| A good hypnotist anywhere can show their clients | | | | with modern techniques have learned hypnosis |
| good modern techniques that go beyond hypnosis | | | | after an emotional or physical condition has |
| and help even further. For example, I have met | | | | attracted them to hypnosis. Most cannot take |
| people whose lives had changed for the much | | | | five years out of their lives to train in a new |
| better after their hypnotist added Reiki to their | | | | career. So no matter how good the hypnotist is |
| treatment, such as a Capetonian whose hypnotist | | | | and no matter how cutting-edge their techniques |
| was in Johannesburg. And I have met people who | | | | are, they are now limited in what they can say to |
| swear by EFT Tapping after their hypnotist had | | | | the potential client. And this limits the public's |
| introduced it to them; two of these advanced | | | | choices and therefore the advice they can get |
| hypnotists were in Cape Town. Hypnosis is a talk | | | | about hypnosis and beyond. |
| technique, and the added element of energy | | | | Another challenge for Cape Town is income. |
| healing elevates a hypnosis treatment beyond | | | | Incomes are lower than in Johannesburg, for |
| anything hypnosis alone can achieve. | | | | example. So many Capetonians cannot justify the |
| There is much misinformation about hypnosis, so | | | | budget to try unfamiliar alternatives. |
| when anything other than being in deep trance is | | | | Having said all that, Cape Town is actually seeing |
| suggested, the average person is very skeptical | | | | an emergence of new alternative therapies, but |
| and afraid to try. Stage hypnosis has much to | | | | they are usually presented in down-market |
| answer for. The public see someone act like a | | | | flea-markets and sold next to a stall selling |
| chicken in trance and assume that they can be | | | | unhealthy highly-coloured sugary sweets to |
| made to completely change instantaneously if only | | | | children. This does not give the alternative health |
| they can be hypnotized. And in Cape Town, there | | | | industry a good name or image. And so any good |
| is still limited access to the internet but many | | | | treatment that takes the client beyond hypnosis |
| hypnosis shows, so the public do not have access | | | | is badly represented and not taken seriously. Cape |
| to information about modern techniques that can | | | | Town needs high-quality alternative health shows. |
| help them beyond hypnosis. And let's face it; a | | | | I envisage this will eventually happen as better |
| stage gimmick done for fun is totally different | | | | alternative health associations take their services |
| from serious recovery from an addiction or a | | | | to the public. |
| deep-rooted emotional condition. | | | | So to answer the question, is Cape Town ready |
| And with the change of law in South Africa, many | | | | to go beyond hypnosis, I would say yes, maybe |
| good hypnotists can now no longer say that they | | | | in five years or so. In the meantime, it is up to |
| do anything therapeutic. This is because now a | | | | each hypnotist with energy techniques to educate |
| hypnotherapist in South Africa has to have | | | | their clients about the new advances. Education is |
| studied psychology for four years at university | | | | the key. And if you are looking for help with a |
| plus done an MA in psychology on top before | | | | condition for which you have been told hypnosis is |
| being able to call themselves a hypnotherapist. | | | | the answer, do an internet search on the |
| This puts the emphasis in training on some pretty | | | | condition, and see what turns up. Also ask |
| outdated psychology, and for way longer than is | | | | potential hypnotists what other techniques they |
| even needed in most other countries. For | | | | use, and be open to trying new things. You may |
| example, in the UK, a psychotherapist only needs | | | | be pleasantly surprised. |
| two years training. Most really good hypnotists | | | | |