Hypnotherapy is a type of professional help offered by licensed health care professionals but it is not a type of therapy often regulated in most of the country.
Therefore, if you are seeking a professional trained in hypnotherapy, it is important to choose wisely. Anyone can say they are trained in hypnosis but they must have the credentials and training to back it up. Part of your responsibility is ensuring the professional you choose is qualified to perform hypnosis as a type of therapy.
Most licensed health care professionals trained in hypnotherapy are psychiatrists, psychologists, medical doctors and even some social workers and police officers. They must have several hundred hours of training in hypnosis in addition to their traditional training and schooling.
If you are careful about choosing a doctor, shopping around for one that fits your specific needs, you need to apply the same principles when choosing a hypnotherapist.
Ask for recommendations from your family doctor or therapist, if they themselves are not trained in hypnosis. Here are some questions you can arm yourself with when interviewing hypnotherapists:
- What is your background? Do you have a medical degree with advanced hypnosis training? Are you a licensed psychologist with hypnosis training? There are several fields that might use hypnosis including social workers and even dentists, so ask the right training questions.
- Where did you go to school and earn your degree? What hypnosis program did you study under? If a medical doctor, be sure to ask them where they interned and served their residency too.
- Are you licensed specifically for hypnotherapy? How much experience have you had and what study program did you pursue?
- Does insurance cover hypnosis or will it be an out of pocket cost?
- Do you belong to any professional organizations? Are any of them specific to hypnotherapy?
- Can you offer any references or testimonials from other clients successfully helped by hypnotherapy?
While hypnosis is relatively safe when performed by a licensed, trained professional, there are rare occasions when an adverse reaction may occur. Among the reactions that may happen include headaches, nausea and dizziness. With a properly trained therapist, these reactions can likely be avoided.
It doesn’t matter if you are trying to lose weight, quit smoking, overcome fear of public speaking or ease the pain of a chronic health condition, hypnosis can help as long as you are open to it. All it takes is an open mind and willingness to try. With the right therapist, you could overcome your problem.
