Steve Miller Hypnosis Interview- Weight Loss Hypnosis with Conviction and Passion
By Susanna Sweeney, MSC, MBACP, CHT
I spoke with Steve Miller whose hypnosis skills are leaving a mark in many different areas.
Steve Miller is the man behind the UK's number one weight loss hypnosis brand- FatNosis, HypnoAntiDepressant, the Hypnotherapist and Coaches Business School and other ground breaking hypnosis projects. Listen to his personal story of how his hypnosis career started, and to him discuss his take on what makes a good hypnotherapist and what it takes to build a profitable hypnotherapy business these days.
Steve Miller Hypnosis Interview
Susanna Sweeney: Steve, very welcome Steve Miller from the UK talking to me today about his take on the entire hypnosis field. You're very welcome here it's good to see you. How are you?
Steve Miller: I'm always good. Always good. Imagine being a miserable old git. That's what I always say. I'm feeling great thank you even though it's locked down- the only thing that's kind of annoying me right now is my hair and it's just driving me mad because obviously we're in lockdown at the time of recording this and it is doing my swede in seriously, apart from that I am bloody good,
Susanna Sweeney: I must say I'll join in with the complaints on the hair side. I very much would like to have my hair cut!
Steve Miller: I feel I feel like I feel like a muppet. Some people might say I am a muppet...
Susanna Sweeney: In my eyes you look lovely. So Steve, let's chat about your hypnosis career. And so I usually I ask people, how they came to hypnosis in the first place very often there's a story there. And the audience know what your story is.
Steve Miller: There is there is a bit of a story. So what I did was I had a time in my life where there were two things. Firstly, I needed wisdom tooth extraction,and I was very, very nervous about it. So I had to get the therapy for that which worked well. And then I also had panic attacks for some time.
So I experienced hypnosis and hypnotherapy and benefited from that. And I have to say, I was a cynic. I thought it was a load of old coockoo, a load of baloney. But the results were amazing.
And and you know, back then I paid 25 pounds per session with a bloke and for a guy delivering his hypnosis stuff and it was brilliant, that then of course inspired me to get involved.
And this was you're talking around 20 years ago, something like that. And now I love it. But of course, as as many people know, I have firm views in terms of what it is and what it isn't and applying it in my own sort of niche fields.
Susanna Sweeney: For sure. But before you had a hypnosis career, a distinguished hypnosis career, if I may say so, you had a different career first in the corporate world, isn't that right?
Steve Miller: Are you saying I look old?
Susanna Sweeney: Experienced and mature!
Steve Miller: Thank you, yeah you know where it all started, I started as a red coat of Butlins. So I was an entertainer and I looked after the guests from coast world, Skegness in Butlins. And I had an absolute ball. It was brilliant. And from there from there, I thought one day I thought I better get a real job.
So then I went into sales and customer service and then eventually moved into human resource management, where I actually became a board director in an organization. I was on the board of 10,000 staff. And you know, the experience was incredible.
So having left school with more or less nothing, working class family, council house kid, kid, you know, I suppose a sociologist would say, he'll kind of never make it- well, you know, whatever make it work means, but up the ladder, I suppose in terms of career and ambition.
I made sure that I worked hard. I eventually decided after a while to work for myself. And of course, you know, and I was working in a job when I was, you know, when I became a hypnotherapist, you know, like most people, we get it, we start off and we still keep down the day job just to pay the bills, and then I got confident and left my job. And I have to say, I never looked back. I think I'm- I think I am officially unemployable now!
Susanna Sweeney: I agree.Which leads me back to ask you what do you think is the single most important quality that has brought you to the place where you are now?
Steve Miller: Well, I get asked that quite a lot in these interviews, and II'd like to give you one and answer the question direct. And if there was one, because I think there's many things, I would say sheer determination, sheer determination because you see, when you are ambitious, and when you want to do well, you will always face a number of things.
And that might include people that would love to knock you off course. Those people actually motivate me. And there are all, you know, all of those hurdles that you have to jump. And some of them, you know, at times you knock over the fence, so to speak.
And it's about picking yourself up, being resilient and thinking to yourself, come on, you're worth gambling on and keep going, you know. So, I guess determination is the one main thing that I would advise anyone to have, if they are so passionate and believe in the belief in what they want to achieve. And, you know, I guess as you get as you do get a bit older and you've achieved you can look back then kind of draw out those conclusions you know.
Susanna Sweeney: Yes and I agree determination absolutely is so very important. However, where we see you, you are uniquely yourself, you very much have your own voice, right around many things you take- you dare to take a stance on things- so talk to me a little bit about that. What has made you become that controversial figure at times?
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Steve Miller Hypnosis Interview continued
Steve Miller: You know, people say this, people say all that's you being, I have had it said to me so many times, you're being controversial. What I say is no, it's not actually it's about me having the right to assert my opinion. Now, I have the right to assert my opinion, as you do as everyone else does.
And if my opinion does not match your opinion, then you have two choices to disagree with the opinion or to start calling me names or whatever, which actually now I quite like because it makes me laugh. To a degree. And and I think from an emotional point of view, I think- I think my background and my mom who was very close to unfortunately she's now in a care home, but you know, I'm very close and the way she kind of raised me was to sort of have belief and to, you know, have the right to recognize you can be more or less what you want to be within boundary.
And you can have an opinion. And that's okay to have an opinion. And quite frankly, now, I think I'm in a place- I'm in a very good place. I'm in a place where I give myself permission to be me. And you have to realize that some people will love you, some people will hate you, some people will be on the fence. And you can't worry about that. You can't worry about that.
And and you know, and that's why, if I receive some flak and I receive some comments which I have done over the years in this profession, quite frankly, it entertains me now, but of course, I will always listen to a rational opinion. And I have to say this- is that there is a time and place as well to change your own opinion, which I have done.
Don't get me wrong. I will say this when I was building my brand to Fatnosis when there was all this uproar from very, this sounds very bitchy, but from very wide classes, very average hypnotherapists and below, but at the time, what I did is I took advice, I took advice from science based knowledge base people that I called upon to advise me, okay, there's some good brains out there- in the development of my protocol and my protocols, and you know what- I freely admit, admit that and did I change any of my opinion or strategies within it?
One or two I did, and that's okay. And that's all right. So, what I'm saying is, you absolutely have the right to have an opinion. You absolutely have the right to be yourself- within boundaries, and it is absolutely fine to accept fallibility. And I do believe that there are some incredible hypnotherapists out there that do fabulous work. They do great work. But there are also many hypnotherapists out there who I would not pay in washers.
Susanna Sweeney: Tell me more about that.
Steve Miller: Well, I don't believe- I think there's a lot of bullshit. I think there is bullshit in terms of how many clients people see. I think there is bullshit in terms of the results people proclaim to achieve when I read things like somebody helped someone overcome- overcome a phobia or a trauma in two minutes.
I think that is well...personally, I think there's more chance of Father Christmas coming down my chimney that's my that's my opinion, I think it's I think it's it's complete nonsense. But- but I base that on my own experience, and you know if someone can show me with a real controlled situation where they're treating a real person, and they have helped a real person overcome something in two minutes, and the person reports back x months later-a neutral person, of course, then- okay, fair enough. I'll hold my hands up and say I was I was it was a wrong opinion.
Susanna Sweeney: So am I hearing you think there are a lot of exaggerated claims in the field?
Steve Miller: I call it bullshit. I call it the smelly is bullshit that you'll ever smell. Yes, I do. And unfortunately, there are some people out there that will believe it. Yes. And I will always balance that though, with the incredible work that a lot of people do out there. A lot of people that are more reserved, and that's fine.
You know what you can still have conviction and confidence and all of those things conviction can- doesn't have to be extroverted. It doesn't. So- so yes, I always balance it with the good, the good people because there are some very good people out there. Very good people.
And there are a range of good people as well. A range of people. You know, you may have someone like, let me, let me, let me give you a few names. You may have...Andy Austin, for example, who's very good. You may have- I'm trying to think of his name. That's good, isn't it?
Someone good and I can't think of the guy's name to bring forward but I tell you there are also the- the perceived rebels that are out there that are also very good. Alex William Smith takes a lot of flack. He is probably-if not the best hypnotist/ hypnotherapist I've ever seen in action.
Susanna Sweeney: It's a very varied field.
Steve Miller: It's a very varied field. And what we have to understand in this field is there are different talents, and there are different style of talents. And rather than judging each one with very little information, we should explore it. Beryl Comar, another one, excellent history, I fully respect that lady, because she's got masses of experience and I might not agree with everything she says, I might think things can be done better.
But I tell you what- number one, she's very talented. And number two, I fully respect her. And then on the other hand, like I was saying, you've got Alex William Smith, best course I ever went on.
Susanna Sweeney: So tell us a little bit more about your own likes and dislikes in the field, you know, in terms of like how you chose to position yourself.
Steve Miller: Well, what I really like about the field is- I do believe in the there are different versions of hypnosis and hypnotherapy by definition. I believe in and what I love, I love it. I don't just like it. I love it. I love hypnosis and hypnotherapy.
But I believe that hypnosis and hypnotherapy is very much about the practitioner, and about the power of suggestion they give outside of the trance state as well as within the trance state. I do. I love the results that it can bring. I like the...I like to see the transformations that it can bring, I like to see the lives that can change, you know, from someone being so in a- in a dark place of depression, or anxiety and self consciousness and bringing that person forward by the power of suggestion.
I think it is a true gift to be able to use and use hypnosis to facilitate that transformation. So I do like that. I love it. I I don't think there's much that I do dislike about it hypnotherapy. There are some...the only thing I dislike, I guess is all of the nonsense that you sometimes spot.
I guess what I frustrate- get frustrated by as well is the- the what I call the the academics that I absolutely respect for their brain power. And they have that brain power.But can they actually do it?Now there are some that can. So for example, Gary Turner is a very knowledgeable man. And I may not agree with everything that he says and that's okay. But I fully respect him. He's very knowledgeable.
He knows his science. He's doing his PhD. He is- and I questioned him. I said, Well, this is all right. But tell me- show me. Where is the result? Where is this action? And he- Gary being Gary wouldn't say "Oh, here it is to prove it to you, Steve," because he's not that sort of guy.
But I have seen him in action. So, and I fully respect him. He's a good practitioner, very ethical, very talented, and so forth. Very bright. So, but there are some, you see some academics where I don't see it, you know, and I guess that frustrates me.
Susanna Sweeney: It's very funny- you have, in the field you have on one side, you have that complete liberty of self expression, right? Because it's an unregulated profession. So you see people, you know, maybe like yourself, now you had a career before you did this. But you don't have a particularlyacademic background. So people with no study, haven't gone to college or whatever...
Steve Miller: How do you know I don't. How do you know I don't have an academic background.
Susanna Sweeney: Oh, I do apologize.
Steve Miller: You see, you see, this can be and this isn't a fight between you and I, this is an example. We should always check things out. I can be guilty of it as well. Because actually, I do have an academic background as well, where I studied, and I went to three universities, different universities and, you know, and so forth. I just don't go on about it, I guess. And to be fair to you, and I will be fair to you here is when you asked me about my background, perhaps I should have told you about it.
Susanna Sweeney: Hmm. You sounded like you were coming from school and going straight into work?
Steve Miller: Yeah. Which I did, because a lot of what I did academically actually was part time.
Susanna Sweeney: Right. Right. Right. Yeah. And that's difficult to do. So that would have built your determination.
Steve Miller: Yeah, I mean, it was what I had to do. I couldn't afford to take years and years off to study I worked, you know, I didn't have the money to do that. But I worked hard and a lot of people don't know it, but I even studied counseling, as well. And counseling is an interesting one, because I don't really- I think there are very good counselors, I think there are some atrocious counselors. And I guess within the field of psychotherapy and counseling, I have a real concern in terms of the practice of it occasionally, because I think some of it could actually do more harm than good. But I guess that's another subject balanced with the great talented guys that are out there.
Susanna Sweeney: I think it's a very varied field. You've got the people who come in...what I was really trying to say with the non academic background is that they're coming in a non prejudiced way, shall we say, into the therapy world, you don't have any preconceptions. And it's very much a field where you can develop your own creativity. You can go with your intuition. You can do things the way you think they're done right, right? And then...
Steve Miller: And I guess I and- I was just about to say, and I can't think of his surname. But, Paul, I wish I could give him a credit here in this interview. And I'm forgetting his surname. He's in Oxford. Paul [Hughes].He is a psychotherapist and a hypnotherapist. Very talented man. Incredibly talented man, you know. So I always think it's important in when you're sort of when I'm given an opinion about a model or something, or an opinion on somebody's style. I always try to balance it. I always do, because I've been...
Susanna Sweeney: Well you are dealing with individuals. So every, you know- we're talking about the field, but in the end, everybody is an individual and they have their own particular path and particular take on things and all of that.
Steve Miller: Yes, yes they do. And...
Susanna Sweeney: So, I see that- I see that as an advantage, right. The fact that it's unregulatated, right.
Steve Miller: Well, I go....I kind of- regulate and unregulate, I kind of- I can't kind of make my mind up if I'm totally honest. And that's why I listened to Polly and I think if we regulate it'll stifle.And if we unregulate which, which it is- there is a danger you get those coming in potentially coming into the profession that may have an untoward style of personality and may misuse it.
You know that can happen, I guess. But what we have to do is just as a profession and professionals, is keep on top of it and do what we can to protect it. Kate, Kate Bvans, Bevan Marks, right Kate Bevan Marks- she's another good one. Yeah, I'm giving lots of good names of good people here. I disagree often we Kate, often with Kate. Now Kate is another one that is very academic.
She's very, very bright, but she does it as well. She's another example of someone thatI actually have respect for you know, and I think what, what we need to do is, is recognize that, you know, we need both in terms of our own talent, we need to understand, we need to have academic knowledge to a degree, but you've got to be able to do it as well.
Susanna Sweeney: You've got to be able to do it. And what's your take on ethics?
Steve Miller: On what? Ethics...they're very important. Number one, you don't sleep with your clients. Number two, you don't take advantage of your clients.
Number three, as much as possible, you keep things confidential. I think they are the core. I'm sure I've missed some but they are the core ethics. But, and it is a big but. We have to modernize to a degree. There are people for example, I over the years I've helped lots of people lose weight and change their lives, and occasionally what I do, and it's completely voluntary, those clients can we get together. Yeah, and we have a social, might go shopping, glass of champagne in Harvey Nicks or whatever.
Yeah, to celebrate success. And some people say, Oh, that's unethical. Right? Well, I say to people that say that., no. Ethics are very much about extremes, if that makes sense, inverted commas, which is what I was mentioning, taking sexual advantage of a client and- and using their information and manipulating them and- and the confidentiality stuff. All of that is- that's what we call unethical.And those people should be struck off. They should be struck off. And because that's not that's not ethical.
Susanna Sweeney: Although taking advantage could also happen in a more subtle way, right. So on a shopping trip that might also happen. Well, it's not about the shopping trip. It's about what happens on the shopping trip.
Steve Miller: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. It could. It could,you know, anything can happen. It could, it could happen when you see them in the street you know what I mean- or whatever. Ethics are very important. But there has to be a degree of common sense. And also what we have to remember is, you know, claims may be made by people from a client perspective. That's quite, you know, and that's okay- if it's true. Because anything that is said, that is potentially libelous, yeah? The onus is on the person saying it or writing it to prove it's true.Works both ways.
Susanna Sweeney: Yeah. And that's the difficulty with it all. I, you know, I think ethics are really difficult to implement, feel like, because it's very much up to the individual right into your own integrity and your own maturity, I suppose as to how you behave with your clients, and how you've been trained, what you've been taught, and what has been modeled by these trainers, and more importantly, right what you see them do. So- but then you're on your own, and it's unregulated.
So it's very much up to your own implementation after that. And then it's like, you know, how do we or, you know, how does that play out in the field really. And, I mean, you can make a judgment call but that doesn't change how that presents- the variation of how presents, right?
You get some people that are- and I've certainly seen examples of some unethical stuff that goes on. And- which can be quite, quite shocking when you haven't seen that before. And then on the other side, you have people who are extremely ethical, are doing very, very good therapy- people I would really look up to, Mike Mandel, for example. And then- do you know the contrast is just very, very strong. How do you think the field could improve on that?
Steve Miller: I have not really been on many courses. So it's very difficult for me to judge people on ethics, but you're just to say Mike Mandel, that's who we mean, great guy. Absolutely agree with you. And I think, I mean, it depends what's happening.
But if that- if there is an ethical issue with leaders, then it's the onus really is on the others. To apply, investigative, if that's the word, pressure.And to be transparent,be complete, transparent. But I can tell you now, you know, what you've got to do is you've got to know your stuff, if you're going to make that sort of, you know, bring that sort of stuff out.
You can't just make claims willy-nilly about people, you know, or write stuff about people. You know, I can confirm over the years for example, I took three, I've acted three times with respect to libel, and I've won every case, right? So people have to be very careful. It's okay if it's true. Yeah. And but I do think your point about professional standards is an important one, so long as we do not get suffocated to the point where we're frightened to, you know, have personality and of course, personality is important.
Susanna Sweeney: And I think you describe that very well, it's a balancing act, right?
Steve Miller: A complete balancing act. And a lot of it is common sense. A lot of it is common sense in terms of, you know, ethical standards and professional standards of what we should do shouldn't do and the bit in the middle.
Susanna Sweeney: So ultimately, I suppose we are left to hope that the good ones will come through, and that there will be a natural selection process for those.
Steve Miller: Well, I think so. And I think that in the end, things work out whatever. Um, but let's, I think we also have to hold on to the reality that, you know, hoping into reality I'm sure it is. My gut tells me it says that the vast overwhelming majority of general hypnotherapy trainers are a good standard of good background and good knowledge on the good ethics. And I I believe that they are- I don't know everybody I don't really associate with them. But you know, my theory is that, you know, they're pretty good guys.
Susanna Sweeney: And to bring it back to a more personal theme, Steve, tell us, you as a therapist, when you work with clients, where do you think your strengths are? And what do you absolutely suck at the kind of stuff you would delegate or rather not do?
Steve Miller: Yes. First of all, I'm very fallible, I accept that I'm not perfect. And that, you know, when I work with clients, I don't have that pressure on me simply because I accept my fallibility. There are there is some people that I'll do great work with.
There are some people that I won't do great work with, and that is- we all need to accept that. That's okay. Where my strengths are, I think, is, I would say in motivational hypnotherapy and what I mean by that is the ability to deliver it in a style that is very future focused. But also very, very the flavor of it, the tonality of it is very, very motivational. And I guess that's where my strength would be in the delivery of hypnosis, and possibly, you know, also authoritarian as well, in terms of moving people forward. I would say that's my strength.
My weaknesses, where I'm not as good is I- I'm not very patient. I'm not- I know I am not. So, with that, you know, in my world, for example, if I if I don't really see clients now- haven't seen them for a while, simply because the business has transformed in other ways. But over the many years, that I saw clients, you know, I know my weaknesses, and I'm not the most patient of people. I don't suffer fools gladly.
And if someone's playing a game, they better be good at it. Yeah, and that's not from a client perspective, but from a client perspective, if I feel someone's not making the progress, and I think that they should be making the progress, and I think actually you've been reasonable in terms of the progress I should be making, I don't tolerate excuses. I would terminate the process of working with me.I'm not a head tilter.
I'm not gonna sit there soaking up for an hour people's excuses, and moans and groans for not taking action. I don't accept that. And that's possibly one reason why I've done very well is because my style of hypnosis is very different to many. And clients often tell me and I know it's not for everyone. By the way, I'm not saying that my style is the only stuff. It's not, but a lot of people tell me how refreshing it is.
Susanna Sweeney: And there's always that element where you, you know, some people will work really well with that, and they're your ideal clients, and then some other people will decide it's not for them and that's fine, right?
Steve Miller: Yes. And I think I think it's important to let people have an insight into what you're like as a personality in terms of your style, you know, before you start working with them, and there is no doubt that I score well on that. I mean, people are they, they were, I mean, you know, they see me online and they see me the way I talk, my attitude, my values, my, my whole approach.
And, you know, it's like I said earlier, people I accept people will either hate it, love it, or be in the middle and wavering before they make a decision. That's absolutely fine. Absolutely fine. And you know, it's absolutely fine as a practitioner as a hypnotherapist to also refer people on you know, which I do willingly I have done in the past, which is actually my style is not right for you. And I know it's not I feel it's not and then refer on to someone with a different style.
Susanna Sweeney: Exactly, I suppose again, the field being...
Steve Miller: You gotta love your work, you gotta love your work too. And, and, you know, you've got to love what you're doing. Love what you're doing- love your work. Love, the people you're helping, you're transforming. And at the same time, love and accept that you don't have to be perfect at everything. And when you've got that, you just allow yourself to be kind of freer, you know, in terms of being who you want to be. And living by what we were talking about earlier with, with those basic core ethical things when you're dealing with people clinically.
Susanna Sweeney: Yeah, yeah, it allows for self expression then, you can really just be in your zone of genius. Right?
Steve Miller: Yeah, you can. And I encourage people all the time, you know, in the, in the building of a hypnotherapy business now- it's different to what it was when I trained years ago. But now, it's very much about having the personality as a brand, as well as the model of hypnosis and hypnotherapy that you deliver.
You know, you've got to be out there. You've got to be showing yourself, you've got to be showing your conviction and the kind of style you have, if you're wanting to work with people, as well as the kinds of models of different things that you use. And I think that's good for the practitioner because you only want to work with people that you resonate with, that get you and actually when they get you before they start working with you anyway, half the work, if not more, arguably, is actually done.
Susanna Sweeney: So thank you for that.
Steve Miller: Do you you agree?
Susanna Sweeney: Steve if you had a magic wand...
Steve Miller: Do you agree with me?
Susanna Sweeney: I do. Yes, I do.
Steve Miller: Yeah. Good.
Susanna Sweeney: I do. I it's, I think it's a very delicate mix. The two. Ahm I think when you- I think personality is good, I think it can also get in the way of your client work, right, especially in my field...
Steve Miller: Hey, common, about ...
Susanna Sweeney: ...not so much in your field.
Steve Miller: It will do it will get in the way if they don't like it, or resonate with it. I don't see my view, if I'm honest with you is that actually, it's not. It's not the- it's not just the therapeutic intervention in terms of delivering hypnosis that is the full hypnosis is the individual that is actually arguably much more than that. So what I'm saying is just to look at you- you're hypnotizing already.
Susanna Sweeney: Yes, absolutely. And as you build a rapport with your audience, as you're building your audience online or whatever, you're sending out emails and so on, you're already very much conditioning them into your way of thinking. Absolutely.
Steve Miller: Yes. And your personality they are getting it
Susanna Sweeney: And your your way of thinking your story where you're coming from. Yeah. Your way of thinking about the solution.
Steve Miller: Yeah, on fire another question!
Susanna Sweeney: And the natural selection in that is that the people who this is right for will follow you and the rest won't.
Steve Miller: Spot on. And it's okay not to please everybody.
Susanna Sweeney: Yeah, yeah. And I think then in the therapy room, like say definitely for the field where I am, right,where it's mental health issues, it's different, I think, to weight loss or stop smoking or any of those. You do have to watch, when you're working- I'm convinced of that when you're working in my field that your personality doesn't take over. Right, that's where you have to really pull back and not take up too much space.
Steve Miller: I don't agree with that. I think that no, I don't agree with that. I think whether you're treating anxiety, a confidence issue, a delicate trauma issue. I still believe strongly that your personality is a massive part of the hypnotherapeutic process. Because you know, that will, will- with the right people that resonate with you- that will facilitate. I don't know, possibly speed up as well- the actual process.
Susanna Sweeney: Yeah. To be honest I think we're both saying the same thing here. Right. And I suppose what I'm bringing attention to is you must be talking the whole time about yourself either, right? Because that's not therapy.
Steve Miller: That's not personality. You're saying personality. That's not personality., that's that's very much about being a gob on a stick. I've been accused of that and I know I know everybody watching this. I know I can be alright. I hold my hands up to it. Promise. Please forgive me.
Susanna Sweeney: You're forgiven. Here comes my magic wand question, Steve.
Steve Miller: Oh go on then...
Susanna Sweeney: In relation to the whole hypnosis field. If you had a magic wand for the future of hypnosis, what would you make happen?
Steve Miller: I would at this time, love to see more hypnotherapists believing in their- believing in the belief that from a business perspective, they can take their business online and do very well and change many more lives. I really believe that because of COVID-19 I think that the public, sadly, for quite a while will continue to be nervous, many people about sitting in the same room as a stranger.
And that, especially clients with anxiety and you know, those very delicate issues, and depression and that sort of stuff. And that's why I now encourage all hypnotherapists that have got the talent that can change lives, to take, even if it's part of their business online so they can continue to do good work. That's what I'd like to say.
Susanna Sweeney: So the future of all kinds of therapy, including hypnotherapisy- is online.
Steve Miller: I think that a lot of it will be. I think so. Yeah. And it can be and I think there's lots of benefits of that. The benefits are massive- number one, you know, the sessions don't have to be as long I find, and number two because of that reason you can actually be more price competitive if you choose to be- number three, you can sit in your boxer shorts.so forth. Not that I do. Number four
Susanna Sweeney: Would you like to prove that now?
Steve Miller: No, No, I'm not. I've got my jeans on obviously swear to you guys. You know me, I'm dead- what you see is what you get. If I had my boxers on and no pants- oops, you'd know about it right. No I've got jeans on. And yeah, so there are a few benefits of going online. And as well as that as well as seeing clients one to one, you see. What you can do is have your own product portfolio. I do not understand why more hypnotherapists aren't doing that, because they should be.They really should be, I think.
Susanna Sweeney: Well give it another few months. And I think people will, step by step wake up to that, that that's what they will have to do if they want to continue with a career.
Steve Miller: I think so. But what's good is that I mean, it's only what I read online and on Facebook is that there is there seems to be more interest now in it. And there seems to be slight a slight increase in more people doing it. And that's brilliant. And it's not, of course, it's brilliant for the hypnotherapist because their business will continue. But it's also brilliant for the public, because we can continue to use our gift, if you like, and our talents for the good of helping people that are in a bit of a bad place. You know, so fingers crossed.
Susanna Sweeney: So absolutely, and so I have been working online now for the last six months or so, with people and I find that it's much the same as working face to face. The results I get are brilliant- so there's absolutely no- hm, I think there's a lot of prejudice about working online- and I think that's what it is- prejudice, you know.
Steve Miller: Yeah. And I get that, to be honest, I think that what a lot of people are worried about is the kinds of connection, not not, I'm not talking about a technical connection, even though that isn't. What I'm talking about is that kind of person to person connection, in that it can feel a bit cold. And what I'd say to people is, you know, give it a go, give it a go. It doesn't have to be all formal, you know, you can still have personality, and to try it. And actually when people do that, they started buying that actually it can work. Well, and then you're helping a lot of people as well as saving your business.
Susanna Sweeney: And I suppose that was one of my real surprise discoveries that the connection works online. as well as it works face to face.
Steve Miller: I find it as well. I mean my experience is that it works brilliantly. I really love it. And, and the thing is, you know, if you want to have a career as a hypnotherapist, you have to change to the to the current environment, the business environment, the economic environment, and going online means it well it relates to that. That is, you know, you are reacting to it. You've got much more opportunity and much more chance of having a long term career doing it than not doing good. I would argue. The cat's coming in by the way, you may hear a meeow.
Susanna Sweeney: That's all right. A meow is welcome. So is that the cat that's 23 years old?
Steve Miller: She's 23 years old. I love her to pieces. She's like my little princess. And she's got really bad-. bless her, heart, back legs, and she's got cat dementia. Bless her, she gets a bit mixed up where she is, I think. But she's 23. And you know what? I think she's hit this age because she's not stressed. She's never been a stressed cat. She'll go up to anybody. She's like a hypnotic pull herself.
Susanna Sweeney: Yeah. Could she be any different in a hypnotic household? Absolutely.So Steve, listen, thank you so much for your time.
Steve Miller: Okay, I've enjoyed it.
Susanna Sweeney: It was a lovely chat.Yeah, we wish you all the best for your career which is really taking off now with the whole online situation...
Steve Miller: You only work online now yourself?
Susanna Sweeney: I only work online now. Yeah.
Steve Miller: Oh, brilliant.
Susanna Sweeney: So I mean, I don't I'm not systematic about it yet, but I will by September at the latest.There's a lot of juggling as you know. So, and I am only one person- it's a lot of work.
Steve Miller: I wish you all the best.
Susanna Sweeney: Well, thank you. And it's such a pleasure talking to you and we'll talk again soon. Thank you, and bye bye.
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Hello Venturer,
Welcome to my Online Hypnotherapy Clinic.
I am Susanna Sweeney, accredited psychotherapist and hypnotherapist.
I have been helping people to overcome their blocks and move forward for 30+ years.
Along the way, I have fallen in love with hypnotherapy.
Please note that any content or advice provided here is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.
Always consult your doctor before starting any health regimen.
Outcomes of hypnotherapy vary between individuals and cannot be guaranteed.