What does "Board Certified" in Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis really mean?
Answer: It means that a person in the Medical, Mental Health, Health Care Practitioners and Pastoral Counselors profession, has earned a graduate-level degree in any of the full spectrum of appropriate academic disciplines from a regionally accredited educational institution. They are medical and mental health practitioners who hold an appropriate Master or Doctorate degree as such. When a person claims to be "Board Certified" in Hypnotherapy, this means that they have completed six (8 hour) days or up to 50 hours of hypnotherapy/hypnosis training, added to the subject (The actual major) of their degrees.
In truth they are actually "Board Certified" only in their medical and/or mental health training and education. But there is a loop hole that allows them to claim that they are board certified in hypnotherapy and hypnosis also, by taking a single class in hypnosis, equivalent to 8 to at most 50 hours of instruction.
Unfortunately for the general public, there are some unscrupulous medical and/or mental health professionals, who mislead the public by advertising that they are "Board Certified". They are purposely trying to make themselves sound more educated in hypnosis and hypnotherapy, than they really are. This is an extremely misleading statement to the public, who is most often completely unaware that the person boasting the term, "Board Certified" has in fact the LEAST amount of, and minimal amount of hypnotherapy training. Far less than the average professional Hypnotherapist.
Categories of the types of professionals who use this misleading "Board Certified" statement regarding Hypnosis include (listed alphabetically & non-inclusive): Addictions and substance abuse counselors, chiropractors, marriage and family counselors and therapists, mental health counselors, pastoral counselors, psychiatric nurses, physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, school counselors and social workers. Their primary training, education and degrees are all in these subject matters, and are not actually in hypnosis.
Hypnotherapy training requirements in order for the above listed professionals to be able to use the term "Board Certified": All applicants must acquire a total of 50 contact hours of classroom instruction. This includes hypnosis courses of at least 18 hours, which include in-class supervised practice. That is only six (8 hour) days total of actual education in hypnosis.
Board Eligible status requirements are: Application may be made prior to gaining the 50 hours of hypnosis training, as long as the applicant has acquired at least 30 hours (4 days) of clinical hypnotherapy/hypnosis training, and all other current requirements (Referring to their actual degrees in their medical or mental health subject matter) are met. Board eligible status will be documented in the N.B.C.C.H. records, but is not a substitute for actual Hypnotherapy Certification.
For further details and facts refer to - http://www.natboard.com/index_files/Page358.htm
NOTE: Claudia Weber does not agree with the term "Board Certified" being used regarding hypnotherapy and/or hypnosis, as it is being used as a misleading and misrepresentation by individuals claiming to have more education then they actually possess. Claudia is merely answering this question, since she has been asked more often in recent years.
Claudia M. Weber
75 Declaration Drive, Suite 13
Chico, California 95973
(530)891-0144