NBH: providing high standards for hypnotherapy profession

4 min


Calming. Thoughtful. Restful.

The first thing BTN notices when chatting with the Head of the National Board of Hypnotherapy (NBH) is that Matthew Cahill’s tone of voice is very calming. Thoughtful. Restful. In short, his voice is exactly the reassuring sound you would expect to hear emanating from a therapist.

Matthew’s experience in the industry spans nearly two decades. During that time, he has worked with countless clients and trained hundreds of students who’ve gone on to utilise their skills to help people achieve their goals.

‘Hypnotherapy is safe and effective,’ says Matthew. ‘It doesn’t use any tools as it only utilises the power of thought.’

We’ve all read stories about how the mind can be an incredible asset for development – hence the phrase ‘putting our minds to it.’ 

Matthew explains how hypnotherapy can really help someone to ‘rehearse’ scenarios to ensure they can reach the best outcome. Top footballers are increasingly turning to qualified and experienced therapists to help their game. 

‘The power of visualisation is personal to the client,’ explains Matthew. ‘When you go into a trance state we’re running through that event as though it was real and the brain responds as if it is real.’ 

‘As such, when you carry out the visualisation in real life then it’s the second time you’ve done it and so it’s not new. And that’s the power of trance.’

Matthew points out that trance is a perfectly natural process which we all experience throughout the day. 

He runs training centres in both Plymouth and London. The courses provide tuition in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. SFH is specifically designed to focus on finding solutions to situations – rather than focusing on the problem itself.

Using the best of science

‘NBH members focus on a modern approach to hypnotherapy,’ he says. ‘We use the best of science and our understanding of it to apply techniques which fit the science.’ 

‘Modern hypnotherapy can be used in brain based therapy, including mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy.’ 

‘It promotes positive wellbeing and hypnotherapy is fast becoming the number one place for people to turn to, especially for anxiety.’ 

‘Years ago it was smoking and weight management but anxiety now counts for the top spot in enquiries for hypnotherapy.’

And the success rate for people visiting a NBH registered practitioner is very good. Its’ members are part of a unique national survey which is designed to track the progress of clients during the course of their therapy.  

‘The NBH measures its outcomes and is using specifically tailored software entitled CORP. It is the biggest research programme of its kind in the history of hypnotherapy and it currently has 80,000 hours of research hours logged in the system.’ 

‘It’s a self-assessment piece of software that focuses on seven key areas of wellness, including: thoughts, interaction, activity, confidence, strengths, achievements and happiness.’ 

‘It’s used by 728 practitioners and 1000s of clients. The client gets to see the journey and their progress which makes it enjoyable. We’re dealing with feelings and emotions but when you see a physical graph of how you’re doing then that’s good.’

Number One ‘Go to’ place for practitioners

‘We are the number one ‘go to’ place for hypnotherapists to join. People can only be members if they reach the national accepted standard of 450 hours of practice and above.’

The NBH is a member of UKCHO (UK Confederation of Hypnotherapy Organisations). This is the country’s top professional body and is another tick in the box for anyone looking to find a bona fide practitioner.  

‘It’s important as it has a set standard whereby each organisation abides by the rules set down by UKCHO.’ 

‘UKCHO is the cumulative body that sits down and looks at the best way forward for hypnotherapy. You have all of the professional associations and they sit down to work out what’s best for everybody. It’s a collective view which is based on best practice, standards and code of ethics.’ 

The past few years have been a tough time for people in the business world. As such, the NBH has offered free membership to its qualified practitioners to help them through these difficult times. More than 120 therapists took up the offer.

‘The NBH will continue to link the general public to the expertise of our members and provide assurance of quality.’ 

‘It means that when someone chooses a NBH practitioner then they know they will be seeing someone who is well qualified and good at what they do.’ 

‘The NBH is all about positive change. And so, if you’re reading this article and feel anxious then there is help out there.’


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