Hypnotherapy has been in the news a fair bit in the last couple of weeks, especially in regard to the NHS. They have started a major study into hypnosis for childbirth in the North of England which I'm sure will provide evidence of the benefits to women and their babies. I have been working with pregnant women preparing for childbirth for many years and really enjoy teaching women and their birthing partners how to use self hypnosis to prepare mentally and physically for their special event. The eradication of fear allows women to approach childbirth excited rather than anxious, and the relaxation of muscles can make birthing quicker and more comfortable. Women I have worked with have described very fast physical recovery from birthing as they have been drug-free. The use of hypnosis by birthing women will of course save the NHS shedloads of money on drugs and staffing hours, but a positive and happy birth experience will be the most important advantage of offering this service to pregnant women.

Last week I watched two healthcare professionals discussing on BBC1's 'Breakfast' the possible benefits to using hypnosis with patients to help them with diagnosed conditions including stress and anxiety. It was suggested that healthcare staff could be trained to offer hypnosis to patients who were open to it. Dr Rosemary Leonard (Breakfast's resident GP) said she wouldn't have the time to offer this service. Sadly, there was no mention of referring these patients to suitably qualified hypnotherapists outside the NHS. Hypnosis is already recommended by NICE (National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence) for certain conditions such as IBS, but in my experience, most clients seeking help with such conditions, self-refer. Opinion amongst my professional colleagues on this coverage appears divided, with some being cross that hypnotherapy appears to be viewed as something that needs to be delivered only by medical professionals, whilst others see it as good publicity. I tend to feel that the recognition that hypnotherapy has an important role in healthcare is a good thing.

The NHS is unlikely to train enough healthcare workers to a high enough standard any time soon, so as with other health services, those who can't wait or don't want to wait for help, will need to seek help outside the NHS. When I have hurt my back, knee or wrist I have sought the help of an osteopath who works exclusively with the musculo-skeletal system, rather than see my GP, so I'm confident that many clients will appreciate the time and professionalism that an experienced hypnotherapist can offer them and will continue to choose to consult private therapists.

The public need to feel confident to book with private therapists, knowing that the person they are seeing has received sufficient training and works to a code of ethics. An article in the press recently described a case where a 'cowboy' hypnotherapist induced false memories of abuse in a client. In this instance, the 'therapist' had done a very short correspondence course. This of course is completely unsatisfactory and unacceptable. Regrettably, it is still legal for anyone to set themselves up as a counsellor or therapist and this needs to change. Members of the public should check that any therapist they are considering consulting belongs to a professional association (which will require them to be adequately qualified and insured). I am a member of the APHP (Association for Professional Hypnosis & Psychotherapy) the GHR (General Hypnotherapy Register) and the CThA (Complementary Therapy Association). I am also a member of the CNHC (Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council) which is a regulatory body funded in part by the Dept of Health.