Code of Ethics

The purpose of the PHPA is to bring together practising Hypnotherapists and to encourage them to keep abreast with the latest developments within this field.  The PHPA provides expert, professional advice to its members and is affiliated to Hypnotic World, probably the largest hypnotherapy resource site in the world.

Members of the Professional Hypnotherapy Practitioner Association (PHPA) agree to:

  1. Always maintain standards of the highest professional conduct and do nothing that might bring the profession of Hypnotherapy and/or psychotherapy or the PHPA into disrepute. 
  2. Provide suitable work premises and facilities to clients and any persons accompanying them.
  3. Take reasonable measures to ensure the safety of the client and any person who may be accompanying them
  4. Respect the rights, dignity and emotions of their patient.
  5. Inform clients of all relevant training, experience and qualifications upon request.
  6. Charge fairly for the treatment given.
  7. Explain fully to clients prior to any treatment the fees, terms of payment, session length, and any charges that are likely to be applied for non-attendance or cancelled appointments.
  8. Present all services and products in a clear and concise manner and to refrain from trying to pressurize the client in any way to purchase any services or products.
  9. Neither expect nor encourage gifts from clients. Small tokens of appreciation may be accepted at the end of therapy but should in no way be solicited.
  10. Not discriminate against any client, on religion, age, nationality, race, politics, beliefs or social standing.
  11. Not claim to hold specific qualifications unless such claim can be verified. (In the absence of appropriate medical qualifications, no Member may use the title "Doctor" in a manner that may be misleading.
  12. Ensure that they carry professional indemnity insurance relevant to the treatment area that they are using with their clients.
  13. Provide a service to clients only in those areas in which they have trained and demonstrated competence, and for which they carry full professional indemnity insurance that is acceptable to the PHPA.
  14. Offer treatment within their own limitations and experience and if appropriate, refer a client to another more suitable practitioner (whether or not that practitioner be a member of the PHPA) who might reasonably be expected to provide suitable treatment.
  15. Ensure that clients seeking therapy for the relief of physical symptoms (e.g. unexplained pain) are advised to contact their GP or other Medical Practitioner, unless they have already done so.
  16. Ensure as far as possible that wherever an aspect of the client's condition is either known or suspected to be beyond their area of expertise, the client be advised to seek medical or other appropriate advice.
  17. Refrain from offering advice to a client which conflicts with or is contrary to that given by the client’s registered medical advisor/s.
  18. Where a client has been referred for hypnotherapy by an outside professional source, i.e. GP or agency, the referrer should be kept up-to-date with the client's progress.
  19. Ensure that all client notes and records are kept secure and confidential and that computer records are used in accordance with the guidelines of the Data Protection Act 
  20. Ensure that client notes and records are destroyed after a reasonable length of time.
  21. Never promise a cure for any condition or problem, nor give advice or otherwise pass comment on any medical, psychiatric, or psychological problem or condition unless they have training and qualifications in these fields.
  22. All client treatment and information shall remain confidential unless they give written permission to divulge such information, provided that such confidentiality is consistent with the safety of the client’s family members, other members of the public or in contravention of the laws of the land
  23. Obtain written permission from the client or, if appropriate, the client's parent/s or legal guardian/s before either recording client sessions or discussing recognizable cases with any party whatsoever. ("Recording" in this context refers to any electronic method).
  24. Refrain from using their position of trust and confidence to exploit the client emotionally, sexually, financially or in any other way whatsoever.
  25. Maintain a therapeutic relationship with clients.
  26. Refrain from working with friends or family for anything other than simple relaxation work or other 'single-session' therapies.
  27. Use their best endeavours to bring treatment to a successful conclusion in the minimum time consistent with the good care of the client.
  28. Refrain from touching the client in any way that may be open to misinterpretation. (e.g. before employing tactile induction or deepening techniques, an explanation should be given and permission obtained)
  29. Obtain the consent of an appropriate adult (i.e. parent or legal guardian) before treating clients who are under the age of 16.
  30. Ensure that where a patient is referred by another Member, or any therapist in any other discipline, whether in the medical profession or not, the referee shall be advised, with the patients consent, at the conclusion of the treatment.
  31. Not publicly criticise other Members, Hypnotherapists or Medical Professionals, either with or without perceived justification, regardless of whether they are a member of the PHPA.
  32. Not entice clients from other Members or therapists.
  33. Respect the treatment offered in other therapies, without necessarily agreeing with such treatment. (Any Member publicly disagreeing with other forms of treatment must state that it is their own personal view and not that of the PHPA).
  34. Refer a patient to another Member or to another therapist if the patient may benefit further or quicker by this action. The best interests of the patient will be taken into account at all times. Care should be taken to refer only to therapists who have standards and methods of treatment proven in practice.
  35. Inform the PHPA, upon initial application, of any disciplinary action taken against them by any professional body and further inform the PHPA, in writing, of any subsequent action taken against them whilst a member of The Association.
  36. Inform the PHPA, in writing, of any complaint (of which they are aware) made against them.
  37. Inform the PHPA, in writing, of any alteration in circumstance which would affect either their position or ability as practitioners
  38. Notify the PHPA, in writing, of any change in practise name, contact address, telephone number or e-mail address, at the earliest convenient moment.
  39. Confirm, upon initial application, that they have not been convicted of any offence likely to bring their professional name or the reputation of the PHPA into disrepute and undertake to inform the PHPA, in writing, should such an event subsequently occur whilst a member of the PHPA.
  40. UK members must ensure that all advertising shall comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice, accord with the British Advertising Standards Authority and make available all such literature to the PHPA on request. (*This includes all material published on websites and in which matter, the PHPA, reserves the right to decide, entirely at its discretion, whether to allow active links to any individual website from the PHPA site). In the case of overseas Members, their advertising shall comply fully with the laws of their land.