One of the first questions we hear from prospective students is “Does your training make me a Certified Hypnotherapist?” They often seem a little confused about this question because every school they’ve found on the web claims to make them a “Certified Hypnotherapist” in time frames from one week to 60 days. To add to the confusion, there are at least half a dozen “Certification Agencies” out there, all representing themselves as the “One” you need to be recognized in the field. On top of that, they all have official sounding names that lead you to believe they are government or international agencies.
In fact, all of those official sounding names are nothing more than fictitious business names for individuals or groups who are in the business of selling “Certifications.” None of them are government agencies required for you to practice hypnotherapy or play any role in your legal right to call yourself a “Hypnotherapist.”
The truth is anyone can call themselves a “Hypnotherapist” or practice hypnotherapy whether they have had any hypnotherapy training or not. There is no State or Federal Licensing or Certification and there are no minimum number of hours of hypnosis education or required examinations to pass. While “Certification” is strictly a volunteer process, we do recognize that Certification in Hypnotherapy is a desired outcome for most students. Hypnotherapists seek it to help establish an aura of confidence in their credentials. As for truth in advertising, you cannot call yourself a “Certified Hypnotherapist” unless you do get “Certified” by some group or another. See Catalog Addendum regarding State laws: https://Hypnosis.edu/Distance/Catalog/Addendum
The thing to consider is that if you do choose to get Certification, it is only as good as the requirements to get it and the integrity of the agency you got it from. Imagine having to defend your professional credentials when it comes to light that the “Agency” you got your certification from only required 10 days of training to get and does not actually verify the educational hours completed by its applicants. This is not a position you want to find yourself in, which is why we recommend the American Hypnosis Association.