Association for professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy

24/03/2026

Belonging to a professional therapy association that genuinely cares about its members, offers benefits that go far beyond having a logo to display. It creates a sense of professional home. Knowing you are part of a community that understands the realities of therapeutic work reduces isolation, supports ethical practice, and reinforces your professional identity, especially in a field that can sometimes feel lonely or emotionally demanding.

One of the most practical advantages is access to free continuing professional development. Free CPD removes financial barriers to learning and makes it easier to stay current, confident, and competent in your work. It encourages growth driven by curiosity and care rather than obligation, and helps therapists integrate new insights into their practice without added pressure.

When an association invests in its members through support, education, and accessibility, it strengthens the profession as a whole. Therapists feel valued, skills stay sharp, and clients ultimately benefit from practitioners who are supported, informed, and connected.

If you'd like to join us, apply here:

Find the best Hypnotherapy Association and Directory near you. Discover trusted hypnotherapists and resources about hypnotherapy.

19/03/2026

We are very much looking forward to our March workshop with Nick Whitehouse.
If you are a member of www.aphp.co.uk you are invited to this session free of charge! 🙂

09/03/2026

Come and read Hayley McAuley's article on Doomscrolling!

Doomscrolling: Why do we do it and how do we break the cycle? Doomscrolling is a phrase that has become increasingly common in recent years. It describes th ...

04/03/2026

Choosing a therapist is a deeply personal decision, but it’s also one where professional standards really matter. One of the simplest ways to protect yourself and your wellbeing is to choose a therapist who belongs to a recognised professional association.

Membership in a professional association usually means the therapist meets clear training and qualification requirements. They are expected to work within an ethical framework, follow established codes of conduct, and stay within the limits of their competence. This helps ensure that the support you receive is grounded in best practice rather than personal opinion or unregulated methods.

Professional associations also require ongoing professional development. This means your therapist is committed to keeping their skills and knowledge up to date, rather than relying solely on what they learned years ago. Therapy evolves, and so should the people providing it.

Just as importantly, professional membership offers accountability. If something goes wrong or doesn’t feel right, associations provide formal complaints and review processes. That extra layer of oversight helps safeguard clients and reinforces trust in the therapeutic relationship.

If you are looking for a qualified hypnotherapist, have a look at our member directory.

Find the best Hypnotherapy Association and Directory near you. Discover trusted hypnotherapists and resources about hypnotherapy.

26/02/2026

Ready to break free from stress, habits, or self-doubt?

Hypnosis helps you access the power of your subconscious mind to create real, lasting change.

Relax deeply. Reset confidently.
Transform naturally

If you’d like to experience hypnotherapy, consider one of our professional, trained therapists.

Find the best Hypnotherapy Association and Directory near you. Discover trusted hypnotherapists and resources about hypnotherapy.

11/02/2026

What It Actually Feels Like to Be in a Hypnotic State

If your mental image of hypnosis involves swinging pocket watches, blank stares, and people clucking like chickens against their will, yeah, you’re not alone. Hollywood has done an amazing job of making hypnosis look dramatic, mysterious, and a little creepy.
It has also done an amazing job of getting it almost completely wrong.
Here’s what being in a hypnotic state actually feels like, and what it definitely doesn’t.

First, let’s bust the biggest myths

❌ “You’re unconscious or asleep”
Despite what the word hypnosis might suggest, you’re not asleep. In fact, most people feel more mentally alert, not less. You can hear everything, think clearly, and remember what’s happening. If anything, it’s closer to being deeply focused than knocked out.

❌ “You lose control”
This is the big one, and the most persistent myth.
You don’t hand over your free will. You don’t do things you don’t want to do. You don’t suddenly become a puppet controlled by someone else’s voice. If a suggestion doesn’t align with your values, comfort level, or common sense, your mind simply… ignores it.

❌ “Only weak-minded or gullible people can be hypnotised”
Actually, the opposite tends to be true. People who are imaginative, curious, and able to focus tend to respond best. Hypnosis isn’t about being “suggestible”, it’s about being engaged.

So, what does it actually feel like?

While everyone’s experience is a little different, most people describe a hypnotic state using variations of the following:

🧠 Deep focus, not zoning out
Your attention narrows in a calm, comfortable way. Background noise fades into irrelevance, not because you can’t hear it, but because it no longer feels important.
Think of the feeling when you’re absorbed in a book or a movie, and someone says your name twice before you notice.

💤 Physical relaxation (sometimes surprisingly so)
Your body may feel heavy, light, warm, floaty, or pleasantly still. Muscles soften. Breathing slows. Importantly, this happens without effort. You’re not trying to relax, it just happens as your nervous system downshifts.

👀 An active, aware mind
Here’s the part that surprises people: you’re aware the whole time.
You might think: “Oh, that’s interesting.”
“I didn’t expect that to feel like this.”
“I know I could move if I wanted to… I just don’t feel like it.”

🎯 Reduced overthinking
The constant mental chatter, analysis, self-criticism, and planning tend to quiet down. Thoughts still arise, but they feel less sticky. This is one reason people often find hypnosis refreshing: it gives the thinking mind a break without shutting it off.

⏳ Time distortion
Sessions often feel much shorter than they actually are. Thirty minutes might feel like ten. Or sometimes like “no time at all.” That’s a classic sign of deep absorption, not mind control.

What hypnosis is most similar to (and you’ve already been there)
You’ve likely experienced hypnotic states before without calling them that. It's things like:
Getting lost in a daydream
Driving a familiar route and arriving without remembering every turn
Being fully absorbed in music, meditation, or creative work
That moment right before sleep when you’re deeply relaxed but still aware
Hypnosis is essentially that state, on purpose, with guidance.

Why Hollywood gets it so wrong

Because subtle focus doesn’t look exciting on screen.
Movies need:
Drama & conflict
Loss of control
Instant transformation
Real hypnosis is quieter. It’s cooperative. It’s internal. And it doesn’t make for a flashy plot

The bottom line:
Being in a hypnotic state doesn’t feel strange, scary, or otherworldly.

It feels:
Calm
Focused
Safe
Familiar (even if you can’t quite place why)

You’re still you. Just with less noise, and a little more access to parts of your mind that usually get drowned out by everyday thinking.

And no, you won’t wake up clucking like a chicken. 🐔
Unless you really want to!

If you'd like to experience hypnosis for yourself and the masses of benefits it can bring, consider contacting one of our listed therapists. All of them have been vetted, and all have been professionally trained to help you with anything you'd like to change or work through .

Find the best Hypnotherapy Association and Directory near you. Discover trusted hypnotherapists and resources about hypnotherapy.

06/02/2026

Come and read our member article on emotional health - what is it and how can we improve it?

What does it mean to be emotionally healthy? When we talk about emotional health quite often we believe it means that we have to feel good or stay calm all the time no matter what happens. However, it’s far more about how we relate to our inner world rather than being constantly positive. If we [....

03/02/2026

Come and read our article on the power of saying no!

The Power of Saying “No”: Reclaiming Your Confidence Let’s be honest. Most of us were raised to be “yes” people. Say yes to being helpful. Yes to being polite. Yes to keeping the peace. And for a while, that works. It feels safe. It feels like the right thing to do. Until one day you […]

01/02/2026

Members of the APHP agree to follow our code of ethics. This keeps everyone safe and working within professional boundaries. If you’ve not read it in a while, it’s good to revisit.

19/01/2026

19/01/2026

Interesting article on latent learning by APHP member and hypnotherapy school director/tutor, Debbie Waller

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1409501497638180&id=100057350295378

Have you ever known a client leave a session saying, “I don’t feel any different”? And then, a week or two later, things start to shift.
That’s not failure, it’s latent learning.
In this month's blog, I look at why change in hypnotherapy doesn’t always show up immediately, what’s happening in the background, and how understanding latent learning can help you reassure clients and spot progress more accurately.
And you can download a FREE handout for clients, explaining the process, ready to add your practice details.

It Didn’t Work… Or Did It? Latent Learning in Hypnotherapy
https://hypnotherapytrainingblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/latent-learning.html

05/01/2026

Come and read our new member's article on doing your best in January

How many times at the start of January have you sat back and thought, “I must exercise more”, “I must eat healthier” or plan out all the things you want to achieve in the year with grand ideas but no action plan? How often do you then chastise yourself for not sticking to your goals […]