What qualifications and experience should hypnotherapists have?
There are currently no laws in Australia about the training and registration of hypnotherapists.
However, when choosing a hypnotherapist it can be reassuring to know they work to certain levels of good practice. Hypnotherapists can register with a professional body with its own code of ethics and those who are members of a professional body will have met certain eligibility requirements.
Below are some of the professional bodies for hypnotherapy in Australia, with examples of their different membership categories. This information is subject to change so please visit the individual websites for full details. This list is not exhaustive; to view more professional bodies (with links to their websites).
Australian Association of Professional Hypnotherapists & NLP Practitioners Inc (AAPHAN)
The Australian Association of Professional Hypnotherapists & NLP Practitioners Inc. AAPHAN is a non profit making organisation founded in 1993 which serves, protects and represents the professional interests of Hypnotherapists and NLP Practitioners.AAPHAN is incorporated within Queensland under the Incorporations Act 1981. (Reg No.IA13111)The Association’s headquarters are on Queensland’s Gold Coast, but its membership is spread throughout all the States of Australia and overseas.
http://www.hypnotherapyandnlp.org.au/
Academy of Hypnotic Science
The Academy of Hypnotic Science, based in Elsternwick Victoria and founded in 1980, has played a leading role in the development of hypnotherapy in this country. Its founders, Jim and Joane Goulding, were responsible for challenging the outmoded laws that existed around hypnosis at that time. Later, they were the first to seek government accreditation for their teaching.
Over the years more government-accredited Hypnotherapists have graduated from the Academy than through anywhere else in Australia. Today, The Academy of Hypnotic Science is the largest Hypnotherapy training school in the country. Director is Steve Carey. Ph: 1300 756 689. https://www.ahs.edu.au
Australian Hypnotherapists Association (AHA)
The AHA is the National Registration Body for hypnotherapists and has been the premier association for hypnotherapy and hypnotherapists since 1949, it is the oldest and largest hypnotherapy organisation in Australia. Registration with such a professional body reflects a hypnotherapist’s willingness to demonstrate to the public a strong desire to be accountable. Registration is the only formal process that members of the public can rely on in relation to standards and accountability. http://ahahypnotherapy.org.au
The Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists (ASCH)
The ASCH was founded and incorporated in 1974 by a small group of clinical hypnotherapists and is one of the largest associations in Australia for health and mental health professionals who use clinical hypnosis. Members are hypnotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, mental health counsellors, medical doctors, registered nurses and midwives, dentists, and chiropractors specialising in hypnosis. This diverse range of membership allows for cross-fertilisation of ideas and applications that blend neatly with current trends, such as mind-body health and integrative medicine.
https://www.asch.com.au
National Hypnotherapists Register of Australia (NHRA)
The Australian Hypnotherapists' Association National Hypnotherapists Register of Australia (NHRATM) is recognised by State and Federal Governments, Private Health Funds and industry bodies as the premier body for hypnotherapists in Australia since 1949. The purpose of this register is to provide the public with a reliable, up-to-date resource when seeking a qualified hypnotherapist. To find a qualified hypnotherapist, type your suburb or postcode in the box.
http://www.national-hypnotherapists-register-australia.com/index.htm