State Laws for Hypnotherapists in Mississippi

Summary

Disclaimer: The following summary is a non-legal interpretation of how the hypnotherapy authors interpret the law as it applies for hypnotherapists. This is not a substitute for legal advice.

In Mississippi, the practice of psychology, which includes hypnosis, requires a license and involves using psychological principles to evaluate, assess, and modify behavior. The definition of psychological principles is broad, and it is unclear if hypnotherapy falls strictly under this definition.

Many unlicensed individuals in Mississippi advertise hypnotherapy services online.

Legal Case Highlights

As of the date of this publication, we were unable to find any known legal cases in this state where someone has faced legal action just for practicing hypnosis or hypnotherapy. (Unless there was a legal case in that state.)

Hypnotherapists

Important Note: Estimating the number of hypnotherapists practicing in any state is difficult if there is no state licensing or registration act in that state. This resource provides very rough estimates that are grossly under reported by Googling hypnotherapists who are actively advertising in that state.

As of 2024, there are approximately 33 hypnotherapists practicing/advertising in the State of Mississippi.

Laws and Regulations

§ 73-31-3. Definitions [Repealed effective July 1, 2025]. When used in this chapter, the word or term:

1. “Board” means the Mississippi Board of Psychology.

4. 1. “Practice of psychology” means the observation, description, evaluation, interpretation, prediction and modification of human behavior through the application of psychological principles, methods and procedures, for the purposes of:
      1. Preventing, eliminating, evaluating, assessing, or predicting symptomatic, maladaptive, or undesirable behavior;
      2. Evaluating, assessing and/or facilitating the enhancement of individual, group and/or organizational effectiveness including personal effectiveness, adaptive behavior, interpersonal relationships, work and life adjustment, health, and individual, group and/or organizational performance; or
      3. Assisting in legal decision-making.
   2. The practice of psychology includes, but is not limited to:
      1. Psychological testing and the evaluation or assessment of personal characteristics, such as intelligence; personality; cognitive, behavioral, physical and/or emotional abilities; skills; interests; aptitudes; and neuropsychological functioning;
      2. Counseling, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, hypnosis, biofeedback, and behavior analysis and therapy;
      3. Diagnosis, treatment, and management of mental and emotional disorder or disability, alcoholism and substance abuse, disorders of habit or conduct, as well as of the psychological aspects of physical illness, accident, injury, or disability;
      4. Psychoeducational evaluation, therapy and remediation;
      5. Consultation with physicians, other health care professionals and patients regarding all available treatment options, as well as consultation with attorneys, judges, business, and industry;
      6. Provision of direct services to individuals and/or groups for the purpose of enhancing individual and thereby organizational effectiveness, using principles, methods and/or procedures to assess and evaluate individuals on personal characteristics for individual development and/or behavior change or for making decisions about the individual, such as selection; and
      7. The supervision of any of the above.
   3. Psychological services are provided to individuals, families, groups, systems, organizations, and the public. The practice of psychology shall be construed within the meaning of this definition without regard to whether payment is received for services rendered and without regard to the means of service provision (e.g., face-to-face, telephone, Internet, or telehealth).
5. A “psychologist” is any person licensed under this chapter, and includes a person who represents himself or herself to be a psychologist by using any title or description of services incorporating the words “psychological,” “psychologist,” “psychology,” or who represents that he or she possesses expert qualification in any area of psychology, or offers to the public, or renders to individuals or to groups of individuals services defined as the practice of psychology by this chapter.

Notes

1. It is unclear whether hypnotherapy involves “the application of psychological principles, methods and procedures” – which is required to be part of the “practice of psychology” under § 73-31-3. Also, the phrase “the application of psychological principles, methods and procedures” is vague and broad so that it is unreasonable to assume that this is exclusively the domain of licensed psychologists. Almost everyone uses basic application of psychological principles in fields, for example, like advertising, human resources, training programs, etc. Furthermore, hypnotherapy may be for the purpose of making beneficial improvements, rather than to “assess, prevent or eliminate… undesired behavior” as specified in § 73-31-3..
2. It cannot be the case that the things listed under § 73-31-3(d)(ii) – such as hypnosis – are meant to be exclusively reserved to licensed psychologists. Otherwise, only licensed psychologists would be permitted to evaluate intelligence (something teachers also do), assess abilities (something coaches, counselors, art critics, and many others do), etc.
3. We are not aware of any cases in which a person in Mississippi has gotten into legal trouble for practicing hypnosis or hypnotherapy.
4. Google searches reveal a number of unlicensed individuals advertising hypnotherapy services in Mississippi
5. The law listed above is a “Titling Act” that outlines what licensed psychologists can do. It does not outline what everyone else other than licensed psychologists can and cannot do.