Cumbria Hypnosis - {Live Hypnotherapy Lecture 2012}

by Tim Brunson, PhD

The credibility of any profession or trade relies on a set of generally accepted standards, which lead to a common understanding as to what the public should expect. Educational institutions that train such people, licensure authorities, academic accreditation bodies, and associations and organization of peers generally function to create an aura of officialdom leading to the unquestioned acceptance of those who endeavor to practice any field.

Even though there tends to be a multitude of self-styled authorities proclaiming their right to pontificate the "litmus test" for a given field, their acceptability tends to reside less with their vociferousness and more with their compliance with the methodology normally expected by credibility-giving entities. Unfortunately, the field of hypnotherapy is currently falling short. Competing schools and organizations are proffering their own view of standards while failing to realize that their efforts have little similarity to those employed by other trades and professions. Based upon extensive review and deliberation, The International Hypnosis Research Institute would like to attempt to rectify this.

Several years ago one of the major international hypnotherapy organizations was actively courting and encouraging me to become the owner of one of their schools. This affiliation, which would provide me with their imprimatur, a copy of their approved curriculum, and allow my graduates prompt certification with their association, would provide me "trade school-level" status – provided that I complied with the requirements of a department of our state government. I earnestly began looking into the prospects of that offer.

Prior to making a decision I performed an exhaustive review of the curriculum and graduation standards of all of the major hypnotherapy training programs. This included courses ranging from 30 hours to over 300. During this analysis I did a side-by-side comparison of their curriculums. I noticed which courses were common and which tended to be unique. They all provided basic instruction on the history of the field, direct and indirect approaches, various applications, and practice development and management. Some included a variety of rather "New Age" topics that would have little acceptability in the realms of the modern scientific approaches to medicine and psychology. Only one required a period of supervised practice – a common feature for most licensed psychotherapists and medical practitioners (i.e. internship and residency). None of the programs offered any training in physiology, psychology, or neurology, which I found to be glaring omissions. Additionally, mind/body concepts were totally absent. Furthermore, many topics – such as whole brain learning and the Triune Brain, etc – reflected innovations over 30 years old. Therefore, these inadequate approaches led me to forgo the offer to become affiliated with that association – or any of their competitors – as one of their approved school owners and instructors. Furthermore, this caused me to begin questioning the validity of the multiple hypnotherapy association certifications I then possessed.

Before I go further, I wish to explain my background in the training, accreditation, and certification arenas. I have been involved in some aspect of training and education since I received my undergraduate degree in 1977. Since then I have operated a school which had operations in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. This was a federally accredited trade school. About the same time I also served on the faculties of one state and one private university. In my next position I recruited, trained, and supervised instructors who were posted to 26 private and public universities located in those same four states. My final position was the head of training for over 40,000 United States federal employees located in eight southern states. In that role I oversaw the credentialing and training of Department of Defense employees representing over 200 different fields ranging from medical doctors to truck drivers. So, when it comes to training, accreditation, the enforcement of standards, and the development of educational programs, I have worked at all levels ranging from being an instructor to being a senior-level manager. Therefore, my opinions about standards of competency would most likely warrant credibility with many organizations and in many fields. My intention now is to lend this expertise to the field of hypnotherapy.

When developing a set of standards for any field, I look at several key criteria. The first two deal with relevance and acceptability. Regarding relevance I am looking for a substantial and objective body of knowledge that either is experienced-based or is backed by a significant collection of information and theory following an expectation of scientific methodology. Processes and procedures that emanate from these thoughts and the related literature must be logical progressions. They must also be constantly reviewed and updated as new discoveries and reasoning becomes available.

The concept of acceptability must be based upon three requirements. First, the agreement of peers is crucial – although the vestiges of "group think" may myopically lead an association to cling to worn out and obsolete ideas long after they have been discredited scientifically. The second involves legal sanctions. The licensure of a field also stipulates minimum standards. However, the undue influence of special interest groups and association that have a financial stake in the shape of any legislation may infect the content of such standards and be contrary to the interest of those involved with the third requirement – which is general public acceptance. When a trade or profession achieves cultural authority there comes a cliché-like expectation of a certain outcome or quality. Just as when one patronizes a franchised restaurant anywhere in the world, a customer expects the same quality service in Singapore as they would receive in Seattle. Unfortunately, public consensus regarding any field is still too much a factor of advertising and the influence of association stakeholders.

With all the foregoing in mind, in the Clinical Hypnotherapy Fundamentals course I introduced a 12-point competency model that we would very much like see considered and adopted by any school, institution, or governmental body that has any influence over the regulation, education, or promotion of the field, trade, and profession of hypnotherapy. These proposed standards are:

1. The techniques and processes that I use in my practice are based upon sound scientific principles for which I have references that I can share with my clients, patients, and colleagues.
2. I am proficient in a wide range of direct hypnosis techniques to include rapid and instant inductions, waking hypnosis, and the ability to induce a level of hypnotic coma sufficient for severe pain management.
3. I am proficient in a wide range of permissive hypnosis methods to include utilization techniques, using splitting and linking to help my subjects establish new meanings, the use of stories and metaphors in interventions, and advanced linguistic techniques, which are intended to overcome resistance and facilitate change.
4. I can competently use suggestion and imagination to intentionally inhibit left prefrontal cortex resistance and mitigate anterior cingulate cortex interference.
5. I am sufficiently well versed in the five ANNH core concepts (patterns, balance, inhibition, plasticity, and entrainment) and can effectively use them in interventions using the five tools (inhibit, release, activate, learn, and entrain).
6. I understand how to effectively use the ten ANNH principles of transformation as part of a therapeutic practice.
7. I can effectively use the three ANNH mastery tools (install, encode, and recall) to improve a subject's ability to enhance their performance in any field and assist them in their goals for increased self-actualization.
8. I sufficiently understand human physiology and have the ability to use suggestion and imagination to affect somatic healing and assist a person in the development and improvement of their somatic genius.
9. I sufficiently understand human neurology – to include the functions of neurons, the major neural substrates, and how the brain manages energy – and can use suggestion and imagination to alter brain function and structure for the purpose of changing a person's physiology and behavior.
10. I understand basic behavior and personality theories, can recognize behavioral problems – to include those that I am not qualified to address therapeutically – and know how to use suggestion and imagination to facilitate behavioral changes through techniques such as the substitution effect.
11. I know how to effectively alter a person's perceptions of space and time as a therapeutic intervention.
12. I have a sufficient knowledge of quantum theory to include how the concepts of entanglement, observation, and enigma can be used in a therapeutic intervention.

I understand that these standards are only the opinion of one organization. They are open for input and debate – as they should be. I understand that they cast doubt on many of the current programs available and promoted by every known hypnotherapy organization and every organization, which claims the right to define, regulate, and influence the field. Nevertheless, they do represent an opportunity for relevant discussion and a well-thought-out explanation of where our field should be headed. I welcome responses and input as we continue to refine them.

The International Hypnosis Research Institute is a member supported project involving integrative health care specialists from around the world. We provide information and educational resources to clinicians. Dr. Brunson is the author of over 150 self-help and clinical CD's and MP3's.

Posted: 06/19/2015