The Heterotopia Project at Bournemouth University

Recently I was invited to Bournemouth University to give a real live perspective on a therapeutic space to a group of industrial design students.  The students had been set a brief called “The Psychiatrists Consulting Room”.  I was to be their client a “Clinical Hypnotherapist and psychotherapist” in need of a new unique work space.  I was thrilled to present my experience of creating my own therapeutic space and illustrated to the students the finer details of my visionary approach through to the completed space in use today, to help them deliver their innovative brief.

The very word hypnotherapy creates many misconceptions of what hypnotherapy is really about.  So this was an ideal opportunity for me to put Hypnotherapy in the right perspective in order that the students understood the fundamental intentions of my therapeutic space.  I used drawings to explain that up to date brain science and human behaviour is behind Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. 

Explaining how the subconscious and conscious brain operate and how to get the best from ourselves by understanding our brains better.  Trance can be used to bring about change and how trance is a normal every day experience to be harnessed. I explained how hypnotherapy uses words and metaphors to bring about the change a client is looking for and how these are woven together to the client’s individual needs.  

Human needs within the therapeutic space were of enormous significance and I needed a space which welcomed the client with a sense of calmness, positivity, inspiration, comfort and confidence.  I wanted my therapeutic space to consider how people use space and how design can allow treatment between the therapist and client to flow effortlessly along. I wanted people and things to interact efficiently and safely allowing the process of hypnotherapy to be a pleasant positive experience.  I was interested to see how the student’s designs can be implemented in the real therapy room.

Students were provided with a brief to design the therapeutic space, the students true energy was expected to be the foundation of their inspiration.   The challenge in this project is to conceive an aesthetic and then create an edifice for that aesthetic.  The freedom of the artistic process in the project allowed students to use endless possibilities in a variety of different ways.  The project allowed the freedom to choose different aspects of the space as the basis for their project, some concentrated on the therapeutic space inside or the entrance outside, others more individual aspects such as the hypnotherapy couch, chairs, tables or the materials used to make up the space. 

The students were given six weeks to complete the project, then each student presented their project to a panel including myself, Senior Lecturer Theo Roe, Professor Simon Vaitkevicius and Design Consultant John Hewitt.  The final design was to be modelled and rendered using 3ds Max.  The finished brief was presented in a digital format detailing their inspirations, research methodology and design strategy.  The panel explored the aesthetics of design concepts, deconstructed and analysed the design methods. 

Students completely understood the requirements of producing a therapeutic space and came up with innovative and unique ideas which could be translated into the working treatment room.  I was particularly impressed with the quality of work and the attention to detail.  Student’s designs ranged from couches which hung from the ceiling and inspirations taken from clouds to create a couch.  Whole room design with attention to how a therapy session works or creating a welcoming entrance using curved door furniture, planting of shrubs which are beneficial for the brain, to the design of the whole building with focus on the roof, structure, paths, columns and lighting.

Some of these ideas will be beneficial and add value to my business in the future.  The whole experience was very rewarding and enlightening exposing my practice to so many design possibilities has shown me what the future could hold for my hypnotherapy practice.   

Further information on hypnosis

Further information on Artistic Performance Hypnotherapy

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can be used to help to take control over other aspects of our lives, ranging from stress management through to creative thinking, phobias, anti-smoking, eating even improving our confidence and much more.

Further information on The Beardwood Practice’s Services

It’s a great time to sit down with a Solution Focused Hypnotherapy practitioner to see how you can get the best out of your life and what steps you can take, over a period of time, to realise your full potential. 

If you would like to book an appointment or find out more contact Christine on: 0780 9690 964 or email.