Aims & Objectives

The Council was primarily established to offer a facility through which the diverse field of Hypnotherapy might collectively work towards the legal status of *Voluntary Self-Regulation (VSR). Such a status was deemed desirable by the Department of Health (DH) in order that it should ensure accountability by both Professional Bodies and individual Practitioners and thereby afford greater protection to the public. It would also greatly contribute to the likelihood of the entire industry being accorded acceptance as a responsible profession in its own right.

Work accomplished includes agreement on a common Code of Ethics and a Complaints & Disciplinary Procedure, nationally agreed standards of training for Schools, and harmonised requirements for both the ongoing Supervision of therapists in practice and required levels of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). A major future aim is to promote the expansion of relevant Research Projects, vital to the credibility and justification of all Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM).

The Council’s further functions are to assist the public in their choice of a suitable practitioner, advise on the process of hypnosis as a therapy to all enquirers, offer guidance and advice to those in search of a suitable course of training, provide appropriate support to other healthcare organisations and to promote and advance the profession of Hypnotherapy generally.

* The status of VSR for Hypnotherapy was achieved in December 2010 when the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) accepted the profession into its Federal Regulatory Programme.