Clinical Hypnosis, Language and Communication Techniques in Healthcare - AdvProfDip / BSc / GradCert / PgCert
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.
Do you want to learn the theory and application of clinical hypnosis? This course will help you gain theoretical and practical knowledge of hypnosis and related techniques. You will improve and enhance your consultation skills and widen your approaches to common mental health problems....
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Part Time
- Location City South
- Award AdvProfDip / BSc / GradCert / PgCert
- Start date September 2025
- School School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Faculty Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
This course is:
Overview
Do you want to learn the theory and application of clinical hypnosis? This course will help you gain theoretical and practical knowledge of hypnosis and related techniques. You will improve and enhance your consultation skills and widen your approaches to common mental health problems.
This programme can be studied part-time at a variety of levels and is run in partnership with the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis (BSCAH).
What's covered in this course?
You will be taught by experienced practicing clinicians and academics from medicine, dentistry, psychology and nursing who are accredited by BSCAH. Students enrolled on this blended course will engage in a mix of online and face to face activities. For the online learning you will engage in synchronous and asynchronous activities, small group sessions and individual tutorials, covering scheduled 4 days over the duration of the course. You will be provided with podcasts that are delivered asynchronously, followed with opportunities to discuss these during synchronous online events. In addition to this you will attend BCU City South Campus for 4 days of face-to-face activities/practicals. This will provide you with an opportunity to meet your tutors and peers face to face.
Accredited By
Run in partnership with:
I've enjoyed the weekends and it’s fired my enthusiasm. The prospect of doing the academic bit was a bit scary but… the teaching/admin team/academic team/tutorial support are superb, a brilliant skill/experience mix.
Previous student
Why Choose Us?
- BSCAH is a non-profit making registered charity.
- The team delivering the course are members of the Midlands branch of BSCAH, practising clinicians, and form part of a development programme that has been running for 20 years.
- You will be learning with clinicians who are medically qualified and understand your day to day pressures of clinical work.
- You will have plenty of time to complete your written assignments to help you balance alongside your work commitments.
- The qualification you receive can be included on your professional plate/correspondence.
- You will have full NUS membership.
- You will learn how to reduce your own professional/personal stress levels.
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
UK students
Essential | ||
---|---|---|
Applicants must be a registrant with a professional regulatory body, for example the GMC, GDC, NMC, HCPC, BaDn, BABCP (Accredited) and BACP (Accredited). If you are not registered with these please send your CV to Hilary Walker at hilary.walker@bcu.ac.uk. |
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: AdvProfDip
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- 12 months
-
TBC
Award: BSc
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- 12 months
-
TBC
Award: GradCert
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- 12 months
-
TBC
Award: PgCert
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- 12 months
-
TBC
International students
Sorry, this course is not available to International students.
How to apply
This course is run in partnership with the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis. Full details, including course fees, can be found on the BSCAH website. To apply, please email Hilary Walker to request an application form: hilary.walker@bcu.ac.uk
Fee payment
Fees should be paid directly to British Society Clinical and Academic Hypnosis.
Course in Depth
Level 6
During this module, you will:
- Perform a simple induction with a person using a recognised consensual technique, underpinned by the relevant knowledge, and understanding of the clinical signs of a hypnotic trance.
- Appraise the theoretical background and uses of hypnosis in healthcare settings.
- Appraise the potential for application of clinical hypnosis to a range of conditions within your own area of professional practice.
- Evaluate the professional, legal, and ethical values that underpin the use of clinical hypnosis in your area of practice.
Assessment - Practical exercise & 2500 word essay
During this module, you will:
- Critically discuss the importance of the therapeutic alliance in your practise of hypnosis.
- Critically reflect on examples from your practice within your clinical area to illustrate the general principles of reframing.
- Evaluate the use of metaphor and storytelling in the practice of hypnosis with an example from your practice.
- Compare and contrast different approaches in hypnosis to the treatment of pain.
Assessment - 3000 word Reflective written essay
During this module, you will:
- Evaluate the use and effectiveness of goal setting with reference to examples from your practice.
- Explore and evaluate the use of timeline and the distinction between hypnotic association and dissociation.
- Evaluate the impact of your study of hypnosis, language and communication strategies on your clinical practice, development, and your personal wellbeing.
- Communicate your understanding, knowledge, and skills for safe and capable practice in hypnosis.
Assessment - Case Presentation
Level 7
During this module, you will:
- Perform a simple induction with a subject using a recognised consensual technique, underpinned by a systematic understanding of the clinical signs of hypnosis.
- Critically appraise the literature on the theoretical background of hypnosis in the context of the potential applications of hypnosis in healthcare settings.
- Critically analyse the application of clinical hypnosis to a range of conditions within your own area of professional practice.
- Critically evaluate the professional, legal and ethical values required to make sound judgments including complex presentations that underpin your use of clinical hypnosis.
Assessment - Practical exercise & 2500 word essay
During this module, you will:
- Critically appraise the importance of the therapeutic alliance in your practise of hypnosis.
- Critically evaluate the application of the general principles of reframing using examples from your practice within your clinical area.
- Using an example from your clinical area, appraise the use of creative metaphor and storytelling underpinned by a systematic understanding of these approaches.
- Construct a conceptual understanding of the different approaches in hypnosis to working with pain.
Assessment - 3000 word Reflective written essay
During this module, you will:
- Critically evaluate and reflect on the use and impact of goal setting using examples from your practice.
- Critically evaluate the use of timeline technique and the distinction between hypnotic association and dissociation within your practise of hypnosis.
- Critique the value of enhanced communication skills with patients and colleagues in complex situations and the potential impact on patient/client outcomes within your practice.
- Critically evaluate the impact of your study of hypnosis on safe and capable clinical practice and your own personal development and wellbeing.
Assessment - Case Presentation
How you learn
You will study part time, tutorial support and supervision is available throughout the course and Moodle online resources supplement the face to face teaching.
Students enrolling on the course will have full access to the student support and our library and resources.
Teaching description
This course will involve group work. You will be invited to work in pairs/threes/ small groups to practice techniques that have been demonstrated. Supervision and advice will be to hand for help and guidance.
You will be invited to discuss cases with the class. These can be from your professional or personal experiences. All cases will be dealt with confidentially. There will be plenty of opportunity to discuss any work related problems you may have with implementation of your new skills with the other students/staff.
Past students have reported favourably on the feedback from their fellow clinicians when dealing with professional or personal matters.
Accreditation
After graduating from this course, you will have the opportunity to and achieve professional accreditation with BSCAH.
British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis
Employability
Enhancing your employability skills
This course will give you enhanced communication skills with patients and clients.
You will also be able to support patients with relaxation and stress reduction strategies.
Previous students who have successfully integrated Clinical Hypnosis into their practice include:
- Consultant psychiatrist
- Dentist
- Hospital based clinical psychologist
- Consultant anaesthetist
- GP
- Nurse
- Physiotherapist
- Paediatric nurse
They have gone on to educate their respective teams about the benefits of communication techniques within clinical practice.
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
Our Nursing and Midwifery courses are based at our City South campus in leafy Edgbaston.
We’ve spent £41million expanding our facilities at City South. These facilities offer hands-on practical experience, replicating the spaces you will come across in professional practice.
In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that you learn using the most up-to-date equipment available. Alongside physical spaces such as a mock operating theatre and wards, we also make use of online and virtual technology, such as our virtual ward and virtual case creator.
See more of our skills facilities at City South
Centre for Skills and Simulation
The Centre for Skills and Simulation offers a range of different spaces which replicate situations that you will encounter in practice. These include hospital wards, an operating theatre and a home environment room.
Our mock wards enable you to get a feel of what a ward is really like before you head out for your first placement. The hospital wards can be adapted from low care to high dependency care environment with the necessary monitoring equipment.
The home environment room is the perfect space for teaching communications skills and allows us to simulate a community setting for our students. It is particularly useful for mental health nurses, learning disability nurses and midwives.
Simulation Manikins
We have several Simulation men (SIM men) and simulation babies (SIM babies) which are anatomically correct manikins used for teaching specific techniques such as advanced adult and paediatric life support skills, acute and high dependency clinical skills, first aid and communication skills. The manikins contain software which replicates real symptoms, and can manipulate indicators such as blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism. SIM man can even ‘talk’ to the students as they are treating him, to add another dimension to learning.
Computer Facilities
The Seacole building has two open-access IT Suites which offer PCs, printers, photocopiers and scanners. There is also an IT Helpdesk for quick and easy help with your computing or internet issues.
Our PCs utilise the latest Intel i5 core technology, all with:
- Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
- Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
- Microsoft Office software
- Research and statistical software
- Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home
Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.
In addition to desktop PCs, we also offer a laptop loan facility, allowing students to borrow a laptop for up to six hours while on campus.
Our staff
Dr Simon Barnett
Course Leader for Clinical Hypnosis and Related Techniques
After working and teaching for 25 years both in practice and in a hospital environment I had come to learn that stress for the patient and the clinician seemed to be a daily event. I looked for a way to relieve this and signed up for a clinical hypnosis course. I quickly understood the potential for stress reduction within the professional...
More about SimonJean Rogerson RGN AdvDipCH
Former Outpatient and Theatre Manager and regularly uses hypnosis in a hospital OPD. Jean teaches Clinical Hypnosis to medical professionals around the UK and is a member of the BSCAH Academic and accreditation Committee and is an accreditation assessor for the society.
More about JeanKathy Kinmond
Chartered Psychologist
Kathy is a Chartered Psychologist, Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist, she is also accredited by BSCAH having completed the BSCAH/Staffordshire University course in Clinical Hypnosis. She has been an academic in Higher education for over 25 years, during which time she has been module leader for several UG modules, programme leader for the MRes;...
More about Kathy