Now for some real facts:

It's important that you understand and know that there are absolutly NO educational requirements, on the California "State" level (or any other state in the U.S.), to call yourself a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. Unfortunately most practicing Hypnotherapist have extremely little, if any formal education.  Please don't be fooled by the fact that they are a member of a Professional Hypnotherapy organization. Lots of Hypnotherapists will try to impress you, by telling you that these oraganizations have strict requirements, but most hypnotherapist organizations never even ask the "so called" Hypnotherapist for proof of education, and their idea of education is frankly pitiful. Although Claudia has been in private practice for many years, she would also caution you about being automatically impressed by the number of years someone has been practicing as a Hypnotherapist, as this is in no way an indication of their education or real skills. Also keep in mind that anyone can open up a HYPNOTHERAPY SCHOOL... even YOU!  There are hundreds of HYPNOTHERAPY SCHOOLS in the United States, and ONLY two are actually "Federally" approved as such.  To be "State" approved, you just send the perspective State a check ($) and maybe a photocopy of a certificate of achievment from a so called "State" approved school. Of course exams are required of every Hypnotherapy School, BUT remember that the "State" has no requirements, so they are not very difficult, on the contrary, they are very easy. Also we have found that the actual owners of these schools have very little formal education themselves, but they are members of all kinds of organizations to try and impress you. 

Opening a Hypnotherapy School is an easy & great way for a person who is not financially making it in their own private practice, to make a lot of money off unsuspecting, innocent people.  YOU yourself could open up a Hypnotherapy School in a one room office, your home or even your garage!  Also be very careful about listening to the media about Hypnosis or even articles about certain hypnotherapists, most media stories are just that ....stories.  98% of all United States Hypnotherapists are taught a "SUGGESTIVE" technique, because it is the easiest to learn, it's also one of the least effective.  It's a percentage game, when a Hypnotherapist is using a "suggestive" technique. 

Your least knowledgeable about hypnotherapy will be your Dentist, Doctor, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Marrage & Family Counselor, Social Worker etc.  They are all wonderful people, BUT their real education & extensive training is actually in those fields, not hypnotherapy.  Most Hypnotherapist have at most one solid week's worth of education (40 hours), a weekend seminar, or a hypnosis class in college (which is the same as a weekend seminar, it's just at an hour at a time). Look for Hypnotherapists who are graduates of a Federally Approved school (The federal Gov. demands extremely strict requirements from that school & it takes at least 3 years of intense scrutiny before that school is even considered for such approval).  The Federal Government is NOT easy to impress, and most hypnotherapy schools won't go through the high expense, stress & hardship of the approval process, because most owners themselves are not "Federally" approved, and they can make lots of money without having to go through all that.  Often European trained Hypnotherapist are some of the best. Their training is usually much more detailed and difficult.  Look for someone who has at least two years of the type of education & training Claudia advises you look for, on top of any general education they might have, and at least one full year's worth of supervised externship training under a federally approved hypnotherapist.

This is not to say that there are not a few really good & talented "suggestive" hypnotherapist out there in the United States, but there are few in Claudia's opinion. Keep in mind that a lot of the uneducated hypnotherapist count on those people who are so suggestable, that practically anyone could just say "boo" to them, and it would work.  Claudia realizes that this is not comforting information, but she feels strongly that it's wrong to take advantage of those who are seriously vulnerable and in desperate need of real help.  Of course there are going to be those hypnotherapist that disagree with this information, but Claudia would venture to say, that they are among those that are not as educated as they should be in hypnotherapy, and are probably using the easiest technique known - "suggestive hypnosis".

Claudia cares deeply for each and every single one of her clients, and takes their individual growth, success & care very seriously. Tthis is the only reason she has included this particular page on her website, to try and prevent innocent, unsuspecting people from being taken advantage of.