Australian National Hypnotherapy Register

Nobody would disagree that for clinical hypnotherapy to move forward as an independent and recognised profession in Australia it must come together as an integrated group. For nearly 50 years the profession has been fragmented, with its proponents unable to agree on anything. Petty competition and jealousies have made us look unprofessional and disorganised.

With government agencies looking carefully at the requirement to protect the public in many areas of the health professions, the mystery and misinformation surrounding hypnotherapy has yet again come under scrutiny. This continues to be exacerbated by groups with vested interests trying to inform government inquiries in a way that would place restrictions on many practitioners.

This year, the Council of Clinical Hypnotherapists (CCH) has made significant moves to stop the fragmentation and implement the Australian National Hypnotherapy Register in a carefully thought through strategy to provide public assurance that its registered members have been properly trained and conform to a Code of Conduct. It also provides a complaint mechanism for the public as part of a need demanded by government.

As part of the process CCH continues to make submissions to government inquiries and promote clinical hypnotherapy as a professional and powerful health modality in its own right.

These moves have received overwhelming support from the profession, from allied professions and from government contacts. Please find below responses to some FAQs which are intended to provide clarity pertaining to the recent launch of the Australian National Hypnotherapy Register and to the role of the Council of Clinical Hypnotherapists (CCH) in the administration and representation of the clinical hypnotherapy profession in Australia.

Changes at CCH

In five years since its inception and only three years since its incorporation and official inaugural meeting in August 2006, the Council of Clinical Hypnotherapists has achieved what few believed would ever be possible: eight out of the nine clinical hypnotherapy associations in Australia are now united and working together as member associations of the CCH and actively support the Australian National Hypnotherapy Register (ANHR).

As of May 3rd this year, CCH practitioner members ceased to be members of CCH and became the inaugural members of the Australian National Hypnotherapy Register. From this point forward the only members that CCH has (or will admit) are approved associations as Members and training bodies as Associate Members.

CCH now represents the large majority of the Clinical Hypnotherapy profession and representatives of the Member Associations are now in regular communication and working cooperatively and efficiently towards a shared vision of a powerful single voice for the profession of Clinical Hypnotherapy.

At last, Professional Clinical Hypnotherapy moves towards the recognition it deserves.

What about previous student and non-practising members of CCH?

Previous student and non-practising members of CCH have been encouraged to join CCH Member Associations as student or non-practising members, thereby still being able to avail themselves of opportunities to participate in networking and CPE events.

What is the Australian National Hypnotherapy Register?

The Australian National Hypnotherapy Register (ANHR) is the first and only fully independent national register for clinical hypnotherapists in Australia. The raison d'être behind it is to provide a unified national registry, independent from any vested interests and as such it can legitimately claim the title of the National Register.

Who operates the ANHR?

The ANHR has been initially incorporated with the Council of Clinical Hypnotherapists (CCH) as the shareholder and is working with its members towards a management structure that will reflect the unity and equality between the Associations that it represents.

What has happened to the National Working Group that intended to form a New National Peak Body and a National Register?

The Hypnotherapy Council of Australia (HCA) National Working Group that was formed in October 2007 is still meeting on a monthly basis with the intention of creating a new national peak body for the profession of clinical hypnotherapy. The CCH has been and still is actively involved in this group which has been making steady progress towards the formulation of a draft constitution for the formation of the HCA. The latter may take some considerable time yet, however, when HCA finally does become operational and it is considered to be prudent to do so, the National Register will transfer to HCA.

In the meantime, the profession needs a national representative body that is fully operational and can act on its behalf now. The CCH has a mandate from its Member Associations to provide the unity and representation required in various arenas including lobbying of government and establishment of standardised minimum education and Code of Conduct requirements.

Why should I join the ANHR?

As the CCH Member Associations continue to work towards the finalisation of agreed National Standards for the profession, registration with the ANHR will become the nationally recognised symbol of quality assurance for the general public and all interested parties. 

All promotion of clinical hypnotherapy to government and the public will be on the basis that the public will be directed to ensure that their preferred practitioner is listed on the Australian National Hypnotherapy Register. If you are not on the Register you will miss many opportunities in future.

How do I apply for/renew my membership of the ANHR?

Current practising membership of a clinical hypnotherapy association that is affiliated with and/or recognised by the CCH is a prerequisite for joining the ANHR.

If you are a current practising member of a CCH Member Association (and the majority of Australian clinical hypnotherapists are) you are automatically eligible to apply to be on the National register. This is a simple process which involves the completion of an application form available for download at www.anhregister.org.au, attached to a certified  true copy of your current Certificate of Membership of your association, and the payment of a nominal registration fee of $50 per annum. (A certified copy means that it has been certified as a true copy of the original by a doctor, lawyer, registered nurse, CPA, Justice of the Peace, teacher or police officer. Non certified copies will not be accepted.)

If you are a current practising member of an association that is not a Member Association of the CCH but whose standards are recognised as acceptable by the CCH, then you may also apply to join the National Register using the same application form, however, you will also need to supply a certified copy of your current membership certificate of your clinical hypnotherapy association. See the ANHR website for a list of Member and recognised associations.

If you are already a member of the ANHR wishing to renew your membership, simply download the application/renewal form from the ANHR website and return the completed form along with your payment to the ANHR as per the information provided on the form.

NB: The $25 non refundable application fee for new (as opposed to renewing) members has been waived until July 31st 2009.

Should I join a CCH Member Association?

You should join a professional association that best meets your needs and your choice may also be dependent upon your geographical location. There are variations in what each of the professional associations has to offer and also in some of the upfront and ongoing membership costs so, as is the case with most things, it pays to “shop around”.

One important common aspect of all the CCH Member Associations is that they are all able to offer their practising members access to a customised, comprehensive and very competitive insurance policy specifically tailored to meet the needs of clinical hypnotherapists. This is a very tangible benefit, especially by comparison with many other similar insurance policies which specify past life regression as an exclusion.

Member Associations of the CCH will be keeping their members up-to-date with the latest developments and initiatives of the CCH.

What is the latest CCH news?

Since the launch of the National Register in May, CCH has completed yet another extensive submission to the South Australian Government to provide the Minister for Health with facts and assurances regarding the safety and efficacy of the practice of Clinical Hypnotherapy by professional Clinical Hypnotherapists who are members of the Australian National Hypnotherapy Register.

CCH has also completed a comprehensive and detailed submission to all the major health funds on behalf of all its Member Associations and expects to be able to inform its Members of the outcome shortly. This document provides ample documentary evidence of efficacy and financial benefit for those insurers that do not currently cover hypnotherapy.

CCH is an endorsing body for the Mind & Its Potential conference to be held in Sydney in December this year and also for the Happiness & Its Causes conference in May 2010.  This means that members of CCH Member Associations are eligible for a 10% discount to attend these major conferences which will constitute valuable CPE for those who attend. For more information please visit the CCH website at www.hypnosis.org.au

Whom do I contact if I have further questions?

If your association is a CCH Member Association, the Executive of your association should be your first port of call and should be able to answer any questions you may have.

All member associations can be contacted via the links on the CCH website.

If your association is not a CCH Member Association and/or you would like to contact the CCH directly, please use this link to get in contact.