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How can I Become a Hypnotherapist?

Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders

Hypnotherapy, the process of using hypnosis for therapeutic value, has attracted an increasing amount of attention in recent years. In fact, many people with an interest in alternative medicine have considered beginning a career as a hypnotherapist.

You may be well suited for a career as a hypnotherapist if you are sensitive, empathetic, and committed to using your talents to help others. Hypnotherapists work with patients of all ages, races, and social classes. To be a successful hypnotherapist, you need to be comfortable treating people who have a background that may be quite different from your own.

A hypnotherapist may try to help people with phobias, such as the fear of heights.
A hypnotherapist may try to help people with phobias, such as the fear of heights.

There are many different educational options available for people interested in becoming a hypnotherapist. Online courses provide a basic understanding of hypnotherapy, while programs offering state-licensed certification offer a more comprehensive educational experience for the aspiring hypnotherapist. Choosing an educational program requires a careful evaluation of your career goals and a clear understanding of what you hope to gain from hypnotherapy school. For example, are you interested in starting your own business or do you hope to work for someone else? Do you want to be a hypnotherapist who helps people to quit smoking and lose weight or are you more interested in hypnotherapy as a tool for personal development and better mental health?

Hypnotherapists work with patients of all ages, classes and races.
Hypnotherapists work with patients of all ages, classes and races.

Generally, the curriculum in a hypnotherapy program should include a detailed discussion of techniques such as age regression, visualization, post-hypnotic suggestion, repetition, guided imagery, and revivification. You should learn more about how hypnotherapy can be used for stress relief, pain management, and the treatment of fears or phobias. Some programs also include a discussion of post-graduation employment opportunities.

A hypnotherapist must have the appropriate emotional and mental well-being to treat clients.
A hypnotherapist must have the appropriate emotional and mental well-being to treat clients.

Factors to consider when choosing a hypnotherapy training program include the length of the course, the cost, the instructor’s level of professional expertise, and whether or not the program offers meaningful opportunities for practical application of your new-found skills. If possible, it’s a good idea to meet with previous students to ask about their experience with the program. Additionally, you may want to see if statistics are available to indicate how many program graduates are now currently employed in the field of hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis may be used to combat smoking.
Hypnosis may be used to combat smoking.

Although hypnotherapy is still considered a part of alternative medicine, the profession is becoming much more regulated. In fact, professional hypnotherapists can now obtain certification from the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners. This organization of hypnotherapy professionals provides recognition to those who have achieved a high level of proficiency in the field. The National Society of Professional Hypnotherapists is another respected professional hypnotherapy organization.

Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders

Dana holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communication from the University of Iowa. She has loved being part of the WiseGEEK team ever since discovering the joys of freelance writing after her son was born. Dana also hones her writing skills by contributing articles to various blogs, as well as creating sales copy and content for e-courses.

Learn more...
Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders

Dana holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communication from the University of Iowa. She has loved being part of the WiseGEEK team ever since discovering the joys of freelance writing after her son was born. Dana also hones her writing skills by contributing articles to various blogs, as well as creating sales copy and content for e-courses.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon301543

I have read your comments on Hypnotherapy. Firstly, I would like to say, that anyone can be hypnotized who has an average IQ. This is an excellent field to get into if you want to help other people and you have the tools to do so. Stage Hypnosis is totally different from helping someone who wants to quit smoking or lose weight. You are in complete control all of the time, and you give the Hypnotherapist permission to help you.

I can guarantee that all of you have been hypnotized before, but you have never realized it. I will give you one example: When you are walking down the road or driving a car, sometimes, you do not remember how you got from point A to point B. Hypnosis is not scary. Just do a little research and you will find it is a fantastic subject to get into which can really help people.

amysamp

If you believe in hypnotherapy, then of course you are going to probably be able to be hypnotized. If you do not believe in this practice, or are skeptical, like me, you probably would not be able to be hypnotized or at least it would take you a lot longer to be hypnotized.

Until I have been hypnotized first-hand, hypnosis is one of those things I just can not wrap my head around or believe in. Unfortunately, so many people lie that it would be difficult to trust anyone that said they went through hypnosis and it really worked. The only people I may believe would be my close family of friends, who I actually trust.

Although I do not personally believe in hypnosis, I think that it is fine for other people to go into that profession, but only if they believe in it helping others. I think if doctors knowingly go into this practice and do not believe or know that it does not help, then they should not going into the hypnosis field because that means that they are scam artists just trying to get rich quick, and hurting, humiliating, and basically stealing from their patients in the process of conning them.

ceilingcat

I don't think this would be a very good field to go into. I know a lot of people are extremely skeptical about hypnotherapy. It seems like it would be very difficult to get clients and make any money!

I suppose you could work for someone else. But who? I don't know of any doctors offices that would be interested in hiring a hypnotherapist.

Maybe hypnotherapy courses are better left for people who are practicing psychologists or psychiatrists who want to broaden their practice. At least they have other skills to use besides just hypnotherapy.

Azuza

@ceilingcat - Well, like the article said hypnotherapy is becoming more regulated. I find that as time goes on, some alternative therapies become more widely accepted.

For example, a lot of people use to be skeptical about acupuncture. But now a lot of insurance companies even cover acupuncture treatment! I feel like it's totally possible that more people will start accepting hypnotherapy and the demand will increase.

I personally think it's a good thing that there are actually credentialing bodies for this. That way if you need hypnotherapy, you can make sure to go to a good one that has credentials and not a quack!

hyrax53

Hypnosis is weird to me. I have to admit I can never get over the idea that my hypnotherapist would secretly trick me into clucking like a chicken when I heard a certain word spoken. I know that's ridiculous...thankfully I also don't think I need a hypnotherapist for anything in particular.

allenJo

@David09 - Personally, I’m not in favor of past memories therapy or anything like that. If you see a hypnotherapist it should be to help you to kick a habit.

A smoking hypnotherapist would be an example of a useful reason for such a visit. Smoking can kill you. You can survive with a few negative past memories, by contrast, as they are tucked away in your subconscious unless you pull them up.

David09

@Charred - That’s interesting. I’ve never had any firsthand encounters with the workings of a hypnotist, so all of my understanding has come through popular media.

I’ve seen hypnotherapists on television using regression therapy with some of these individuals who claim to have encountered paranormal events, like UFOs or ghosts.

It always seemed real from what I saw on television, but of course television is television – it’s made for drama, so anything can be doctored in my opinion.

Regression therapy seems to be particularly painful; it forces you to dredge some past, painful emotions. I think as a psychologist hypnotherapist employing such techniques, you’ve got to know when to pull the plug and end the session.

MrMoody

@Charred - I do agree that you need to have a certain kind of empathy for this profession. Personally, I think that people who are wired to be psychologists or counselors would make good hypnotherapists, along with people who plan to be in a ministry of one sort or another.

Charred

Frankly I used to be a skeptic when it came to hypnosis or hypnotherapist training. I always thought that there was a certain amount of chicanery in this profession.

Then, we invited a hypnotist for one of our company sponsored events. He invited volunteers to come forward, and he put one lady under. It was as real as anything that I’d ever seen, and she didn’t seem to be faking it.

He even probed a little into her past (without embarrassing her) and I could see he had touched a nerve.

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    • A hypnotherapist may try to help people with phobias, such as the fear of heights.
      By: Sergey Mostovoy
      A hypnotherapist may try to help people with phobias, such as the fear of heights.
    • Hypnotherapists work with patients of all ages, classes and races.
      By: WavebreakMediaMicro
      Hypnotherapists work with patients of all ages, classes and races.
    • A hypnotherapist must have the appropriate emotional and mental well-being to treat clients.
      By: Ambrophoto
      A hypnotherapist must have the appropriate emotional and mental well-being to treat clients.
    • Hypnosis may be used to combat smoking.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Hypnosis may be used to combat smoking.