I began my Foundation Course in 1989 with the Academy of Curative Hypnotherapy at
The Tameside General Hospital Post Graduate Centre. Training in two widely different
Hypnotherapy disciplines. I quickly developed my preference for a more Naturalistic
approach. After successfully completing the Foundation course with Sally Hamilton
and Gail Gifford, I went on to complete the Advanced Course under the tutorship
of one of the most respected names in the hypnotherapy field, Mr Norman Vaughton.
During the many years I have been practising hypnotherapy I have had the pleasure
and privilege to study with and learn from some of the many greats in the hypnotherapy
world Dr Ernest Rossi, David Grove, Michael Yapko and of course Norman Vaughton.
Hypnotherapy is my life and I am dedicated to helping others discover their dreams
and bring them to fruition.
I was guided to meditate and joined a development group training to be a platform
medium and since then have had many wonderful and inspiring experiences, one of
which was Channelling. Over the many years since that time I have been instrumental
in helping many others connect to that very powerful, very loving energy that resides
within and around us. My clients realize that they are part of the oneness and as
they become more aware of the true energy of themselves, change happens more easily
and more beneficially.
For over six years I have been training others to become successful Hypnotherapists
and sharing the more dynamic approaches to the subject. This course is designed
to take hypnotherapy to the next level. Letting go of the old school and taking
hypnotherapy into the future as the most successful of therapies. The Northern College
of Creative Hypnotherapy offers you the opportunity to make a difference, there
has never been a greater need. Go Within or Go Without.
I was born the eldest of three to an artist mother and an architect father in 1964.
I left school at 16 to follow a career in insurance, which on the whole I found
unrewarding, despite acquiring professional qualifications and my own business by
my mid 30s.
During this period I met my now wife Gill and we married in 1989. We have three
wonderful children. The youngest is Theo, who is autistic. Having Theo seemed to
have a huge affect on my life. I think as part of coping strategies (of which I
tried many including harmful ones) I discovered Buddhism, which helped me in many
ways and has eventually led me to a complete career change from insurance broker
to therapist.
Back in the early "naughties" as we now refer to them I was on a meditation course
and one of the participants said they were trying meditation to help with their
counselling studies. This was one of those pivotal moments when a switch seemed
to go in my mind and I became determined to investigate the course she referred
to. That was it, I was hooked and the concepts course led to the certificate in
counselling all at Stockport College, all thoroughly enjoyable and life changing
and then onto the two year diploma. At this stage I was spending at least half my
"work time" at counselling studies and placement in two GP's surgeries and it
became obvious that I couldn't do both. It was an easy decision to sell my business
and devote all of my energy to completing the course and setting up in private practice.
At this stage I also completed a hypnotherapy diploma; my teachers were Costa Lambrias
and my now fellow tutor Ray Jenkinson. This course opened my eyes to the marvellous
work of hypnotherapy and its endless possibilities. I opened my private practice,
Calm Minds in Bramhall in 2005 and have subsequently continued my academic studies
by passing an MA in Counselling and I am currently studying for my Doctorate at
The University of Manchester.
I would say that I have an integrative approach to my work, I don't believe that
one model of working works for all of my clients all of the time. As well as training,
I work as a Bank Therapist for the NHS and Stress Management Therapist for a number
of charities, businesses and local authorities.