About us

We are one of the leading hypnotherapy training organizations, running courses in Europe, Malaysia and the USA. Founder, Valerie Austin, is an internationally acclaimed consultant hypnotherapist and best-selling author. Valerie’s original and practical approach to personal development is informed by her wealth of previous career experience gained in high performance selling, journalism and the film industry. Her unique techniques for improving health and well-being, such as the ‘Stop Smoking in One Hour’ technique developed for VIP and celebrity clients in the USA and in London’s Harley Street, have proved highly effective for over a decade, receiving endorsement from many distinguished individuals and politicians, including Health Ministers.

Austin Training International is committed to raising standards in the profession and is the first organization of its kind to require its registered therapists to participate in long-term research. We have established a training institute in Malaysia, where we have longstanding links with the national University of Malaysia, and the success rates of all Austin Therapists belonging to the UK Register of Advanced Hypnotherapists (UKRAH) are carefully monitored under the supervision of a distinguished Professor of Psychology, based at Middlesex University. We are members of the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (GHSC) and are actively working towards self-regulation in the profession.

We also support worthwhile causes and sponsor events, raising money for charities, such as the British Heart Foundation.

www.soothsayer.co.uk/valerie.asp

What sort of courses do we offer?

We train people to work as qualified professional hypnotherapists and corporate consultants. We specialize in short intensive courses, using accelerated learning techniques to boost memory and confidence and gain practical skills. We also run specialist workshops to enable therapists, health professionals and consultants to learn advanced skills in e.g. pain control, stress management, speed reading & accelerated learning, diseases of the auto-immune system (including HIV/AIDS), weight reduction, stop smoking, phobias, OCD, painless childbirth, etc.

What is hypnotherapy ?

Hypnotherapy is a powerful, safe and effective way of quickly and easily achieving a deep state of relaxation, known as ‘hypnosis’. It is the oldest of the mind skills, having been tried and tested for over 200 years. In hypnosis, your mind remains aware whilst your body becomes completely relaxed. You experience a tremendous sense of well-being and peace of mind. In this state, you are more susceptible to positive suggestions and able to access areas of the mind and memories that are beyond the normal level of conscious awareness, i.e. the ‘subconscious’.

How can this help people to stop smoking or overcome other problems?

The popular image of hypnosis is often based on the antics of certain audience members taking part in a stage show. Whilst this may provide harmless entertainment, the purpose of hypnotherapy is actually to help people to have better control of their own minds, thoughts, feelings and actions. The job of a specialist in hypnotherapy is to help people to change their negative patterns of thinking and behaving and gain greater confidence and self-esteem, so that they can more quickly and easily resolve a problem, give up a bad habit, become more motivated and successfully achieve their goals.

Career Opportunities

Hypnotherapy is a rewarding and lucrative career that is open to all adults, young and old, with no lower or upper age limit. There are no particular academic qualifications needed but the career does require a commitment to helping others to achieve their goals, a highly professional attitude and personal inegrity.

Hypnotherapists can establish a general practice or they may become specialists in a particular field, e.g. smoking cessation, weight loss, stress reduction, phobias, etc. They can practice in many different settings e.g. working from a facility office or in a centre that offers a range of therapies. Some may choose to work from home, others may work from clinics or health centers, seeing clients who are referred by doctors or other health professionals. Most clients will be seen on an individual basis for a course of between 3 and 7 sessions, with the exception of the ‘Stop Smoking in One Hour’ technique. Minimum rates for Austin-registered therapists are £125 per hour (£150 per hour in the London area), although some clients may qualify for reduced rates by participating in research or training programmes.

Austin Training International is currently developing its corporate division. Corporate consultants require good communication skills as they will be working with groups as well as individuals. Rates for corporate trainers start at around £800 per day.

The profession is very flexible and therapists can choose their own hours, working on a full-time or part-time basis, sometimes combined with another career. Many people find that it combines well with other professions. Austin Training International provides excellent back-up for its therapists. Recently qualified therapists are encouraged to seek advice on any aspect of their practice and continuing professional development is provided through regular further education days, held on a monthly basis, for which there is only a nominal charge.

Extracts from course evaluations and articles by Austin graduates:

‘Fascinating, exciting, challenging, a wealth of information. Information repeated in such ways that you don’t feel you’re learning. Thank you…..The friends and colleagues I hypnotized who were confirmed smokers are no longer smoking and couch potatoes are exercising. It cured my chocolate addiction in less than seven days. I’m convinced that it’s a brilliant way of fixing the niggly little things.’

Dani Zur, Journalist, ‘New Woman’ Magazine 

‘I was keenly skeptical about the whole thing but I was pleasantly surprised…..I doubled my reading speed from 450wpm to around 800-900 wpm, an extraordinarily valuable asset in my job as a literary editor……I thought I already knew quite a lot about human psychology and the art of dealing with people, but I learned things I had never previously known……like eye contact and body language, etc.’

Roy Stockdil, Book Editor, News of the World

‘The demonstrations are dazzling……The course offers profound personal development and opportunities for growth both in the here and now and for the future. Support and encouragement coming in abundance.’

Deborah Marshall-Warren, Media Designer  and Advisor to ‘Here’s Health’ Magazine.

‘I have never experienced a course like this. I came away enthused and inspired. With the Austin techniques I got results – tangible, measurable results. Two weeks after the course I increased my prices and began using the method. It worked, I got results and Ihave never looked back.’

Christine Green, Hypnotherapist

‘Once I had got through the course and the exam, I felt I had really earned my qualifications giving me confidence in my ability as a hypnotherapist. Very shortly after completing the course, I left my job in the computer industry and became a full-time therapist.’

Nigel Skinner, Hypnotherapist, formerly with IBM.

‘The course was fascinating and gave so much information in a short space of time. I have been seeing clients regularly for more than six months. Recently I banked more money in one week than I would have earned in a month as a nurse. The course was a sound investment and I am now reaping the rewards!’

Melanie Phelps, Hypnotherapist, former Nurse.

www.soothsayer.co.uk/valerie.asp