Magazine
for Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy
FOR
THE PROFESSIONAL HYPNOTHERAPIST:
INCREASE YOUR INCOME WITH TEACHING
by Katherine Zimmerman, CHT
I
have been teaching since 1989. I like teaching because I get to
do most of
the talking, I get to tell people what to do, and my students laugh
at my jokes! When I completed hypnotherapy school, I faced the
same dilemma as everyone else. How was I going to attract clients? How
was I going to let people know that I was in practice as a hypnotherapist?
One day a little voice in my head said, "You could teach a workshop."
When people at school asked me how I planned to start my practice I
would say, “I am going to teach a class.” Then I would look around,
wondering who had said that. I felt uncomfortable talking even to two
people at once! How could I teach a group? However, teaching
held a certain fascination for me and was sure to build my practice,
so I forged ahead.
Increase
your Income...
Whether you
are starting in practice or would simply like to increase your
income, teaching
can help you. If you teach a 5-hour workshop to ten people at
a cost of $50 each, your income for the workshop is $500 or $100 per
hour. These figures are based on the area in which I live. In your area
you may be able to charge considerably more.
Another positive
aspect of teaching is that you can reach more people at once
than with private sessions. Your students will spread the word about
your workshops and send their friends, neighbors and relatives.
Many of your students
will ask for private appointments, of course, which is
the point of initial teaching sessions. However, some of your private
clients will benefit from the workshops you offer and ask for more!
You may find that occasional workshops become a strong component of
your business.
Topics
to Teach...
The next question
is what to teach? Here’s a list of topics which have drawn
the most interest from people. I think that it is more important, though,
to pick a topic that interests you.
Topics that work well combined with hypnosis include:
- Stress
relief
- Overcoming
fear
- Codependency
- Smoking
cessation
- Test
anxiety
- Learning
self love
|
- Pain
management
- Weight
loss
- Self-esteem
- Self
hypnosis (teens & adults)
- Past
life regression
- Relieving
anger
|
The time commitment for each workshop varies; for example,
I currently teach
self hypnosis in a six hour format, three, two-hour sessions. I offer
stress relief as
a single 2½ session, self-esteem in two sessions, 2½ each;
while the fear and
codependency topics require a longer time frame--2½hours each
for six to seven weeks. Weight loss could be covered in four,
two-hour sessions.
The only area in
which I had enough confidence to teach immediately after graduation
was self hypnosis, and it is the one workshop that I am still
teaching today. An
overview of how to teach self hypnosis is included later in
this chapter. When students have learned how to do self hypnosis, they
are then prepared
to apply their knowledge to other topics such as toself-esteem, stress
relief, and pain management.
After developing my basic workshops I began a series of six-week
workshops. The first
was healing the inner child, based on John Bradshaw and
Catherine Taylor's work. Preparing for classes was a tremendous amount
of work and a great
learning experience for me.
My next topic was healing codependency, based on Melody Beattie's work
(she is an expert
is the field of codependency). After seven years in Al-Anon,
this was a subject close to my heart. Again, the course required
an enormous amount
of work, but I learned a lot about myself as well as contributing
to the knowledge of my students. I sometimes think that I gain
more from researching
and preparing for these workshops than my students.
I got the idea for another workshop while I was driving home on the
freeway. Well, that
is not entirely true. I worried about giving up my thirty
years of bookkeeping and planning a full-time hypnotherapy practice.
It brought up a great
deal of fear! A friend suggested that I teach a fear workshop.
Teach a class about fear? What a terrible idea, I thought.
However, in the mysterious way of things, about two months later, while
I was on the
freeway, this great, inspired idea hit me.. I could teach a workshop
on fear! It was always a good idea. I just had not been ready
to hear it
the first time. When I was ready, my subconscious grabbed my
attention and reminded
me of my friend's suggestion.
Listen to the people around you. What are the issues they are dealing
with? Make your workshop
timely. Many people I see are angry, fearful,stressed and lacking in
self-esteem. It makes sense, therefore, to address those
issues in workshops.
For a really dynamic workshop you can also combine topics. For example,
I blended
my codependency and fear workshops. There was not enough time to
teach both and the
topics work well together. Let your intuition guide you in
picking your workshop topics.
Developing
your inner Teacher...
Speaking of
intuition, if you practice self hypnosis or meditation, start
requesting help from
your subconscious. Once you have picked a topic, allow your
subconscious to help you become comfortable with teaching. Create a
mental image of appearing
in front of your class. See yourself interacting with
your students. You all know the power of visualization; after awhile
it is the easiest
thing you have ever done. You will wonder why you waitedso long.
I was incredibly nervous teaching those first few classes. The first
workshop I taught
had only two students, and I knew them both. By the third or
fourth workshop, I was attracting more students, but I was still very
tense. I asked members
of one class if they felt cold. No, they were comfortable.
Well, I was freezing.
When I left the room to turn up the thermostat, I realized that I was
not cold from
the temperature but from nerves. I stayed away for a few minutes
taking deep breaths
and finally rejoined the class.
Then, one day, it occurred to me that I knew more about my subject than
anyone else in class.
Whew, that helped me to relax. As I continued to teach,
I began to hear responses from the students about the positive
changes they were
making in their lives because of what they learned in my class.
I relaxed even more. Soon, I looked forward to teaching because Iknew
how much the students could gain from this information. Their
enthusiasm was contagious.
My confidence grew.
I discovered something about myself through this process. There had
always been
a teacher hidden somewhere deep inside me. Somewhere inside many of
you a teacher may
be waiting to emerge. If I had not tried teaching, I would
still be uncomfortable working with groups. You cannot uncover your
aptitude for teaching
until you begin to teach.
There is an excellent book on the market called Feel the Fear and
Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers. If fear is holding you
back, work through it. She presents
ideas and strategies to deal with fear, self-esteem, making decisions,
and much more which we can use in our approach to teaching and
many other areas
of our lives.
Learning
in Groups ...
Remember,
you hold one thing in your favor right from the start. Participants
are in class because they want to be. Many teachers dislike teaching
because their pupils have to be there and resist it all the way.
Our students register
by choice and will display curiosity and openness to your
ideas. Self improvement workshops are becoming more popular all the
time.
People will change because of your classes. When I started teaching,
I expected
people to change but not at any great depth. After all, I reasoned,
it's a class, not a private session. However, my students have
surprised me!
Here are some
comments which illustrate some of the changes former students
experienced after taking some of my courses.
Maria, a sales and marketing manager, says: "I use self hypnosis on
a daily basis
to increase my self-esteem, lower my stress level and enhancemy overall
feeling of well being."
Ann, a retiree, comments about self-discovery: "Hypnosis is like Alice
finding the rabbit's
hole. Once that avenue is opened, a whole new world of the
self is revealed." Here is a woman who has looked within and knows that
she will never be
the same again.
The women in one recent workshop on fear made amazing progress. This
was the first
time I had used a short trance processes lasting 8-10 minutesrather
than one 30-40 minute trance session at the end of class. Drena, one
of the students,
did not want to share her experience after a single process.
However, as she explained that the process had been too emotional
for her to talk about,
she did end up discussing it. By doing so, she foundthat we had all
felt the way she was feeling. It was very healing for her to
discover that she was not alone in her feelings.
Since the fear workshop ended, Drena writes: "This course instilled
more confidence
in me. It motivated me to initiate new projects and confront
issues I had been
procrastinating about."
Imagine my surprise at the depth of experience shared in those short
processes. Try it
in your classes. Lead your students through a short relaxation
and visualization exercise. Give them a few minutes at the end
of the process to
write about their experience. Finally, encourage them to share
their experience with the group. Verbalizing is an important part oftheir
growth.
Preparing
class material...
When you write
your class outline, strike a balance between lecture and experiential
material. Depending on the topic, allow time for lecture, trance
processes, writing, discussion and perhaps a drawing exercise.
Engage participants
on as many levels as possible.
After a visualization, encourage your students to briefly share their
experience. They do not just learn from the teacher; they also learn
from each
other. Verbalizing also adds depth and makes the process more
meaningful.
When you encourage
your students to share, you also lighten your teaching load.
I inform my students that I certainly can do all the talking, but
that class will be
more interesting for everyone if they contribute their own
questions and comments. One night a student asked a deep, philosophical
question for which
I did not have an answer. As I hesitated to tell him that
his question was beyond me, another student spoke up and told him thathe,
too, had struggled with that question. He then went on to tell the
first student how
he could resolve it. I was relieved. People learn from each
other; I am not the only one in class with information and insight.
Books,
handouts, exercises ...
Gather the
books that you plan to use as research for your workshop. Read
the material through
once. As you read it again, take notes of the ideas you
could develop into exercises. As you develop your exercises, remember
to paraphrase the
material you are using so as not to infringe on copyrighted
material.
Type your
handouts so that they look professional. Take the extra time to
create borders and
graphics. Throughout my years of teaching, I have found that
people really appreciate handouts so that they will not have to take
notes or memorize
everything.
Once the exercises and outline are finished, look over the material
and get a
feel for the time needed for each section. Create stand-alone
capsules that you
can add or delete as time permits. You may want to limit the
time for discussion or make an in-class exercise into a take-home
exercise. After all,
you are in charge.
Time commitment
...
In my experience,
participants prefer a shorter time in class with more class
meetings. I taught self hypnosis in two separate sessions of 2½
hours each
for the first six years. Just recently, I expanded the class to six
hours spread out
over three weeks. I had many requests for more sessions and
for shorter class time. Naturally, now that I have made this change,people
are commenting that they would like to attend class more often and
but also want more
time in each session. It is better to leave them wanting more
rather than wishing the class were over--or feeling they’ve overpaid
for their course.
There is no way to please everybody, so make sure theworkshop is cost
effective. Human nature being what it is, I am sure that if
I taught self hypnosis in a four-week format, people would want five
weeks--for the same
amount of money.
The benefits
of laughter ...
Get your students,
and yourself, laughing whenever you can. Laughter promotes
health as it exercises your heart, circulatory and respiratory
systems. Laughter
releases endorphins, deepens breathing, and oxygenates the
blood. Recent studies show that even a smile releases some endorphins.
But don’t
take my word for it. Dr. William Fry, Associate Professor of
Clinical Psychology
at Stanford University, has studied the effects of laughter
for thirty years. He reports that laughing one hundred times per
day is the cardiovascular
equivalent of ten minutes of rowing.
I include a cartoon along with serious articles about hypnosis in my
class handouts. I
use humorous personal anecdotes throughout my classeswherever I can.
For example, at the end of the self-hypnosis workshop, I always
announce that the next week I will check to see if students have
practiced their relaxation.
Then I tell them about “Mary,” a student from a previous
class. When
I made my usual announcement to Mary’s class, she leaned forward, her
eyes wide, and asked,
"How will you check?" I
said to her, "I'll ask."
Mary thought I had some "magical" muscle test. Perhaps she was worried
that she could not
lie to the teacher. Ironically, Mary makes her living as a
substitute teacher. Everyone laughs when I tell that story, so they
leave class
laughing and relaxed. As for me, I go home knowing that I have mademy
point in a memorable way.
Self-hypnosis
tapes ...
Another great
way to increase your income from teaching is to sell self-hypnosis tapes
in your workshops. Your presentations reach a willing target
audience, of course.
Also, the tapes reinforce student efforts in achieving their
goals, so you both benefit.
Where to
teach ...
Initially,
you may want to find a local community college to sponsor your
class. The adult
education programs are always open to new classes and new teachers.
Administrators want a class outline, a biography, your educational
background, the dates you are available and the amount you want
to charge.
The percent that
they pay you varies with each institution. I teach several
workshops through the Experimental College at the University of
California, Davis.
They pay me 70% of my class fee. I set the class fee and they
add a registration fee to that to determine the total course fee. The
university provides
a room, free advertising and registration. They claim to
have a mailing list of 5,000.
Yuba Community College only pays 50% of the fee to the instructor. Some
schools pay the instructor
30% and keep 70% for themselves. There is a school
like that in my area. Since the same instructors have taught there
for years, there
must be a financial benefit. I would assume that they are attracting
private clients through their classes.
Offer to teach a class through a local fitness center. Check with your
city parks and recreation
departments--most offer a variety of classes.
Another option is to teach through a metaphysical bookstore. A colleague
in Southern California
offers past life regression workshops through a metaphysical
bookstore. He provides flyers advertising the workshop which
the bookstore staff
places in each bag when a sale is made. The bookstore also
provides a room in which to teach and then takes a percent of the
money collected for
providing this service.
For several years I ran an ad in the paper and taught in my living room.
I still teach
several workshops without a sponsor, such as Self-Hypnosis for
Teens. The response
to the newspaper ad has been great. The parents want to enroll
their teens and about half want to know if I teach a similar
workshop for adults.
I do not recommend teaching a large number of teens at once
so this workshop is easy to teach in my home.
You do not require a sponsor, but it does add credibility. The first
two years
I taught, people would ask, “Who do you teach through?” Although Istill
offer workshops through my private practice, I found several
institutions to sponsor
a few of my classes.
Besides the credibility connection, the great thing about starting this
way is that you have
virtually no expenses up front. If a class does notmeet the minimum
enrollment, you've still received free advertising without spending
a dime. Think about this for a minute. The people who did not sign
up for your class
will not know it did not fill. They will simply think they
missed it. Perhaps the next time it's offered, they will take it. Youcan
even wait to copy class handouts until you are sure the class will run.
Negotiating
rates for space ...
If you prefer
to sponsor yourself, consider renting space at a hotel.
Their rates can be quite high. However, the word to remember here regarding
price is: negotiable.
Our society is not used to negotiating. I'll tell you a true story that
I heard in
a small business marketing and advertising class. The instructorwent
to a hotel and asked for a room. Rooms were $85 per night. He told the
clerk that he was
not prepared to pay more than $60 and asked if any rooms were
available at that price. The clerk checked with the manager, then came
back and said, "All
we have is the presidential suite. Would that be all right?"
The hotel probably reasoned, why not take $60 since they hardly
ever rented that
room anyway?
If you can offer workshops on an ongoing basis, ask to rent the space
at a reduced
rate because they will have guaranteed use of their rooms over
time.
Other considerations include booking certain non-peak dates and
times. Did you know
that many city hotels discount their weekend rates? If you
live where most business takes place during the week, you may benefitfrom
offering a workshop on the weekend and reminding the hotel that you
are actually doing
them a favor. (You don't have to let on that your clients
are probably more available then!)
Do not be afraid to negotiate. As my mother always said when I was growingup,
it never hurts to ask. If asking for what you want is a foreign concept
for you, read
The Aladdin Factor by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen.
They pinpoint the major stumbling blocks to asking for what you want
and teach
simple techniques to overcome those blocks.
Class
registration ...
There are
several ways to have people register for a workshop. The easiest
way is to have them telephone ahead. Take their name and phone number
and
place it on your “class list.”
The “easiest” way, however, may not be the best. In fact, you should
be prepared
for half of those on your list not to show up.
To ensure a solid core of students, ask them to pay a non-refundable
deposit to hold their
place in class and let them know that space is limited.
Sometime students want to pay for one class but come to the next
one. It is fine if
you can fill their space, but if you can't, one student has
filled two space.
You can print a registration form at the bottom of your flyer. Interested
people can fill out
the form and mail it with their check.
A problem with this registration procedure, as I’ve said before, is
that many
people do not like to fill out forms. One way to take advantage ofstudent
desire for convenience is to become a credit card merchant. Your
students can call
for information, give you their credit card payment over the phone,
and get directions to your workshop all in one phone call.
Taking credit cards
has made things easier. I know exactly how many people
have registered, my income is more predictable, and I don’t have to
sweat the
no-shows. As
people register I mail each a postcard confirming their place in class.
Advertising
your workshop ...
I constantly
talk about the workshops I am teaching. As soon as I mention
that I teach, people
almost always ask, "what do you teach?" It gives my an opportunity
to give them a verbal advertisement. This method really works.
Over half the students
in my classes have come from personal contact, a proven
sales tool.
Finally, many people
are more comfortable experiencing hypnosis in a group setting
than alone in a private session. You can often convince potentialclients
to “try out” the easier format first. Just last week a potential
client wanted to
make an appointment and asked what I charge. He was shocked
when I told him my hourly rate. Rather than lose his business, I
suggested that he
take my next self hypnosis workshop and then follow up with
one or two private sessions if necessary and he agreed.
Ask your more enthusiastic students to write two to three sentences
on how they
benefitted from the class. Then ask permission to use their comments
in your advertising,
using only their initials if they prefer. I use their comments
on flyers, advertisements, and my brochure. People are definitelyinterested
in what other people say about your workshops.
Teaching
self hypnosis workshops ...
I began my
practice by teaching self hypnosis and have been very successful
with this workshop. It is a great opportunity to educate the
public about hypnosis
and initiate them into the power of the mind. Overthe years, I have
found that many people are interested in self hypnosis but
have simply never found a class to take.
Begin your initial session by describing the benefits of the workshop.
Then, get to know
your students. I begin each workshop in the same way.
First, we have a five minute guided relaxation so they can release some
of the stresses
and strains of their day. I like to remind them the class hours,
such as, "This class meets from 7:00 - 9:00 pm for the next three
weeks." I am constantly
surprised to find that students think class startslater and ends earlier
than it does. It's good to clear that up at the beginning.
Let your students know, too, that class will always start on
time. If only two
people have arrived out of ten I will certainly wait a few
more minutes, but I do not wait long. If they are late they simply misssome
of the material.
Next are the introductions. I ask each student to tell the class their
first name and what
they hope to gain from the class. I take notes because it
helps me learn their names, which people really appreciate, and I am
better able to address
their needs as the class unfolds.
If you teach in your home, consider putting a sign on the door that
reads, "welcome
to class, please come in and make yourselves comfortable." You can
relax and get acquainted
with your students as they come in. Jumping up ten times
to answer the door is not a relaxing way for you to start class.
Lecture
material ...
My students
are more interested in the "how to" part of the class than the
history of hypnosis.
I used to give a brief history of hypnosis and then a lecture
on the differences between the conscious and subconscious mind. Now
I simply define these
terms briefly and skip the history completely. Thereare many books that
will educate them on the history if they are interested.
I do occasionally work some history tidbits into the lecture as
interesting sidelights.
It is important
to cover certain topics during class. Dispel the myths, discuss
the benefits of hypnosis, talk about typical hypnosis goals, andthen
discuss how it feels to be in trance. Include either personal examples
or successes of your
clients along with the list of goals. People are encouraged
by the success of others. If you are just starting your practice
and do not have a
wealth of case histories to draw on, use examples frombooks until you
can develop your own repertoire.
I also include
a brief discussion about the power of positive thinking. We do
one suggestibility exercise. Arm levitation is my first choice because
I get students
on their feet and moving. If you have time, you could do several
more. I advise against using the word "test" as it creates anxietyin
many people. At the conclusion of this exercise, I mention that arm
levitation demonstrates
how the mind controls the body.
If some students do not respond well, I do not want them set up mentally
for believing that
they will not accept suggestions well during trance. Therefore,
no matter what their response is I assure them that it is not an
indication that they
will resist trance. In fact, I mention that many students
with a poor response to arm levitation still go into a deep trance.
Exercises
...
Plan more exercises
than you think you can complete. In classes with much interaction,
one exercise may be enough. With classes where no one offers
questions or comments,
you may need more exercises to fill the time. If you remember
the idea of creating “capsules” of content, where exercises are
independent of one
another, you won’t worry about leaving anything out or filling
in the spaces when time permits. Do not worry that the information
covered in each class
isn't the same. No one but you will know.
Discussion
...
When you answer
questions during discussion time, be brief and to the point.
I used to give more information than individuals really wanted, so
I've had to learn
when to stop. That’s usually before their eyes begin to glass
over.
I always ask that students briefly share their experiences after an
exercise. That way
everyone has an opportunity to talk. Be sure to elicitcomments by calling
on those who don’t immediately jump up to speak.
Finally, keep in mind that some students absolutely hate a class structure
and will be more
comfortable not speaking aloud to the group. (Quiet students
may have a lot to say during one-on-one conversations during the
break, and you can
ask them if you may share their insights later, even ifanonymously.)
Following trance, I encourage comments. Then, I review the handout for
placing themselves
in trance. Reassure participants that they will not need all
the steps indefinitely to achieve trance. Once they are conditioned,
they will go into
trance within 30-60 seconds. Their assignment is to practice
their relaxation once a day between classes.
I have found that an important part of the process is setting their
intention. I learned
this concept in a Touch for Health class. At the beginning
of the class we were asked to "set our intention" for our time inclass.
My intention was twofold: to absorb as much information as possible
and to let go of
a terrible headache. By the time it was my turn to state my
goal, my headache was already gone. It is an excellent concept to
present to students.
I provide everything my students need, short of the bus schedule.
(Although one student
complained on his evaluation that I should have provided
that, too!) Their folders contain handouts, articles, my brochures,
a current class flyer, and blank, lined paper for writing suggestions.
A container of pens and clipboards is on the table for all to
use as they learn
to write suggestions.
Note the time when you begin trance induction, so you can tell your
students how long they were in trance. Time distortion is another way
toprove to individuals that they were hypnotized.
Do not be afraid to ask if anyone did not “feel” hypnotized. Expectations
are sometimes unreasonable.
If students say, for instance, that they felt as
if they were about to fall asleep but not as if they were hypnotized,
you can assure them,
“This is what it feels like to be in trance.” People really
do expect to be unconscious. Reinforce again that hypnosis is anatural
state.
Begin the second night of class with a guided relaxation. Then, go around
the group and ask each person if he or she practiced, how many times,
and how it
went. This part of the session is a great opportunity to review,
encourage, and reassure
participants that they are doing exercises correctly.
Those who were not as successful are encouraged to hear that
others were very
successful.
Writing
suggestions ...
Next, discuss
the handout for writing suggestions, including visualization
and how well it works. Have students write suggestions in class.
Ask everyone to write a goal at the top of the page and then write 9-15
suggestions about
that goal and ask them to write a word or short phrase as a
symbol of their suggestions. I instruct them to read their suggestions
and the symbol three
times prior to trance. Once in trance they are askedto repeat only the
symbol. This sends the information directly into their subconscious.
One of the handouts is a page of sample suggestions which will
get students started on the process while they await further
inspiration. Allow
a twenty-minute writing period. As they finish, check their
papers. Although you will have just finished the discussion of whathas
the greatest impact on the subconscious, you will usually have to
change some of their
wording to make it more effective.
After all the papers have been checked, it is trance time. Before trance,ask
them to read the suggestions once. Remind students first that when they
practice at home,
they will read their suggestions and symbol three times immediately
before trance. However, since they have just finished writing
the suggestions,
and in the interest of time, once is enough.
During trance, include suggestions for attaining goals and allow students
60-90 seconds of
silence to visualize themselves completing their goal and repeat
their symbol.
Give participants a few minutes at the end of trance to absorb their
experience, and then ask for comments. Most people enjoy the discussion
following trance.
The feedback I have received over the years indicates that
pupils would like more discussion time with fellow classmates.
The third night I teach several techniques for deepening trance. Students
practice the techniques
before and during trance. This session has far less structure
and gives additional practice time. Also, more time is allowed
for particular questions
to be answered.
Offer several choices of trance topic. A popular choice with my students
is the funniest joke
or story they have heard. This option is also a great stress
reliever. After trance, one student mentioned that she felt a "huge
release" in her chest
while laughing during trance.
To wrap up the final session I allow time for questions or comments.
We practice
any techniques they didn't quite understand and, if we have time,
I move on to more
advanced techniques such as ideomotor response. If all else
fails you can always guide them into another trance. By the end of the
third class most
are "trance junkies" and love being in that state.
If you are teaching through a community college, administrators may
require that you
have your students complete a class evaluation at the end of
the workshop. It is a good idea in any case. Do not be discouraged at
the comments on these
forms. I have learned not to read them at the end of class
when I am tired. That is when the complaints about the lack of a busschedule
or the "unhealthy" cookies annoy me the most.
If you offer other workshops or self hypnosis tapes, include flyers
in the packet
of student handouts. I would also recommend that you pass around a
mailing list before
class ends. Sometimes people plan to sign it but forget.
Be aggressive.
Pricing
your workshop ...
There are
several ways to price your workshop. When pricing your class,
compare your fees
with those of similar classes in your area. Consider also the
cost split between institution and instructor.
The standard is about $10 per class hour per pupil. If that is a fit
for your community,
you might also consider raising the fee to $60 for thecourse, and include
a "free" self hypnosis conditioning tape. My tapes for that
purpose have music on only one side for practice. The second side
offers direct suggestions
for attaining goals, quiet time to visualize and of
course, post-hypnotic suggestions for going into trance.
If you are teaching through a community college, lower class fees by
$1-2 and add
a materials fee to be collected from students the first night of
class. This way you
receive payment in full for your handouts, while the reduced
class fee attracts more students.
Class size
...
Many people
like being part of a small group. Depending on your topic, group
size can vary considerably. For an effective self hypnosis workshop
I recommend
no more than twelve people. Remember, you will need time during
one class to correct
their suggestions. It takes quite a bit of time to discuss
and correct more than twelve papers. Other topics, such as my
learning self love
or the fear workshops can easily be taught to larger groups,
thirty, forty or whatever the room will hold. When the time comesfor
discussion ask the students to break into groups of three, preferably
with people they
do not know or have not worked with before. People are often
more comfortable and serious about the discussion with strangers and
it allows them to
become acquainted with their fellow students.
The number of students alters the quality of the class. Naturally, the
cost drops in a workshop
of thirty as opposed to the same workshop with ten.
Individual attention is simply worth more money. Notice the figures
in the following
examples:
10 students x $60 = $600 for a 6 hour workshop
30 students x $45 = $1,350 for the same 6 hour workshop.
In the second
example you have three times as many students but only a
little more than double the income. You also need to consider the room
rental rate and cost
of handouts for the different size groups.
Do not limit yourself by offering only the scheduled class. If you know
someone who cannot fit your class into a busy schedule, offer to create
a
customized class. Propose an alternate date to fit the person’s schedule.
Suggest that the individual recruit a certain number of curious friends
or colleagues, and use your own mailing or waiting list to fill out
the roster.
Remember, teaching does increase your income and your client base.
This article is
an excerpt from The Business of Hypnotherapy: Establishing
and Maintaining your Successful Practice. All rights reserved.
Copyright ©
Katherine Zimmerman is an author and consultant; lectured for several
years through the Speakers
Network, University of California, Davis and teaches through the
Experimental College,
at the University of California, Davis, Sacramento City
College and through the Learning Exchange in Sacramento, California.
Her business products for hypnotherapists
are available on the web at
http://www.TranceTime.com or you
may email her at info@TranceTime.com.
She offers a
wide range of courses that you can use in your community to
increase your success. The courses contain everything you need to
teach,
including handouts that are ready to copy.
Katherine Zimmerman,
CHT. 910 Florin Rd., Ste 216, Sacramento, CA 95831
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