A: Many lay hypnosis practitioners try to utilize the terms hypnosis and hypnotherapy as if hypnosis tool alone would allow them to properly recognize and treat medical and psychological disorders and concerns.
However, Division 30 of the American Psychological Association defines “hypnotherapy” as “The use of hypnosis in the treatment of a medical or psychological disorder or concern.” What is significant in that definition is that, as a medical or psychological treatment, “Clinical Hypnotherapy” would require a healthcare license in almost all states in the U.S.
Currently no University, Government Hospital or Healthcare insurance company in Canada recognizes a hypnotherapist as a “CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPIST” unless the individual is a clinician with a healthcare license and a University degree.