Have you ever considered adding hypnosis or hypnotherapy to your bag of tricks? Perhaps you are considering it as a new profession, just for personal growth or as an adjunct to an existing profession. The opportunities are endless as to what you can do with the power of your mind. Simply put, a comprehensive hypnotherapy training can change your life forever. Here are some basics to know.

 

Federally Acknowledged and State-Licensed

The United States Department of Labor honors hypnotherapy as a true occupation which makes it very important for schools offering career training in the field to be licensed by their respective state’s Department of Education (DOE). Most trainings do not maintain these standards and operate under the radar. We cannot encourage you enough to attend only state-licensed hypnotherapy schools.

 

How many hours of training do I need? Trainings to be a certified hypnotist can run from 70 to 100 hours. Certified hypnotherapist training can be 200 to 300 hours and more advanced trainings such as clinical/medical hypnotherapist or transpersonal hypnotherapist can run 400 to 500 hours.

 

Are prior degrees required? No. Hypnotherapy is its own profession, just as is massage therapy, cosmetology or life coaching. A state-licensed school will have basic requirements as set forth by the DOE yet anyone can attend a training if they meet basic qualifications.

Is this a legitimate occupation? Yes. If you attend a true, licensed, postsecondary vocational institute, then your diplomas are real. You can work full-time, part-time, use this as an adjunct to your current caregiving profession and/or you can just go through the trainings for personal and spiritual growth. After graduation you can be your own boss, make your own hours, have your own office, see clients and transform people’s lives in truly meaningful ways.

 

Can I learn online or do I need to attend in-house? You can do both. Most quality colleges, universities and vocational institutes offer online training, in-house training and hybrid trainings which are a combination of online and in-house. Online training allows you to go at your own pace, choose which hours you study and access online resources which are priceless. In-house training allows you to be supervised with your techniques, make new friends and learn from highly qualified instructors and mentors.

 

What about licensing, credentialing and regulation? Schools for hypnotherapy legally need to be licensed by the DOE, yet hypnotists and hypnotherapists themselves do not. The profession is self-regulated through certification by a variety of associations. It is important to be part of an association that protects the profession and its practitioners, offers continuing education hours (CEUs) and holds yearly conferences for its members. You do not have to be part of one of these associations yet it is highly recommended, and it is important to choose one with very high standards and a clear code of ethics to hold its members accountable.

 

How do I know if a school is legitimate? Go to the DOE’s website known as the ‘Commission for Independent Education’ and search for hypnotherapy schools or give them a call at 850-245-9667. Ask if the school you are thinking about is licensed. Unlicensed activity should be reported as it misleads the public and is highly frowned upon by the DOE. Licensed schools have stringent requirements to operate and require that their retention rates and placement rates are monitored and reported. Look for schools with retention rates and placement rates well over 85 percent to ensure that the majority of their students stay in the training and also that they are satisfied after graduation.

 

What about other trainings to support my basic education? A solid foundation usually consists of 200 to 300 hours, and 500-plus hours is the industry standard. Beyond that there are many online and in-house CEU courses which can keep you learning forever. These include more advanced trainings in neuro linguistic programming (NLP), clinical/medical hypnotherapy and, of course, the more metaphysical components of transpersonal hypnotherapy.

Becoming a hypnotherapist can change your life forever, empowering you with valuable skillsets that benefit your life in the most remarkable ways. We strongly encourage you to do it right and seek the highest standards of education that you can find.

 

Matthew Brownstein, CIHt is the CEO of Anahat Education Group, Inc., president of the International Association of Interpersonal Hypnotherapists, and executive director of the Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy. He is an author, lecturer and keynote speaker. He has been in the field for over 25 years and has logged well over 20,000 hours of classroom and clinical experience.

 

For more information, call 800-551-9247 and/or visit InstituteOfHypnotherapy.com and InterpersonalHypnotherapy.com.