How To Become A Hypnotist: Everything You Need to Know About Hypnosis
Becoming a hypnotist can be a rewarding and fulfilling career, but it also requires dedication and commitment to learning the techniques and practice of hypnosis. This blog post will explore facts about how to become a hypnotist, the different types of hypnosis, and the potential benefits of becoming certified.
What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a state of consciousness where the individual is highly suggestible and open to suggestion. The term comes from the Greek word “hypnos”, which means sleep. Although the individual is awake during hypnosis, they are in an altered mental state that allows them to respond positively to certain suggestions. It is a trance-like state that enables people to be more relaxed or suggestible for treatments or changes in behavior.
Types of Hypnosis
There are two main types of hypnosis: clinical hypnosis and non-clinical hypnotherapy. Clinical hypnotherapy involves suggestion therapy, often called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of hypnotherapy focuses on changing behavior by helping people identify their thought patterns, challenging negative belief systems, and modifying behaviors or habits that contribute to psychological distress. Non-clinical hypnotherapy uses hypnotic techniques not intended for therapeutic purposes, such as stage hypnotists or party entertainment (e.g., mind reading).
Skills for a hypnotherapist
Here are some skills that are most useful if you’re considering a career as a hypnotherapist:
Therapeutic hypnosis techniques
The most important skill for a hypnotherapist is the ability to perform successful therapeutic hypnosis techniques. Hypnotherapists use these methods to guide patients into a relaxing hypnosis state and help them identify their issues. Performing these techniques well is vital for hypnotherapists to help their patients, so consider studying and practicing them under supervision.
Psychology or psychotherapy experience
Many hypnotherapists begin their careers as traditional therapists or psychologists. This is a useful experience because the foundation of hypnotherapy is fields of study like psychology and psychotherapy that use conversations and activities to diagnose and treat patients. College classes and work experience can help you learn more about these fields of study and improve your success as a hypnotherapist.
Patience
Patience is another great skill for hypnotherapists because it can sometimes take many sessions to see a patient progress or improve. Even if the patient is cooperative, sessions may be long and quiet, and the patient might not articulate their ideas clearly. Practicing patience allows the hypnotherapist to remain calm and to keep the patient focused on the goal they are trying to accomplish.
Active listening
Hypnotherapists can also benefit from being active listeners. Listening is a large part of the job, so actively listening to patients in and out of hypnosis is important. For instance, a patient under hypnosis might say things that seem unrelated to the goal, but the hypnotherapist should still listen closely and note important things to review later.
Compassion
Because hypnotherapists help patients for a variety of reasons, it’s important for these therapists to be compassionate. A compassionate hypnotherapist can help make a patient comfortable and calm, making the patient more likely to talk openly in sessions and progress toward their goal. This is especially important for hypnotherapists who work with young or apprehensive patients.
Business management
Business management is an excellent skill for hypnotherapists who run their practices. This can include knowledge of finances, marketing and business law, which help a hypnotherapist create a flourishing practice that reaches patients who would benefit from hypnotherapy. When hypnotherapists are skilled in business management, they can create safe, stable environments to help people reach their therapy goals.
Becoming a Certified Hypnotist
Becoming certified in hypnotism typically varies by country/state regulations; however, some universal requirements exist across jurisdictions, including completing training at reputable institutions/associations and passing examinations where required. Training generally consists of attending classes/lectures from qualified instructors; reading books related to hypnotism; studying worksheets/manuals; viewing demonstrations performed by experienced professionals; and taking practice tests designed for certification exams.
How to become a hypnotherapist
To become a fully licensed or certified practicing hypnotherapist, follow the steps below:
Earn a bachelor’s degree.
The first step to becoming a licensed or certified hypnotherapist is to earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. This degree can be in a field related to medicine, therapy or psychology. Getting a degree gives you a good understanding of different therapy techniques, how to successfully help patients and the current best practices for treatment providers.
Pursue a master’s degree.
After receiving your bachelor’s degree, you may pursue your master’s degree, which some certifications require. The degree should be in a related field and include at least 60 hours of hypnosis coursework in qualifying for the National Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist (NBCCH) exam. The purpose of the master’s degree is to give you an environment to practice therapeutic hypnosis under the supervision of professionals.
Gain experience
Experience with therapy is necessary for most licenses and certifications. Depending on the license or certificate, you can gain experience in fields related to psychology or medicine, like nursing, if you have enough educational experience with hypnosis. Otherwise, you may need to gain working experience under a hypnotherapist before taking exams.
Become licensed or certified.
Each state has its own licensing requirements for hypnotherapists, but you can take two main certification exams in addition to state licensure. The NBCCH and the American College of Hypnotherapy (ACH) certifications both require at least a bachelor’s degree, while the NBCCH also requires a master’s with hypnosis coursework. The ACH certificate allows any medical professional to take the exam as long as they have at least 200 hours of hypnosis education. Once you pass either of these exams, you can use your certification as proof of your skill in hypnotherapy.
Maintain your license.
To ensure that you are practicing hypnotherapy legally, renew your state licensure as frequently as you need to. State licenses help regulate the therapy industry to protect you and your patients, so it’s a good idea to research what kind of license you need in your state and how often to renew it.
Benefits & Risks of Becoming Certified
The primary benefit of becoming certified in hypnotism is obtaining the confidence needed when treating patients with suggestions meant to improve their quality of life. Becoming certified also helps legitimize practitioners in front of potential clients, ensuring they feel secure knowing they will receive scientifically sound professional treatments under supervision if necessary while decreasing any legal risks associated with providing therapy without proper credentials. On the other hand, becoming certified may increase a practitioner’s liability should issues arise stemming from sessions conducted while being certified. Therefore, practitioners working with patients through either clinical or non-clinical methods must ensure they are covered legally before beginning treatment plans with patients as suggested by their local jurisdictions/license boards.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hypnosis/about/pac-20394405
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22676-hypnosis
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-hypnosis-2795921
https://time.com/5380312/is-hypnosis-real-science/
Recent Posts
Follow Us
Advertisement
