Thinking Therapeutically: Proven Techniques and Case Studies in Neuro Linguistic Programming [NLP], Hypnotherapy, Imagery in Healing and Dream Interpretation for Psychology Professionals and Students

Thinking Therapeutically provides a rare insight into the world of two highly experienced therapists as they recall their own enlightening journeys to becoming therapists. Tom Barber and Sandra Westland offer a number of verbatim accounts of their most memorable sessions of Hypnotherapy, NLP and Creative Imagery, along with a uniquely personal processing of each session and, more importantly, a critical analysis of each other s work.

Therapists are often provided with a number of theories, approaches and techniques they are told will be therapeutic, but without any guidance as to whether they will help a particular client. This book provides an opportunity to see these ideas in action and gives some essential critique as to what did and what did not work in the sessions described. The authors offer us insight and guidance into the world of creativity which will open up to us when we engage with clients within their own paradigms. Tom and Sandra bring their own personal touch to this book, never before seen with this degree of honesty and transparency. In sharing their work they provide both new and experienced therapists with unique insights that only the seasoned practitioner can possess.

This book deserves a place in the library of all therapists whether they are seasoned or newly emerging.
- Fidelity - The Journal for the NCP

I feel that this book deserves the highest acclaim by students and fellow professionals alike and I, for one, hope that we see more books in years to come from these two enlightened and enlightening professionals.
- David Slater BA, DHyp, MHA(RegHyp), MASC, DCS, MGSCT,Clinical Hypnotherapist and Counsellor

Tom Barber and Sandra Westland offer an excellent contribution to the hypnotherapy profession with their new book, Thinking Therapeutically: Hypnotic Skills and Strategies Explored. Rather than presenting detailed and lengthy explanations of various techniques, they provide numerous case histories showing how they use different techniques for different clients. Their practice offers a blend of both NLP and traditional hypnotherapy, combined with various imagery techniques. Their book includes scripts from actual sessions with clients who experienced guided affective imagery, hypnoanalysis, regression, parts therapy and dream work, as well as various NLP techniques. There are usually different ways to arrive at the same destination, so Tom Barber and Sandra Westland show how they use a variety of techniques to help clients achieve their desired results. The authors also use some metaphors quite skilfully. Their case history involving dream work was especially interesting to me because of my very limited experience with dreams. On a personal note, I was impressed at the honesty of the authors to include a chapter on their own personal journeys into the hypnotherapy profession.
- Roy Hunter, PhD, FAPHP, author of The Art of Hypnosis,The Art of Hypnotherapy, Mastering the Power of Self-Hypnosis and Hypnosis for Inner Conflict Resolution

Here at last is the book that I wish had been available when I first started out in practice. The authors understand totally that a newly trained practitioner, whilst assumed by the client to be the consummate professional, is in reality in every sense a novice – and only too aware of it. In order to fully engage with the reader, they willingly (indeed necessarily) expose themselves and their respective therapeutic approaches to scrutiny and, in so doing, display exceptional professional generosity. Although presumably intended for the student and newly qualified practitioner, this is a book that should be in every hypnotherapist’s library regardless of their experience in practice.
- William Broom, Chief Executive, General Hypnotherapy Standards Council and General Hypnotherapy Register