Different Hypnosis Approaches: How to Find (and Refine) Your Own Way of Working

One of my favorite takeaways from meeting up with other hypnotherapists are the conversations we have around from a recent Hypno Weight Loss Jab workshop wasn’t actually about how different hypnotherapists actually work with their clients.

Over live training workshops, I've had discussions recently with a mix of long-time practitioners and newer graduates, and what became obvious very quickly was this: even when we’ve trained in similar places, we don’t all practice in the same way.

And honestly? That’s a good thing.

Hypnosis isn’t one technique—it’s a flexible framework based on different hypnosis approaches

You'll sometimes hear people talk about hypnosis as if it’s one “method.” But in practice, hypnosis is more like a framework that can be combined with different therapeutic lenses.

Depending on your background and your client population, your work might lean more toward:

• CBT-informed change work (habits, beliefs, behavior loops)

• Insight-oriented approaches (patterns, meaning, emotional roots)

• Solution-focused work (goals, strengths, future pacing)

• Mind–body and nervous system approaches (regulation, safety, somatic awareness)

That range isn’t a problem. It’s part of what makes hypnotherapy adaptable.

It also explains why two hypnotherapists can both be ethical, skilled, and effective—and still sound completely different in session.

Why scripts can feel both supportive and limiting

Most of us start with scripts and protocols. They’re useful. They give you structure, pacing, and a sense of “what happens next.”

But there’s a moment in every practitioner’s development where scripts can start to feel tight.

You might notice yourself thinking:

Am I allowed to change this wording?

What if I don’t do it the way I was taught?

What if my client needs something that isn’t in this protocol?

Here’s how I see it: protocols are training wheels. They help you build competence and confidence.

But your long-term goal isn’t to become a perfect script reader.

It’s to become a responsive therapist.

As a trainer, I’m not trying to create clones

When I train hypnotherapists, I’m not aiming for everyone to sound like me.

My job is to help you explore what fits with your values, your existing training, and your natural way of working—so you can build a practice that feels grounded and sustainable.

Because clients can feel the difference between:

• someone performing a technique

• someone practicing with clarity and confidence

Your approach will change over time—and that’s healthy

Early in my career, my work was far more influenced by analytical and insight-oriented approaches.

Over the years, it’s become increasingly shaped by positive psychology and mind–body work.

Some of that is professional learning. Some of it is personal growth. Some of it is simply what happens when you work with real people for long enough: you refine what you believe helps.

If your style is evolving, it doesn’t mean you’re inconsistent.

It usually means you’re paying attention.

Three ways to integrate different hypnosis approaches without losing your own voice

Tip 1: Use reflection as a professional skill

Being a therapist is tied up with who we are as people. We’re constantly reflecting on our experience—what we go through, how we grow, and how our views shift as our lives shift.

So stay open to the idea that something that once felt right might not fit in the same way now.

And equally, something that once felt out of step with you might make sense later, once your understanding deepens.

Allow your work to grow as you grow.

Tip 2: Keep learning—but don’t limit learning to techniques

What stood out in our workshop discussions is how much hypnotherapists care about their clients and their craft.

And that care often shows up as curiosity.

Learning isn’t just about adding more inductions or collecting more scripts.

It’s learning theory. Learning about culture and context. Learning from your clients. Learning how change actually happens for different people.

The more you learn, the more options you have—and the more you can tailor your work to the person in front of you.

Tip 3: Stay open to other practitioners’ ideas (even when you don’t use them)

One of the nicest parts of our conversation was how open everyone was to hearing different perspectives.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in practice—it’s still important to stay open.

For example, I don’t use regression. That decision is informed by personal experience, by listening to clients who haven’t had good experiences with it, and by a broader shift in how I work.

And yet, after some recent conversations, I’ve felt drawn to go back and revisit the research.

That’s the balance: staying open doesn’t mean abandoning your boundaries.

It means staying curious, and being willing to update your thinking when new information is genuinely useful.

A simple anchor: principles over performance

If you’re integrating different approaches, here’s a steady way to hold it:

Keep your principles consistent (ethics, consent, safety, clarity, client-centered work).

Let your methods stay flexible (language, structure, tools, and the lens you’re using).

You don’t need to practice hypnosis in one “approved” style.

You need to practice in a way that is aligned, thoughtful, and responsive.