The potential student of hypnotherapy can learn in a classroom setting. Learning online, followed by an internship, is another option. Since it is by nature an interactive experience, you cannot learn hypnotherapy without that person-to-person experience taking place at some time during training.
Hypnosis was once viewed as a stage show. The hypnotist would bring a member of the audience on stage. He would then hypnotize him and plant the suggestion that he would cluck like a chicken (or perform another ridiculous action) each time the hypnotist said a specific word.
He would then bring the audience member out of the trance and say the word, which then made the subject act like a chicken in front of the audience. After much laughter and amusement, the trance state would be concluded. It was funny of course, but highly unlikely to have been real.
When an individual is put into a relaxed state by a qualified hypnotist, it is a quite different procedure. The subject is placed into a deeply relaxed frame of mind. A qualified hypnotherapist can uncover deeply buried memories and work towards resolving them by providing understanding or employing further therapeutic methods to help a problem situation.
Modern hypnosis is better understood. It is taught in schools that are accredited in many cases. Courses are taken by the uninitiated. Courses in continuing education credit are taken by therapists, nurses and teachers to enhance their abilities to assist the people they work with as well.
One hypnotism school has been licensed to teach since 1978. The teachers are considered to be skilled, creative and care very much about the training of their student. As part of the training, each prospective hypnotherapist undergoes being hypnotized by a fellow student. Experiencing the hypnotic state is educational in and of itself.
The would-be hypnotherapist can begin without any previous educational requirements. The course is intended to prepare her to help others. Business and marketing strategies are included as part of the education to prepare her for going into practice after becoming qualified.
Presentation of live hypnotic sessions add to the education of the students. Gestalt and other known therapeutic concepts are interwoven into the abilities of the trained hypnotherapist. Counselors at all levels, masters or doctoral level for example, can use hypnotism as part of their work with clients. Many licensed professionals take the courses in hypnotism.
This is not to be viewed as a non-traditional educational endeavor. Homework is assigned and handouts passed out for study purposes outside of the class sessions. An additional benefit to students is that during their practice sessions with other students, they gain an understanding of themselves. This opportunity to learn hypnotherapy is a major advantage in dealing with their own personal lives.