The ethical principles are set out here to inspire members towards best practice. Ethical decision making is dependent on context which then produces variables and grey areas for consideration. Therefore, there cannot be an obligation to choose one principle above another but rather a framework of principles in which to consider the context of the situation and practitioner involved.
Practitioners endeavour to establish trust with their clients and the community in which they work. Therefore, practitioners not only honour the trust placed in them by their clients and the community but also act in a respectful, professional and ethical manner when representing their profession.
As a professional association for hypnotherapists the National Hypnotherapy Society is committed to promoting and providing high standards in the practice of hypnotherapy. The Society expects all practitioners to conduct themselves at all times in accord with their professional status and standards. This is principally addressed in the Code of Ethics, but it is recognised that more and more practitioners are using various forms of electronic media including social networking sites; blogs; email, text messaging and SMS; online platforms etc. to communicate with friends, family, professional networks and clients.
Of course there is a bright side to hypnosis, otherwise we would not have been teaching how to use it in therapy all these years. To recap, hypnosis is the accessing of the REM state artificially by focusing attention until it can be guided. Once a person is in that trance state, therapists can make powerful, positive psychological interventions, such as offering metaphors, embedding empowering suggestions, giving direct instructions and by guiding rehearsal of desired new behaviours in imagination, such as successful public speaking or driving confidently. Trance also provides the best platform for unhooking strong emotions from traumatic memories that the brain has interpreted as life threatening, which is why, using specific techniques, it offers the quickest means to help people overcome phobias and PTSD. Trance plus therapeutic interventions is what constitutes hypnotherapy.
Our Code of Ethical Conduct and Performance (CECP) is intended to give the public confidence in the quality of practice and the care expected to be provided by NCH Members. It is designed to provide NCH members and their clients with a secure ethical framework for therapeutic work.
This document outlines the standards expected of NCH Members in the form of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Performance and also provides explanatory guidelines. It should be read in conjunction with the additional current Codes and policies of the NCH.
You must keep to the relevant health and safety laws and manage any risks to health and safety in your work environment. Your clinic space and any access areas, waiting or reception spaces must be fit for purpose for hypnotherapy offering adequate facilities in terms of cleanliness, privacy, comfort and safety.
Online or virtual hypnotherapy services must take confidential, effective communication as a priority to protect the best interests, privacy and safety of the client. At the outset of the online therapy a process must be agreed to be followed in the event of technological failure.
You must not practise while suffering from any physical or mental impairment, condition or disorder (including an addiction to alcohol or a drug whether prescribed or not) which is likely to detriment your ability to practice hypnotherapy or that places clients at risk of harm.
As a NCH Member your behaviour may be under scrutiny by members of the public and you must ensure you do nothing to bring the practice or profession of hypnotherapy into disrepute. This includes actions and communication in virtual space or through traditional media.
The scope of this Code is to govern the relationship between the hypnotherapist and client/s; the hypnotherapist and other healthcare professionals. Issues relating to training schools and training standards; the conduct of other professional bodies (or their officers or representatives) are specifically excluded. The Code relates solely to our registered practitioners whilst providing service in hypnotherapy and where service is provided in other approaches, clients are advised to satisfy themselves as to the suitability of the practitioner to provide such service. Issues relating to online disputes via any medium and disputes over fee payments and/or refunds are specifically excluded.
2.1.1 The HCA Member Educational Organisations, including their representatives and trainers, will take full responsibility for the ethical content and delivery of all professional activities, including marketing, subject to HCA guidelines.
The NSW Code of Conduct (2012) for unregistered health practitioners serves as a basis for a commonsense code of ethical practice for practitioners, and as such the following is the HCA minimum standard for practitioners.
This Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Conduct cannot cover every potential ethical, conduct or competence related concern. All must therefore depend on their own thoughtful evaluation of specific principles and the spirit expressed in these statements. The practitioner commits to engage with the challenge of striving for ethical practice and conduct, even when doing so involves making difficult decisions or acting courageously.
3. Confidentiality
3.1 The practitioner commits to respect, protect and preserve the confidentiality of their clients. The practitioner undertakes to notify their clients, when appropriate or on request that there are legal and ethical limits of that confidentiality and circumstances under which the practitioner might disclose confidential information to a third party.
3.3 Should the practitioner be required by law to serve in judicial or administrative proceedings, they commit to getting clarification at the outset of the potential impacts this could have on their commitment of confidentiality to any client. In such a situation the practitioner commits to maintaining this clarification as the situation proceeds and to seek legal and ethical advice as appropriate.
14.2 The practitioner accepts a responsibility to act against colluding with practice harmful to clients including that carried out by other professionals and colleagues. This should include, where appropriate, activating procedures for addressing ethical concerns including formal complaints if necessary.
I received my 500 plus hours of hypnotherapy training from The Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy, a state-licensed school, which means the education I received is approved by the state of Florida. I am a member of the IAIH (International Association of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy). To obtain my ACHE Certification additional testing was required. Below is the ACHE Code of Ethics which governs my practice, as well as the IAIH Standards.
I understand that the maintenance of high ethical standards by ACHE is an important support to the professional standing of all Hypnotherapists. I agree to conduct my practice and all professional interactions in strict accordance with ACHE rules and regulations promulgated now or in the future. By accepting my Certification, I consent to the authority and jurisdiction of ACHE to promulgate such rules and regulations, as it may from time to time deem necessary and to take such action, including legal, as it deems necessary to enforce them.
If I am charged with an alleged ethics violation, I understand that an investigation may be conducted upon receipt of a written complaint signed and dated by the person alleging the wrong committed and be subject to the ACHE Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures Policy. I understand that my Certification could be suspended for a specific period of time or revoked if the complaint is upheld. In any case, I agree to hold ACHE harmless for any actions it may take to guard against unethical practices or to enforce the rules and regulations.
To fulfill these responsibilities, I pledge adherence to this Code of Conduct. I will observe fully the standards, rules, policies and guidelines established by my institution, the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council, the State Education Agency and other appropriate organization serving an oversight role for my institution. Details of policies mentioned below are found in the HMI Student Guide and Catalog Addendum, part of each student enrollment.
Abstract:This study was a randomized controlled design and examined the feasibility and effectiveness of mindful hypnotherapy on psychological inflexibility, pain acceptance, headache disability, and headache intensity in patients with chronic migraine headaches. The sample consisted of 38 females with chronic migraine who were randomly assigned to mindful hypnotherapy and medical treatment as usual groups. Psychological inflexibility pain scale (PIPS), chronic pain acceptance questionnaire-revised (CPAQ-R), headache disability inventory (HDI), diary scale for headache, and short-form McGill pain questionnaire 2 (SF-MPQ-2) were administered at baseline and post-treatment in both groups. The psychological inflexibility mean (SD) score was 81.00 (12.15) at baseline, which significantly decreased to 53.28 (17.06) after the intervention (p < 0.001). Additionally, the mean (SD) score of the pain acceptance was 46.44 (11.16), which significantly increased to 73.61 (15.65) in post-intervention (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the mean (SD) score of headache disability was 73.55 (19.48), which significantly decreased to 23.33 (19.88) in post-intervention (p < 0.001). Finally, headache intensity was 7.33 (0.98) and 5.78 (1.83), which significantly decreased to 2.77 (2.04), and 1.38 (1.48) after the intervention based on the Diary Scale for Headache and McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ-2), respectively (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the results show that mindful hypnotherapy is a feasible and effective treatment for chronic migraine.Keywords: mindful hypnotherapy; chronic migraine; psychological inflexibility; pain acceptance; headache disability; headache intensity
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