Questions and Answers

How do you consider applications?

We consider each application to NCHP individually, based on a combination of academic, professional, and personal qualities. Our pathways to UKCP require a post-graduate level of learning at the outset of training. This means that you will need to demonstrate either a degree (or equivalent qualification) or that your professional qualifications or experience can illustrate this level. Therefore, we may ask for a CV to consider this.

We look beyond academics, as we consider that your personal qualities are equally important. We will, therefore, look to you to demonstrate that you are sufficiently resourced and self-aware to undertake training at this point.

For all applications that meet our initial interview requirements, you will be invited to an informal Zoom interview, where we will ask further questions to determine if we are a good fit for you moving forward. This also allows us to answer your questions and consider together which pathway might be best suited to you.

Will my life experience be taken into consideration if I don’t have a degree or equivalent?

Yes, it will. For our UKCP pathways, it is essential that we can confirm your readiness to undertake academic work at academic level seven (master’s level), ensuring that we can support you to succeed on your intended pathway. We will invite you to a conversation to discuss your circumstances and consider them on an individual basis.

What if I am not sure which pathway is right for me?

This is no problem, and we don’t expect you to have a definitive answer right away. We will be able to help you during the interview to explore whether the Hypnotherapy Diploma or one of our UKCP pathways is the best fit for you. When it comes to the UKCP pathways, you don’t need to make a final decision until Stage 4.

What will happen in the interview?

The interview is informal, and you will meet two senior team members and have the opportunity to get to know us. This also allows you to ask as many questions as you like and to find out if we are a good fit for your future goals.

We will be transparent about the training process and the readiness requirements to begin training with us. Whilst there is no need to prepare formally for the interview, we may ask some questions about your life experiences and personal qualities. For example, we may ask you to provide an example of a time when you have demonstrated your ability to be comfortable with ambiguity and worked within a frame of uncertainty.

It is also important that we explore alignment between us in terms of our modality. Whilst we hold a great respect for all modalities and draw on many, some applicants may be drawn to a particular modality that we do not train in; therefore, we may recommend a different route for you. We encourage our students and graduates to develop their own style, yet our shared outlook on therapy unites us;in the interview, we can discuss how our offering aligns with your approach.

What will happen if I am offered a place?

If you are offered a place on the pathway, we will ask for a copy of your highest academic or professional qualification (or possibly a CV) and a deposit of £275 for pathways beginning at stage 1 or 2 and £400 for those beginning on Stage 3 as part of the UKCP for hypnotherapists pathway. This payment is not in addition to your fees but is part of the total and is to secure your place. Please note that this is a non-refundable deposit.

What will happen if I am not offered a place?

If you are not offered a place, you will be emailed to let you know and to provide guidance on your next steps. This may include recommendations for future applications or suggestions of more suitable routes. If you feel the decision is unfair or that the process has not been undertaken properly, you may appeal under our admissions policy here:

Admissions policy

I am not sure which is the right pathway for me. Should I still apply?

Yes, this is something we can discuss in your interview to explore the best fit for your goals.

I meet the entry requirements for the UKCP pathways, but I am not sure I want to train to be a psychotherapist. Which hypnotherapy pathway shall I apply for?

We recommend that, in this case, it might be beneficial to apply for the UKCP pathway, as you can qualify as a hypnotherapist after Stage 2 and exit your pathway there. If you then choose to continue to UKCP later, it is more straightforward to rejoin the pathway.

How do you decide where existing hypnotherapists start on the UKCP pathways?

This will be discussed at the interview and will depend on the type of hypnotherapy training, the length of time in practice, the number of client hours, the experience of supervision and alignment with the NCHP offerings.

What if I change my mind about the pathway I am on?

On the UKCP pathways you do not have to make up your mind until Stage 4 when you will decide whether to undertake a research project or not.

If you begin on the UKCP pathway and then wish to change to the Hypnotherapy Diploma Pathway, we kindly request that you contact us at the earliest opportunity to discuss your options.

Do I have to pay for the whole pathway once I join it?

We have monthly payment plans to make payments as flexible as possible.

In Stage 1, if you attend Module 1 and then decide not to continue, we will refund any money paid for the stage (excluding your deposit and a £60 administration fee). If you have not yet paid for the rest of Stage 1 you will not be required to so.

If you withdraw from the pathway following Module 2, the full fee for the stage is payable.

In Stages 2, 3, and 4, once you have enrolled and attended the first training or engaged with any aspect of the training, the full fee for the current stage remains payable.

Do I have to pay for the whole pathway once I sign up?

We have monthly payment plans to make payment as flexible as possible.

In Stage 1, if you attend Module 1 and then decide not to continue, we will refund any money paid for the stage (excluding your deposit and a £60 administration fee). If you have not yet paid for the rest of Stage 1 you will not be required to so.

If you withdraw from the pathway following Module 2, the full fee for the stage is payable.

In Stages 2, 3, and 4, once you have enrolled and attended the first training or engaged with any aspect of the training, the full fee for the current stage remains payable.

Do you offer student loans?

We do not offer student loans; we offer flexible payment plans to make managing your fees as easy as possible.

Can I pay in instalments?

Yes, please see our fees page for our payment options.

What if I experience financial difficulty?

We recognise that sometimes unexpected challenges arise, impacting your financial position. We ask that you let us know as soon as possible so that we can work with you to ensure you don’t fall into arrears and manage this effectively.

Can I attend online if I’m unable to participate in the live weekend?

To ensure the integrity of the live training, which is experiential and to align with our registering and accrediting bodies, we do not offer hybrid attendance. We strike a balance between in-person and online work, as we see the value of both equally; however, we cannot accommodate some attendees in-person and some online. We have designed the curriculum to be adaptable for both in-person and online work, and we maintain this flexibility to ensure the highest quality of your training.

Do you provide tea and coffee facilities?

We do not provide tea and coffee facilities on-site; however, we have chosen locations in areas with a variety of options for refreshments.

Are your facilities accessible for wheelchairs?

All of our facilities are carefully selected with accessibility in mind and are therefore wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you have any particular accessibility requirements so that we can discuss reasonable adjustments as needed.

Can I record the live training sessions?

Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the material, we do not permit recording of live training. We provide as much theory as possible, along with video lectures, so that you can review it at your own pace. We kindly request that you refrain from recording live training sessions to ensure the safety and confidentiality of all participants.

What happens if I am unable to attend a live training session?

Let us know at the earliest opportunity by emailing Carlie at carlie.fairbrother@nchp.ac.uk. We will explore options to catch up on the training weekend with another cohort, minimising disruption to your training as much as possible.

Do you offer any support for academic writing?

As part of your Stage 1 fees on the UKCP pathways, you gain access to a self-study academic writing module that supports your writing at a postgraduate level.

If you have any concerns about your feedback, we will offer a tutorial to review it and explain areas for improvement.

Whilst we design our assessments with diversity in mind, if there are reasonable adjustments required due to additional support needs, please do speak to Carlie at carlie.fairbrother@nchp.ac.uk

Do you have library or journal access?

We do not have institutional access to libraries or journals due to the prohibitive cost and impact on fee levels. However, more and more journals are becoming open-access, and we will guide and support you in finding suitable journals for your academic work, where reasonably possible.

What happens if I don’t pass an assignment?

If you don’t pass an assignment, you will be given detailed feedback as to where improvements are needed and why it hasn’t passed this time. You will be able to submit once more, having taken on the feedback. Should the second submission not pass, we will discuss this further to understand where support might be needed, whether this lies within the resources we can offer as a college, and what the next steps would be. If you do not pass the assignment, and we are unable to support you further, we will discuss options and consider possible withdrawal from the pathway.

Should you not pass your case study on the first attempt, you will be required to pay separately for supervision for your second case study and for marking fees at a cost of £100

How do you consider diversity in your assignments?

We want you to shine and therefore we offer a range of practical, written, reflexive and group assessments to ensure there is something for everyone. There are plenty of chances for formative feedback, and we don’t impose rigid deadlines on the course, allowing you to work in a way that best suits you.

We also recognise that many people do want deadlines, and we can discuss this individually where required.

How quickly will I get my certificates through?

As part of our environmental policy we no longer send hard copies of certificates, therefore you will gain your E-Certificate as soon as we receive your portfolio to sign off on completion of a stage.

How can I advertise after the different stages?

On the Hypnotherapy Diploma Pathway you will be able to advertise as a Hypnotherapist on completion of the pathway.

After completion of Stage 2 of the UKCP pathways, you can advertise as a Hypnotherapist (with additional psychotherapeutic training (if you wish)) or an Integrative Hypnotherapist (with additional psychotherapeutic training (if you prefer)). You may also, at this point, gain trainee status with UKCP and advertise as a UKCP Trainee Psychotherapist.

After completion of Stage 3 of the UKCP pathways, you can advertise as a Hypno-Psychotherapist.

After completion of Stage 4 of the UKCP pathways, you can advertise as a UKCP Registered Hypno-Psychotherapist, UKCP Registered Integrative Psychotherapist, UKCP Registered Hypno-Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, or UKCP Registered Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.

When can I start in clinical practice?

If you are on the Hypnotherapy Diploma Pathway, you begin practice following the successful completion of the pathway. If you are on the UKCP pathway, you begin clinical practice following the successful completion of Stage 2.

Do you offer placements?

We do not offer placements as a core part of the training, although some graduates arrange these themselves. We align with columns B and C of SCoPEd, which allow trainees to gain their clinical hours through a range of settings, including private practice.

How many hours of clinical practice are required for qualification?

You need a total of 100 clinical practice hours to gain Stage 3 of the UKCP pathway and a total of 450 clinical practice hours (including the 100 at Stage 3) to achieve Stage 4 and UKCP accreditation.

Do I need to do a certain number of clinical practice hours per year after UKCP accreditation?

To maintain UKCP full clinical membership, you need a minimum of 50 clinical hours a year.

Is there a specific number of hours that must be in-person or online?

We see the value of both in-person and online therapy; therefore, we require (unless in extenuating circumstances) at least 100 hours in either in-person or online clinical hours. Therefore, if you primarily work in person, we require at least 100 hours to be held online during training. If you work primarily online, at least 100 hours need to be carried out in person.

Does NCHP arrange a supervisor for me?

As part of your case studies, you will be required to undertake supervision, and this is included in your course fees.

Once qualified, you will be required to see your supervisor for one hour for every six client hours you complete. Upon qualification, you will be directed to Anne Millne-Riley, who leads our supervision in the college during training. Some supervision will take place in groups and others in one-on-one sessions. We have several visors within the College with whom you can work.

Does my supervisor need to be in the same modality as me?

Two-thirds of your supervision needs to be in the same modality (Hypno-psychotherapy), leaving one-third for someone outside of the modality. This might occur due to undertaking a placement or if you have developed a particular way of working that requires specialist supervision. You would be required to start your supervision journey with someone in modality.

Can I do supervision in a group?

Yes, up to two-thirds of your supervision can be in a group of a maximum of four. A two-hour supervision session with four people can count as one hour towards your supervision hours.

Can I use my therapist as a supervisor?

No, this is a disallowed dual relationship.

Can my tutor be my supervisor?

Your primary tutor cannot serve as your supervisor for a minimum of 12 months after qualification, allowing you to gain experience with an alternative approach.

Can I change supervisors?

We recommend staying with the same supervisor for a minimum of a year unless exceptional circumstances arise. If there is an issue within supervision, we kindly request that you bring it to our attention at the earliest opportunity so that we can work with you. It is also important to keep in mind that you need to build a relationship with your supervisor so that they can provide a report after your first 100 hours and again after completing your 450 hours.

How many hours of personal development do I need to do?

For the psychotherapy pathway, you need 250 – this is broken down as follows:

• 48 hours of personal therapy with a UKCP or equivalent therapist;
• 48 hours fitness to practice log;
• Up to 75 hours of professional development;
• At least 79 hours of personal development.

For the psychotherapeutic counsellor pathway, the required hours are:

• 105 hours of personal therapy;
• 35 hours fitness to practice log.

What do I need to journal?

Your personal development hours must be documented in your portfolio to demonstrate how your activities supported your development.

How many hours of personal therapy do I need?

You need:

• 48 hours on the Psychotherapist pathway;
• 105 hours on the Psychotherapeutic Counsellor pathway.

Does my therapist have to be in the same modality as me?

As we work from a pluralistic perspective, we see the value in all approaches; therefore, they do not need to be the same modality as you, however, they do need to be aligned with the same band in SCoPEd.

Does my therapist need to be a UKCP-registered therapist?

They need to be UKCP or equivalent and within the same column in SCoPEd:

• Column B if you are on the Psychotherapeutic Counsellor pathway;
• Column C if you are on the psychotherapy pathway.

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