Diplomas & Certification

Diplomas as a Master Hypnotist and Hypnotherapist with the embossed seals of our leading school, along with Certification are awarded upon completion of the Level 3 and Level 4 courses. In addition to HTI's Certification, upon completion of the Level 4 course, the student qualifies to receive optional further Certification as a Hypnotherapist by the original and primary hypnotherapy certifying agency, the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners. 

Further diplomas and Certification of Regression Specialist and Clinical Hypnotherapist are awarded for Levels 5 and 6, and the graduate is eligible for A.C.H.E. Clinical Hypnotherapist Certification upon completion of six levels.

School Licensure & Approvals

• Approved: Hypnotherapy and Clinical Hypnotherapy Certification by the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners and by the National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists.

• HTI is licensed by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider No. CEP 13994, for 50 hours of continuing education credit per class level.

• Hypnotherapy Training Institute is approved for 36 hours per class level by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists  to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs, Provider No. 135031. Hypnotherapy Training Institute maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. 

• Each course meets the qualifications for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

• Various Diplomas, including for Clinical Hypnotherapy.

• HTI became one of the original state-licensed hypnotherapy schools in 1978.

• In full compliance with all laws and regulations, including business licenses, plus State Department of Tax and Fee Administration license.

• Advanced classes: A.C.H.E. approved for renewing and/or upgrading your Certification.

HTI offers diplomas and Certification. There can be additional advantages to further Certification with an appropriate organization. 

The American Council of Hypnotist Examiners, with over 9500 members, is the oldest and most important hypnotherapy certification agency in the United States. It was not the first hypnotist organization, but it was the first to initiate Registration, the first to initiate Certification, and the first to initiate significant educational requirements for its members. It has always been a leader in setting and raising training standards, and is still the only major hypnotherapist certifying organization in the United States that requires its approved schools are state-licensed where required by law.

The A.C.H.E. is recognized by various state and federal government agencies. A hypnotherapist who is not licensed in the health or counseling professions will sometimes have a better chance to receive insurance reimbursement for clients if A.C.H.E. Certified. Also, members have various choices for reasonable professional liability insurance, including with the American Professional Agency. This is the primary professional liability insurance carrier in the United State for licensed psychologists, social workers and MFTs.

The A.C.H.E. has done crucial work for 4 decades in many legislatures throughout the United States, more than all the other certifying organizations combined, to protect and strengthen the profession.

Many of the values of A.C.H.E. Certification are also relevant to licensed therapists. The A.C.H.E. holds annual International Hypnotherapy Conferences, with classes and workshops given by leading hypnotherapists from around the world. Valuable information is disseminated to members in monthly newsletters. The A.C.H.E. has the highest educational standards of any major hypnosis organization, only accepting schools which have fulfilled all legal requirements of all appropriate state agencies, and as well as its own stricter standards.

HTI Director Randal Churchill was the first President of the A.C.H.E. and completed his most recent term in 2012.

Announcement: We are now requiring all students to be members of the A.C.H.E., as a way to further strengthen this important agency and support high standards in the profession. The A.C.H.E. now has a student membership, and we are currently making a special offer to provide and pay in full for student membership for all of our students that are not already members of this organization.

Most state-licensed hypnosis schools and most hypnotherapists we know of are A.C.H.E. Certified. But many organizations with impressive-sounding names, including proprietary (in-house) ones, have in recent years claimed to offer "certification." Most have few if any of the advantages described above. In fact, many have damaged the profession by approving illegal programs and schools in recent years, thus seeming to give them legitimacy. Especially avoid schools which claim hypnotherapy 'certification' for less than 200 hours of instruction that is primarily in the classroom. Many hypnosis "certification" organizations are eager to give their stamps of approval to non-licensed schools to get money from their graduates for membership. Consumer beware.

Distance Learning: Unless you are already an established hypnotherapist, avoid distance learning (online or correspondence courses). They have the same legal requirements as classroom courses to be state-licensed, but very few are. Hypnotherapy training solely through remote courses is by itself far insufficient.

Essential aspects of hypnotherapy training leading to an effective, successful practice include: experiencing numerous group and individual hypnosis processes and giving and receiving feedback about your subjective experiences; live demonstrations and commentary followed by questions and answers; and supervised practice sessions with feedback from client and supervising teacher.

Online or correspondence courses are very limited in their potential for training persons to become hypnotherapists, just as they would be for training persons to become psychotherapists, dentists or massage practitioners.

Any school which claims the state directly gives its students hypnotherapy certification or licensure through its program is wrong. States license or approve schools, not hypnotherapists. No state gives State Certification directly to individuals to practice hypnosis.

There are a few schools that advertise controversial"degrees" in hypnotherapy, with programs that are entirely or almost entirely remote courses. These "degrees" are not accredited, and have been highly criticized in the media and by many professional organizations.