Helping Clients with Obsessive Thinking and Compulsive Patterns

With Jørgen Rasmussen

A practical training for therapists, coaches, and changework practitioners

What if the struggle isn’t the problem?

What if the very effort to help clients overcome compulsive thoughts is, in subtle ways, part of what keeps those thoughts in place?

Many practitioners are trained to help clients manage, challenge, or reframe their thinking. It sounds sensible. It often feels helpful in the moment.

And yet, with compulsive thinking, something different tends to happen.

When solutions quietly reinforce the problem

With clients who experience obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviours, the usual approaches can backfire.

Trying to control thoughts can make them feel more significant.
Trying to manage anxiety can reinforce the sense that something is wrong.
Even well-intentioned coping strategies can strengthen the very patterns they aim to resolve.

Over time, both practitioner and client can find themselves working harder without things truly shifting.

This is one reason many experienced practitioners quietly admit that they find this area challenging.

A Confession

Jørgen writes:

“I have a confession: I used to dread working with clients who struggled with compulsive thoughts and rituals. And having mentored therapists and coaches for many years, I have discovered that this had been the case for them as well.

And there is a reason for that. Most approaches attempt to help the client change, manage or control either WHAT they think or HOW they think, but this often backfires as it adds even more thinking and helps mark out the thoughts as even more important. The outcome usually being that the solutions end up maintaining the problem.  This is also the case with the safety rituals that people develop in an attempt to cope. They tend to reinforce the sense of threat.

What is needed is a radically different relationship to one’s thoughts and feelings.

For those who struggle with compulsive thoughts it seems as if the thoughts themselves have some sort of inherent power. An inherent power to make them act, feel, or to worry, ruminate or become hypervigilant.

It looks as if the thoughts and feelings come with a command or urge to compel behaviours and subsequent thoughts and feelings

But this is an illusion. It only seems that way. But it’s of no use to someone that it’s an illusion until they discover for themselves in an embodied way the illusory nature of thinking.

This seminar is designed to help clients see through this illusion and offers practical frameworks and strategies from the psychological illusion model as well as behavioural interventions”

You may recognise this in your own work

You might have seen clients who:

• feel driven by thoughts that seem to carry a kind of urgency or command
• develop rituals or mental strategies to try to neutralise discomfort
• understand, intellectually, that their fears are irrational, yet still feel compelled to act
• make progress in sessions, only to find the patterns returning in daily life

And you may have noticed that the more you try to help them deal with the thoughts, the more central those thoughts seem to become.

In addition, Jorgen notes that hypnotherapists can often find these clients challenging as their busy minds often make hypnotic work more difficult.

A different way of understanding what’s happening

What if the sense of compulsion is not coming from the thoughts themselves?

What if it only appears that way?

From the perspective of the Psychological Illusion Model, the power of compulsive thinking is not inherent. It is perceived.

Thoughts can seem to carry urgency, meaning, and force.
But that sense of force is created in the moment.

For many clients, there is a kind of “thought fusion”, where it looks as if certain thoughts have the power to compel action, create emotion, or pull them into rumination or hypervigilance.

But what if that power is only appearing to be there?

Until this is seen clearly, it feels real.
Once it is seen through, something fundamental shifts.

It is not enough for someone to be told that thoughts have no inherent power. The shift happens when they discover this for themselves, in a direct and embodied way.

Jørgen gives a simple example from his work:

A young man who was about to join the army struggled with stuttering.
It seemed as though certain letters, like “T” or “K”, had the power to make him stutter.

Every time he approached those words, the problem would appear.

But of course, no letter has any inherent power.

Through a series of simple experiments, he was able to see this for himself.
And as that understanding shifted, so did the pattern.

This same mechanism shows up in many different forms.

With certain thoughts
With specific situations
With particular sensations or triggers

It can look as though something external or internal has the power to compel a response.

But what if that power is only appearing to be there?

You may find it useful to hear Jørgen explain this in his own words.

In this short video, he shares a simple example that illustrates the core idea behind this approach.

This is what this workshop explores

The Helping OCD Clients Masterclass is designed to give you a practical, experience-based understanding of how to work with compulsive thinking in a different way.

What is needed is not more tools to change what someone thinks or how they think, but a way to guide them to a fundamentally different relationship to their thoughts and feelings.

Rather than adding more strategies on top of the problem, this training helps you guide clients towards seeing through the mechanism that creates it.

What you will experience

This is a hands-on, practitioner-focused training. You will:

  • explore how the sense of compulsion is created and how it can dissolve
  • learn how to frame sessions in a way that opens space rather than reinforces struggle
  • discover analogies and ways of communicating that genuinely land with clients
  • learn how to use compulsion inquiries to help clients test their experience directly
  • guide simple experiments that reveal the illusory nature of thoughts and sensations
  • see how to combine insight-based work with effective behavioural and exposure-style interventions
  • understand how to prevent clients becoming “compulsed” around techniques themselves
  • develop confidence in working with objections, setbacks, and complex cases
  • experience shifts in your own understanding that directly inform your work

What makes this approach different

Most approaches focus on changing thoughts or managing reactions.

This work takes a different direction.

It does not try to fight or fix thinking.
It helps clients see what thinking is and how it functions.

From that shift, change happens more naturally.

You are not applying techniques to the content of the problem.
You are helping clients see the nature of the process itself.

One of the challenges in this area is that clients can even become “compulsed” around the techniques intended to help them.

This is one reason why adding more tools is not always the answer.

For many practitioners, this represents a shift in identity as much as skillset.
From someone who manages problems to someone who facilitates insight.

Who this is for

This workshop is for you if:

• you are a therapist, coach, hypnotherapist, or changework practitioner
• you already work with clients and are comfortable guiding change processes
• you are open to mindbody perspectives and experiential learning
• you are interested in working beyond the limits of purely technique-driven approaches

It may not be the right fit if:

• you are looking for a strictly medical or protocol-based framework
• if you are just looking for a new tool in your toolbox and are tied to the framework you operate from. This is about guiding someone to have a different relationship to their experience.
• you prefer rigid, step-by-step methods with little flexibility

About Jørgen Rasmussen

Jørgen Rasmussen has worked professionally as an agent of change for over thirty years.

He is the author of Provocative Hypnosis and Provocative Suggestions, both widely respected in the field. John Grinder (co-creator of NLP) says of his work… “This is the stuff of genius”.

His work integrates hypnosis, NLP, meditation, and both Eastern and Western psychological approaches.

He is also the originator of the Psychological Illusion Model, a framework that explores how experience is created and how insight leads to meaningful change.

Practical details

Format: Live online via Zoom
Date: Sunday 28th June 2026
Time: 12pm to 5pm UK time

You do not need prior training in the Psychological Illusion Model to benefit from this workshop.

A simple invitation

If you have ever felt that working with compulsive thinking requires something deeper than more tools or techniques, this training may offer a useful shift. If this speaks to how you want to work, you are welcome to join us.

What people are saying about Jørgen's workshops

Practitioners who train with Jørgen often describe a shift that goes beyond learning new techniques. It changes how they understand their work, and how they show up with clients.

Here is a sample of what people have said after attending his trainings:

“I will never look at change work the same way again.”
The Psychological Illusion Model has fundamentally changed how I work with clients. It’s a real game changer.
Johan

“What I experienced was truly life-changing.”
Jørgen’s work goes far beyond the intellect. His commitment to the model and the depth behind it is evident throughout.
Natasha, Clinical Psychologist

“I use this work every day with clients and achieve amazing results.”
Since starting with this approach, my practice has grown through word of mouth alone.
Peter Jakobsen, Hypnotherapist and Metacognitive Therapist

“It expanded my thinking and raised my level of change work.”
I gained practical insight into how to get better results with clients, and now feel confident applying it.
Linda Szabo

“A game changer in how I approach complex client issues.”
Clear, practical, and immediately applicable. It opened up entirely new possibilities in my work.
Thomas Wood

A Super Rare Chance to Train Live In Person with Bob Burns!

Join us in person in Birmingham, UK on 6th and 7th June 2026 for a rare opportunity to train with Bob Burns Hypnotist, Mentalist, Trainer and much more including the creator of the legendary Swan Protocol.

Bob’s work is inspirational, experimental and practical , all at the same time, a feat not many people manage. In these packed two days, Bob will share content covering hypnosis, his wonderful consultation framework, the Swan protocol, his unique approach to fail safe icebreakers, his stop smoking protocol, lucid dreaming and much much more including some things he has never shared in a workshop like this before.

This Is Likely To Be Bob's Last Workshop

Bob says that the forthcoming workshop in Birmingham will most likely be the final live workshop he ever delivers. Over the years, Bob’s work has reached people all over the world through hypnosis, The Swan, workshops, therapy, stories, demonstrations, and the many unusual and memorable ways he teaches.

For many people, training with Bob has been one of those experiences that genuinely stays with them. And now, it looks like this may be the final opportunity to experience that live and in person.

This workshop is different to Bob's previous two day workshops.....

What Will The Workshop Cover?

Lots! In this content-packed workshop you will learn:

  • The perfect consultation. Bob’s template for each session which he calls the Wall. You will possess the full and complete knowledge of its power, AND be shown how to deliver it in a full consultation
  • The Swan. Bob has developed his unique and effective Swan protocol which is used by therapists across the globe. This is a way of making instant contact with the subconscious in a fully wakened state without hypnosis, as well as being a perfect complement to any hypnosis session. This is an effective technique for change with clients as well as for yourself.
  • The gift of the icebreaker (hidden in plain site). Bob will share what has earned him the reputation as the King of the Icebreaker.
  • Bob’s formula for handling any given challenge by any member of the public in either the therapy room, street or impromptu situation.
  • A fail-safe way of demonstrating hypnosis in a group setting.
  • Bobs proven stop smoking protocol.
  • Bob's approach to lucid dreaming.
  • Mentalism in Hypnosis – Bob will share some tools and techniques which cross over from mentalism to hypnosis and can be used in the therapy room.
  • The most important therapy questions answered.
  • And MORE.....including some of Bob's 'secrets' never shared in this format before.

Find out more about all these topics further down this page.

A Rare Chance to Train With Bob

Last year we thought we might be planning what was to be Bob's last ever workshop. However, we are fortunate that Bob has offered to do another workshop and not only that but to do it live in person. This is obviously a rare opportunity to do such a full comprehensive workshop and could be the last.

Find out more about what will be covered at the workshop

The Swan

Discover the most unusual but most effective strategy for personal change… ‘THE SWAN’

Take 5 minutes, watch below and find out why Bob Burn’s, ‘The SWAN’ is now actively used by therapists and healers in more than 85 countries around the world…

In this clip, Bob explains what the SWAN is… and how he deals with people when they first arrive for a session. Enjoy…

A full demonstration will take place of The Swan Process. Bob will reveal how to make instant contact with the subconscious in a full wakened state without any form of hypnosis. He will also revea why The Swan is NOT an Ideo-Motor Response.

Bob will explain and demonstrate every single word, movement and hesitation (and why) of how The Swan should be presented. Students will leave with the hard copy of every ‘little difference that makes the big difference’ with regard to the presentation of the Swan. And yes, this will be workshopped by the students during the 2 days, giving them the knowledge and confidence to deliver this fascinating process for the rest of their lives.

The Perfect Consultation

The door opens and a stranger walks in…. to be met by another stranger. One is a nervous client, the other a therapist, who can ‘go with the flow’, but that is only because they own and are highly trained in: a process. A magical template which takes them from station to station in an incredible journey whereby the client now possesses no more nerves. Rather in their place is now the knowledge that this is indeed the therapist. This is the one who is about to help them. And not just because this therapist knows exactly what to do and say, but also how to deliver these skills in this… ‘The Perfect Consultation’

And in order to possess The Perfect Consultation one has to know how to break down ‘The Wall’

The Wall is a total and complete description of the consultation Bob Burns has built up in his therapy room in over 40 years. It has been said by many full time therapists around the world that if a new student only learned:

The Bob Burns Wall Template … they could literally walk into a therapy room and begin healing patients (something Bob does NOT advocate!). However, it is taught in such a way by Bob Burns himself that all students will possess the full and complete knowledge of its power, AND be shown how to deliver it in a full consultation. The student will leave with every single word (hard copy) Bob uses and his entire repertoire exactly the way he presents it.

The Gift of the Icebreaker

For those who maybe aren’t aware, apart from doing lectures and workshops all around the world with his English wife for many years, Bob also worked professionally as a magician and mentalist and stage hypnotists. And those ‘other’ talents have helped him greatly in his therapeutic life.

Bob feels it is now time to pass these wonderful skills on to others who would like to be taught by someone who knows the ‘secrets’ and the best ways of delivering them. Not only in relaxing clients in the therapy room but Bob has been known for many years as: ‘The King of The Ice Breaker’ and many talk of being with him as he literally bumps into strangers in coffee shops and pubs etc and watching those strangers make an appointment with him in minutes!

Bob has now finally decided it is time to share some of these incredible ‘ice-breaking skills’ with his therapy students and of course show how they can be used in the therapy room, in order to form beautiful analogies, to help clients grasp the concept of what the therapist is saying.
And yes, Bob absolutely GUARANTEES that you will use these skills on a daily basis for the rest of your lives!

Stop Smoking

Bob really dislikes the cigarette industry, having lost many of his friends and family to lung cancer!
Right now there are therapists in the world teaching how to Sop Smoking. They can VERY EASILY charge £500 or more per session. And to train with them you can pay over £10,000. Not a problem, they’re good and genuinely do what’s written on the tin!

However the interesting thing is that Bob Burns taught many of THEM how to do this.

And now, to honour all those who have passed at the hands of the tobacco industry Bob will be teaching the attendees of this workshop on how to learn these incredible skills at no extra cost other than the normal fees for the workshop itself.

HIS success record in this field exploded many years ago and he’ll be sharing the secrets on WHY and HOW that happened!

Lucid Dreaming

You sleep for around 25 years of your life. And in that sleep most of the good stuff happens.
Learning to lucid dream, becoming conscious within a dream, offers profound benefits including personal growth, enhanced creativity and limitless entertainment as you explore this incredible gift of your subconscious mind. Even practicing real life skills as you sleep!

Bob has been a Lucid Dreamer for most of his life and has taught Lucid Dreaming around the world.
On THIS workshop once again he will be introducing and teaching this incredible skill and showing how this formula can indeed be influenced, practiced and controlled.
Using: ‘Swan Lucid Dreaming’!

Five Point Rebuttal Formula

Designed by Bob Burns in the 80’s this is a full formula whereby the therapist can handle any given challenge by any member of the public in either the therapy room, street or
impromptu. This ensures the hypnotist will never fear any challenge from any person with regard to their hypnotic skills. Bob will demonstrate this in full so that you will be able to use it thereafter.

Group Presentations

Here the student will be shown how to story-tell, how to test the audience for both imagination and response tests. Students will also be shown how to demonstrate hypnosis (or the power of suggestion) where there can be NO failure. And of course Bob’s now world famous teaching of ‘how to present a simple business card’ in a way the recipient will never forget you!

Mentalism in Hypnosis

As a fulltime professional stage hypnotist and mentalist/magician over many years Bob will be revealing several of the very best things that crossover from mentalism to hypnosis, including work he uses in his actual therapy rooms. At the end of this section the students will have that ability and the knowledge in how to present these. This is something you WILL use, again and again and again!

Your Investment

  • Book now to secure the best early booking price of £275. Regular price is £350.
  • Spaces are limited, save your space with a deposit now to guarantee your place.
  • If you have attended a full 2 day workshop with Bob previously (either online or in person) we currently have a special price of £220 (NB this workshop is different in format to previous ones). Contact us if this applies to you info@aetherandalchemy.net

Location and Timing

The workshop will take place in the Caledonian Room at the IBIS Birmingham New Street. Arcadian Centre, 21 Ladywell Walk, Birmingham B5 4ST. The venue is very central being just a three minute walk from Birmingham New Street Station.

The workshop will start at 9:30am and finish at 4:30am each day. There will be breaks, including a lunch break during each day.

What People Are Saying

"I would just like to say a big thank you to Pete Dalton and Bob Burns for putting on an amazing workshop. Its was packed full of great teachings, learnings and also great storys from Bob that put the meat on the bones, I really enjoyed it and the time just flew by, I just wished it had been longer. Anyone thinking about doing a workshop with Bob “Just stop it” ! and get on and do it!!!!

Des Howden

"Amazing Weekend! The SWAN introduces a new dynamic to therapy, its approach is so simple and yet has a depth which is limited by the curiosity alone!
Andrew Embling. Coach and Therapist

"Having attended Bob Burns “Swan Protocol Workshop” a few times I would say that he is without doubt the most gifted trainer in the field of Hypnotherapy & Hypnosis techniques, the way Bob imparts and teaches his knowledge is very unique with it all coming from his own experiences in the therapy room which give the students a better understanding of how they can expand their own knowledge and success. I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the Hypnotherapy field to get themselves booked onto one of Bob’s workshops,you won’t be disappointed."

George Watson, Kingdom Hypnotherapy

"Bob Burns says that the first time you fully get the Swan protocol to work, “you will explode!” A big claim for a single protocol but he’s not kidding - this is a seriously powerful technique and you are doing yourself and your clients a disservice if you don’t have it. Bob is hypnotherapy royalty and his training is fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a training as much, and Bob’s ability to work with a huge group, yet make you feel like you’re the only person in the room, is incredible. He is incredibly generous with his time and his training - if you are a new therapist just starting out this information covers everything you could possibly need to know, and I count myself very lucky to have attended. This was my first training with Bob, but I’m sure it won’t be my last!"

Vic Paterson, The Curiosity Space

"I took the 2-day training with Bob on the Swan technique. It turned out to be a game-changer for me.
Not only did Bob go into the finer details of the technique, but he also shared probably all of the knowledge that he has gained over many years in his craft, and the techniques and "tricks" that he uses in therapy, and outside of therapy. I would recommend this training to anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of therapy, hypnosis, life, techniques that will change your business and how you operate, and a greater understanding of who you are. Thank you very much Bob, I was not expecting such a transformational, eye-opening and funny two days".

Yours sincerely, Patrick Bradley, Hypnotherapist.

"After hearing a friend in Australia talk about what she referred to as a ‘mind-blowing’ technique used by her coach, I became intrigued by the Swan Protocol. My research took me straight to Bob’s sessions, which were stalled due to Covid. Luckily for me, the session was run soon after and online. We spent 2 days over zoom led by Bob Burns, the inventor of the Swan, with the help of Pete Dalton.

Bob skilfully and enthusiastically introduced us to the technique in a manner that suited me, the complete beginner very well. Admittedly, I had my doubts after Day 1 and was unsure I would be able to successfully use this. However Bob gently encouraged me to give it a go the next day and it worked. His style is encouraging, never forceful. It is obvious how much he actually cares that what he is teaching is in fact understood by the recipients. I must mention, being that it was the first time the workshop was run online, it was seamless, I would have thought they were experienced at it.

I look forward to practicing, and will happily attend another course led by Bob. Thank you immensely for the effort that went into these two days".

Suparna Malhotra

"I completed a 2 day Swan Protocol Workshop via Zoom recently. It was absolutely fascinating, with the hand movements and inner voice coming through. Bob Burns made the Workshop fun, and he conducted it with humour. The Workshop was very informative, and I would thoroughly recommend it. Prior to the Workshop, I was a chronic insomniac, since the Workshop, I have slept much better".
Alison Kennedy

"I attended Bob Burn’s two day Workshop. It was a content packed workshop, which not only instructed us on The Swan but also other aspects of his therapy. Bob is generous with his information as well as his time. It was a thoroughly enjoyable two days and I have no hesitation in recommending this as an excellent value, and enjoyable two day workshop".

Jane Clark -Clinical Hypnotherapist

"I attended this workshop knowing of Bob Burns and The Swan by reputation only. I was not disappointed. Bob kept me laughing and smiling while he forced knowledge into my brain almost by stealth (Sneaky is best!). Bob is very generous with his knowledge and experience and I learnt much more than I had bargained for. A fantastic way to spend a few days – I’d highly recommend".

Caroline Pett

"I enjoyed training with Bob Burns very much. What I liked best about Bob Burns’s approach to training is the light heartedness. Learning with him really is fun. More than that he brings out the joy in the process itself and his assurance that perfection isn’t necessary gives me the confidence to go out and use the protocols he taught. He also provides a solid track to run on so I know where I am going when I use his methods".
Julie Perks

A different way of understanding psychological suffering

Many approaches to personal change focus on managing symptoms, changing thoughts, or regulating emotions.

The Psychological Illusion Model (PIM) starts from a different place.

Rather than asking “How do we fix this experience?” it explores something more fundamental:

What if much of our psychological suffering is based on a misunderstanding of thought, identity, and the sense of self itself?

In this free live session, Jørgen Rasmussen introduces the core principles behind the Psychological Illusion Model and demonstrates how insight into the illusory nature of psychological experience can lead to meaningful and lasting change.

Developed through nearly three decades of client work, the Psychological Illusion Model reflects Jørgen’s distinctive approach to understanding human experience and facilitating change.

What is the Psychological Illusion Model?

The Psychological Illusion Model is a framework for understanding human experience that brings together:

Modern insights from psychology, hypnosis, and change work

Direct, experiential inquiry into thought, identity, and perception

A practical, non-dogmatic exploration of how the sense of “self” is created moment to moment

Rather than offering techniques or protocols, PIM points to something simpler and more radical:

When people clearly see how their experience is being created, suffering often reduces naturally, without effort or control.

What this session will explore

In this free online event, Jørgen Rasmussen will explain how much psychological suffering is not the result of people being broken or mentally ill, but often arises from innocently falling for basic psychological illusions.

When people misunderstand the nature of their own experience, distress can feel deeply personal and inescapable. Helping them see through these misunderstandings can make a profound difference.

Jørgen will also introduce how the Psychological Illusion Model effectively turns hypnosis upside down. Rather than reinforcing suggestion, it offers a way of helping people “de-hypnotise” themselves — seeing through the assumptions that keep anxiety, low mood, chronic pain, or trauma-related patterns in place.

Who Should Attend?

This session is especially relevant for therapists, coaches, counsellors, hypnotherapists, and other change-workers who want a deeper understanding of how psychological suffering is created and maintained. It will also appeal to those who are curious about approaches that go beyond techniques and symptom management, and who are interested in insight-based change, identity, and the nature of experience itself. No prior knowledge of the Psychological Illusion Model is required, just an openness to exploring a different way of understanding mind and change.

Register for free
Sign up for free on the page here:
https://aetherandalchemy.aweb.page/Introduction-to-the-Psychological-Illusion-Model--Mar-26

Register your interest using the form at the foot of this page to keep informed of scheduled dates and booking offers

Discover Dancing with the Abyss:  A Constructionist Therapy informed by Gnosis and Esoteric Spirituality. A workshop for therapists and healers.

Modern psychotherapy often presents itself as the most advanced approach to healing the mind. Yet across cultures and throughout history, healers have achieved profound change using methods that fall far outside today’s therapeutic models. Dancing with the Abyss invites practitioners to step beyond conventional assumptions and explore how meaning, belief, altered states, and deeper forms of knowing can transform the way we understand therapy and psychological change.

NB this is a workshop designed for change workers and is different to the previous workshop which focussed on personal development.

Context

Psychotherapy prides itself on being the apex model for treating mental health issues and problems.  In reality, it is a confused and limited paradigm, beset by internal contradictions and replete with outmoded, medical-model assumptions that limit, rather than enhance, outcomes.  Two assumptions are particularly egregious:  1)  psychotherapy works like medicine and 2) pre-existing mental health models, particularly shamanic and esoteric spiritual paradigms, can be dismissed as “merely placebo.”

In truth, every culture has included gifted healers who independently discovered the apex practices of change and transformation.  These “therapeutic wizards” attributed their successes to their mastery of the “secret knowledge” or gnosis.  Aldous Huxley, in his book, The Perennial Philosophy, documented the existence of such healers and explored the secret knowledge that unites all their practices.

Moreover, psychotherapy involves “changing one’s mind” and mind exists in a constructed reality that is much more fluid and amorphous than the somatic realities addressed by the medical model.  Social Constructionism is the modern discipline that both grasps the nature of mind and points towards nodes of intervention and understanding.

Finally, constructivism, when taken to its limits,always encounters a “relativity problem.”  When anything can be deconstructed, a healer can find themselves without a place to stand.  Happily, the gnosis inherent in shamanism and mysticism can resolve this issue by ensuring that all conceptualizations, interventions, and debriefings are grounded in what Paul Tillich calls “an ultimate concern.”  

In sum, this workshop examines psychotherapy from a cross-cultural, esoteric and altered states perspective.  It begins by deconstructing prevailing assumptions about therapy that are both unsubstantiated and counter-productive. The contributions of constructionism and esoteric spirituality are reviewed and pragmatic contributions are highlighted.  Finally, the ability to ground interventions and interpretations on a solid path is emphasized.

Why Take This Course?

Background:  Standard psychotherapy models are contrasted with alternative models from constructionism and esoteric spirituality.  The central goal is to enhance the healer’s options and choices once they understand the tenuous and fluid nature of the therapeutic environment. A particular emphasis is placed on the additional degrees of freedom available once one understands that psychotherapeutic techniques lack inherent power.

Experiential:  The workshop is based around six experiential exercises, each of which illustrates a significant aspect of secret knowledge and spirituality.  Some of these interventions will be extant psychotherapeutic practices; however, the way they are introduced and explored will reveal how they relate and lead to gnosis. As part of the workshop, there will be an opportunity to present cases and review how they could evolve given a constructionist perspective.

Deconstructionism:  Conventional psychotherapeutic practice is based on shared Western assumptions about what is real and what is unreal.  Access to secret knowledge requires identifying assumptions that covertly mask the truth and deconstructing them.  Berger and Luckmann, noted social constructionists, argue that human suffering is universal and real but that cultures construct unique explanations for the suffering.  Understand how these arbitrary constructions limit interventions and lock practitioners into a minimal range of therapeutic possibilities.

Spirituality:  The Perennial Philosophy and the Secret Knowledge also have the goal of personal liberation, compassion, and access to the ground of reality.  This goal of realization and gnosis is paradoxically related to the freedom and apparent chaos of a fully deconstructed sense of social reality.  Paul Tillich, noted existential theologian, worked to update the Perennial Philosophy for modern, Western culture and developed an approach to spirituality that is available to all individuals—from the overtly spiritual to atheists to the undefined.  The workshop reviews Tillich’s work and shows how to integrate it into a modern practice of psychotherapy.

Who Is This Course For and What Will You Master?

Participants:  This workshop is designed for all psychotherapists and related healers (coaches, case managers, counselors and facilitators).  These ancient principles are designed to fit numerous types of structured and unstructured situations and can be easily adapted to different environments.

Interventions:  While specific interventions will be taught and experienced, the emphasis will always be on understanding the fluid nature of therapeutic reality and how to design rituals that maximize client fit, expectations and beliefs.  Faith in the inherent power of psychotherapeutic techniques is a misconstrual and one of the chief targets for deconstruction.  Healers must do something—literally make interventions—but embracers of gnosis understand that almost anything can be therapeutic if it is framed correctly.

Altered States:  Constructionists are expert at understanding how cultures and individuals create realities and the assumptions at the root of such creations.  As a corollary, they are equally expert in altered states, levels of consciousness that occur when the therapist helps the client move from secular space into sacred space.  The appropriate utilization of altered states is a central strategy in a constructionist-informed psychotherapy.

Lasting Change:  According to the Perennial Philosophy, lasting change is always based on the manifestation of a life path that addresses an authentic Ultimate Concern.  Each client is on or off their own path and at different stages on their path.  Effective healers recognize the nature of their own path, accept the variability in client paths, and cultivate discernment about unproductive paths.  Dancing with the Abyss is a metaphor for the dynamic tension between healthy practices and the knowledge that real wisdom and inner peace lie beyond practices.  Using a common gnostic metaphor, one must “kill the Buddha to become Buddha.”

In this short introduction video, Dr Stephen Bacon shares a story about Anton Mesmer relevant to Dancing with the Abyss and explains why some of the most powerful forces in psychological change may lie outside the assumptions of modern psychotherapy.

Course Structure

The course is structured in two distinct parts:

Part 1:  The first half of the workshop covers The Perennial Philosophy, the lineage of gnosis (secret knowledge), and the problematic assumptions and misconstruals that arise from scientific Psychology’s approach to mental health and healing.  Understanding the implications of constructionism for creativity and client fit are covered; finally, there is an emphasis on cultivating a consciousness of the fluidity of the past and present.

Part 2:  The second half of the workshop focuses on reprogramming the map of what Kahneman calls the “fast thinking” aspect of the unconscious mind.  The central relevance of altered states to change is examined and an exploration of Tillich’s path of Ultimate Concern completes the workshop.

About Stephen Bacon

Stephen has a background that bridges spirituality, psychology, and psychotherapy.  He has worked as a psychologist in private practice for over 30 years, served as the Vice President for Program Development for Outward Bound USA. He has a Religious Studies degree, and lived in a yoga ashram for almost 6 years. 

His current focus has been on exploring how psychotherapy works, the nature of social constructionism, and the connections between spirituality and therapy.  He regularly conduct workshops, in the US and internationally, on these topics and have published numerous articles and a recent book, Practicing Psychotherapy in Constructed Reality: Ritual, Charisma, and Enhanced Client Outcomes.

What People Are Saying About Stephen's Work

“Despite being on the scene for nearly 150 years, psychotherapy has never has mass appeal. The majority of people who could benefit actively choose not to go. What is more, significant numbers end contact before achieving a reliable improvement in their well-being -25% of more after a single visit. Bacon’s thought provoking book not only explains why but offers a practical and effective alternative for engaging people in therapy and improving outcomes.”

- Scott D. Miller, director of the International Centre for Clinical Excellence

“This provocative book advocates the idea that the therapist is at the core of what makes psychotherapy and effective treatment. Bacon challenges prevailing wisdom by encouraging therapists to develop greater charisma if they want to maximize their impact on client mental health.”

- Michael J. Lambert, Brigham Young University

“I got 20 pages into Practicing Psychotherapy in Constructed Reality: Ritual, Charisma, and Enhanced Client Outcomes and just knew I had to contact Stephen and ask him to share this material. I am glad I did, as Stephen’s work has profound implications for people involved in, or interested in, the whole field of change work”. 

 - Pete Dalton – Aether and Alchemy

Register Your Interest Using The Form Below

Register your interest to keep informed of launch offers and dates.

Register Interest Form

Book Two Workshops Together and Get a Bundle Deal!

Book Two Jørgen Rasmussen Workshops Together

And Receive a Discounted Bundle Price

We are pleased to offer a special bundle deal for those who would like to attend both of Jørgen Rasmussen’s forthcoming workshops.

When you book The Art of Insight in Coaching and Therapy and Psychological Illusion Model Training together, you receive a discounted price compared to booking each workshop separately.

This bundle is ideal if you want a deeper, more integrated understanding of how insight happens and how psychological illusions shape human experience and change.

If you would like to attend both workshops and take advantage of the bundle discount, please book via this page.

What’s Included in the Bundle

The Art of Insight in Coaching and Therapy

With Jørgen Rasmussen

This workshop explores what actually creates meaningful and lasting change in coaching and therapy.

Rather than focusing on techniques or methods, Jørgen looks at how insights arise naturally when the right conditions are present. The emphasis is on understanding the psychological principles behind insight, and how practitioners can create contexts where clients see something new for themselves.

This course is particularly relevant for coaches, therapists, counsellors, and change workers who want to work in a simpler, more natural, and more effective way.

Find out more about this workshop:
https://aetherandalchemy.net/event/the-art-of-insight-in-coaching-and-therapy/

Psychological Illusion Model Training

With Jørgen Rasmussen

The Psychological Illusion Model (PIM) offers a clear framework for understanding how human suffering is often maintained by mistaken perceptions rather than underlying psychological flaws.

In this training, Jørgen introduces the core principles of the model and shows how people can naturally de-hypnotise themselves from the psychological illusions behind anxiety, low mood, stress, and other common difficulties.

This workshop is not about applying techniques to clients, but about helping people see through what they are innocently misunderstanding, allowing change to happen with less effort.

Find out more about this workshop:
https://aetherandalchemy.net/event/psychological-illusion-model-training/


Why Book the Bundle?

Taken together, these two workshops offer a coherent and complementary view of human change.
One focuses on how insight arises, the other on what is being seen through.

If you are drawn to Jørgen’s work and want a more complete understanding of his approach, the bundle provides both depth and value, along with a reduced price.

Find about each workshop at the links below

A deep training in insight-oriented changework and the art of helping people see through the illusions behind their suffering.

Main Workshop: April 18th and April 19th 2026 12pm -6pm UK time. Follow up session: 20th May 6pm -8pm UK Time. Online Live Training

What If Psychological Suffering Is a Misperception?

Imagine walking through the desert.

You see a snake in front of you.

Your heart pounds. Your breath shortens. Your body prepares for danger.

Then you look more closely.

It is not a snake.
It is a rope.

Nothing external changed. Yet everything changed.

Your physiology settles. Your fear disappears. No coping strategy required. No belief to replace. No emotional processing. Just one thing:

You saw clearly.

The Psychological Illusion Model (PIM) is built on this principle.

What we call anxiety, depression, compulsions, phobias, chronic stress, and much psychological suffering can often be understood as variations of seeing a snake where there is a rope, deeply convincing experiences created through thought that appear to be reality itself.

It’s Less About Doing and More About Seeing

Many approaches try to fix the “snake.”

This work helps people realise it is a rope.

When that shift happens, relief can follow naturally not because something was controlled, but because something was understood.

Watch Jørgen discuss the PIM Workshop

Learn an Amazing Approach to Changework

Jørgen Rasmussen shares his methods of effective therapeutic change and how to become a more effective agent of change and in this workshop you will:

  • Learn to go back to the first principles of change and simplify your change work
  • Discover how understanding the psychological illusion model can make change work more effective
  • Find out how the mindsets of some therapists can hinder their effectiveness and how to overcome these challenges

Drawing on over 25 years of therapeutic practice, Jørgen shares his approach to therapeutic change and his experiences working with difficult or ‘impossible’ clients.  This has resulted in him simplifying his approach and going back to the first principles of change. This has led him to develop what he terms the ‘psychological illusion model’ of change work.  He also shares his discovery about how many therapists can become more effective by getting out of their own way.

Not Techniques. Not Protocols. Insight.

This training is not about adding more tools to your toolkit.

It is not about scripts, step-by-step methods, or treatment formats.

Instead, this work orients around:

  • Framing
  • Context creation
  • Psychological change artistry
  • Helping people have direct, embodied insights

Rather than trying to change thoughts, manage emotions, or fix behaviour, this approach explores how experience itself is constructed and how suffering often dissolves when the illusion behind it is seen.

The Practitioner’s Role Changes

You are not: forcing, correcting, or managing symptoms.

You are helping create the conditions where clients begin to see how experience is being constructed moment-to-moment. 

The change comes from their insight, not your intervention.

The Magic Trick We Don’t See

Many of us have watched a magician perform a trick and felt slightly foolish afterwards.

We know it is an illusion

But while watching, it feels completely real.

All our attempts to figure out how the trick works only make us more confused because our solutions are based on the same blind spot that allows the illusion to work.

Psychological suffering often functions like this.

People can become absorbed in imagined worst-case scenarios and experience real anxiety.

They can become absorbed in “I’m worthless” and feel depression.

They can become absorbed in “this pain means something is seriously wrong” and magnify chronic suffering.

It is not that they are broken.

It is that they are caught in a psychological magic trick.

This training is like being invited backstage with the magician.

Through stories, demonstrations, and practical experiments, participants explore the mechanisms behind these illusions and learn how to help clients discover this for themselves.

Not by convincing them. Not by correcting them. But by helping them see.

Helping Clients “De-Hypnotise” Themselves

Hypnosis can be described as becoming fully absorbed in an imagined reality.

But people often do this already.

Absorbed in imagined futures.

Absorbed in self-judgements.

Absorbed in catastrophic interpretations.

The Psychological Illusion Model explores how practitioners can create the conditions where clients begin to recognise how they have been “self-hypnotising” through thought and how this recognition itself changes their relationship with experience.

The practitioner’s role is not to fix, persuade, or override. It is to guide attention toward insight.

The Four Levels of Changework

Jørgen describes four levels at which change work can operate:

  1. Behavioural strategies and rituals
  2. Working with thought content and beliefs
  3. Changing one’s relationship to thought
  4. Seeing the illusory nature of experience itself

This workshop focuses on the fourth level where shifts often occur naturally as perception changes.

What You Will Experience in the Training

This is an experiential learning environment. The teaching includes:

  • Stories and metaphors that illuminate psychological illusion
  • Thought experiments and practical experiential exercises
  • Live demonstrations of changework
  • Exploration of framing and context creation
  • How to facilitate insight rather than apply technique

The aim is to help practitioners develop the sensitivity, presence, and artistry required to support insight-based change.

It Develops Change Artistry, Not Technique Accumulation

Rather than learning more methods, you develop:

• Sensitivity to psychological illusion
• Skill in framing and context creation
• Greater presence and psychological freedom as a practitioner
• The ability to work fluidly rather than mechanically

Access to Real Client Sessions

Participants receive access to 15+ hours of recorded real client sessions followed over time. These include work with:

  • Panic and money fears
  • Anger issues
  • A client working with cancer and their subjective experience
  • A remission case involving lupus, fibromyalgia, and arthritis

These recordings provide a rare opportunity to observe how this model functions in real-world contexts.

The Therapist’s Mindset: Getting Out of Your Own Way

An important part of the training explores something often overlooked:

The therapist’s internal state.

Many practitioners unknowingly divide attention between the client and maintaining their own self-image, managing insecurities, or trying to “get it right.” This consumes bandwidth and can reduce effectiveness.

This workshop explores how to reduce these tendencies and work from greater presence, flow, and psychological freedom.

An Evolving Model of Change

The Psychological Illusion Model has developed through decades of client work and draws on influences including:

  • Hypnosis and suggestion artistry
  • NLP
  • Meditation traditions
  • The Three Principles understanding
  • Developmental and psychological models

Jørgen continues refining the model through ongoing practice and teaching, and this training presents his most current thinking.

Who This Training Is For

This workshop is suited to:

  • Therapists
  • Coaches
  • Hypnotherapists
  • Changework practitioners
  • Experienced facilitators seeking a deeper, less technique-driven approach

It is particularly relevant for those who feel drawn toward insight-oriented, principle-based work.

Training Details

This Live Online Training includes:

  • Live teaching and demonstrations over a two day workshop
  • Experiential exercises
  • Access to 15+ hours of client session recordings
  • Follow-up integration session May 20th 5:45- 7:45pm UK time

Booking

Book using the form at the foot of this page.

Previous PIM participants can attend for an update and refresh at a discounted rate of £180. Also if you have attended before and you refer someone new to PIM who books on, your place is free. Contact info@aetherandalchemy.net if this is of interest.

The Art of Insight in Coaching and Therapy

There is a further discount if you book this as a bundle with Jørgen's forthcoming Psychological Illusion Model (PIM) training in April and May. Details here: https://aetherandalchemy.net/event/jorgen-rasmussen-two-workshop-bundle/

People tend to really change when they have a deep embodied insight....

The Value of Insight

Join change worker, trainer and author Jørgen Rasmussen, with over 25 years of professional client work, for this four part workshop on creating the conditions for insight and change.

Jørgen writes:

“One key insight for me after 29 years of client work is the realisation that people tend to change when they have an insight.

These are the moments where the clouds part and something clicks into place. When they see something new, have an aha or a shift in perspective.

An insight is a fresh new thought backed by a felt sense. People can have intellectual insights, but that’s quite different than a felt realisation. With the latter there is a feeling of lightness, often a sense of relief and a sweetness”.

What This Course Is About

There is a marked difference between a client having an intellectual understanding of an issue versus a client having an insight - a fresh new thought backed by embodiment or felt sense.

Renowned therapist Milton Erickson used to say that the job of the therapist was to provide “the weather”, that ism to create the conditions within which insight and change can occur.

It’s about how you can create a context so that your clients are more likely to have life changing insights. We can’t force insights or will them into being, but we can create conditions for clients to be more “accident prone”, that is, open to new and often unexpected insights.

And it is not limited only to the client. As a change worker you can also become more 'accident prone' and gain more fresh insights for yourself during client sessions and in life in general.

It’s about working with intent, framing, ways of listening, and cultivating a state of mind which is prone to insights.

This is not a course about techniques, formats or methods. It’s about how to help your clients and yourself to have more insights.

As a result, practitioners often find they can:

  • Notice earlier when a client is close to insight
  • Stop over-intervening and allow change to unfold more naturally
  • Spot when a client is circling intellectual understanding versus a genuine felt shift
  • Trust silence, timing, and simplicity more in sessions
  • Work with less effort and more clarity

Why Insight?

Because insight is where it’s at. People can change during sessions that emphasise techniques and formats, but for the most part, only if they see something new that connects to felt sense.

Therapists such as Stephen Bacon point to research that demonstrates that specific therapeutic techniques and methods have no inherent value and that simply being a ‘technician’ relying on a particular set of tools and techniques as the basis of providing change and insight is misguided.

This seminar is an opportunity to go from being a technician to being someone who artfully knows how to show up and interact in a way that makes both you and your clients accident prone to insight.

This course is about learning to show up and interact in such a way that both you and your clients are more likely to have fresh insight when working together.

Watch Jørgen Discussing The Workshop

Create the Conditions for Insight: How Change Really Happens

  • Do you ever leave a session thinking, “They understood it… but nothing changed”?
  • Do you sometimes feel you are working very hard for very small shifts?
  • Have you mastered techniques, yet still sense something deeper is missing?

Most therapists and coaches recognise the moment when something genuinely shifts for a client. It is often not when they receive good advice, learn a new strategy, or understand an idea intellectually, but when they see something new for themselves.

This workshop explores insight as the quiet but powerful engine of real change and how you can contribute to creating the conditions for change and helping your clients to become more ‘accident prone’.

Across many approaches to change including psychotherapy, hypnosis, NLP, and insight-based work, there is a recurring pattern. People tend to remain stuck as long as their current thinking looks real to them. When a fresh perspective emerges, behaviour and emotional experience often reorganise naturally and often without effort or force.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop will be of interest if you:

  • Work as a coach, therapist, or change practitioner
  • Notice that clients often “get it” intellectually but remain unchanged
  • Are curious about how insight actually happens
  • Move from being a ‘technician’ to being a ‘weather maker’
  • Want to work with less effort and more clarity
  • Value depth, simplicity, and real-world applicability over technique accumulation
  • Want to help clients get insights more easily and get personal insights in the process

Participants may leave with a clearer understanding of how change really happens, a lighter touch in sessions, and a renewed trust in insight as a natural human capacity rather than something that needs to be manufactured.

Please note that this workshop is not exclusively aimed at people who have studied Jørgen's Psychological Illusion Model (PIM) and is open to all who are involved in helping others (and themselves) gain real deep embodied insight.

Format

The workshop will take place over four 90 minute live online sessions which will include live exercises, demonstrations, experiments and tasks to be done between sessions.

Timing

The workshop will take place over four sessions on 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th March 2026. Each session will run from 6pm to 7:30pm (approx) UK time.

Your Investment

Book now for the early booking rate (payment in full or £70 deposit now and the balance by 1st March secures your place at that rate). 

What People Are Saying

"I'm looking forward to studying Jørgen's work again, again, and again. I use his work every day with clients and achieve amazing results. Since starting to work with PIM, I don't advertise anymore; I get all my clients through word of mouth. I will be studying everything thoroughly. I highly recommend anyone working with people to study PIM.”

Peter Jakobsen - Hypnotherapist and Metacognitve Therapist and a PIM-ist

"Anyone serious about leading their clients towards meaningful and lasting change should consider training with Jørgen Rasmussen. And it goes without saying that Pete Dalton is hosting one of the best platforms for change workers through Aether and Alchemy, making it an excellent resource for professionals in the field".

Thomas Wood

“It was Jørgen's books, which I discovered by accident, that sparked my desire to discover more. I signed up for his weekend seminar in search of personal transformation techniques that were different and outside the box, in order to resolve myself and others. But what I discovered was quite extraordinary. My experience was truly life-changing, embodying a knowledge that goes far beyond the intellect.

Jørgen's commitment to this model, which he has created throughout his practice, is evident. The stories he introduces are countless and each one has a real purpose. I recommend this experience in Aether and Alchemy without any hesitation".

Natasha Gallo, Clinical Psychologist

About Jørgen Rasmussen

Jørgen has worked professionally as an agent of change for over twenty five years.

He is the author of the books “Provocative Hypnosis” and “Provocative Suggestions” which have been widely acclaimed.

John Grinder (co-creator of NLP) says of his work… “This is the stuff of genius”.

For eight years, Jørgen ran what he describes as an ‘impossibles practice’. Working with those whom all other therapists said, "couldn't be helped".

The Psychological Illusion Model (PIM) is an evolving model.  At this event Jørgen will share his latest thinking about PIM and how he has subsequently refined and simplified his approach over the years, so that it is simpler and more effective and more transferable to other contexts.

Jørgen’s work draws on a number of influences including: hypnosis, NLP, meditation and eastern and western approaches to psychology. He is also an experienced self defence instructor.

P.S. If this appeals to you, you may also be interested in Jørgen’s forthcoming flagship Psychological Illusion Model Training in April 2026.

Nick Kemp, therapist, coach and trainer and creator of PCW (Provocative Change Works) lifts the lid on 25 years working within the personal development field. Discover Nick's experience and insights and the valuable take away lessons that you can apply.

For more than two decades, Nick Kemp has worked at the sharp end of personal development: running trainings, seeing clients, appearing live on radio, travelling internationally, and building the Provocative Change Works approach.

Along the way there have been breakthroughs, disasters narrowly avoided, hilarious misunderstandings, unexpected success stories and situations nobody could have predicted.

This live training lifts the lid on what really happens behind the scenes when you spend 25 years on the firing line.

Rather than presenting a glossy highlight reel, Nick shares the real journey: the people, the pressures, the difficult choices, and the moments that shaped both the PCW model and his philosophy of working with human beings.

Expect honesty, humour, and plenty of “you couldn’t make that up” moments along with the practical lessons they reveal.

Why this event exists

So much of the personal development world is presented as neat, tidy, and endlessly successful. The reality is far more interesting.

The most important learning often happens when things don’t go to plan: when a workshop derails, when a client request is unexpected, when time pressure is intense, or when personalities collide.

This training is an opportunity to step behind the curtain and see:

  • what actually works in the room,
  • what absolutely does not,
  • and how to navigate unpredictable situations without losing your centre.

If you work with people or you’re simply fascinated by how change really happens you’ll gain insights you can use immediately.

This is a live training like no other.

Nick writes:

"For over 25 years, I’ve been working in the personal development field. It’s been a wild ride. And as next year marks 20 years since the creation of PCW, I’ve decided to tell the whole story, dating back three decades.

Rather than just celebrating the extraordinary success of the PCW model, this event lifts the lid on what really happened behind the scenes. I call it “The good, bad, and full-tilt crazy”, which feels like the perfect description for much of the journey.

This one-off live training will intrigue, provoke, and at times create much hilarity among the audience. As the old saying goes, “You really couldn’t make it up.”

What You’ll Hear About

  • 1999: not just a Prince song, but my first introduction to the world of NLP
  • Inside the NLP inner circle, the wild ride of assisting on courses, running certified trainings, and then running for the hills
  • Happily departing the Society of NLP, meeting Steve Andreas, and running courses in San Francisco and Boulder, USA
  • The creation of Human Alchemy products and global sales success
  • The life-changing moment of meeting Frank Farrelly and Andrew T. Austin in 2004
  • Hosting Frank in the UK and helping preserve his work for future generations
  • Dealing with stalkers and obtaining legal injunctions to keep them at bay
  • The creation of PCW and hilarious stories of time with Frank that changed my view of communication
  • 26 weeks on BBC Radio, a baptism of fire working with phobic clients live on air
  • Extraordinary success stories working with celebrities, children, and international athletes
  • PCW for academics: 140 client sessions, 9 workshops, and tackling imposter syndrome and burnout
  • Car crash trainings in Europe and the countries now on my personal “no-fly list”
  • One-to-one clients, when things don’t go to plan and what those moments taught me
  • The brightest and best inspirational people who’ve influenced my work
  • Q&A on all of the above

What You’ll Learn

This isn’t just about stories. It’s also packed with practical insights you can use in your own work.

  • How to structure and run live trainings, and sequence information online and in person
  • The best tools in the NLP toolbox, and the ones that are pure smoke and mirrors
  • My strategy for creating Human Alchemy products that sold worldwide
  • The real art of conversational provocation, the engine driving the PCW model
  • How to deal with stalkers and the steps to get a legal injunction
  • The best strategy for appearing live on radio
  • My template for working with sports professionals and celebrities
  • How to identify good hosts for trainings, and steer clear of the crazies
  • How to market, host, and run events that generate a real audience

Why Attend

This is a rare, live-only event, an unfiltered, entertaining, and revealing deep dive into the reality of life on the firing line in the world of personal change. It is unfiltered, reflective, funny, and sometimes surprising. Above all, it aims to offer something genuinely useful: perspective, reassurance, and practical wisdom drawn from experience that cannot be found in textbooks.

Nick writes:

"It’s been a wild ride, and I wouldn’t change any of it. The good, the bad, and the downright bat shit crazy have all been invaluable in shaping the work I do today".

Who this event is for

This one-off training is ideal for:

  • coaches, therapists, counsellors, and change-workers
  • trainers and facilitators
  • people interested in communication, influence, and human behaviour
  • anyone curious about the real story behind PCW and modern personal development

You do not need prior experience with PCW to benefit. Curiosity, openness, and a willingness to reflect are enough.

Logistics

The event will take place online over three weekly sessions in February.

Payment in full or a £70 deposit secures your spot at the current rate. We can offer staged payments contact info@aetherandalchemy.net for further details.

Discover the pattern behind powerful stories

REGISTER FOR THIS FREE ONLINE EVENT

Why do some stories stick in the mind while others are instantly forgettable?

From fairytales to TED Talks, great storytelling often follows a simple but profound principle: The Rule of Three.

Aladdin is granted three wishes.

Scrooge is visited by three ghosts.

The wolf meets three little pigs.

Our brains are wired to expect patterns—and three is the magic number that helps ideas land with clarity and impact.

In this free live event, master hypnotherapist and storyteller Joe Kao will explore how you can use the Rule of Three to:

  • How to use the rule of three to jumpstart your natural creativity
  • How to tell your own life stories with the rule of three
  • How less is more - what the rule of three can teach you about brevity and impact

Whether you’re a therapist, coach, teacher, or just someone who loves a good story, this session will offer practical tools and inspiration to elevate the way you speak, share and connect.

Watch this short video of Joe talking about the session.

Join us on 7th September at 2pm UK time (we will run for approximately 45 mins with additional time for questions) REGISTER BELOW:
https://aetherandalchemy.aweb.page/storytelling-secrets-the-rule-of-three

ABOUT JOE KAO

Joe Kao DHypPsych(UK) is a hypnotherapist and psychotherapist in Cambridge, UK. He is the head writer for hypnosisdownloads.com, one of the world's largest and most highly-regarded websites for hypnosis recordings, and he has taught numerous workshops on therapeutic metaphors, storytelling and Ericksonian hypnosis to people around the world.

Joe has been named the first official trainer of Provocative Change Works, and he has trained extensively in improv theatre, voice work and performance skills.  

Discover the most unusual but most effective strategy for personal change… ‘THE SWAN’

A Rare Opportunity to Learn from Bob

Take 5 minutes, watch below and find out why Bob Burn’s, ‘The SWAN’ is now actively used by therapists and healers in more than 85 countries around the world…

In this clip, Bob explains what the SWAN is… and how he deals with people when they first arrive for a session. Enjoy…

Want to learn how use the SWAN for you and your clients? SCROLL DOWN…

A Fantastic Online Workshop with Bob Burns

The Two Day Swan, Hypnosis and More Workshop (22nd and 23rd November 2025 12pm -4:30pm UK Time each day).

Bob’s work is inspirational, experimental and practical – all at the same time – a feat not many people manage. In these packed two days, Bob will share content covering hypnosis, his wonderful consultation framework, the Swan protocol and much much more including some things he has never shared in a workshop like this before.

What will be covered in the Swan, Hypnosis and More workshop?

In this content-packed workshop you will learn:

  • The perfect consultation – Bob’s template for each session which he calls the Wall. You will possess the full and complete knowledge of its power, AND be shown how to deliver it in a full consultation
  • The Swan – Bob has developed his unique and effective Swan protocol which is used by therapists across the globe. This is a way of making instant contact with the subconscious in a fully wakened state without hypnosis, as well as being a perfect complement to any hypnosis session. This is an effective technique for change with clients as well as for yourself.

Plus Bob will share:

  • Bob’s formula for handling any given challenge by any member of the public in either the therapy room, street or impromptu situation.
  • A fail-safe way of demonstrating hypnosis in a group setting.
  • Mentalism in Hypnosis – Bob will share some tools and techniques which cross over from mentalism to hypnosis and can be used in the therapy room.
  • The most important therapy questions answered.
  • And MORE.....including some of Bob's 'secrets' never shared in this format before.

A Rare Chance to Train With Bob

Last year we thought we might be planning what was to be Bob's last ever workshop. However, we are fortunate that Bob has offered to do another workshop and share his rich knowledge of therapy and of course the Swan Protocol. This is obviously a rare opportunity to do the full comprehensive workshop and could be the last.

Find out more about what will be covered at the workshop:

The Perfect Consultation

The door opens and a stranger walks in…. to be met by another stranger. One is a nervous client, the other a therapist, who can ‘go with the flow’, but that is only because they own and are highly trained in: a process. A magical template which takes them from station to station in an incredible journey whereby the client now possesses no more nerves. Rather in their place is now the knowledge that this is indeed the therapist. This is the one who is about to help them. And not just because this therapist knows exactly what to do and say, but also how to deliver these skills in this… ‘The Perfect Consultation’

And in order to possess The Perfect Consultation one has to know how to break down ‘The Wall’

The Wall is a total and complete description of the consultation Bob Burns has built up in his therapy room in over 40 years. It has been said by many full time therapists around the world that if a new student only learned:

The Bob Burns Wall Template … they could literally walk into a therapy room and begin healing patients (something Bob does NOT advocate!). However, it is taught in such a way by Bob Burns himself that all students will possess the full and complete knowledge of its power, AND be shown how to deliver it in a full consultation. The student will leave with every single word (hard copy) Bob uses and his entire repertoire exactly the way he presents it.

The Swan

A full demonstration will take place of The Swan Process. Bob will reveal how to make instant contact with the subconscious in a full wakened state without any form of hypnosis. He will also revea why The Swan is NOT an Ideo-Motor Response.

Bob will explain and demonstrate every single word, movement and hesitation (and why) of how The Swan should be presented. Students will leave with the hard copy of every ‘little difference that makes the big difference’ with regard to the presentation of the Swan. And yes, this will be workshopped by the students during the 2 days, giving them the knowledge and confidence to deliver this fascinating process for the rest of their lives.

Five Point Rebuttal Formula

Designed by Bob Burns in the 80’s this is a full formula whereby the therapist can handle any given challenge by any member of the public in either the therapy room, street or
impromptu. This ensures the hypnotist will never fear any challenge from any person with regard to their hypnotic skills. Bob will demonstrate this in full so that you will be able to use it thereafter.

Group Presentations

Here the student will be shown how to story-tell, how to test the audience for both imagination and response tests. Students will also be shown how to demonstrate hypnosis (or the power of suggestion) where there can be NO failure. And of course Bob’s now world famous teaching of ‘how to present a simple business card’ in a way the recipient will never forget you!

Mentalism in Hypnosis

As a fulltime professional stage hypnotist and mentalist/magician over many years Bob will be revealing several of the very best things that crossover from mentalism to hypnosis, including work he uses in his actual therapy rooms. At the end of this section the students will have that ability and the knowledge in how to present these. This is something you WILL use, again and again and again!

The most Important Therapy Questions Answered

Bob will also honestly answer what he considers to be 6 of the most important questions any therapist could ask, and needs to know!:

Do I NEED to talk to the Subconscious
If I fix them will they stay fixed
Do they need to be in hypnosis for me to help them
Do scripts work (one of the biggest arguments in hypnotherapy)
Do I need to do phenomena in the therapy room
Is it true that a somnambulists (someone who enters hypnosis easily) gets fixed better than a non-somnambulist

PLUS Bob will be adding in some special extra topics....

Cost

Book now to secure the best price of £197

*in addition, if you have attended a previous training with Bob Burns and want to attend as a refresher we are offering a special rate of £150. Contact us for more details.

Participants will get access to streamed replays of each day for six months after the event.

What People Are Saying

"I would just like to say a big thank you to Pete Dalton and Bob Burns for putting on an amazing workshop. Its was packed full of great teachings, learnings and also great storys from Bob that put the meat on the bones, I really enjoyed it and the time just flew by, I just wished it had been longer. Anyone thinking about doing a workshop with Bob “Just stop it” ! and get on and do it!!!!

Des Howden

"Amazing Weekend! The SWAN introduces a new dynamic to therapy, its approach is so simple and yet has a depth which is limited by the curiosity alone!
Andrew Embling. Coach and Therapist

"Having attended Bob Burns “Swan Protocol Workshop” a few times I would say that he is without doubt the most gifted trainer in the field of Hypnotherapy & Hypnosis techniques, the way bob imparts and teaches his knowledge is very unique with it all coming from his own experiences in the therapy room which give the students a better understanding of how they can expand their own knowledge and success. I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the Hypnotherapy field to get themselves booked onto one of Bob’s workshops,you won’t be disappointed."

George Watson, Kingdom Hypnotherapy

"Bob Burns says that the first time you fully get the Swan protocol to work, “you will explode!” A big claim for a single protocol but he’s not kidding - this is a seriously powerful technique and you are doing yourself and your clients a disservice if you don’t have it. Bob is hypnotherapy royalty and his training is fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a training as much, and Bob’s ability to work with a huge group, yet make you feel like you’re the only person in the room, is incredible. He is incredibly generous with his time and his training - if you are a new therapist just starting out this information covers everything you could possibly need to know, and I count myself very lucky to have attended. This was my first training with Bob, but I’m sure it won’t be my last!"

Vic Paterson, The Curiosity Space

"I took the 2-day training with Bob on the Swan technique. It turned out to be a game-changer for me.
Not only did Bob go into the finer details of the technique, but he also shared probably all of the knowledge that he has gained over many years in his craft, and the techniques and "tricks" that he uses in therapy, and outside of therapy. I would recommend this training to anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of therapy, hypnosis, life, techniques that will change your business and how you operate, and a greater understanding of who you are. Thank you very much Bob, I was not expecting such a transformational, eye-opening and funny two days".

Yours sincerely, Patrick Bradley, Hypnotherapist.

"After hearing a friend in Australia talk about what she referred to as a ‘mind-blowing’ technique used by her coach, I became intrigued by the Swan Protocol. My research took me straight to Bob’s sessions, which were stalled due to Covid. Luckily for me, the session was run soon after and online. We spent 2 days over zoom led by Bob Burns, the inventor of the Swan, with the help of Pete Dalton.

Bob skilfully and enthusiastically introduced us to the technique in a manner that suited me, the complete beginner very well. Admittedly, I had my doubts after Day 1 and was unsure I would be able to successfully use this. However Bob gently encouraged me to give it a go the next day and it worked. His style is encouraging, never forceful. It is obvious how much he actually cares that what he is teaching is in fact understood by the recipients. I must mention, being that it was the first time the workshop was run online, it was seamless, I would have thought they were experienced at it.

I look forward to practicing, and will happily attend another course led by Bob. Thank you immensely for the effort that went into these two days".

Suparna Malhotra

"I completed a 2 day Swan Protocol Workshop via Zoom recently. It was absolutely fascinating, with the hand movements and inner voice coming through. Bob Burns made the Workshop fun, and he conducted it with humour. The Workshop was very informative, and I would thoroughly recommend it. Prior to the Workshop, I was a chronic insomniac, since the Workshop, I have slept much better".
Alison Kennedy

"I attended Bob Burn’s two day Workshop. It was a content packed workshop, which not only instructed us on The Swan but also other aspects of his therapy. Bob is generous with his information as well as his time. It was a thoroughly enjoyable two days and I have no hesitation in recommending this as an excellent value, and enjoyable two day workshop".

Jane Clark -Clinical Hypnotherapist

"I attended this workshop knowing of Bob Burns and The Swan by reputation only. I was not disappointed. Bob kept me laughing and smiling while he forced knowledge into my brain almost by stealth (Sneaky is best!). Bob is very generous with his knowledge and experience and I learnt much more than I had bargained for. A fantastic way to spend a few days – I’d highly recommend".

Caroline Pett

"I enjoyed training with Bob Burns very much. What I liked best about Bob Burns’s approach to training is the light heartedness. Learning with him really is fun. More than that he brings out the joy in the process itself and his assurance that perfection isn’t necessary gives me the confidence to go out and use the protocols he taught. He also provides a solid track to run on so I know where I am going when I use his methods".
Julie Perks