Hypnotherapy schools may be stand-alone entities, such as the Hypnotherapy Training Institute in San Francisco, California, or they may be part of a larger school devoted to holistic and alternative medicine, such as the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, Arizona. The National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists and the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners both maintain a list of approved schools for hypnotherapy certification.
The curriculum required for hypnotherapist certification varies widely from school to school. Common topics include the history of hypnotherapy, laws and ethics, self-hypnosis, spirituality, hypnosis for children, cuing techniques and using imagery. Hypnotherapist certification courses should cover the therapeutic uses of hypnosis, such as stress relief and habit control, pain control for childbirth, chronic pain, dentistry and emergency situations, and psychological healing through hypnotherapy.
Some certified hypnotherapist training programs can be completed in a few weeks, while others take as long as a year. Shorter hypnotherapy training programs tend to be taught in an intensive format, every day for five to 12 days. Training may be split into levels that are offered at different times. The yearlong certification program at the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in California also includes a supervised internship. In addition to on-location hypnotherapist training, some schools offer distance learning hypnotherapist training courses that may be completed at your own pace.
Becoming a certified hypnotherapist requires professional training that may ask for a hefty initial investment. Tuition costs vary widely; the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts offers an online hypnotherapist certification for $1,300, while a certification from the Florida Institute of Hypnotherapy may cost as much as $7,500. In addition to initial hypnotherapist training, some hypnotherapy certification boards, such as the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners, require periodic fees.
Some hypnotherapist certifications require additional training or experience to become certified. To be certified by the National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists, you must have a health-related graduate degree in addition to hypnotherapist training. The American Council of Hypnotist Examiners administers an additional written and practical exam. The American Hypnosis Association offers advanced specializations such as therapeutic imagery, neuro-linguistic programming and Reiki to already-certified hypnotherapists. Check with your school or certification board to see if additional hypnotherapy training will be required.