One of these people was the late Mr. Gil Boyne, founder of the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners (ACHE). Boyne worked tirelessly to raise the standards of Hypnotherapy training by honoring Hypnotherapy as a legitimate profession. He required that all ACHE schools be state-licensed by their respective state’s Department of Education.

The ACHE laid a foundation for a Certified Hypnotherapist to have a minimum of 200 hours of training and for a Clinical Certified Hypnotherapist to have a minimum of 300 hours of training from a state-licensed school. This movement was an attempt to lay basic foundations for protecting the "free and open practice of Hypnotherapy", since many other professions like psychology and medicine were trying to have exclusive rights to the use of hypnosis. However, because of the dedicated work of the early and current leaders in the field, Hypnotherapy is still an occupation that can be practiced in all 50 states. These standards have protected the profession and provided more legitimacy and respect.

As an ACHE Certified Hypnotherapist, I knew that I was very well trained; after 10 years of successful private practice, I called Mr. Boyne about becoming an ACHE approved school. He informed me that, first and foremost, I needed to become state-licensed. Upon calling the Florida Department of Education, I was shocked to find out they did not know how to open a Hypnotherapy school since none had ever been legally established. When I mentioned that there were other schools in the state, their reply was, "These schools are operating illegally in that it is not legal to offer certifications or diplomas in an occupation without a license to do so."

I learned quickly of the importance of state-licensure in education. The Florida Department of Education’s Commission for Independent Education works to protect the consumer by carefully regulating post-secondary vocational institutes and colleges. They ensure that if a diploma/certification is offered to the consumer, the consumer is protected in many different ways. State-licensure ensures fair admissions, grading and refund policies. It ensures that locations are safe, owners are free of criminal charges, and financially stable. The process of licensure takes about six months to one year and costs thousands upon thousands of dollars. The consumer seldom ever knows about this process, yet many schools and trainings choose to operate "under the radar" when they realize the standards to be met and the expense in doing so.

To this day, the Florida Institute of Hypnotherapy remains that first and currently only school in Florida licensed to offer true career diplomas in the fields of Hypnotherapy, Clinical Hypnotherapy and Transpersonal Hypnotherapy. The Institute continually works to raise the standards of Hypnotherapy Education by offering over 500 hours of State-Licensed ACHE approved training.

With such strong emphasis on high standards, the Institute has also diligently worked to keep the heart of Hypnotherapy alive. Proud of their profession, having seen the lives of countless numbers of people transformed, each interaction with a client or student of Hypnotherapy is a chance to honor sacred traditions that truly touch the hearts, minds and souls of those fortunate enough to experience such a profound relationship.

The Florida Institute of Hypnotherapy invites all who are serious about an education in Hypnotherapy to call, visit, and/or attend free Monday night classes. See firsthand the benefits of attending a true, post-secondary vocational institute that continually works to protect the integrity of the profession and the consumer, offering the world the blessing of Hypnotherapy in a manner in which graduates can truly be proud.

 

Matthew Brownstein, CHt, founder, director and lead instructor at the Florida Institute of Hypnotherapy, is the author of Peace Under All Circumstances and The Sutras on Healing and Enlightenment. Brownstein is an ACHE certified instructor and examiner and the Florida representative for the Hypnotherapists Union Local 472.