Clinical hypnosis for gay men. BS or evidence-based modality?

What is clinical hypnosis?

Here’s the definition from Yale Medicine on their website

Clinical hypnosis, also known as hypnotherapy, is a form of psychotherapy that uses relaxation techniques to induce a trance-like state in which the patient is more open to suggestion. Clinical hypnosis has been used to treat a wide range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and addiction.

Additionally, let me provide you with an article from the American Psychological Association on hypnosis and hypnotherapy here.

Now that you see the receipts and evidence that it’s quite a fascinating modality of psychotherapy, let me tell you the full picture and why people are sometimes sceptical of hypnosis.

Reason 1. Regulation. Hypnotherapy is a loosely regulated field; in the state of WA, a person who practices hypnotherapy must be registered as a registered hypnotherapist.

In other states, there are no regulations.

Reason 2. Because it’s so loosely regulated, a barista with a GED can hang a shingle “Trauma-Informed Hypnotherapist“ like today.

When and if you decide to pursue hypnotherapy, check the credentials.

As a minimum, a person should receive comprehensive behavioral health or psychology training.

Here’s the truth to it all: hypnosis does not help people; a therapist, a person who performs the intervention, does, not just hypnosis itself.

Hypnosis itself is a very easy modality to learn; it’s fast and effective; yes, you can learn it within weeks. To use it correctly, that requires years of training and experience.

Before doing hypnotherapy, I spent years persuing Masters Degree in Psychology with a specialisation in individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses, special education, and clinical psychology.

I graduated in 2011 from Moscow State Pedagogical University.

During my training, I was fortunate to work under the close supervision of my professors and other psychologists and clinicians; in addition to that, I studied Gestalt Therapy and Counseling Psychology, and numerous other modalities to be a good therapist.

After graduating, I kept working in private practice and numerous facilities as a therapist caring for the most vulnerable people, implementing in practice what I learned in many years in school and in supervision.

I am regularly in therapy myself; this is my belief that a good therapist should always take care of their own mental health.

I am not done! I am currently pursuing addiction counseling credentials as a substance use disorder professional (SUDP) with WA state, so I am constantly refreshing my clinical training.

This is exactly why my practice, Good Hypnotherapy, is different. I don’t bring you just hypnosis; I bring to you years of clinical practice, compassion, and experience.