Empty Chair Sessions

We know that Clinical hypnotherapy is a powerful tool for helping individuals overcome a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges.

However, like any other therapy technique, it requires practice and refinement to become truly effective.

One technique used by many clinical hypnotherapists and one we highly recommend you do to hone your skills is the empty chair practice session.

In this blog, and video we'll explore the benefits of empty chair practice sessions for clinical hypnotherapists, and how they can improve their ability to help clients.

​What is Empty Chair Practice?

Empty chair practice is a technique that has been used in psychotherapy for decades. Essentially, it involves imagining a client or a significant person in their life sitting in an empty chair, and then engaging in a dialogue with that person. This can be a powerful way to work through emotions, resolve conflicts, and gain new insights into oneself, one's relationships and ones professional development.

As a trainee hypnotherapist empty chair sessions can be a great way to run though, practice and familiarise yourself with the many tools and techniques you're learning in the course.  

In clinical hypnotherapy, empty chair practice can be used to help clients access and work through their subconscious thoughts and feelings. By imagining themselves in an empty chair, clients can more easily tap into their inner world and explore their emotions and beliefs in a safe and supportive environment.

Benefits of Empty Chair Practice for Clinical Hypnotherapists

1. Improves Therapist-Client Communication: Empty chair practice allows the therapist to better understand the client's perspective by engaging in a dialogue with them. It helps the therapist to empathize with the client and respond to their needs more effectively.

2. Enhances Therapist's Ability to Identify and Work with Client's Subconscious Mind: By engaging in an empty chair dialogue, hypnotherapists can better understand their client's subconscious thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. This allows them to tailor their hypnotherapy sessions to the client's specific needs and work with them more effectively.

3. Builds Confidence in Hypnotherapist's Skills: Empty chair practice is a safe and supportive environment for hypnotherapists to test their skills and experiment with different approaches. This can help them build confidence in their abilities and refine their techniques for working with clients.

4. Provides Opportunities for Self-Reflection: By engaging in an empty chair dialogue as the client, hypnotherapists can gain new insights into their own subconscious thoughts and beliefs. This can help them to grow personally and professionally, and become more effective therapists.

Empty chair practice is a powerful technique for clinical hypnotherapists to improve their skills and become more effective therapists. By engaging in an imaginary dialogue with clients, hypnotherapists can better understand their perspectives, work with their subconscious minds, build confidence in their abilities, and gain new insights into themselves. Incorporating empty chair practice into their regular practice can help hypnotherapists to become more effective and compassionate healers.