But in any case, I agree with you that it is odd to think that being part of one association vs. another will make a significant difference in the success of a practice.

I have referred many prospects to ASCH therapists in cases where it was clear that they needed assistance beyond what I could provide via purely hypnotic coaching (ie. when a client describes “hearing voices” or other such obvious indicator).

So I don’t have a problem with the idea of joining the ASCH — but the idea that being a member of a different organization will make up for lack of marketing success, is puzzling. There are many many licensed professionals who struggle to attract clients, after all.

Anyway, many clients go to hypnotists because they purposely do not want to go to a “mental health” professional, for various reasons.

Really, I think this idea that being part of ASCH or NGH or whatever will make a significant difference in the success of a practice (except in the practical benefits of conventions, training, insurance, etc), is a way to avoid having to tackle larger, more fundamental problems of marketing and attracting clients.

It’s like the practitioner who spends a lot of time “getting ready to get ready” by fiddling with whether or not this logo or that logo looks better on their business card, what color scheme their website should be, says to themselves “maybe if I got another certificate then I’d get me some more clients” or “maybe Twitter can help grow my business”… what’s known as “majoring in minor things”.

I agree that confidence is a major part of this work, both the client’s trusting the hypnotist, but more importantly the hypnotist trusting the work!

I think leaning on something like membership in this-or-that organization is either an indication of a lack of confidence on the part of the hypnotist in their work, or an inability to more effectively communicate their value to the market, neither of which will be resolved by membership in whatever organization.

Of course, this is just off-the-top-of-head reasoning. I would be interested in seeing research, or even hearing anecdotes, which show that a person who switched from one organization to another becomes more successful as a result of that change, all other factors being the same. I doubt it, but could be wrong!