Credentials

How to Select a Hypnotherapist
There are many reputable, experienced, highly qualified and deeply committed professionals in the field of Hypnotherapy. However, hypnotherapy is not a licensed profession so there is no specific credential required to advertise as a hypnotherapist in the State of Colorado. There are also many qualified and experienced professionals in the field of Tobacco Cessation. However, the Quit Smoking market is also plagued with “miracle product” sales pitches and marketing schemes. So it’s very important to choose an actual therapist who is a reputable, experienced, qualified and committed professional in both regards.

All Hypnotherapists Are NOT Created Equal.
Here are six things you should consider when selecting a Hypnotherapist for Tobacco Cessation:

Source of Certification — The National Guild of Hypnotists is the largest, oldest and most reputable certifying body for Hypnotherapists in the United States and around the world. NGH certification demonstrates that the therapist has completed hundreds of hours of in-person training, has passed rigorous written and practical examinations, and that he or she is also accountable to a strict code of professional Ethics and Standards including annual requirements for continuing education to maintain certification. Be aware that there are organizations and companies that offer “Certification” for attending a weekend seminar, purchasing a hypnosis-related marketing franchise, or simply taking an online test with no actual training or experience. Because the State of Colorado does not restrict the practice of Hypnotherapy based on the extent of training, it’s important to look for proof of NGH Certification.

Professional Affiliations & Regulatory Compliance — In the State of Colorado, all psychotherapists, licensed and unlicensed, are required to register with the Department of Regulatory Agencies and the State Grievance Board. Some hypnosis-to-stop-smoking franchises ignore this requirement because they are not actually therapists, they are retailers selling hypnosis-related products and services. This loophole limits your rights as a client and the recourses available to you if you have a complaint about the therapeutic ethics or values involved. I am registered with the State Grievance Board, I am also a member in good standing of the Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. There have never been any complaints or concerns raised by my clients through the NGH, the State Grievance Board, the BBB, or any other agency.

Years in Practice — While I’m not the oldest business in town (I became a hypnotherapist and tobacco expert in middle age after I quit smoking myself) I have been working exclusively with smokers full-time under the same business name at the same office location since January of 2005. So I regularly receive calls and letters and referrals from former clients on the occasion of key anniversaries ranging up over four years now. I’ve also been in business long enough to help some former clients who may have slipped up somewhere along the way. I consider it a compliment that they came back to me because they knew that I would be there for them and could help them get right back on track.

Tobacco Cessation Expertise – Most hypnotherapists are general practitioners whose interests and clinical experiences are spread out over the many diverse issues that people bring to hypnotists. I have full professional training in all areas of hypnotherapy, but the sole focus of my daily work and research is on the single subject of how hypnosis can best be applied to tobacco cessation. I’ve spent many thousands of hours working exclusively with smokers and developing smoker-specific hypnosis and counseling techniques to optimize the results.

Smoking Experience – If you’re looking for help to stop smoking, aren’t you better off working with someone who has been a long-term heavy smoker and who has quit by the same methods they teach? I’ve met many therapists who work with smokers but have never been smokers themselves. And even some who are current smokers, unable to quit! How can someone who has never smoked truly relate to your experience? How can a smoker who has never quit show you how to do it? I smoked a pack a day for 30 years. I teach what I do, and I do as I teach. I speak smoker!

Personal Credibility — Stopping smoking the way I did, when I did, literally saved my life. It gave me a whole new outlook on life, a new appreciation for personal growth and physical fitness, a new education and a whole new career. If you’ve been looking around the web, you’ve noticed there are plenty of slick internet franchises selling every conceivable kind of stop-smoking aid, including hypnosis. I hope you can tell that the HypNoSmoke method (and this website) was created by one human being — me! If you’ve read this far, I know you’re the kind of client who will recognize the value of working with a real person, a genuine expert, a personally committed professional, a Denver neighbor and neighborhood business owner. I feel lucky to have escaped smoking alive, and I am passionate about helping others make that great escape!