(An interview by Learnbase)

If you meet anyone involved in Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, chances are they will have graduated from the Coastal Academy of Hypnotic Arts and Science. Working closely with the Learnbase team and deep video-learning platform, they have recently adapted their Hypnosis program into a rich, interactive online format. We asked their Dean of Education, Leslie McIntosh, as well as some of their alumni, a few questions…

Why create an online hypnosis program?

The Coastal Academy had been inundated with requests not just from Vancouver area and ‘nearby’, but also by potential hypnotists and hypnotherapists is Calgary and Edmonton, across Canada and indeed the world. People look for an online program because they want to learn more about hypnosis before they commit to traveling from distances to take the entire program. Also, many people are not in a position to travel here at all.

Potential hypnotherapists are also transitioning from other studies or careers and are looking for flexibility. Having the course online helps students to commit to the course of study, but work more at their own pace and schedule rather than having to take costly ‘time out’.

So while the Coastal Academy needed a course to cater to this demand, they were committed to creating a hypnosis course that would be delivered with integrity, quality and with a high level of engagement and interaction. We’d experimented with the course-authoring system ‘Moodle’ originally, but it wasn’t providing the rich interactive experience we were looking for. That’s why we chose to work with the Learnbase team and platform, to make something much more interactive than the usual ‘video-as lecture’ format.

How similar is the online course to the face-to–face version?

The difference between the online program and the classroom delivery is simply the 50 percent of the day that is usually spent practicing in class. The lectures and demonstrations are identical and the online course actually gives students more time and opportunity to internalize and learn at their own pace.

How interactive is the online hypnosis course?

The interaction online takes place between the student and the course – answering questions, reflections, assignments and tasks and discussions, as well as quizzes and tests. We carefully scaffold the program to encompass theory and highly practical input and build the students’ skills step-by-step to prepare for and conduct their first hypnosis sessions with volunteers.

What was the trickiest part of moving a classroom-based course to an online course?

The trickiest part was making sure that all of the rich discussions that would normally take place in the classroom were included in lectures and videos for online students to see or hear. The demonstrations and lectures had to be captured for the online students as if they were sitting in the classroom watching and taking part. Then there had to be the assessment piece of the program where we could test the students’ knowledge after they complete the program. We really wanted to make something that was deeper and more involved than the usual online course, and this is what we achieved working closely with the online learning experts at Learnbase.

How are ‘practical’ tasks done and assessed in an online capacity?

Students are expected to practice regularly, just as if they were in the classroom-based program. There is a video presentation at the end of the program where students will demonstrate their skills and they will be assessed by an instructor, with feedback for the student.

What resources are available as part of the course?

In addition to actual course content we include audio hypnosis clips to assist with learning. There is also an extensive Coastal Academy Hypnosis script pack and tool kit that students use during the course, and that they can take with them into their actual practices.

Will there be a full online hypnotherapy course?

Currently we see this as a blended solution. The online hypnosis course is a full alternative to our attendance option, and helps our clients to take the first steps in exploring the discipline…on their schedule. This leads to Hypnosis certification in itself and is the first of three parts leading to the Clinical Hypnotherapist qualification.

What do your clients get from your programs?

The general practice and knowledge of hypnosis and meditation can in itself, be the most powerful tool. Our clients have frequently shown that knowing that your mind has the power to overcome most obstacles is very empowering. Hypnosis is able to address almost any issue with a better success rate than some traditional approaches and, where need be, work in harmony with them. Clients report living happier, calmer, more focused lives precisely because they can choose how they want to perceive life’s experiences. They drive their lives instead of letting their past perceptions do the driving for them.

Coastal Academy not only teaches people how to do it properly BUT also ensures that the newfound skill is used professionally and ethically. We guide our alumni in learning how to be flexible, to use a variety of approaches and techniques to suit their client’s different styles and also, to educate their clients in simple relaxation techniques they can use in their daily lives. Our alumni are trained to help their clients learn how to be patient with themselves. Hypnotherapy is not always an instant fix. Its benefits unfold over time. Coastal graduates learn to be adept at developing in their clients an understanding of different techniques during each session and to celebrate their successes. From this they recognize that they can now act in a positive way, by choice, as new patterns and behaviours replace the old reflex reactions that used to trigger a negative result.

It’s an amazing experience to watch people transform before your eyes, watching as the pain, fear or inability disappears from their facial expression, replaced with a glowing sense of freedom and peace.

It’s really an honour and a privilege for our alumni to have people open up to them, trust them and to know that through the techniques learned at Coastal Academy, they have opened many doors for many clients that let them lead themselves into their greatness.