Recommended Educational Standards
Hypnosis Education Standard
Educational Standards Collaborative
Member List
IAPH Education Standards Committee Recommendations
Hypnosis Education Standard
By: Conrad Adams
The American Medical Association in 1958 accepted hypnosis as an adjunct to traditional medicine. At that time it was suggested that physicians choosing to incorporate hypnosis into their practice should have a minimum of 144 hours of training. The AMA established a committee to study the contraindications that could result from the use of hypnosis by physicians. After three years of research it was decided to dissolve the committee, since there were no reported adverse side effects to physicians using hypnosis with their patients.
Yet today, a controversial issue still lurks regarding hypnosis training. There is no consensus among the many hypnosis and hypnotherapy organizations that exists either here in the United States or in other countries. The various organizations set their own educational standards to become members of the organizations. As a result, today there are nearly as many different minimum educational requirements for hypnosis training as there are professional hypnosis and hypnotherapy organizations.
When Alpha University was in its earliest stages of organization, a search began to determine just what standard existed for the practice of hypnosis or hypnotherapy. Dr. John S. Jester, a retired medical doctor and educator was contacted for his assistance. Dr. Jester had been a professional education evaluator for over fifteen years with memberships in two major international education evaluation organizations recognized by the U. S. department of education. He was contracted to research the database of the organizations to determine what universities in the U. S. offered a degree in hypnosis or hypnotherapy. After an extensive search and consultation with other educational evaluators in the U. S., he concluded that there was no standard to be found in the databases of either of the two major education evaluation organizations. His suggestion was to create a standard to be used to elevate the educational credibility of those involved in the profession of hypnosis and/or hypnotherapy.
Dr. Jester’s findings and recommendations led to a discussion with Dr. Robert Otto, CEO of both the International Association of Counselors and Therapists and the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association. Seeing the long-standing need for a standard of education in the profession of hypnosis and hypnotherapy, Dr. Otto established a committee to look into the possibility of creating an acceptable minimum standard of education for the practice of hypnosis and hypnotherapy and asked Dr. Conrad Adams, an experienced educator, to serve as the committee’s Chairman. The committee was formed and the process began.
After deliberation the committee agreed that there should be a recommended minimum standard. Dr. John Jester was once again consulted regarding the direction to follow. On his recommendation the Collaborative for Hypnosis Educational Standards was formed. Experienced hypnosis professionals whose memberships encompass most of the professional hypnosis organizations both in the U.S. and abroad were contacted and united to decide upon a minimum standard of education to be recommended for the practice of hypnosis.
After much hard work and deliberation the Collaborative for Hypnosis Educational Standards reached an agreement. As a result there is finally a consensus among a cross section of hypnosis professionals, whose memberships include most of the professional organizations globally, regarding a minimum recommended standard of education suggested in order to enter the profession of hypnosis and/or hypnotherapy. This is believed to be the first such endeavor to come from such a united effort of professionals within the practice of hypnosis and hypnotherapy and is considered to be a giant step forward towards unifying the professional hypnosis community worldwide. It is a good beginning and there is more work yet to be done in the process of elevating the professional standards of the practice of hypnosis/hypnotherapy.
The Collaborative for Hypnosis Educational Standards recommendations for the suggested minimum standard of education for the practice of hypnosis/hypnotherapy may be reviewed below.
Educational Standards Collaborative Member List
Conrad Adams, DNM, PhD
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Profession: Dean, Alpha University; Owner, Alpha Motivation Institute; Clinical Hypnotherapist
Memberships: American Board of Hypnotherapy, International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, International College of Bio-Nutrition
Albert C. Bottari, PhD
Location: Richmond, New York, USA
Profession: Chiropractor; Hypnotherapist; Adjunct Professor, Columbia University
Memberships: International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Leonard Byrd, PhD
Location: Meridian, Mississippi, USA
Profession: Licensed Professional Counselor, Hypnotherapist
Memberships: International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Clarice G. Carter, PhD
Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA
Profession: Educator, Hypnotherapist
Memberships: International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Rong Seng Chang, PhD
Location: Chung-li, Tauyuan, Taiwan
Profession: Professor, National Central University
Memberships: International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, National Guild of Hypnotists, International Vision Optical Society (President) Optical Engineering Society of R.O.C.
Jenifer L. DeBosier, DNM, PhD
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Profession: Author; Adjunct Professor & Registrar, Alpha University; Clinical Hypnotherapist
Memberships: International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
IHF, International College of Bio-Nutrition
Paul G. Durbin, PhD
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
Profession: Author; Retired Army Chaplain (Brigadier General); Retired Director of Pastoral Care, Pendleton Memorial Hospital; Clinical Hypnotherapist
Memberships: American Board of Hypnotherapy, American Council of Hypnotist Examiners, International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Murray Fullman, PhD
Location: Levittown New York
Profession: Psychologist; Professor, Adelphi University
Memberships: International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, National Guild of Hypnotists
Zoilita Grant, MS
Location: Longmont, Colorado, USA
Profession: Author; Educator; Owner, Colorado Coaching & Hypnotherapy Training Institute
Memberships: American Council of Hypnotist Examiners (Vice President); Colorado Association of Psychotherapists (President) International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Chi Chin Huang, DDS
Location: Tai Chung, Taiwan
Profession: Doctor of Dentistry
Memberships: International Association of Counselors, Therapist, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, National Guild of Hypnotists
John S. Jester, JD, MD, PhD
Location: Abbeville, Louisiana, USA
Profession: Doctor of Natural Medicine, Retired Medical Doctor, Education Evaluator, Dean, Yamuni Institute of Healing Arts
Memberships: American Association of Integrative Medicine, American Evaluation Association, European Association for International Education, International Association of Alternative Medicine, International Association of Counselors & Therapists, International College of Bio-Nutrition
David Kato, PhD
Location: Bristol, England
Profession: Author, Educator, Hypnotherapist
Memberships: Academy for Continued Hypnosis Education-International (Vice President) International Association of Counselors and Therapists,
International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, Association for Professional Hypnosis & Psychotherapy, Association of Transpersonal Psychology & Hypnotherapy, National Guild of Hypnotists, National Register of Advanced Hypnotherapists
Noel Chia Kokwhee, EdD
Location: Singapore
Profession: University Professor
Memberships: International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Kim Manning, PhD
Location: Bloomfield, Michigan, USA
Profession: Medical Hypnotherapist
Memberships: Academy for Continued Hypnosis Education-International (President) International Association of Counselors and Therapists,
International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, Association for Professional Hypnosis & Psychotherapy, Association of Transpersonal Psychology & Hypnotherapy, National Guild of Hypnotists, National Register of Advanced Hypnotherapists
Roger Moore, PhD
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Profession: Author, Educator, Hypnotherapist
Memberships: American Board of Hypnotherapy, International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Richard Neves, PhD
Location: Riverside, California, USA
Profession: Hypnotherapist
Memberships: American Board of Hypnotherapy, International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Robert F. Otto, PhD
Location: Laceyville, Pennsylvania, USA
Profession: Hypnotherapist, CEO, International Association of Counselors & Therapists, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, International Alliance of Professional Hypnotists
Memberships: American Board of Hypnotherapy, International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, International Alliance of Professional Hypnotists, National Guild of Hypnotists
Melissa Roth, PhD
Location: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Profession: Author; Educator, Clinical Hypnotherapist
Memberships: American Board of Hypnotherapy, International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, National Guild of Hypnotists
Rayma Ditson-Sommer, PhD
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Profession: Author; Educator; Neuropsychologist,
Memberships: International Association of Counselors & Therapist, International Hypnosis Federation, International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association
Anthony G. Ziagos, DNM, PhD
Location: Dracut, Massachusetts
Profession: Author, Educator, Naturopathic Physician, Counseling Hypnotherapist
Memberships: American Psychotherapy Association, International Association of Counselors & Therapists, and International College of Bio-Nutrition
IAPH Education Standards Committee Recommendations
Re: Minimum standard of education for the practice of hypnosis
Message: The committee has been polled and has agreed on the minimum standards as formal education of two years of post secondary education from an accredited university or the U.S. Department of Education equivalency thereof with the following:
Program of Study
General Education Core Requirements - 33 semester hours
Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy Core - 18 semester hours
Enrichment Blocks - 12 semester hours
Total Requirements - 63 semester hours
General Education Core Requirements
English Composition - 6 semester hours
Speech - 3 semester hours
Mathematics - 3 semester hours
Psychology - 6 semester hours
Biology - 3 semester hours
Anatomy & Physiology - 3 semester hours
Computer Science - 3 semester hours
Philosophy - 6 semester hours
Total Requirements - 33 semester hours
Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy Core
(3 semester hours per course)
Basic/ Self Hypnosis
Definition, History, Myths, Truths, Suggestibility, Induction Techniques, Self Hypnosis, etc.
Advanced Hypnosis
Brief & Rapid Inductions, Formulating Suggestions, Weight Reduction, Smoking Cessation, Sports Uses, Sales Uses, Group Hypnosis, etc.
Introduction to Hypnotherapy
Principles of Hypnotheray, Waking Hypnosis, Age Regression, Somnambulism, Glove Anesthesia, Post Hypnotic Suggestion, Hypnodontics, Neurolinguistic Programing etc.
Advanced Hypnotherapy
Advanced Methods, An, Ideomotor Response, Anesthesia & Surgery, Critical Faculty, Dreams & Their Meanings, Catalepsy, Esdaile State, Visual Hallucination, Elman Techniques, etc.
Analytical Hypnotherapy
Regression to Cause, Medical & Dental Uses, Parts Therapy, Gestalt, Soul Attachments, Healing Blocks etc.
Hypnoanalysis
Fundamentals of Hypnoanalysis, Subconscious Order of Importance, The Five R’s of Hypnotherapy, Comprehensive Intake Form, Word Association Test, Time Line, etc.
Enrichment Blocks
Block 1 – Arts & Humanities
Arts, English, Languages, History, Philosophy, Music, Speech, Theatre
Block 2 – Natural/Physical Sciences/Mathematics
Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physical Geography, Physics, Physical Science
Block 3 – Social Sciences
Forensics, Economics, Cultural Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology
Block 4 – Applied Science
Accounting, Business, Computer & Information Systems Technology, Computer Science Economics, Management, English, Marketing, Mathematics, Real Estate
Block 5 – Education
Education, Mathematics, Music, Speech, Psychology
