is generally accepted in the profession that requiring clients to buy a package, meaning several session at once in order to work with a hypnotherapist is rare.  Most hypnotherapists allow you to pay as you go.  However some hypnotherapists are so busy that they are unwilling to take on new clients unless they are willing to invest in a minimum number of session, usually the minimum number of session that it usually takes to achieve success for that particular issue.  However, some hypnotherapist will offer special rates when clients are able and willing to invest in a package.  There are a couple of good reasons for doing this.  Sometimes this helps both you and the hypnotherapist in scheduling your appointments, and also package systems like this can save you a significant amount of money.  So, make sure to ask if you can save money on your sessions by purchasing a set number of sessions up front.
   

• Can you estimate the number of sessions that it will take for me to be successful?
  
  You should have a general idea of the number of session that it will take to work on the issue that is of interest to you.  No hypnotherapist can tell you absolutely for sure how many sessions it will take, there are simply to many variable to make such a prediction by simply speaking to you over the telephone.  At our center we will generally estimate that it will take two to six sessions to complete the work.  
   

• Can you guarantee that I will succeed?
  
  In California it is illegal to guarantee your success.  So avoid hypnotherapists who make statements like  "Guaranteed or your money back."  This person does not know the legalities governing his or her practice of hypnosis and hypnotherapy.
   

• Can you work with my doctor?
  
  If you have a medical condition (i.e., pain) or have been diagnosed with a psychological issue (i.e., depression, anxiety, OCD, etc.) you hypnotherapist should be familiar with the process required to contact your physician and initiate a working relationship with him and her.  Your doctor may want to be informed of how well you are doing and so on.  Unless the hypnotherapist is licensed to practice medicine, then he or she may need a referral from your doctor to work with your issues.  At our center we are familiar with these procedures and have worked with many doctors and psychiatrists, as well as other health professionals.
   

• Can you take insurance?
  
  Most hypnotherapist do not work directly with insurance companies.  Generally you should expect hypnosis to be an out-of-pocket cost.  However, we always advise our clients to speak with their insurance companies, because sometimes they will reimburse you for the services. 
   

• If you hypnotherapist has a degree, ask him or her where it was obtained and is it an academic degree?
  
  If you heard about a particular hypnotherapist from a friend or advertisement and certain qualification are held out, such as a degree, make sure that you ask the hypnotherapist what the degree is in and where he or she received it from.  Although the most hypnotherapists are honest professionals there are some that are less than perfectly honest.  Unfortunately there have been some cases in California where individuals have stated that they have degrees which are not "regionally accredited."  These non-acredited degrees can come from "diploma mills" (where one can simply buy a degree) or from what are called "alternative degree programs."  These alternative degree programs are programs that do not hold up to the normal academic standards of real colleges and universities. 
  
  Finally, there are a few who will mislead you by stating that they have a degree, but the degree is in an unrelated field such as Mechanical Engineering or Theology.  Having such a degree does not demonstrate qualification to work with you as a hypnotherapist.  Finally, there are not accredited degrees in hypnosis or hypnotherapy.  Hypnotherapists are "registered" or "certified."  The NGH also offers Board Certification (BCH) in which a Certified Hypnotherapist (CH) can undergo additional testing, writing, along with a verbal interview and examination.  When a Certified Hypnotherapist becomes a Board Certified Hypnotherapist, it demonstrates that this individual has reached higher level of commitment to the profession. 
   

• Can you provide me with any feedback from former clients?
  
  Some experienced hypnotherapists maintain a file of letters from past clients, who have given them positive feedback about how their sessions have affected their lives.  It is always a bonus when you can contact such a hypotherapist.  The best predictor of future good results is documented successful performance.  We have several such documents on this web site, and many more at our office. 

Now when you call our office, or any hypnotherapists office you will be ready to ask important questions that will give you the kind of information that you need to make a informed decision.

If you are ready to make that call and you are considering us our office ours are between 8:30 am and 6:00 pm, and our office number is (714) 258-8380.

Copyright © Calvin D. Banyan.  All rights reserved.