Behind Hypnotherapy Psychologist

Hypnotherapy Psychologist operates from the town of Penzance, in the county of Cornwall, England. It's run by me, Paul Northcott, a 59 year old male (cisgender, heterosexual). I'm a fully independent psychologist and psychotherapist, and have been formally practicing therapeutic psychology since the mid 1990s.

I consider myself a natural-born psychologist and helper. When I was about 8 I hit upon a way to reliably self-induce a trance via mental activity. Around 9 I discovered how to purposely use verbal suggestion to produce an effect in a person. I first administered hypnosis when I was about 13. By 16 I routinely used hypnosis to help others and had a growing library of books on the subject. Fascination with hypnosis and what it can achieve, and with psychology in general, has never left me and never will.

My calling was to pursue these subjects and beneficially use them more widely. I went on to get a BSc(Hons), First Class, in Psychology (specialising in health psychology and neuropsychology, in the final year) and an initial counselling certificate. After graduating I acquired a position as Assistant Psychologist for a Health Authority in North West England, transferred to be a Research Assistant in Neuropsychology in the Department of Psychology at Leicester University, then for several years was at the Department of Health and Social Care at the University of West of England, Bristol. In Bristol I taught psychology to undergraduates and health-care professionals, further studied and trained at counselling and psychotherapy (PGDip level), worked for my psychology PhD (psychotherapy and hypnosis), and began my formal therapeutic practice.

Supporting my interest in helping people with their sexual problems, I hold a Professional Certificate in Psychosexual Therapy from Britain's Contemporary Institute of Clinical Sexology.

I had the very best supervision. My principal doctoral mentor was the accomplished British psychologist Professor Susan Blackmore, prominent international figure in the field of consciousness. I was also under tutelage of Dr Brian Fellows: psychologist and long-serving hypnosis scholar from Portsmouth University.

Within my PhD I conceptualised a model of the functioning of hypnosis and psychotherapeutic practice, which gainfully feed into my hypnotherapy work with clients. I later sought to supplement my understanding of the possible cybernetic/systems processes that could be involved in therapy and clients' problems, by obtaining a Master's Degree (MSc; Distinction) in Information Systems.

I'm not like the others. As well as being highly qualified, I'm something of a rebel. For every client that may be deterred by this admission, I believe it attracts one that will especially benefit from my services. And I believe the rebel spirit - vision, dedication, intensity, scrutiny, purpose – is marshalled within my work to better help clients.

Professionalism

I’ve always taken professional matters seriously. I had this concern even before the growth of professional societies in Britain for such as hypnotherapy, counselling, and psychotherapy generally. Early in my practice I researched, presented, and published about professional matters.*

I'm a Senior Member of ACCPH (Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists). I'm a Registrant of Britain's National Hypnotherapy Society. I'm a student member of COSRT (The College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists). I've been a graduate member of the British Psychological Society and the British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis. I'm eligible to be a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society.

I possess the 'enhanced DBS' certificate. This is Britain's highest level of criminal record check, as used by employers when recruiting for sensitive/regulated positions. My certificate was attained for me via the NHS (National Health Service).

To ever-better help people, I constantly seek to improve myself as a person and my working knowledge and skills. My most recent formal Continuing Professional Development (CPD) subjects include:

• Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse and Sexual Violence and Abuse (April 2023)
• Hypnotherapy for Trauma and PTSD (November 2023)
• Regression (to problem cause) (February 2024)

I'm currently on a two year program for a Diploma in Clinical Sexology and Relationship Therapy.

The intention

With Hypnotherapy Psychologist I passionately wish to bring high-quality psychological help to people who could benefit from it but, for whatever reason(s), wouldn't otherwise receive it.

This intention is 'from the heart'. For this and other criteria, I find that Hypnotherapy Psychologist is what is referred to as a heart-based business.

My guiding principles

• Advocacy of 'you first'.
• 'Against all odds'.
• Belief in everybody’s potential.
• Enduring opportunity for positive change.
• Open-mindedness over ‘how’.
• Every individual is a sovereign entity, deserving respect, with important needs and self-interests.
• Sceptical enquiry should never be assumed unnecessary and is a positive thing.

I'm not above you

Inherent to a 'helper-helpee' situation is a power differential, with the helper having more notional power than the person who comes to him/her for help. This imbalance cannot be neutralised, even though one wishes it didn't exist. However, this dynamic of the therapy situation never affects my regard for clients. I instinctively see all clients - as for all people - as my equals. I grew-up in, and partook of, the mileu of the late 1970s, with its vociferous youth sub-culture cries for equality and non-discrimination (of any and all kinds). This socialisation ingrained in me the sanctity of other's rights and parity of status. So it is that from the hundreds of manual workers I've helped, to cash-strapped students, to societally-regarded professionals like medical doctors, that I've seen every one of them as a unique and special individual, yet an equal to every other one and to myself.

Authenticity

Perhaps 'authenticity' is an overused term, but - for the record - every aspect of this psychology service is 'authentic'. It's because I care so deeply about helping people psychologically that I break the mould. I have to be true to myself to best help you be true to yourself.

I'm as authentic as it gets.

My image here could've been more contemporary. To have had a more 'standard therapist's website' would've been easy. But thereby misrepresenting myself I'd be doing you a disservice. It wouldn't have faithfully represented the me you will get. It would be poor basis for helping you, where needed, on your ongoing road to authenticity and comfort in 'being yourself'.

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