What Professional Hypnotherapy Recognizes—and What It Does Not
Mainstream legitimate hypnotherapy institutions — including ASCH, BSCH, SCEH, NCH, CFCH, AHA, and the European Society of Hypnosis — define hypnosis as a clinical and psychological technique and do not recognize hypnotherapy and regression therapy as a method for validating spiritual or metaphysical claims. Below, I present the positions of recognized hypnotherapy institutions in their own words. 1. American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) “Clinical hypnosis is an altered state of awareness, perception, or consciousness that is used, by licensed and trained doctors or master’s prepared individuals, for treating a psychological or physical problem. In the mental health area, it is used for phobias, anxiety, sexual problems, alcoholism, smoking control, speech disorders, weight control, chronic pain, age regression therapy, self-esteem/ego strengthening, memory/concentration improvement, and forensic work. In medicine, it uses include anesthesia and surgery, obstetrics/gyn...