have lots of things tried out on me so that I can feed back my

experience and help other practitioners grow too."

If you wish to contact Richard, he is available on 0121 313

2848, or 07786 92 78 05.

Once again it is that time of year to

congratulate all those students who

have passed their Certificate course

exam and are now engaged on the

Helen McCabe

I am increasingly struck by the

continuing high standards of students' performance on the

I work in the N.H.S. as a Senior Nursing

Certificate courses and the strong motivation and commitment

Manager in the Learning Disability

they bring to their practise.

Services  in  Leicestershire.  With

experience I realized that the most

At the present time there are positions available for assistants

important part of the job was the patient

and supervisors on the Birmingham courses; this offers a great

and the working relationship with the

opportunity to stretch personal performance and reinforce and

patient and staff. After many years of

consolidate one's own practise.

working within the traditional medical

model of prescribing and treating

Courses running at the present time are two Diploma courses

conditions, I became interested in

and a Practitioner with a new Certificate beginning in late

alternative therapies and trained in

Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and also became a Reiki

Master. I found that working with energy therapies has opened

The new eight - weekend Practitioner course is halfway through

up lots of options for treatment. The change to moving to

now and I leave the rest of these pages to introduce four of it's

alternative therapies within the Health Services is slow but

students to tell of their development and diverse experiences in

their own words.

After the loss of my 16-year-old son in a road accident 3 years

ago, I found that counselling was an enormous benefit, and

helped me regain my life again. In some way I wanted to give

back some of the help I had received.

I  am  currently  studying  for  a  Master's  Degree  in

Richard passed his Diploma at the end of

Psychodynamic Counselling at Leicester University whilst at

last year, and immediately launched into

the same time undertaking the Practitioner's Diploma in Clinical

setting up in practice.

"It was an immense challenge to set up

on my own. I didn't have much collateral

In my practice I find the core work with the client is done whilst

behind me, and started off renting rooms

listening with empathy to the patient. The skills I have learned

in Kidderminster. Even though I have both

during hypnotherapy are enhanced so much by my counselling

hypnotherapy and massage to offer (a combination of Shiatsu

skills. For me, the Psychodynamic model in counselling is

and traditional Thai), the practice wasn't busy enough to

relevant to hypnotherapy as it is concerned about the past

warrant me paying vast sums in advertising and clinic fees."

affecting the present and bringing the unconscious processes

Richard has also found success in other areas. He is an

to conscious awareness. An example of how these skills work

associate of Steve Miller Training (Steve you will remember

together is as follows: A lady came to me for hypnosis due to

from the Practitioner diploma), working in areas such as team

an emotional incident which happened 12 years ago. During

and confidence building and stress management programmes.

hypnosis she expressed anger towards her mother from

He also does work for Intel, the computer company, presenting

childhood. After talking about this, she said that the more recent

on their roadshows. Hypnotherapy is available from prestigious

incident didn't matter any more. Once she was able to allow

offices in Solihull.

herself to express the anger for mother she was able to let go

of the rest. Through the insight on how the past affects the

"Having studied hypnosis, I have new-found confidence in

present she was able to move on lots of issues which held her

public speaking...I wasn't too bad before so I am really

back. Having taught her self-hypnosis, she saw it as a

pleased, as this is an area I really enjoy working in."

powerhouse which was hers.

As well as massage and hypnotherapy, Richard is also about to

embark on a new venture:

How we use our skills is very important for the best outcome for

our clients. As I continue to practice hypnotherapy I find that the

"I have been offered the opportunity to write and present my

success of my practice is greatly enhanced by counselling

own radio show for Aston Villa's radio station, the Villan. It is

skills. My comments as a student on the Practitioners course is

amazing really as my parents met at Villa Park and I was at

that it is certainly up a gear from the Diploma course in that it

school at King Edward's, which is literally just the other side of

gives that extra confidence and ability to work outside the box.

Aston Park from the ground. "

I am finding that I am gathering a lot more tools in my kit-box.

The show will be on healthy and alternative styles of living,

The support network in the group is also a great advantage at

whereby Richard will interview a different therapist each week.

this level. Overall, I have found that hypnotherapy has greatly

enriched my life, and I have met some fine lecturers and friends

"I am keen to bring Hypnotherapy and other therapies to

along the way.

people's attention in a light and informative way. I also get to