BAThH Journal Nov 2017
Welcome from Zetta Thomelin
Welcome to the latest issue of the Journal. It is somewhat delayed due to our involvement as a team in other projects, such as the revision of the training standards at CNHC, a new Code of Ethics and Complaints Procedure with UKCHO and most importantly we have revamped the website so look out for changes to accessibility, ease of use and improved search facility.
We decided to use this issue to learn from each other about how we work and the people we can help, by publishing member’s case studies. I have included one of my toughest challenges, a young man with OCD. It is good to have this opportunity to share our experiences and our triumphs as the life of a therapist can be a lonely one, this is also why our peer support meetings and training days are so important.
You will have received some of the new BAThH leaflets through the post. We have set a fee of £10 for 40 leaflets to cover the print and postage costs. We ran our annual free training day for members earlier this year — thank you to those who came.
We have seen some changes to the BAThH Board with Jane Clark and Stephen Green retiring. Julie Adams and Louise Matthews have been co-opted as Treasurer and Secretary respectively. Thank you to Julie Murray for her ongoing Peer Support work.
Zetta Thomelin
BAThH AGM 2017
This year’s AGM is being held at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge on Saturday 18 November. It’s a beautiful venue within the Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral. We’ve lots of information to share, there are some changes to the Board, and we’ve even thrown in lunch. In the afternoon session we welcome Adrienne Ayres who will be holding a session on Mindfulness.
BAThH Free Training Day 2017
Our free training day for members this year was held at Aylesford Priory and had two elements. Jonny Baker ran a workshop called “Beyond Resilience” and Zetta presented a paper called “Poetry A Doorway to Therapy.”
Jonny worked with the NLP concept known as the logical levels of change:
- Vision/Purpose – What am I here for?
- Identity – Who am I, how do I define myself?
- Values and Beliefs – What is really important to me?
- Capabilities – What are the skills that I have?
- Behaviour – What do I want to change, how will I alter my patterns?
- Environment – Where am I and what am I doing?
In the poetry paper, four poems were used to illustrate how poetry can be used within therapy — weaving rhythm and metaphor to create rapport and connection with clients.
Zetta Thomelin
The New BAThH Website
After planning, tailoring and launching, the new website is live at www.bathh.co.uk. Key benefits include:
- List your areas of speciality
- Appear on a map so people can see where you are
- Add a blog to raise your profile
- Upload a picture of yourself
- Upload YouTube clips
- Guest blogging with backlinks
- Newsletter available as a pop-up
- Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn integration
Zetta Thomelin
CNHC Core Curriculum Changes
A revised core curriculum for Hypnotherapy training standards has been agreed, replacing the 2011 version. Key changes include:
- Case studies are now a compulsory requirement
- Clearer, more diverse learning outcomes
- Guidance for online therapy provision included
- Minimum 120 hours face-to-face training retained
- Overall 450 study hours maintained
- A referenced table of learning outcomes required for each student
Anyone who has not trained to this standard must go through the APEL process to apply for membership.
Zetta Thomelin
Case Studies
Case Study – ‘Johnny’ by Julie Murray
Johnny, age 6, has one kidney and requires regular tube changes, which had become traumatic for the whole family. After one visit to normalise the situation and one hypnotherapy session using a script tailored to his interests — including an anchor — his mother reported a huge shift in attitude. After one more session, he was managing the procedure himself.
Julie Murray
Case Study – 15-year-old boy with OCD by Zetta Thomelin
A young man dominated by fear of compulsive actions, causing disruption at home and school. Over five sessions, using football imagery, heroic metaphors, anchors and horse-control visualisations, his trance duration increased from 20 to 45 minutes. By the final session there were no compulsive movements. He has since passed his GCSEs, started A-levels, socialised more, and come off Citalopram.
Zetta Thomelin
Case Study – Enhanced Learning and Exams by Zetta Thomelin
A young man with an exam in two weeks and low confidence. Two sessions using relaxation exercises, positive resource anchoring, visualisation of success, and a conditioned elephant metaphor resulted in him passing the exam. He reported that broader confidence issues had also been resolved.
Zetta Thomelin
Case Study – Anxiety and Bullying by Mark Cousens
Sally came seeking help while on long-term sick leave due to workplace bullying. Over four sessions using trance induction, mindfulness body scan, positive resource anchoring, control room metaphors, assertiveness techniques and regression work, her Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale score reduced from off-the-scale to very mild. She never took her CBT appointment as she no longer felt it necessary.
Mark Cousens
Local Community Projects – Speakup CIC
A new eight-week course called “Taming the Mind” was developed for a local charity supporting those with depression and anxiety. The course draws on CBT, NLP, meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, visualisation, poetry therapy, diary keeping and sound healing — allowing participants to choose what resonates with them.
Zetta Thomelin
Living with Depression – Embrace the Beast
A first-hand account of living with long-term clinical depression. After cycles of defiance, anger, negotiation and collapse, the author found a hesitant acceptance — learning to “embrace the beast” rather than fight it. This means managing stress, avoiding excessive demands, taking medication regularly, and accepting reduced capacity. As Virginia Woolf wrote: “tread very cautiously on this volcano.”
Susanne Meyer
We hope you enjoyed reading this. If you would like to contribute to future Journals, please send items and comments to lesley_barker@hotmail.com