Derek Heron is a clinical hypnotherapist with an online and face to face practice based in central Scotland, working with clients throughout the UK and internationally. Alongside his clinical work, he is an author, keynote speaker and freelance body language analyst, whose expertise has featured across mainstream media.

A lifelong fascination with psychology and human behaviour has led Derek to spend many years exploring the subtle processes that underpin effective communication, rapport and therapeutic change. He is also well known in the worlds of magic and mentalism, a background that gives him an unusually sharp eye for how people read and respond to one another. His particular interest lies in combining practical clinical skills with evidence-informed approaches, to help clients achieve meaningful and lasting results.

He is the author of Hidden Language of Rapport, a book written specifically for therapists, exploring how body language, communication and the therapeutic relationship can enhance client outcomes.

Derek has used the Swan Protocol extensively in his own clinical work, applying it across a broad range of presenting issues, and it has become an integral part of the way he works with clients. In August 2026, Bob Burns personally chose him as the new trainer of the Swan in the UK. Derek is committed to preserving the integrity and spirit of the protocol, while helping a new generation of therapists learn and apply it with confidence and skill.