Just as Covid has encouraged the shift from offices to home based working, so too has it highlighted the need for online hypnotherapy as opposed to face-to-face sessions.
Personally I like working with others face-to-face, and I know that during lockdowns, several of my clients would rather wait until restrictions ease so that they can come back into the clinic, rather than see me online. But here is what i have noticed during these strange years, which are unfortunately becoming more normal than not…
Online Hypnotherapy is Reliable
If the hypnotherapy treatment is interrupted by a Covid lockdown, and my client either does not want to risk coming in, wear a mask or cannot access me due to regulations, then the reliability of the treatment wavers. Reliability is extremely important. It is the ingredient that prevents a hit or miss approach. I structure most of my treatment over three sessions, as most hypnotherapists do, because it is more effective. If the momentum is broken due to access, the results will soften. Occasionally I will have a client who needs only one session, but this is not standard by any means. Online hypnotherapy has high reliability because the access is easy.
Online Hypnotherapy is Comfortable and Convenient
Most of my online clients use their bed, a couch or a comfortable chair as a place to relax during our sessions. Some clients find the familiarity of their own environment preferable to coming into a clinic. They also appreciate that they can avoid potential traffic problems, and they don’t need to rush from place to place. They find it convenient. This also adds to the reliability of the sessions because the client doesn’t need to juggle appointments so tightly, once the travel time is removed.
Comparing the Quality of Online with Face-to-Face
I have been using a very simple Skype platform for my sessions. It is as easy as making a phone call. The sound quality is generally very good and I have not received any negative feedback regarding the audio. For all of the reasons presented so far, most clients who have tried both in-person and online sessions, actually commented that they prefer online. They found it more effective, potentially because they were able to relax into it more easily. Hear what others have to say.
In person, I will play music through the same headphones that carry my voice, to help my clients focus and fully engage. They enjoy this immensely, but they do not need such props to assist them with focused attention when they are at home, relaxing.
In person I will often touch my client’s arm or knee when anchoring positive states of mind. During online hypnotherapy I will ask the person to anchor themselves, something which I ask them to do (following my anchor) in any case.
In person I will often use walking techniques which take the person from one state to another. online I will do this mentally, getting the client to simply imagine changing states – there are comparable hypnotic techniques I use to achieve this.
The Way of the Future
As I write this heading I am struck with a sense of nostalgia, similar to how people must have felt when cars were first designed and put into production. I’m sure that headline was written thousands of times. And now the car is as common as a bed furniture and probably more common than an oven, since the popularity in take-away food. While the idea of online hypnotherapy might promote suspicion of its effect, or even scare some people, it is happening.
With Covid continuing on, despite vaccinations, we are in for an unpredictable ride. Maintaining reliability is essential in uncertain times, and that makes online hypnotherapy a stronger contender.
If you would like to find out more, please get in touch.