The Swan Protocol Masterclass with Derek Heron

Discover the most unusual but most effective strategy for effective change work

Register interest using the form on this page to get updates about discounts and booking.

A Two-Day Live Online Workshop, 23rd and 24th January 2027, 1pm to 5pm UK Time

Preserving the protocol, delivering the practice. The Swan continues. A new voice, the same power.

For years, Bob Burns has been the name behind the Swan Protocol, a technique now used by therapists in more than 85 countries to make instant contact with the subconscious in a fully waking state.

Bob has now stepped back from teaching. He has not stepped back from the Swan.

He has personally handed the work on to Derek Heron, the practitioner he chose to carry it forward. Derek has worked with the Swan extensively in his own practice, and this January he is running his first full masterclass as its new trainer, bringing his own depth, his own teaching style, and a renewed focus.

What is the Swan Protocol?

The Swan works with clients in a fully waking state, with no formal trance induction needed, making instant, direct contact with the subconscious.

It can stand entirely on its own as a complete change work approach, or be woven in alongside hypnosis and other techniques you already use. Many practitioners now treat it as their go-to protocol, the first thing they reach for with almost any client. Others keep it in reserve and turn to it specifically when other approaches have stalled, finding it opens a door nothing else could.

This workshop also goes into self-swanning, using the technique on yourself, and into how to elicit and work with direct voice responses using The Swan Protocol.

The Consultation: A Template You Can Trust

Alongside the Swan itself, this workshop teaches a failsafe  consultation framework, known as the Wall. It is a structured template for the initial client consultation that covers the bases many therapists worry about missing: building trust quickly, screening appropriately, and setting a client up to succeed before the real work even begins.

Walking into a session already knowing your consultation has you covered is, for many practitioners, one of the single biggest confidence boosts this workshop provides.

A Magical Ingredient: Rapport

Derek, a published author and recognised expert in rapport and body language, will share his approach to building genuine rapport with both the conscious and unconscious minds of a client. This isn't just a nice-to-have skill sitting alongside the Swan, it's the foundation the rest of the work is built on. Getting rapport right from the outset gives you a real head start in the therapy room, setting the stage for smoother sessions and better outcomes across everything that follows.

What's covered

Day One: Foundations

  • Rapport before the Swan. Derek's own approach to building rapport with a client's subconscious before the protocol even begins, drawn from his book on the subject.
  • The Wall. Bob's original consultation framework, the template that takes a client from nervous stranger to ready, still taught in full.
  • The Swan Protocol: theory and demonstration. A full live demo, then a breakdown of what happened and why.

Day Two: Practice and Depth

  • Practical breakout sessions. Hands on Swan practice in small groups, with debriefs after each round.
  • Direct voice. How to work with and understand the direct voice response, an area many practitioners have only touched on lightly.
  • Self-swanning. Using the Swan on yourself, not just with clients.
  • Troubleshooting. What to do when the Swan does not respond the way you expect. Real, practical answers for real sessions.
  • Live Q and A.

What you'll take away

  • A repeatable, structured consultation template you can use with every new client
  • Full grounding in the Swan Protocol itself, from first contact through to depth work
  • Confidence and practical skill in using all aspects of the Swan
  • The ability to work with and interpret direct voice responses and the ability to use self swanning
  • Real strategies for when the Swan does not respond as expected, not just theory
  • Hands-on practice time, not just demonstration
  • A live space to ask Derek anything, whether you are brand new to the Swan or returning to sharpen your skills

Already Trained in the Swan? Come Back for a Refresh

If you have done a Swan workshop before, whether with Bob or otherwise, you are welcome to return at a reduced refresher rate.

The core of the protocol has not changed, but how it is taught has. Derek brings his own teaching style and his own emphasis, particularly on rapport, direct voice, and troubleshooting, and many practitioners find that revisiting the Swan with a different teacher, and a few more years of practice behind them, is exactly what makes it finally click.

Who should attend

Practitioners with some hypnotherapy background who want to develop confidence with the Swan Protocol, whether that means learning it as a stand-alone go-to approach, adding it alongside techniques you already use, or keeping it in reserve for the clients other methods have not reached. Suitable both for those completely new to the Swan and for those who have trained before and want to go deeper, particularly into direct voice, self-swanning, and real-world troubleshooting.

Logistics

  • Online via Zoom
  • 23rd and 24th January 2027, 1pm to 5pm UK Time each day
  • Streamed replay access available for 12 months after the event

Register your interest using the form below. We will let you know when booking is open and any early booking bonuses.

Register Interest Form