The use of the altered state of hypnosis has been occurring for thousands of years. We find it in the ancient sleep temples of ancient Persia, Greece, and Egypt, yet the actual word “hypnosis” was not coined until the mid-nineteenth century. In time, the idea of a hypnotist and a hypnotherapist came into being, yet many people are still unaware of the difference between the two – or if there even is a difference. At the Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy, we strive to raise the standards of Hypnotherapy Training in many ways, and one of those is to clearly define the terms that we use in our profession so that the public can know the difference between different levels of training and why it is so important to know this difference.
What is a Hypnotist?
Generally, a hypnotist is someone who utilizes the hypnotic state to induce positive change in others through the power of suggestion. By putting another person into the altered state of hypnosis, the hypnotist gains access to the subconscious mind, by telling this part of our being how to think, act, and/or function. The reason that this is so powerful, is that the subconscious mind is our emotional mind, our creative mind, and the part of us which motivates our behaviors. To make change on this level enables us to truly help others to reach their goals and to actualize our full potential.
What level of training is required to be a Hypnotist?
The industry standard for becoming a hypnotist is usually about 100 to 150 hours of training. Most of these trainings are not licensed by the Department of Education and they offer minimal amounts of training compared to other professions. A hypnotist might be very skilled, with many years of experience, yet generally when someone is using this term, they are not as well-trained as they could be and they tend to know a lot less than they think they do.
What is a Hypnotherapist?
A Hypnotherapist also uses the altered state of mind known as hypnosis, yet this person has far more training. Where a hypnotist might give suggestions to the subconscious mind, a hypnotherapist uses more powerful and more advanced techniques to make change which can be much longer lasting. A hypnotherapist uses transformational modalities which not only talk to the subconscious mind, but rather talk with the subconscious mind. The techniques of Hypnotherapy are vast, yet generally they are more elaborate and require substantially more training.
What level of training is required to be a Hypnotherapist?
We recommend a total of 500 hours or more to get enough education to truly help others as a profession. We always require that our hypnotherapy trainings are state-licensed and that students get online and practical training. Graduates of state-licensed schools have legitimate credentials, are far better trained based upon Department of Education standards, and are expected to maintain much higher levels of professionalism and ethics.
There is always more to learn in this field and opinions vary widely. To learn more, give us a call at 800-551-9247 or visit us online at www.InstituteofHypnotherapy.com.
