Learn from experienced clinicians

Faculty for the 2026–27 program

1. Brian Allen

   Western Australia

   Brian is the current chair of the Australian Society of Hypnosis WA Branch, a Past President of the Australian Society of Hypnosis Ltd, the current Secretary of the Council of Representatives of the International Society of Hypnosis and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Society of Hypnosis. He has been the Director of Training for the WA branch since 1998.

   Brian has had over 40 years of experience as a psychologist and clinical hypnotherapist working with both adults and children. He is a regular keynote speaker, presenter and trainer at national and international congresses. He has presented and trained in Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Turkiye and the USA.

   He is recognised for his expertise in the use of hypnosis in the treatment of addictions and the utilisation of hypnosis and dream work in therapy.

2. Susanna Carolusson

   Sweden

   Psychologist, Psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, dipl body psychotherapist, cert ego state therapist, cert supervisor and teacher in psychodynamic existential psychotherapy and ego state therapy; SSCH past president and honorary member; Awarded ESH fellowship for expertise in clinical hypnosis and contribution to the field of hypnosis; worked with pediatric psychology, adult psychiatry, family support, social service teamwork, psychosomatics, pain multimodal team supervision; Guest teacher, psychotherapist for students and clinical supervisor at Gothenburg University, Health and Care Academy. 2001-2010 consultant for IBS-hypnosis research for Sahlgrenska University Hospital and other regions. 35 years’ experience as a teacher of hypnosis in Sweden, 28 years’ experience as teacher of hypnosis, ethics, teaching guidelines and organizational management in 29 countries. 20 years’ experience as founder and chair for the SSCH Supervisor & Teacher training, accredited by Swedish Psychol Assoc. Past repr in ISH and ESH COR. Past editor Swedish and European Journal of Hypnosis. Past chair of SSCH MHE Research Foundation. Member of ISH advisory board for membership applications. Member of ISH nominating awards committee 2015-2017, 2019. Published three and co-authored six books, several articles, produced audio files for healing, sleep, stress management, IBS and downregulating the immune system. Interviewed about hypnosis in the press, on radio and TV, in Sweden, Britain, and Bulgaria.

3. Rosemary Crake

   Western Australia

   Rosemary Crake is a Clinical Psychologist with 30 years’ experience in a broad range of roles and settings, working with a wide variety of clinical issues and clientele. She obtained her Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis from ASH WA in 1993 and has provided both teaching and supervision into the WA training program. She also trained with Michael Yapko.

   Rosemary has held lecturing and senior lecturer positions in several Australian universities, teaching and providing clinical supervision in Master of Psychology programs. She was the inaugural Director of the Edith Cowan University Psychological Services Centre, which she established and developed. She has also provided clinical supervision for psychologists and multi-disciplinary teams.

   Rosemary has a particular interest in trauma, having delivered and managed trauma response and consultancy services to numerous organisations, as well as providing individual treatment throughout her career. She has trained clinicians working in the area of sexual assault and has consulted to the Queensland Police Service. Having held a lead role in a public health persistent pain clinic, Rosemary introduced trauma informed care and used hypnosis to facilitate recovery. She is passionate about the many ways hypnosis can be used to enhance clinical effectiveness, whilst also making treatment as ‘painless’ as possible for the client.

4. Stefan Hammel

   Germany

   Stefan works as an Ericksonian hypnotherapist, systemic therapist, protestant chaplain, head of the Institute for Hypno-Systemic Counselling in Kaiserslautern, Germany. He is the author of books and media for hypnotherapeutic and systemic practice. The focal point of his work lies in the field of family therapy, depression, anxiety and trauma, as well as working with patients and their families in hospital. In his therapeutic approach the use of metaphors, utilization techniques, multilevel communication and nonverbal techniques of pacing and leading form a network of therapeutic interventions for changing the focus of attention towards resource perspectives.

   He provides a blog on therapeutic storytelling and narrative interventions in English and various other languages on www.stefanhammel.com/blog.

5. Dr Steven Kiely

   Western Australia

   Steve is a psychologist and coach with a diverse range of experience consulting with public and private sector organisations, professional sport, the military and education.

   He has consulted with the West Coast Eagles, West Coast Fever, Western Australian Institute of Sport, Western Australian Football Commission, and the Special Air Service Regiment.

   His current work focuses on educational leader well-being.

   Steve holds a Bachelor of Psychology, Master of Psychology, Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis, a Doctor of Philosophy, and is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society.

6. Dr Stella Nkenke

   Austria

   Dr Stella Nkenke is a general practitioner who runs a postgraduate course in medical hypnosis at the Medical University of Vienna. In her private practice, she mainly treats somatic issues with hypnosis and accompanies athletes.

   She is president-elect of the Milton Erickson Society in Germany, on the board of the European Society for Hypnosis and also on the board of the International Society of Hypnosis.

   Her hobbies are golf and swimming and she loves dogs.

7. Christiane Steffens-Dhaussy

   Luxembourg

   Christiane is a German psychologist and psychotherapist specialised in palliative care and grief therapy. She is a trainer for hypnosis, a supervisor for palliative care teams and the author of a book on supporting patients, family and professionals confronted with situations of death and grief in the hospital setting. www.re-sourcen.eu

8. Linda Thomson

   USA

   Linda Thomson is the past President of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. Linda is a Diplomate of both the American Board of Hypnosis in Nursing and the American Board of Medical Hypnosis. She is the 2022 recipient of ASCH’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She has written books and articles and has lectured and taught workshops across the USA and around the world.

   She is the author of “Harry the Hypno-potamus: Metaphorical Tales for the Treatment of Children”.