Our staff
Dr Leon W. Cowen
Clinical Hypnotherapist and Executive Director
AdvDipCH, PhD (Clinical Hypnotherapy)
Leon W. Cowen runs a busy practice which he commenced over 40 years ago and is acknowledged as a leader in the profession.
At the beginning of his career he took on the responsibility for the continuing education of two clinical hypnotherapy associations which gave him a realistic perspective of the educational needs of clinical hypnotherapy practitioners.
Leaving the continuing education role Leon was requested to train clinical hypnotherapists in a
more educationally sound way. To answer these requests he founded the Academy of Applied Hypnosis in 1983. From there he achieved the first government accreditation for clinical hypnotherapy training in Australia in 1998.
In his capacity as the Executive Director he is asked to speak at conferences (nationally and internationally), provide workshops for professional associations and lectures at various universities and hospitals on specialist hypnotherapy techniques and applications. He regularly lectures to medial practitioners, mental health professionals and natural health practitioners demonstrating how clinical hypnotherapy intersects with their health modality.
Leon is extremely versatile in having an unusual blend of grass roots practitioner and academic qualifications. He wrote (and now holds) the highest government accredited clinical hypnotherapy qualification in Australia and has recently completed a PhD where he researched clinical hypnotherapy education. Using his research skills, he responds to government calls for submissions by compiling research data and writing/presenting the data to the relevant authorities. His expertise is also sought by radio talkback and TV producers as an expert in clinical hypnotherapy.
Leon is a member of many professional associations which span mental health, natural health and health education. Through these interactions he keeps his up-to-date with current trends and presents the case for clinical hypnotherapy being acknowledged as a ‘profession in its own right’ to other health professionals and health educators.
Leon is one of the originals, those clinical hypnotherapists who have worked hard to build the profession in Australia. He continues to support the profession by undertaking various roles within the profession such as Chair of the Educational Advisory Body for the Hypnotherapy Council of Australia and founded Hypnotherapists Enhancing Life for People (HELP) as an outreach community service project for clinical hypnotherapy.
As the Executive Director of the Academy, Leon brings his immense experience into the Academy’s training. Leon is actively involved in all aspects of training – lecturing, providing student support (including phone/Skype) and supervision.
Dr Robyn Beirman
Medical Educationalist
MB.BS (Hons) MHPEd
Dr Beirman trained as a medical practitioner and holds a Masters in Health Personnel Education and the Advanced Practitioner Certificate in Clinical Hypnotherapy (APCCH). She has chosen to specialise in medical education and has taught at a number of institutions, including Sydney University, University of New South Wales, Nature Care College, Macquarie University and is currently a Senior Lecturer at Central Queensland University, Sydney Campus, Australia.
Her role within the Department of Chiropractic involves teaching in the areas of pathology and differential diagnosis, chairing the department’s curriculum committee, and co-ordinating the undergraduate degree program. She has presented over many years at the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) and the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) joint educational conferences in Canada, Mexico, China, Spain and Perth. Other conference presentations include Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) on chiropractic education. Her predominant area of interest is in curriculum design.
Dr Beirman is a current member of the Academy’s Continuous Improvement Panel, is a Guest Lecturer in the medial sciences area and advises on educational matters. She brings a wealth of experience to the Academy in her role as an educational advisor, course advisor and medical education expert.
Why Choose Us?
We Are Focused On Achieving The Best Results
Clinical Hypnotherapy is a very rewarding profession. Becoming a Clinical Hypnotherapist can provide the independence of self-employment, the satisfaction of helping others, and the security of earning a comfortable living.