ABOUT THE TRAINING:

What is Adjunctive Clinical Hypnosis? and how is it different from Hypnotherapy?

Adjunctive Clinical Hypnosis is used by healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, dentists, and psychologists to complement medical, dental and psychological treatments, helping with pain management, functional disorders, nausea, anxiety reduction, and behavioural support within a clinical setting. In contrast, hypnotherapy is typically a standalone therapy, often practiced in private settings, to address issues like phobias, smoking cessation, and personal development. Adjunctive Clinical Hypnosis is always applied within a regulated healthcare context by trained healthcare professionals who integrate hypnosis into their existing medical, dental or psychological expertise, whereas hypnotherapy can be practiced by individuals from various backgrounds, with training requirements that may vary widely. While both approaches use hypnosis, adjunctive clinical hypnosis is evidence-based and specifically designed to enhance conventional treatments in healthcare.

This course is aimed at teaching the basics of clinical hypnosis that health professionals can integrate into their existing clinical work. Please be aware that demand is high and this course becomes fully subscribed quickly with places being awarded on a strictly first come first served basis.

Course fee: £250 or £200 if a BSCAH member 

Join BSCAH and receive a discount on this module along with monthly webinars and peer support

This course will be delivered using self directed study plus face to zoom sessions online.

Course now includes the BSCAH Module on Therapeutic Communication worth £70.

The course consists of three components:
1. Before commencing their formal training, all trainees must complete the BSCAH Module on Therapeutic Communication. This module, which typically takes approximately two hours, offers crucial insights into:

• Avoiding nocebic language
• Enhancing positive suggestion techniques
• Building effective rapport
• Utilising trance-equivalent states
• Applying informal hypnotic techniques in your current practice

The link to this module will be sent to you once you have booked a place on the training.

 2. Self-Directed Learning Component (5-6 hours): This self-directed study segment covers fundamental principles, including:

• Understanding hypnosis: formal and informal trance
• Recognising signs of trance
• Historical and theoretical foundations
• Hypnotisability scales and suggestibility
• Patient selection and preparation, including consent
• Safety considerations, including abreaction management
• Online assessment quiz to receive a certificate of completion 

  3. Face to zoom Online Learning Component: Delivered in a live online format, this segment focuses on the practical applications of adjunctive clinical hypnosis, delivered by healthcare professionals:

• Hypnosis induction techniques (PMR, breathing induction, modified Elman, Spiegel eye roll)
• Deepening techniques & special place imagery
• Self-hypnosis strategies
• Positive suggestion and ego strengthening
• Anchoring techniques
• Ideomotor signalling (body language and patient feedback)
• Ethical considerations in hypnosis

Instructions on how to access the Self-Directed Learning Component will be emailed to you 4-6 weeks prior to the course start date.

Timetable:

Morning session: 9.30am -12.30pm (Sat) 10.00am – 12.30pm (Sun)

Afternoon session: 1.30pm – 4.00pm

Aim of the course: To develop students’ understanding and safe application of hypnosis to allay fear and anxiety in patients

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course the student should be able to:

• explain hypnosis to a patient/client and deal with any misconceptions
• induce hypnosis and use simple suggestion to help with common conditions (eg anxiety)
• teach self-hypnosis to patients/clients so that they can utilise this for themselves for relaxation
• utilise self-hypnosis themselves for stress management and personal development
• identify relevant ethical and professional issues in the use of hypnosis in clinical practice

NB: Students should only treat with hypnosis those conditions that they are qualified to treat without hypnosis

How will the course be delivered?

You will be given guided access to curated online resources (available for three months) which cover all aspects of the Core Curriculum.
There will be experiential learning and practice in breakout rooms in small groups, supervised by an experienced hypnosis practitioner.
This course is made up of self directed study and organised face to zoom sessions and breakout rooms.
All tutors are Healthcare professionals with experience of integrating clinical hypnosis within their area of specialism.

Progression

Join our University Accredited level 6 and 7 course in Clinical Hypnosis, Language and Communication Techniques in Healthcare

You can also progress by doing some of the BSCAH workshops – delivered by specialists in the field – providing focused practical training on key clinical applications:

• Pain Management: Techniques for managing acute, procedural, and chronic pain.
• Phobias & Trauma Resolution: Desensitisation and dissociated imagery techniques, including time road and rewind.
• Functional Disorders: Utilising ideomotor signalling, reframing strategies (e.g., six-step reframe), and targeted hypnosis techniques for conditions such as gut-related disorders.
• Neurodiversity: Explore the impact of aphantasia within the context of hypnosis, raising awareness of neurodivergence, and providing effective techniques for working with diverse cognitive experiences.

As a safe-guard for clients / patients, we will only train health care professionals who are eligible for membership of BSCAH. 

If in any doubt please send your CV to natoffice@bscah.co.uk

Please note that the closing date for this event is: Friday 13th September 2025

Cancellation policy: Full refund if cancelled up to 4 weeks prior to event; 50% refund if cancelled 2-4 weeks before the event, no refund if cancelled after this time.
There is a minimum number requirement for this training, and if this has not been reached by two weeks prior to the training, then BSCAH reserves the right to cancel with full refunds given.

Enquire:  natoffice@bscah.co.uk 

Lead trainer: awilliamson@bscah.co.uk

Start Course

Possible tutors you may meet on our courses

Ann Williamson

Ann was a GP for more than thirty two years and trained in hypnosis, NLP, brief solution-oriented therapy and other approaches since the late nineties. She has been a trainer for the British Society of Clinical & Academic Hypnosis for many years and has run numerous workshops on brief psychological interventions and stress management both in the UK and abroad. She has written several books and is a Reiki Master Trainer and has an interest in creativity and exploring one’s emotions through the arts.

Gillian Smith

Dr Gill Smith is a retired consultant psychiatrist who has worked in the NHS and the independent sector. She has been using hypnosis within her clinical practice since 1982 and is involved with training in Northern Counties. She has a personal interest in the application of mindfulness and in Compassion Focused Therapy. She is currently based in Edinburgh where she is working for the Marie Curie hospice as a hypnotherapist. Since lockdown, she has been doing virtual hypnotherapy sessions with most referrals coming from Marie Curie and Maggie’s Centre.

Jean Rogerson

Jean is a retired theatre and outpatient manager, still working in a breast clinic.
‘I’m passionate about introducing hypnosis into mainstream clinical practice and to this end I have been invited to speak and run workshops on hypnosis at various health conferences and hospital trusts. I have been a visiting lecturer at various universities as well as currently an associate lecturer on the BSCAH/BCU course.’

Jenny Page

Jenny obtained her BChD at Leeds Dental Institute in 1995. She is now a partner in a private general dental surgery with her husband in Pershore, Worcestershire.
Jenny started her hypnosis training with BSMDH in 2003 with the Midlands Branch foundation training, followed by the BSCAH Advanced Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis and Stress Management from Stafford University in 2012. She has been on the Midlands Branch committee for many years, helping at training sessions and as Branch Hon Treasurer.
She became a full tutor for the BCU course in 2021. Jenny uses hypnosis in the dental surgery for nervous patients and also works with a local secondary school providing anti-anxiety sessions for 11-18 year olds (and staff).

David Kraft

A UKCP registered psychotherapist, and social psychologist, David Kraft PhD runs two successful practices—one in Harley Street and the other in Enfield Town. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles in the academic literature and is actively involved in research. David is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and President of the Section of Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine. In addition, he is an accredited member of BSCAH where he acts as Honorary Secretary for the London Branch. David has also been involved with BSCAH at National level, and he has been busily teaching healthcare professionals on the Foundation Training courses for a number of years.  

Colin Jones

Colin is a Senior Lecturer in advanced clinical practice in the Faculty Of Health at Liverpool John Moores University. With a clinical background in intensive care nursing, he has held numerous positions in the UK and overseas. He has a PhD in health psychology and is especially interested in narrative therapies across a range of clinical contexts. In addition to his academic work, Colin works two days per week at his local NHS Trust in Post Anaesthetic Care and High Dependency Units.

Samantha Crone

Samantha graduated from St Bartholomew’s and The Royal London Hospital School of Medicine and Dentistry in 1997, subsequently gaining Membership to the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in 2002. She has worked in general, cosmetic, hospital and special care dental practice and surgery. Samantha is also a dento-alveolar surgeon with the Surrey Dento-Alveolar Referral Service and in recent years has been involved in training and mentoring post-graduate dentists. Samantha trained in clinical hypnosis in her final year of dental school in 1996 and with The British Society of Medical and Dental Hypnosis London branch and has successfully used hypnosis techniques throughout her career in dentistry. She has found hypnosis particularly useful in the treatment of anxious patients, those struggling with pronounced gag reflexes, needle phobias and dental phobias. She is now an active member of BSCAH.