The Company You Keep
Like Ellie, Debbie, Josh, and many others who frequent The Transparent Hypnotist, I’m a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH). The first thing I did when I became certified was to join the NGH because everyone I knew in the hypnosis community said NGH was one of the top, or possibly the top, professional hypnosis organization. In the years since then my friends’ recommendation has proven to be mostly true. Like any large organization NGH has its hang-ups, but by and large I’m still very happy with them.
That doesn’t mean that from time to time I don’t look at other organizations, too. Lately, for instance, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Society of Experiential Trance, a fairly young (established 2005) organization that came to my attention when I attended Hypnoticon earlier this year. That’s their logo at the top of this post.
SET has a feel and attitude that’s different from any other organization I’ve seen or heard about. Where most hypnosis organizations emphasize their training resources, professional codes of conduct, legal/political actions to protect their memberships, and whatnot — all of which, I hasten to say, are very good things — SET, primarily, is all about the trance experience and how people use it. Their membership criteria is telling: while they respect professional certifications from other organizations, the only way to join SET is for one of SET’s officers to actually watch you perform a list of trance phenomena, either live or on video. I have to admit, I like that.
Another interesting thing about SET is that they are extremely inclusive. Most hypnosis organizations are willing to accept and even teach in their conventions things like energy healing, past life regression, emotional freedom technique — things that may or may not be related to hypnosis but which tend to come into play frequently. There are some practices, though, that are decidedly Not Welcome. SET embraces every field of hypnosis, though, even the ones that organizations like NGH frown upon, such as erotic hypnosis. SET’s attitude is that if people are going to do these things — and they are — then it’s important to teach people to do them safely and responsibly. I love that position; I think it’s practical and realistic and fresh.
What I fear — and, after all this set-up, the point of today’s Sunday Question — is that if I join SET, the NGH people may frown on that because SET does support uses of hypnosis that NGH considers unprofessional or inappropriate. I still value my NGH membership and would rather not lose it. I still want to be taken seriously as a professional, and I see the NGH membership as part of that. So, today’s question is:
Would you associate yourself with an organization that supports alternative practices such as erotic hypnosis? Why or why not?
<MR>
June 29th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Hey MR,
I wasn’t aware you we’re at Hypnoticon. I stopped by to visit a friend while I was in Atlanta on a trip. Due to late notice I wasn’t able to go to the actual event, yet I did meet many of the people at the event in the lobby. Very great event from the looks of thing. Now as for your question.
Would you associate yourself with an organization that supports alternative practices such as erotic hypnosis? Why or why not?
Yes I would depending on a few factors. The first one would be that the organizations must be very credible and professional. I hate to say it but their are so many organizations out their who just let anyone in.
I too, respect SET. I think they are a great organization and many of the members are very professional and very skilled. The second thing for me is how I could take something such as Erotic Hypnosis or another alternative form of hypnosis and use it to help people or provide a service.
As much as I love the guild they too have a few alternative workshops at their convention such as flute playing and etc. Honestly, I didn’t realize they look down on erotic hypnosis. All in all I think it doesn’t matter as long as the organizations conducts itself in a professional manner. Even if you aren’t into certain fields their are many people who are and they need someone to provide that service. So why not you?
If we are ever going to want to continue to grow our field we must start to become more accepting of other organizations and fields of hypnosis. Once again it goes back to basic business. If their is a demand for something, someone must supply it. So as the man in the crowd said during the movie the Water Boy “You can do it!!”
BTW, I once heard a story about how Erotic hypnosis saved a woman marriage from failing. So as long as it helps the person in some manner I’m okay with it.
Josh
June 30th, 2008 at 8:16 am
A difficult question.
Not being a member of NGH, I can’t say exactly what benefits one gets from it, but I do understand they are quite expansive. However, I have also heard some negative things about the organization relating to cliquishness and elitism that only echoes the apprehensions you mentioned. About the only thing I can say is that from what I’ve seen, some of the rival professional organizations (for instance, one that needs the “magic letters” after your name for membership) are even worse.
And speaking of the NGH and HypnotiCon, David Fontaneau has said that the NGH has caused at least three people to cancel their presentations at HypnotiCon under the threat of losing their membership.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:49 am
Oops, I shoulda read sooner!
Yes, I was at Hypnoticon, Josh. I went with a friend and had a wonderful time, learned from some very skilled and talented people, and didn’t witness anything that struck me as unprofessional. Nobody compelled me to go to an erotic workshop — in fact, I didn’t — and the ‘alternative’ workshop I did go to was absolutely professional and interesting, as good or better than what NGH provides.
With people like Brian David Phillips and Dave Fontaineau behind it, SET has a lot to offer as a positive, professional influence. What will it take, I wonder, for “mainstream” groups like NGH to recognize that?
<MR>