How to Become a Hypnotherapist?

Remember those old Bollywood movies and TV serials wherein a character would manipulate someone using hypnosis with a crystal tied on a thread? Well, the science of hypnotism is much beyond those common conceptions. Especially in Psychology, hypnosis is used as a therapeutic method to assist people to deal with the demons in their mind which is termed as hypnotherapy. The idea of hypnotism is formed by some of the common myths and stereotypes, such as thinking that it can make someone do absurd things like acting like a monkey or a chicken. Sorry to burst your bubble, but Hypnotism is far from these myths and is a science that holds the potential to help those battling mental issues and striving to attain internal peace in their lives. Through this blog, let us give you an insight on the process of becoming a Hypnotherapist and what this field as a career entails.

Why Pursue Hypnotherapy?

In the present world where everyone is on a constant chase towards money and better standards of living, people often tend to drown in the ocean of stress and anxiety. Depression is a common thing to happen especially in adults which often leads them to indulge in certain stress-busters which may not be good for their health and the society at large. Aimed to extract the fear and apprehension stuck in the mind of a person and heal them internally, Hypnotherapy came to the rescue. The brain is the most mysterious thing in the world, which even scientists have not decoded fully. A specialised branch of psychology and intended at relieving patients suffering from anxiety issues, traumas, phobias, addiction, labour pains, etc., Hypnotherapy is one such interesting and unconventional career option for the ones who have a strong desire to help people heal from their anxieties and lead a good life thereafter. 

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What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic practice concerned with assisting people deal with trauma, management of pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, break addictions or bring out positive changes in themselves and their lives. This therapy involves bringing the patient to a relaxed state of mind which enables them to be influenced easily through commands or suggestions. A hypnotherapist is a professional who is trained and skilled to help people transform their behavioural patterns using their subconscious mind by inducing them in a trance-like state. Unlike a medical doctor or a psychologist, Hypnotherapist is the only one who is trained to specialize in the enhancement of confidence, performance, motivation, etc, in a person. 

What’s the difference between Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy?

If you want to learn how to become a hypnotherapist, the first step is to study about hypnosis and hypnotherapy basics.While these names are frequently interchanged, it’s crucial to remember that they have different meanings.Hypnosis is a trance-like condition in which your focus and concentration are increased. Hypnotherapy, on the other hand, is a therapeutic practise that employs hypnosis for healing objectives.

What does a Hypnotherapist do?

The following are some of the responsibilities that a hypnotherapist could have:

• Meet with a patient to discuss a problem or illness.
• Explain the procedure to the patient so that they are more at ease during the procedure.
• Using concentrated relaxation, lead a patient into a hypnotic state.
• Assist them in recognising, accepting, or changing particular habits, feelings, or behaviors.
• Follow up with the patient to see how helpful the session was.

How to Become a Hypnotherapist?

Generally, the majority of the ones who opt for a career as a Hypnotherapist prefer to be self-employed, where they can either operate from their home or have their own clinics or hypnotism centres. In order to become a certified Hypnotherapist, a candidate needs to follow the below-mentioned steps. 

Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree in Medicine or Medical Science, Psychology, Counselling, Psychotherapy, Social Work, Psychiatry, Nursing or other related disciplines help in providing the candidate with a foundation for further knowledge and training in the field of mental health and other clinical fields alike. Apart from the bachelor’s degree, the aspirants can go further ahead in this field by completing a certification course from the international councils dedicated to mental health and hypnotherapy, such as National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists, National Council of Hypnotherapy, National Hypnotherapy Society, etc.

Acquire a Master’s Degree

Unlike Clinical Psychology courses, to become a hypnotherapist you need to opt for some certification programs from certain councils like the National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapy (NBCCH) after completing a medical degree. In order to apply for these certifications, it is important for practitioners to have a postgraduate degree as a criterion for eligibility. You can pursue an MSc Psychology or any other related field as this is the stage where you can choose to specialize in a particular field such as grief support, memory and recall, sleep disorders, regression to the past life, athletic enhancement, phobias, de-addiction from smoking, alcohol, weight control and many others fields alike. 

Take Certification Classes in Hypnotherapy

Once you have attained a postgraduate degree in a specialisation of your interest, the next step is to research the best boards that offer training in Hypnotherapy. With a master’s degree, you would have fulfilled the crucial prerequisite to apply for certification courses from hypnotherapy schools that are affiliated to the recognized boards in the country. In general, students enrolled in the certification courses are required to take up at least 50 hours of classes to become a certified Hypnotherapist. If the student wants to go for a diploma certification course, they are required to practice hypnotherapy for at least 3 years and treat patients successfully for a minimum time frame of 150 hours. Whereas, for the Fellow certification, the student will have to practice hypnotherapy for 3 years and treat patients for at least 250 hours. 

Subjects in Hypnotherapy

Teaching students “the power of suggestion” is what hypnotherapy courses are all about. These courses train the students to relax the subconscious mind of the patient and treat their behavioural patterns. On your journey to become a hypnotherapist, you will be perusing the following subjects:

• Fundamental Hypnosis: This course introduces the students to the basics of hypnosis, which includes the history, meaning, definition, importance and myths regarding the field. Moreover, you will be provided with the varied knowledge of hypnotherapy and trained on the principles of induction and re-alerting a person.

• Uses of Hypnotherapy: Not only used by hypnotherapists, but there are also diverse ways in which a medical professional such as doctor or dentist implement hypnotherapy for treating those patients who are suffering from various undesired habits such as addiction to drugs, alcohol or smoking, regression in the past life and many others.

• Hypnosis for Health: Through this subject, the students are trained in ways that they can use hypnotherapy to improve their patient’s physical health thus assisting them to stay fit and healthy, curing eating and sleeping disorders, controlling weight, recovering from surgery, building confidence, etc.

• Clinical Hypnosis: The future Hypnotherapists studying this subject are taught about the literature, theory, clinical application and techniques of Hypnosis for treating various psychological and medical conditions.

• Hypnosis for Treating Patients: Sometimes, dental practitioners face anxious patients who are reluctant to go through certain medical procedures. To calm them down, hypnosis is utilised to help them tranquillise the pain caused by an injection or any other apprehensions during the medical procedure.

• Counselling and Hypnosis: This subject teaches the students to learn various techniques of trance induction to treat physical and psychological issues. It trains them to make the patients recall memories, solve ethical issues, etc. using hypnosis.

Skills Required To Become A Hypnotherapist

Merely gaining education in Hypnotherapy and starting to practice is not at all important until you possess certain required skills and abilities to walk down this career path. To become a Hypnotherapist, you need to have the following skills:

• A Non-judgemental Approach 
• Honesty and Dignity
• Business Intelligence
• Sensitivity
• Empathy
• Good Communication and Listening Skills
• A Strong Will to Help People
• Critically Thinking Abilities
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Good Marketing Skills
• Networking Skills

Why Does a Hypnotherapy Certification Matter?

Hypnotherapy has frequently been misrepresented in the media by staged stage acts or made-up presentations. These have left a wrong impression on the audience’s thoughts. Quacking like a duck or forcing a person to hop like a frog (against his will) have both been referred to as “hypnotherapy.” This is a completely fictional depiction of hypnosis.Hypnotherapy, on the other hand, is a real discipline that employs the power of psychology. Many regulatory agencies are increasingly scrutinising hypnotherapy practice to guarantee that healers and individuals who wish to benefit from hypnosis understand genuine hypnotherapy techniques.A certification like the one issued by Dr. Paras is genuine and lends the practicing hypnotherapist legitimacy. This provides the learner with the opportunity to study from hypnosis professionals who have received professional training.

Is Hypnotherapy a Wise Career Choice?

Hypnosis and hypnotherapy have become increasingly popular in recent years. Professionals in the medical field rely on hypnotherapists to help them manage emotional disorders, worries, and phobias. Individuals who want to improve their confidence, and personal growth, erase worries and phobias, and connect with themselves may pursue hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy can also be utilized for personal growth or as a complement to one’s existing career.

Some Popular Hypnotherapy Boards

To become a certified Hypnotherapist, you need to join a hypnotherapy association which conducts certain classes and certifies the aspirants to demonstrate their training to the patients. If you are looking for the best certification boards for Hypnotherapy, we have brought you some of the major ones: 

• International Certification Boards of Clinical Hypnotherapists
• Hypnotherapy Certification Board
• National Boards for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists
• National Council of Hypnotherapy
• National Hypnotherapy Society
• General Hypnotherapy Register
• International Board of Hypnotherapy
• Professional Board of Hypnotherapy

Career as a Hypnotherapist

The profession of a Hypnotherapist brings along several career opportunities for the individual in a number of areas. A certified and practicing Hypnotherapist professional can work in the following employment areas that assure a rewarding and good career ahead.

• Business/Self-employed
• Non-profit Organizations
• Private and Government Hospitals
• Clinics
• Mental Asylums
• Education and Teaching
• Schools

Average Hypnotherapist Salary

There are no precise compensation statistics available for hypnotherapists, however, the typical therapist’s income is $71,170 per year. A hypnotherapist’s typical compensation varies according to the area, experience, and degree.

We hope that you must have understood the power of Hypnotherapy and what this field has on offer. If you are looking forward to pursue a career in Psychology in any such specialised field, sign up for a 30-minute free career counseling with our experts and counsellors at Leverage Edu are here to guide you in finding an ideal course and university as well as throughout the application process to ensure that you get successfully shortlisted.