Subconscious Narrative Therapy™ (SNT)(The Hummingbird Method)
Resolve what talk can’t reach
You’re good at what you do. But some cases still don’t stick.
SNT resolves trauma, life blocks and self-sabotage at their unconscious root, without more talk, more analysis, or making your client re-live it. The client stays safe, in control and watching.
“I just had a client who had done 20 traditional hypno sessions with no success. One [SNT] session got the outcome. The client was blown away!”Katja Laukkanen, therapist
Next live training 28 & 29 November 2026, online, small group. Education only AU$495, immediate access. Facilitator licence AU$1,195, with the live two days and assessment.
Join an increasing number of practitioners and therapists who are using SNT as their modality of choice.
I am in awe of this process and the profound impact this method has on my clients' lives.
Linda BoydHypnotherapistWith this method, the incredible spontaneous unconscious mind can produce the most incredible results.
My clients are blown away by the method. I can't wait to use it with more clients in the future.
Nat LynnCounsellorThe cases that don’t stick
You’ve done the training. You’re good with clients. And there are still the ones that don’t move.
- The client can explain exactly why they do it, and still does it
- The session goes well, and two weeks later the problem is back
- They’ve done years of therapy, can tell you their whole story word for word, and nothing has changed
- You’ve run every technique you know, and the case doesn’t shift
- You can feel the session getting close to something, then it slips away
- You refer out the trauma and the complex cases, and wonder who can actually help them
Your client already understands their problem. That is not the problem.
Most training works with the conscious mind, and these problems aren’t held there. That’s no fault of your own: almost no training school teaches the mechanism that actually reaches them.
So every case that doesn’t stick is a client who leaves with the same problem, and a referral that never happens. How many of those will you see between now and next year?
Become the practitioner who solves the problems everyone else refers out.
The contrarian truthThe less you analyse the problem, the faster it resolves.
Other programs claim to teach you to work with the unconscious mind, but often they don’t. Paradoxically and ironically, they are trying to work consciously with the unconscious, and that isn’t going to work.
The language of the unconscious is dominantly symbolic. If your main methods are not dominantly symbolic then you have a massive mismatch, and will spend years wondering why real, rapid and lasting change eludes you.
Meaning and insight happen after a process has been run, not during it.
The system
Subconscious Narrative Therapy™
How to resolve trauma, life blocks and self-sabotage at their unconscious root, and give clients an experience they tell people about, without more talk, more analysis, or making them re-live it.
- Identify the issueAsk for a symbol of the problem as named, or first map the whole system: where it lives in the body, where it started, what it costs.
- Engage the unconscious symbolismThe deep mind gives a symbol. Not a picture of the problem: a map of it, point for point.
- Explore and unfold the narrativeYou hold the frame and pace. The client’s free mind does the work.
- Resolution and integrationChange the map under the right conditions, and the territory changes.
- Conscious talk throughMeaning and insight come after the process has been run.
Safe with trauma. The client stays the observer, and release, when it comes, comes on the unconscious’s terms.
Why “Hummingbird”? The hummingbird effect is a documented phenomenon: a deliberate change in one domain triggers powerful, unexpected change in another. We make the shift in the symbolic domain. The ripples arrive in the person’s life.
For the detail-minded: the mechanism, the six differences, the method and the full curriculum
The heart of subconscious narratives
Master the single most important mechanism in all of therapy, healing and change work.
It's incredible (and no fault of your own) that the single most important mechanism in all of therapy and change work is not taught, let alone understood, by pretty much any training school in the world, be that psychotherapy, clinical psychology, coaching, NLP or hypnotherapy.
SNT changes this and gives you not just the mechanism but the most powerful, simple and elegant ways of using it ever taught. Giving you the missing piece that you never knew you didn't know, but changes everything.
What makes SNT so different?
Other programs claim to teach you to work with the unconscious mind, but often they don't. Paradoxically and ironically, they are trying to work consciously with the unconscious, and that isn't going to work.
6 real reasons this method is truly different:
- You learn how to 100% ensure you are truly working with the unconscious mind.
Much of psychotherapy, NLP, hypnosis, psychology and other approaches to the unconscious mind are actually working with what we call the associational unconscious. SNT works with the spontaneous unconscious, something that is profoundly important to understand when working in the domain of the unconscious mind.
- Simple, direct and precise language.
Most hypnosis, psychotherapy, healing and NLP trainings fill your head with models, jargon, fantasy and excessive language, where what you really need is very simple, direct and precise language that is the absolute opposite of complex. The simpler the language, the more the unconscious can be facilitated rather than instructed.
- The language of the unconscious is dominantly symbolic.
If your main methods are not dominantly symbolic then you have a massive mismatch and will spend years wondering why real, rapid and lasting change eludes you.
- Meaning and insight happen after a process has been run.
If you are trying to get meaning and insight during a process then you have not yet been taught the order in which true change happens, which will be massively affecting your success.
- The isomorphic mechanism.
Without truly understanding how this mechanism works you can't really say that you understand the mind, symbolism or change work. The secret to why most unconscious change happens will always elude you and be a mystery.
- Symbolic Narratives.
Trying to 'fix', 'get rid of', 'remove', 'stop' or 'break' problems is not in alignment with how life or change work really happens. Life is a narrative-based structure, as is the unconscious mind. When we truly understand this is when the magic of change at the unconscious level really happens.
The method
A uniquely simple method to run, once you understand its mechanisms and deep underlying principles.
The isomorphic mechanism
A symbol from the deep mind is not a picture of the problem. It is a map of it, point for point. Change the map under the right conditions and the territory changes.
Gestalts, not labels
Anxiety, trauma, a life block: none is one thing. Each is a complex of feelings, memories, history and consequences. Labelling it as a single issue is why it does not resolve. The symbol carries the whole complex, so the whole complex can move.
The spontaneous subconscious
Most therapeutic work stays in the conscious mind, or in what we call the associational subconscious, which is still a very light level of subconscious processing. For metaphoric or symbolic work to really work, you have to reach the layer beneath, which we call the spontaneous subconscious mind, where the symbolic narratives appear on their own.
Non-interference
A clean-language approach with your own meaning kept out. Curiosity over expectation. You hold the frame and pace; the client's free mind does the work. It is not the clever things you say. It is what you can get to happen with a few simple words.
Two ways in
Ask for a symbol of the problem as named. Or first build a loose conscious sense of the whole system, where it lives in the body, where it started, what it costs, then ask for a symbol of what is really going on. The second way maps everything.
Safe with trauma
The client stays the observer. Symbolic work keeps both people inside the window of tolerance even in intense material, and release, when it comes, comes on the unconscious's terms.
Why "Hummingbird"? The hummingbird effect is a documented phenomenon: a deliberate change in one domain triggers powerful, unexpected change in another. We make the shift in the symbolic domain. The ripples arrive in the person's life.
What you'll learn
Narratives and symbols
Life as unfolding narratives, and why problems loop. How the mind represents experience symbolically, and the difference between explicit and implicit metaphor.
Clean language and meaning errors
SNT's own clean language, simpler than Grove's. Models of the world, and how to stop adding your meaning to the client's experience.
How the change happens
The isomorphic mechanism, the spontaneous versus the associational unconscious, gestalts, and the curiosity-over-expectation mindset.
Five steps
- Identify the issue
- Engage the unconscious symbolism
- Explore and unfold the narrative
- Resolution and integration
- Conscious talk through
Working with
Where all else failed
Practitioners on the cases nothing else had moved. Some graduates call it Hummingbird, the fond name for SNT.
I have used this method where all else failed, including serious addiction. The client had failed with traditional hypnotherapy, facilities and psychiatry, but [SNT] worked.
Jennie FenwickNLP Master PractitionerWorks a charm with analytical people like myself. I just had a client who had done 20 traditional hypno sessions with no success. One [SNT] session got the outcome. The client was blown away!
Katja LaukkanenTherapistI loved learning [SNT]. It has become my favourite modality. I have already noticed profound changes in my life and am always excited to help others in this way too.
Ashleigh JensenHypnotherapistSo huge. I'm so blown away. One quick Hummingbird session continues to be a gift that keeps giving and unfolding. The blinkers have finally been removed.
Tania FitzgibbonTherapistIt was truly an incredible experience. The course provided a wealth of valuable and well-structured information that is both practical and deeply insightful. It offers powerful tools to help people overcome inner trauma and fears, improve relationships, and explore both their inner and outer worlds. Not only has this course profoundly benefited me personally, but it has also enabled my clients to achieve significant and lasting transformations. I am truly grateful for Alistair's generosity in sharing his profound knowledge and expertise.
How many of us and our clients are stuck in a moment and can't get out? If you have had enough of talking about it, studying it, buying books about it and listening to countless podcasts, then enough talk: this is the real deal to resolve blocks, hurdles and the struggles we all face. This has been a game changer for myself and my clients.
I recently attended Alistair's two-day Hummingbird Method workshop, and it was an incredibly rewarding experience. The Hummingbird Method was presented in a clear, practical, and easy-to-understand way. The balance between theory, demonstrations, and hands-on practice allowed me to build confidence and gain a genuine understanding of the techniques. I left the workshop motivated and excited to continue exploring and applying the Hummingbird Method.
Kylie KaragichGoogle review · two-day trainingWhat you will be able to do
- Reach the unconscious root of a problem and resolve it there, without weeks or months of talk.
- Work safely with complex trauma, while your client stays safe, in control and watching.
- Work with complex problems with greater confidence, because you are following the client's own narrative, not guessing at it.
- Collapse self-sabotage and internal conflict, the "I know what to do, I just don't do it" loop, even if they've already tried willpower, homework and years of insight.
- Resolve life blocks, anxiety and addiction patterns, instead of analysing what they mean first.
- Rebuild a client's boundaries with their own symbols, so they hold even around toxic and difficult people.
- Keep you and your client regulated and grounded through intense work, so you can hold the space session after session.
- Turn the shift in a session into lasting change, which means it shows up in how the person acts, feels and relates, sometimes instantly.
- SNT practitioners have resolved addiction, anxiety, relationship issues, complex issues and so much more using SNT, giving clients a newfound sense of peace, freedom and resolution where previously it could not be found.
What it does for your practice
A method is only as valuable as what it does for your clients, and what that does for your practice.
A real experience that moves them
SNT gives the client a real experience, one that moves them. It is often a profound experience, and not a conversation about the problem. Clients remember it, and so do the people they tell.
Fewer sessions to resolution
Graduates report results in far fewer sessions than their previous approaches. You can charge for outcomes rather than hours, and see more clients in the same week.
Results clients talk about
When an issue that has resisted everything else finally resolves, that client tells people. Word of mouth is the most reliable marketing a practice has.
A named service to market
Offer SNT as a distinct service for trauma, life blocks, boundaries and dreams. A specific, named approach is far easier to market than general therapy.
The clients nothing else has helped
People who have tried talk therapy, CBT and traditional hypnosis without resolution are actively looking for something different. SNT gives you something different to offer them.
A look inside
The program comes with a beautifully designed lobby, with the videos and supporting information and materials, so you can access it anytime, anyplace.
Join the November training
28 & 29 November 2026
Saturday and Sunday · online · 10am to 4pm AEST (Brisbane) · small group with Alistair
Enrol for November- 8 & 9 May 2027Saturday and Sunday · online · 10am to 4pm AEST
- 14 & 15 August 2027Saturday and Sunday · online · 10am to 4pm AEST
Can't make a live date? Education only includes a full recording of a live training.
Two ways to learn SNT
November is the last live training of 2026. After it, the next is 8 & 9 May 2027. Groups are kept small so Alistair can work with every practitioner.
SNT online training
Start today. Immediate access, at your own pace.
- The professional video training: 12 videos
- A full video recording of a live two-day training
- The training manual
- The SNT Boundaries course (AU$149 on its own)
- Your own classroom, with access anytime, anyplace
SNT online training plus live training and licence
The full method, live with Alistair, and the licence to practise it under the SNT name.
- Everything in education only (AU$495 on its own)
- The live two-day training with Alistair, online, in a small group
- Private support group
- Professional assessment
- Licensed SNT Facilitator, with IICT accreditation, for those who meet the prior-training criteria*
*The facilitator licence requires prior qualification in hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, counselling or psychology, or full training with The Mind Academy. Anyone who trains may use the method as their qualifications and insurance allow.
The Boundaries course is included
Both options include the SNT Boundaries course, so you can install boundaries that hold as part of your SNT work. If you only want the boundary process, it’s available on its own for AU$149.
Before you enrol
I’ve already done a lot of training. Is this really different?
Much of psychotherapy, NLP, hypnosis and psychology works with what we call the associational unconscious. SNT works with the spontaneous unconscious, the layer beneath, where symbolic narratives appear on their own. It is a different level of work, not another technique on top of the ones you have.
Will it work alongside my modality?
Yes. SNT is used by hypnotherapists, psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists, coaches and NLP practitioners. It sits alongside what you already do, and becomes the process you reach for on the cases that don’t move.
Who is SNT training for?
Therapists, counsellors, hypnotherapists, psychologists, coaches and NLP practitioners. The education-only option is open to anyone who wants to learn the method.
Do I need a qualification?
Not for education only. The facilitator licence requires a prior qualification in hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, counselling or psychology, or full training with The Mind Academy.
What's the difference between the two options?
Education only gives you the full online training: the 12 videos, a recording of a live two-day training, the manual, the SNT Boundaries course and your classroom. The facilitator licence adds the live two days with Alistair, the support group, professional assessment and the Licensed SNT Facilitator title.
When are the live days, and what time is that for me?
10am to 4pm Australian Eastern time (Brisbane). That is the evening before in the US, and overnight in the UK and Europe, which is why the full recording is included for everyone.
What if I miss part of the live training?
You also receive the full recording of a live two-day training, so you can catch up on anything you miss.
How long do I keep access?
The video training, the recording and the manual are yours to keep.
Can I use SNT with my clients?
Yes, as your existing qualifications and insurance allow. Facilitator licence holders who meet the criteria can also practise under the Licensed SNT Facilitator title.
What does IICT accreditation mean?
The facilitator licence is accredited by the IICT (International Institute for Complementary Therapists). Check with your insurer how it applies to your cover.
Is SNT a substitute for medical or psychiatric care?
No. SNT is taught as complementary to medical treatment. Where a client has a health condition, the training covers working alongside their healthcare provider.
Learn the method from the trainer of psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists
You don’t learn this from someone who did a weekend course. You learn it from Alistair Horscroft, who has trained psychologists, psychiatrists, coaches, therapists and hypnotherapists for over 20 years. Olympians, world champions, UFC fighters and CEOs hire him too.
Therapist since 1998, with over 10,000 clinical sessions. Trainer for over 20 years and founder of The Mind Academy, which has trained thousands of therapists and coaches. First person to have a Discovery Channel series on hypnosis and NLP; a TEDx talk with over 1.4 million views; creator of the Fearless program that has resolved more phobias than anyone else. He has helped thousands through trauma, anxiety and addiction.
He spent most of the last decade out of the spotlight, building methods to replace the noise. This is the one his graduates use most.
Join an increasing number of practitioners and therapists who are using SNT as their modality of choice.
Subconscious Narrative Therapy™
Resolve what talk can’t reach
Six months from now you’ll either still be referring those cases out, or you’ll be the practitioner they’re referred to.
Next live training 28 & 29 November 2026 · online · small group with Alistair