Stage 1 · Live Webcast or Online
Discover what hypnosis can do.
Foundation in Evidence-Based Hypnosis
Explore the power of attention, imagination and suggestion. Learn practical hypnosis skills, try them out with others, and build your confidence with coaching and supervised practice.
£895
including VAT
One payment. Pay in full when you book.
No payment plan is available for Stage 1.
No previous training required. A standalone foundation course or your first step towards the Diploma.
Learn. Practise. Build confidence.
1
Learn your way
Join live teaching on Zoom or study recorded teaching at your own pace.
2
Put it into practice
Four supervised practice sessions give you space to develop your skills.
3
Get personal support
One hour with a coach to explore your questions and discuss your progress.
Curiosity is a good place to start.
Hypnosis is something to explore and practise. Discover how focused attention and carefully worded suggestions can change experience, then discuss what you notice with a practice partner.
Photographs from our classroom training archive. Today, Stage 1 is available live on Zoom or through recorded online teaching.
Get a feel for the training
Hear from students about their experience of the College’s Diploma training in this short film.
The film shows the wider Diploma experience. The £895 Stage 1 course and its included support are described on this page.
Choose how you train
Live Webcast
Live teaching on Zoom, 10am to 6pm UK time
January 2027
Friday 15 to Sunday 17 January, and Saturday 23 to Monday 25 January
Online
Recorded teaching, at your own pace
Start when you’re ready
Upcoming online intakes: 1 December 2026, 1 January 2027, 1 February 2027 and 1 March 2027. If you would like to start sooner, ask our team about next-day access.
For January or February 2027 online enrolment, contact our team.
Not sure which suits you? Book a Discovery Call.
What’s included
- The full Stage 1 training, by Live Webcast or Online
- One hour one-to-one with a coach, to talk through your questions and how you are getting on
- Four supervised practice sessions, booked through the student support team
- The course manual: over 160,000 words, with practical articles, forms, handouts and a full set of scripts
- The course slides
- A certificate of attendance on request
The course is popular with counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, life coaches and complementary therapists who want to add hypnosis to their skills, with people considering a career as a hypnotherapist, and with anyone interested in hypnosis skills for personal development.
What you’ll learn
The course teaches a cognitive-behavioural model of hypnosis rather than a “trance” model. It is based on experimental and clinical research into hypnosis, which makes it highly compatible with cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness-based approaches.
- A variety of hypnotic induction techniques, deepening techniques and suggestion tests
- How to word suggestions effectively, and how to write a customised script for each client
- How to assess clients and prepare them for hypnotherapy
- Essential self-hypnosis and hypnotic skills training exercises
- How to treat common stress and anxiety-related problems using hypnosis
- How to integrate relaxation and meditation techniques with hypnosis
- Basic pain control techniques and a pain control self-hypnosis programme for a client
- Basic cognitive-behavioural theory and practice in hypnotherapy
- The practical, ethical and professional aspects of running a hypnotherapy practice
- The history and theory of hypnosis, and what scientific research says about it
What students say
“I appreciated the reference to evidence and the cautious approach to making claims for hypnosis.”
Professor Karen Carr, Cranfield University
“The group exercises and one-on-one exercises were very helpful and important instilling a sense of personal confidence and understanding of the process of hypnosis. Excellent presentation of materials. I liked the use of evidence-based data and interventions.”
Mentwab, Counselling Psychologist (BPS Chartered Psychologist)
“Although a novice with hypnotherapy I felt at ease with the subject.”
Barbara Powie, Cardiff (retraining as a hypnotherapist)
Questions
Do I need any previous training?
No. Stage 1 is an introductory-level training, so you don’t need previous training in therapy or a background in psychology.
Who can enrol?
You must be 18 or over, sufficiently fluent in spoken English to work with English-speaking clients, and in suitable mental health for training (for example, without a history of psychotic symptoms or current mental health problems). You should have no criminal convictions or professional sanctions that might reflect on your suitability to practise as a therapist. Read the eligibility criteria.
Live Webcast or Online: which should I choose?
The content is the same. Live Webcast gives you set dates with a trainer and a group, live on Zoom from 10am to 6pm UK time. Online gives you pre-recorded video lectures to work through at your own pace.
What certificate will I receive?
The College awards its own Foundation Certificate in Evidence-Based Hypnosis. This is an internal College certificate, not an NCFE qualification. Please contact us for the current certificate and assessment arrangements.
Can I use letters after my name?
If you are already a mental health professional or therapist, you can use the designatory letters Cert. Hyp. after your name. If you are not already qualified as a therapist, we do not endorse using them.
Is the course approved for CPD?
This course is approved through the BPS CPD Quality Mark Scheme for the purposes of continuing professional development. Read about accreditation.
How do I pay?
The Stage 1 fee is £895, including VAT, for either Live Webcast or Online training. Payment is due in full when you book. There is no payment plan for Stage 1.
Can I go on to become a qualified therapist?
Stage 1 is the first part of the Hypno-CBT® Diploma. You can take it as a standalone foundation course or continue towards the full practitioner qualification. Stage 1 alone does not qualify you as a hypnotherapist.
To complete the Diploma, you join the Diploma Completion Package. It covers everything else you need to qualify: the rest of the Diploma training by Live Webcast, Online or a mix of both, one-to-one coaching, supervised practice sessions, the Level 5 Diploma assessment and 12 months’ membership of the Hypno-CBT® Professional Hub.
The separate Diploma Completion Package is £5,195 paid in full, or 12 monthly payments of £525. These payment options apply to the Completion Package only; Stage 1 is £895 paid in full.
Your coach will talk this through with you during Stage 1, or you can book a call with a Course Advisor at any time.
All prices include VAT. Bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions of Booking.