Specializing in Children

Question
I am seriously considering training as a clinical hypnotherapist. I particularly want to specialize in children and teens, and was hoping you could tell me how it is going for you as a practice. Do you think there is more demand for a specialization, or do you think a general practice is sufficient? Thank you in advance for your response.

Answer
I have both a general practice and a specialization re: children, in order to make a living. I didn't add children until I had been working with my counseling hypnosis for several years. Most important, of course, is getting excellent training in pediatric hypnosis before you ever add such a specialty. My real interest in adding children to my practice came when I took a course from the Winkler's at St. John's University in Louisiana. It was the first time I heard someone giving helpful, practical and very creative information that went further than merely treating children as little adults. As to how well a specialty with children goes in terms of building a practice, it takes time. Word of mouth is important, but you have to bill yourself as someone who can be truly helpful to children. It takes longer to help people understand how hypnotherapy can be used without harm to their children - they're quite protective. A good marketing tool is a letter and brochure on hypnosis and children that you can send to all school counselors and school nurses in your area, plus family doctors and pediatricians. It doesn't hurt, at all, to take time to visit some of these future referrers!