There are no regulations regarding the use of hypnosis in Hong Kong. From time to time the interest in hypnosis is boosted by the media, particularly when they report on miraculously cured individuals suffering from all sorts of psychological problems. Experience shows that this kind of advertisement triggers people to approach their doctors and ask about hypnosis and request a referral to "hypnotist".

Many misconceptions and myths are still around about hypnosis. People never stop hoping for miracles. Often they become disappointed or suffer from the intervention performed by an unskilled "therapist".

Scientific papers report cases where serious psychological damage has been inflicted through lay-hypnotists. An elementary knowledge of hypnotic techniques from books or a brief workshop is inadequate for safe and ethical practice. The therapist wishing to use hypnosis as an adjunct to other therapeutic interventions must first master an extensive and complex body of literature on the evaluation of psychological disorders and undergo practical training.

As a clinical psychologist with a diploma in clinical hypnosis awarded by the Australian Society of Hypnosis, The New Zealand Society of Hypnosis and the International Society of Hypnosis, I am dedicated to enhance the appropriate use of hypnosis and to increase public knowledge of its professional use. The public deserves to be well informed about the official view of hypnosis.

The New Zealand and Australian Society of Hypnosis, both of which are affiliated with the International Society of Hypnosis, accepts only registered health professionals for their two-year training courses leading to a diploma in clinical hypnosis. Local and international registration is the conditio sine qua non to include hypnosis as an adjunct in the treatment armamentarium. The International Society of Hypnosis recognizes local registrations and publishes a world-wide list of the registered practitioners.

At present, only registered psychologists, dentists and medical practitioners are admitted to the training courses. The reason lies in the belief of the Societies that hypnosis is not a psychological treatment in itself, but one of the instruments thereof. Those who influence the behavior or feelings of individuals by using hypnosis must, therefore, have a professional basis for interaction with their hypnotized client. For this reason, The International Society of Hypnosis regards it unethical to train lay people in the use of hypnosis; to collaborate with lay people who are utilizing hypnosis or even to serve as a consultant to them.

The view of the International Society of Hypnosis is, that non-clinically trained therapists can not offer hypnosis for the treatment of various disorders. The Society's point of view is that "we only use hypnosis to treat problems that we are qualified to treat with non-hypnotic techniques".

Hypnosis is one of the most powerful psychological methods for mental and physical relaxation. Professionally, hypnosis can be an effective and safe therapeutic tool to help people change their behavior ad attitudes. It has been successfully employed for anxiety and stress control, phobias and a wide range of physical symptoms. It is also used to overcome attentional deficits, to increase motivational assertiveness and confidence, and to enhance the benefits of psychotherapy and counseling.

Hypnosis does not work miracles. Normally hypnosis will not provide an instant cure. While many people can be helped with brief interventions requiring a few sessions, some problems do require more extensive treatment. It should never be sees as a cure for all problems. It is just one method among others which the trained professional will use according to the specific needs of the individual client.

The skepticism that emotion and stress can seriously affect the body belongs to the past. Extensive medical and psychological research has proven that stress reactions can lead to disease and dysfunction. The cardiovascular system is the prime target-organ of the stress response, particularly in man and postmenopausal woman. Cardiovascular disorders most often contributed to excessive stress are high blood pressure (the "silent killer"), migraine, and tension headache as well as Raynaud's disease. Although stress itself is not sufficient to cause cardiovascular disorders, the interaction between stress and other predisposing factors may lead to the development of such diseases. Hypnosis, as part of a stress management program, helps to lower blood pressure by alleviating the effects of a stressful situation.

The most common medical and psychological areas of clinical application of hypnosis are as follows:

Asthma; anxiety; panic attacks; phobias; fear of flying, examinations, public appearance etc; depression; concentration and attention problems; motivation and memory training; confidence building; attitude change; high blood pressure; pregnancy and labor; chronic pain control; migraine; headache; low back pain; cessation of smoking; gastrointestinal disorders; eating disorders; weight control; bulimia; nail biting; thumb sucking; hair pulling; sexual dysfunction; sleep disorders; stuttering; trauma; loss and unresolved grief.

In dentistry: bruxism, dental phobias, gagging, nausea and pain control

The treatment program always includes a short discussion of the history of hypnosis, of the myths and misconceptions about hypnosis, the characteristics of hypnotic state, the measurement of the individuals susceptibility to hypnosis, its indications and contraindications and ethical issues.

Confidentiality : The clinical psychological intervention is confidential. The practice of clinical hypnosis follows the rules and regulations of the New Zealand Society of Hypnosis, Australian Society of Hypnosis and the International Society of Hypnosis.