How to build your confidence as a therapist

Terrence Barnardt, qualified clinical hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner and mindfulness expert gives advice on how to build your confidence as a spa therapist. 

Confidence, or the lack of it, can be a belief that has evolved from an individual’s past. Learning to become more confident can be done through therapy, confidence-building programmes and even self-help books. However, there are things a therapist can do, on a daily basis, to start to create a more confident self. 

When we are calm, we feel more confident. You can create a short relaxation routine or ritual that you can practice before seeing each client. This could be as simple as sipping a calming herbal tea, inhaling aromatherapy oils, listening to relaxing music or even practicing a short mindful meditation between appointments. 

Just settling the mind and body before seeing each client can make a powerful difference. I teach my clients an exercise called “checking in on your breath”. It is fast working and gets a person to relax very quickly. To try this, find a safe space and close your eyes. Notice your breath without trying to change it. Is your breath fast or slow, deep or shallow? Where in your body do you notice yourself breathing? Just be inquisitive and after a few breaths, open your eyes, and observe how settled you feel. 

Finally, remember that the session is about the client. They are looking for attention and care. Your skills, personality and even your fears are not a priority for the client. If you give them your 100% attention, the rest will flow. Moving the focus from you to your client can make you feel instantly more confident. All you need to do is be there. That seems rather simple, doesn’t it? The above methods can create more confident and fluent sessions for the therapist. 

Terrence the Teacher began his journey as a personal trainer and Pilates teacher. In 2001, he trained in neuro-linguistics and became a qualified clinical hypnotherapist in the same year. He has many celebrity clients and is part of the Aromatherapy Associates team of wellbeing experts and ambassadors.