American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) Certification

* Because OSCH is a component section under ASCH, the Oregon Society of Clinical Hypnosis Level I, Level II, and Advanced Courses count toward ASCH certification.

Certification offers non-statutory voluntary credentialing in Clinical Hypnosis and provides recognition of the advanced clinician who has met educational qualifications and required training in clinical hypnosis. The ASCH Certification and Approved Consultant Program is gaining national recognition as a standard for the practice of hypnosis. Anecdotal evidence suggests that hospitals and third party payers are beginning to recognize the importance of such standards and view ASCH Certification as a basic requirement for promoting hypnosis as a treatment modality.

What Certification Indicates

Certification does not automatically imply competence or guarantee the quality of a practitioner's work. Certification does indicate several things that fellow professionals, consumers, third party payers, managed care programs, hospitals and clinics are all interested in knowing about individuals who incorporate hypnosis in their practices. 

Certification indicates that the practitioner:

• Has undergone advanced training in his/her profession to obtain a legitimate advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education;
• Is licensed or certified to practice in his/her state/province;
• Has had his/her education and training in clinical hypnosis reviewed by qualified peers and approved consultants and such training has met the minimum requirements established by a Standards of Training Committee of qualified peers;
• Has been determined to have received at least the minimum educational training that ASCH, the largest such interdisciplinary organization in North America, considers as necessary for utilizing hypnosis.

Levels of Certification

There are two levels of Certification. Entry level is simply called Certification. An advanced level, called Approved Consultant, recognizes individuals who have obtained advanced training in clinical hypnosis and who have extensive experience in utilizing hypnosis within their professional practices. Approved Consultants are qualified to provide individualized training and consultation for those seeking Certification.

How ASCH Certification Differs From Other Certification Programs

ASCH Certification in Clinical Hypnosis is distinct from other certification programs in that it ensures that the certified individual is a bona fide health care professional who is licensed in his or her state or province to provide medical, dental, or psychotherapeutic services. ASCH believes that persons trained only in hypnosis lack the diagnostic and therapeutic skills as well as the licensure required to safely and responsibly treat medical, psychological, or dental problems with hypnosis. ASCH Certification distinguishes the professional practitioner from the lay hypnotist.

Certified professionals are encouraged to work toward attaining the highest level of advanced specialty certification in hypnosis through obtaining Diplomate Status from either the American Board of Medical Hypnosis, the American Board of Psychological Hypnosis, the American Board of Hypnosis in Dentistry, or the American Hypnosis Board for Clinical Social Work.

Requirements for Certification in Clinical Hypnosis

• MD, DDS, DMD, DO, DPM, PhD, PsyD, or equivalent doctoral degree with psychology as the major study, or a masters degree in nursing, social work, psychology, counselling, marriage and family therapy from a college or university accredited by its appropriate regional accrediting body;
• Membership in a professional society consistent with degree;
• Minimum of 40 hours of ASCH approved workshop training (20 hours each of level I and level II workshops); *
• Minimum of 20 hours of individualized training/consultation with an ASCH Approved Consultant;
• Minimum of two years of independent practice utilizing clinical hypnosis.

Requirements for Approved Consultant

All of the above requirements, plus:

• Minimum of 60 additional hours of ASCH-approved workshop training;
• Minimum of five years of independent practice utilizing clinical hypnosis;
• Minimum of five years of membership in ASCH, SCEH, or equivalent.