There are a multitude of hypnotherapists out there, so how do you find one that works for you when you want to stop smoking?

When Should I See a Hypnotherapist?

If you are struggling with giving up smoking and feel you need a helping hand, then hypnosis may well help you. If you feel you just need that little bit extra to quit and become free from tobacco, then this could work for you.
Will It Work?

No hypnotherapist can guarentee you that the session will work. Unfortunately, hypnosis is not a replacement for the desire to quit smoking. If you are going along looking for the hypnotherapist to make you stop smoking then save your money.

Hypnosis will only work to supplement your willpower and help you to give up. If you go for hypnosis because you feel you ought to or because your partner / family are pushing you to, then again, save your money and stay at home.

If you genuinely want to give up smoking and are willing to use some willpower then hypnosis will more than likely work for you.

Where Can I Find A Hypnotherapist?

There are a number of ways you can do this:

* Contact a professional hypnotherapist body to find some in your area
* Look in the yellow pages
* Look in the local papers
* Ask friends / co workers for personal recommendations (this is the best method)

What Can I Expect?

A stop smoking hypnosis session will last anything from an hour to two hours, depending on the therapist. They will use a variety of different techniques and processes on you. Usually it will involve hypnotic trance. This is a simple process where you relax as if you were almost asleep. In hypnosis you are in control the whole of the time, which is why you have to want the result. No hypnotherapist can make you do anything you don't want to do.

What Will They Charge Me?

The price varies greatly from therapist to therapist. It is probably a good idea to contact a few in your area to determine pricing. In the UK it can be anywhere for 40 to 500 and beyond. However, the price is no indication of quality in this case. Anyone can charge any figure you want, which is why personal recommendation is always best.

How Will I Know They Are Good For Me?

Most hypnotherapists will offer you a free consultation before going for therapy. Use this to ask questions and to get to know the therapist. If you are not comfortable with them, then move on and find a different. Some questions you might want to ask are:

* What success rate have you had in the past?
* What follow up's do you offer?

And anything else you feel you need to know in order to be comfortable proceeding with the therapy.

What Qualifies Them?

There are three types of hypnotherapists:

1. Those who have done a correspondence course
2. Those who have solely trained in stopping smoking (sometimes they will have trained in weight control and stress management too)
3. Those who have taken a full training course, including practical experience

If possible, find one that falls into the third category. No disrespect to the first two, but hypnosis requires interaction with people, so how can you learn it properly by post? As to the second category, sometimes the desire to smoke may be due to other issues in your life and as such, they will not be able to help you with anything else. Often this type of therapist will be inflexible in their approach due to their limited training.

You can always check the therapists qualifications with the appropriate professional bodies if you are in any doubt. Remember though that personal recommendation is the best possible way forwards with hypnosis.