Choosing Your Hypnotherapist A Cautionary Tale

Wow, we're off to a great start on Summer 2011 here at ChangeWorks Hypnosis Center, with our Summer Workshop Series. The Self Hypnosis Workshop on June 29th actually oversold! It's so fun having a max capacity crowd learning these exciting tools for self improvement! We've had two more workshops and as I write this I'm getting ready to teach again tonight, and every workshop has filled. I feel so blessed!

Today I'm writing about a topic that many in the hypnosis profession shy away from, and that's credentials and qualifications. You see, the hypnosis field is what's called a "self regulating field." Unlike the medical field, we don't have one governing body like the AMA. That's because hypnosis is so safe, that state after state has ruled against regulating hypnosis. They don't want the cost of running a regulating agency for a profession that "poses no threat to the public." Most recently as an example of this, the state of Indiana repealed its law regulating the practice of hypnosis, citing the fact that in the decade it had been in effect, it hadn't been needed, so they eliminated the law and the concomitant costs of the regulation.

That's great, but what does it mean when you're choosing a hypnotist or hypnotherapist to work with? I've been asked before, something to the effect of, "This hypnotherapist over here has a doctor's degree in hypnotherapy, or in this or that. Are you as qualified as that person? Shouldn't I see someone with a doctorate?"

The answer is no, and here is why. There is no such thing as an accredited doctorate degree in hypnotherapy or hypnosis in the United States (which is where I practice). Non-accredited degrees are non-accredited for a reason. The institutions offering them have not gone through the rigorous process of proving that their curriculum meets the standards of the accrediting agencies. Basically, having these degrees is almost the same as not having a degree at all. While there are some programs out there that have merit, for the consumer it is very difficult to determine that, and use it as a criteria for choosing one practitioner over another.

Let me tell you a cautionary tale. As I prepared to write this article, I decided to see if I could acquire a "doctor" degree, and how quickly and cheaply I could do so. I obtained the "degree" by paying 40 plus shipping and basically promising to read through a 40 page booklet (their "curriculum") on my own. No test, no checking back in at all. The diploma, suitable for framing, shipped WITH the booklet. Voila! Instant Doctor (Mom would have been so proud, *sniff* ). Same goes for doctorates in hypnotherapy. They are easy to come by for the right price. I could have bought one for this blog post for 5K, although yes, most of them do actually require you to do some coursework to complete. 5K is little rich for my blood to prove a point, but just because it's more expensive does not mean it's worth more, from an experience and credibility standpoint.

"Doctor Cindy?"

So, given the above, what factors SHOULD you look at when choosing a hypnotherapist?

(See more details about Cindy & Jody's qualifications on the ChangeWorks main site by clicking this link.)

The first and most important consideration is "WHETHER THE WORK THEY DO IS EFFECTIVE", and the best measure of that is "WHAT CLIENTS SAY ABOUT THEIR RESULTS". Are there testimonials on their website? (And are those testimonials actually theirs? I learned recently from a client that another local hypnotherapist had "lifted" my testimonials and placed them on his site. And in the same Twin Cities market! Two demerits! One for being dishonest and one for not being very bright!) I've mostly gone to video testimonials because I think it gives a better reflection of the person it makes a big difference in the quantity and quality of the experience.)

Next, I'd look at what their sales/booking process is like. Do you feel pressured to come in for a "screening" before they'll give you any real information? Are they unwilling to give you pricing information over the phone, telling you that they can't tell you that until they understand your specific situation (via the screening)? Do you receive numerous follow up calls as they try to get you to come in or book a package? All of that is part of a sales & booking philosophy that I and other leaders in the field agree, is counter productive to this kind of work. For this type of personal changework to be effective, YOU, the client, need to feel excited and motivated about the process, internally, NOT because of external pressures or "reasons." I won't chase a potential client, and I won't try to convince you over the phone. I'll certainly answer your questions, (and I'll ask you a few as well), but I know that the work itself is predicated on you feeling "right" about really wanting to make a change, feeling right about hypnosis and NLP as the techniques that will help you, and feeling right about me (or Jody, my colleague) as your practitioner. I will give you honest answers over the phone about the cost of our services. If you're a price shopper, and you want the cheapest hypnotherapist you can find, then you probably wouldn't be the best client match for me in the first place, so it doesn't bother me if you don't books sessions with me. As I told one nice lady who called a couple of weeks ago, who had obviously been through the high-pressure sales process with someone else, that type of approach doesn't feel right to me, and it just takes too much energy. It's easier and better for me to be transparent with you and just give you honest answers to your questions.

If you're satisfied with the hypnotherapist you're interviewing at this point, and you feel like you have good rapport with them, then you probably have an effective team (you & the hypnotist) for doing the work you desire. You may also want to explore and consider:

Do they teach? Teaching deepens and strengthens a person's knowledge base in their field, and in general getting the credentials to teach requires additional investment in training. Since I graduated from one of the very few accredited hypnosis teaching schools in the country (HMI in Tarzana, CA), when I put my certification program together to teach, I sought an accredited college to teach through--Normandale College, in Bloomington, MN. Yes, it took extra effort, but again, I feel that's worth it, both to me and most importantly, to my students.

Are they Board Certified? Again, going the extra mile to stand out above the crowd requires an investment in time, energy and dedication. I studied for a year to pass my boards. To me, it signifies a dedication to hypnosis as a career and says "I'm serious."

Are they published? Publishing (either in books or professional journals, etc.) is usually indicative of someone who is at the top of their field. It may come later in a career for some rather than others, but if your hypnotherapist is published, it gives you comfort that their work has been reviewed and has credibility and merit.

Have they presented at national conferences? This speaks to the level of respect the hypnotist has achieved within the profession.

I hope this has helped you to make a selection and feel better informed about the field of hypnosis as a profession. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me (cindy AT cindylocher.com).