I recently came across a hypnotherapy training site which said that, although it's possible to make a living as a hypnotherapist, don't imagine you can make a good living at it! From my experience, you can make a great living, and have a fantastic work-life balance, all whilst you're providing clients with a truly transformative service.
Whilst the vast majority of us who train as therapists do so because we want to help others, and have often experienced the transformative effects of therapy for ourselves, it's also nice to make a comfortable living doing what you love. And becoming a hypnotherapist provides the opportunity to do just that. The problem is that there are a lot of great therapists out there who don't know how to market their business properly. When I started out, I had no idea how to attract clients. By the time I paid for room hire and travel, I was lucky to make about £20 per client (which, when you consider the prep time, session time and admin time amounted to less than the minimum wage!). Much as I enjoyed the work, I had a family to support. And so, I learned about effective marketing. It took me a long time but eventually I reached the point where I was earning three times as much as I had as an academic.
This is something which isn't covered fully on most hypnotherapy training courses and unfortunately some therapists simply find they can't keep going because they can barely cover their costs. That's why, on my courses, we cover how to run a great business which provides you with a great living. The idea that therapists should be working for pennies is outmoded, and creates a real barrier to people who want, and need, to make money. In addition to covering business start up extensively on the course, you also receive a 1-2-1 business start up session, with me, to discuss your particular needs.
Hypnotherapists charge, on average, anywhere between £75 to £250 per session.. Specialising in a particular area is a great way to attract clients in and make yourself stand out from the crowd. I have clients throughout the world who contact me regarding the areas I specialise in, which include menopause, IBS and children.
The majority of hypnotherapists work in private practice (which means that you set up your own business and attract your own clients) and as long as you're getting yourself out there and promoting yourself using free and paid means of advertising, you'll attract clients. Doing a great job means you'll attract word of mouth clients, too.
Having confidence to set your business up is key. I wish I knew fifteen years ago what I know now, and I could have been up and running within a very short period of time (instead, it took me ages to feel confident enough to even put my photo on my website!). Again, I spend a lot of time working through any limiting beliefs my
students might have with regards to talking about themselves or having the confidence to work with clients.
With a bit of practical knowledge, plenty self-development work and the desire to turn hypnotherapy into a very financially rewarding business, you can certainly earn a great living doing what you love.
