Hypnotherapy in the United Kingdom

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In the United Kingdom there are several hypnotherapy organizations. Each one has a code of ethics and practice, seeking to protect the public and maintain professional standards. Over the years, the number of hypnotherapy organizations has proliferated, often associated with particular training schools. There has been a notable lack of co-operation between organizations in establishing any agreed public standard of training and code of practice for the hypnotherapy profession as a whole. However, progress is now being made in this area.

Distinctions can be made between hypnotherapy bodies affiliated to training colleges and those not affiliated – and between commercially operated organizations and professional membership associations or societies that are "not-for-profit" and are owned and operated by the members – and are required to publish accounts – and between those that are owned and operated by individuals (sole traders).

In addition, distinctions can be made between training-level requirements. Some organizations will only train those who already have a medical or psychological qualification – e.g., doctors, psychologists, nurses, dentists – and believe that it is unethical to practice if one has only been trained in hypnosis. Length of training is also important. Some associations accredit members or training courses based on seven days of classroom training, others accredit distance learning, and still others require 120 hours of classroom training, etc. As far as hypnotherapy and any linked activities such as radiesthesia are concerned, it is as of 2017, illegal in countries in Europe but in parts of Asia and Africa is disliked but not prohibited. Various reasons include no real research showing any progress of the natural state of mind when undergoing the process of hypnosis or radiesthesia.