Special Information On the Terms “therapy” and “ hypnotherapy” Used In These Training Materials

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These materials were designed to train medical and mental health professionals as well as non-licensed hypnosis professionals who commonly use the title “Consulting Hypnotist”. This also includes individuals who are not yet in the profession but are seeking training so that they may enter the profession.

Medical and mental health professionals commonly use the terms “therapy” and “hypnotherapy” to describe the hypnosis work they do with their clients and patients. More and more, these two terms are being regulated and legally restricted such that they can only be used by medical and psychological professionals. Consulting Hypnotists are moving away from the use of these terms. I recommend that hypnosis professionals call the work that they do with their clients, “hypnosis work”.

With that all being stated, the terms hypnosis, hypnotism and hypnotherapy are used in these training materials interchangeably because these materials were designed to be used by medical, psychological and non-licensed hypnosis professional (Consulting Hypnotists).

We are in no way encouraging others, nor do we ourselves engage in practicing medicine or psychology without a license. There is a big difference between the work that doctors and psychologists do and what we do as professional hypnotists. The one fundamental distinction is that both medical and psychological professionals diagnose a disease or disorder and proceed with an appropriate medical or psychological treatment as indicated by the diagnosis. Consulting Hypnotists on the other hand, work to help ordinary, everyday people with ordinary, everyday problems using individual hypnotic techniques.

To summarize, the terms hypnosis and hypnotherapy, as well as therapy are used interchangeably in our training materials because these materials were meant to train medical and psychological professionals, as well as non-licensed hypnosis professionals.

Because of the legal decisions made in different states and different countries, medical and psychological professionals as well as hypnotists, can use the same exact hypnotic techniques and procedure, but, have to call what they do different words. Once again, the determining factor is whether or not a diagnosis is made (which can only be done by licensed medical and psychological professionals).

Two examples:

1. If a hypnotist hypnotizes someone and gives that client suggestions for relaxation, that is “hypnosis work” and if a medical professional does the same exact thing, then it is called “hypnotherapy”.

2. If a hypnotist uses an advanced technique such as the Time Tunneling Technique® (hypnotic age regression) it is called “hypnosis work” and if a psychologist uses the same technique with her client then she is doing “hypnotherapy”.

Rest assured that these training materials were created with you in mind, whether you are a medical professional, psychological professional, hypnosis professional, or someone who is considering entering into the profession of hypnotism.