Can I have hypnotherapy and counselling at the same time?

One of my hypnotherapy clients asked me a good question…

“Can I have counselling offered to me by my employer and have hypnotherapy with you at the same time?”

My answer is ‘maybe’. The thing is that having two different types of therapy at the same time can create problems…

The hypnotherapy I do is primarily solution-focused. The emphasis is on what’s happening in the present and involves goal-setting and the development of your resources. Whereas psychodynamic counselling has an emphasis on exploring the past, looking for possible causes, probably right back to your childhood.

For sure, most therapy – even solution focused therapy – is helped (I believe) by knowing something of your history and significant memories/events. For instance, memories of trauma can still be affecting you today. These need addressing.

But to spend the therapeutic hour continually exploring these past experiences  – and how you feel about it – is likely to make you feel worse. You go into the session feeling depressed and come out suicidal.

Indeed, psychodynamic counselling is actually contra-indicated for conditions like depression and trauma as it tends to embed the problem deeper into the mind by stirring up all past woes and negative memories.

See what my therapy trainer says about the history of psychotherapy and its many different approaches

It’s not enough just to explore memories with a counsellor. Something needs to be done with the memories. That’s where good hypnotherapy can make a real difference. Read more on how hypnotherapy treats traumatic memories

My therapeutic approach also won’t work alongside CBT as I believe the premise of CBT is wrong…

You can’t feel better just by trying to reframe your thinking about things. Read more on why affirmations and positive thinking doesn’t work

So, in answer to the question, it’s probably best to stick to one type of therapy at a time and not mix the two. Sure there are cross-overs and certain things in all types of therapy might cover the same ground. But if the approach is very different it can stall any progress you’ve been making. A bit like trying to move forward but being stuck in reverse.