With its focus on mental, emotional and spiritual healing, Bastyr University’s noncredit Hypnotherapy Training Program reaches across the health care spectrum, attracting both practicing professionals and students, as well as members of the general public.
The program is ideal for individuals seeking deep personal change and growth, but can also open doors into new career possibilities within the health care arena.
“Our program participants have included students in the health sciences, naturopathic doctors, medical doctors, psychologists, massage therapists, nurses and nutrition professionals,” says instructor Mary Lee LaBay, PhD, who started the program through Bastyr’s Department of Certificate, Community and Continuing Education in fall 2011.
Similarly, she’s also taught a range of members of the public, from stay-at-home moms to ex-corporate world employees, who are looking to change careers or just learn more about self-awareness or maintaining wellness.
An Organic Approach to Hypnotherapy
Dr. LaBay, who has been a certified instructor of hypnotherapy since 1999, says her method may be particularly appealing to people interested in natural health.
“The way I teach hypnotherapy is very holistic, organic and client-centered," she says. Although hypnotherapy programs often focus on using “scripts” that are read to patients when they’re in a trance, Dr. LaBay says her method relies more on listening to the patient’s subconscious.
“I take the cues off of the subconscious mind,” she says. “The entire session is done in dialog, so I can listen to what the subconscious mind is doing, which will help me decide which tools to use during the session.”
Participants still learn the scripts to get an idea of how they function, but as soon as they’re ready to take their learning to the next level, Dr. LaBay teaches them how to understand the concepts that are being created by their client’s subconscious mind.
In each of the two program courses, she says participants will learn seven to 12 therapy techniques that can be applied to someone receiving hypnotherapy.
Program Teaches Life Lessons
Dr. LaBay says that in addition to offering career opportunities and maintaining wellness, the training also teaches life lessons that can help you at home, work and elsewhere.
“You can apply the skills you learn to your relationships, raising your children, and getting along with your co-workers and your boss,” she says. “You don’t necessarily have to put a person in trance to work with these techniques in different ways in everyday life.
“You can manage your own emotions and reactions and have a lot of personal growth through this learning experience.”
Hypnotherapy Program Details
To earn the certificate of competency in hypnotherapy, you must first complete the two courses in the program. Each of the courses is held over two weekends, offered once a quarter, and may be taken in any order. The next two classes are:
- “Hypnotherapy: Transformation & Healing,” offered fall quarter on November 3-4 and December 8-9.
- “Hypnotherapy: Awareness & Integration,” which takes place winter quarter on January 19-20 and February 16-17.
Each course provides 50 continuing education units (CEUs), which include 28 hours of classroom time and 22 hours of home study. After completing the 100 hours of training you have the option to take the culminating exam to earn a certificate of competency, and qualify for membership in one or more professional associations to receive the designation of Certified Hypnotherapist.
Dr. LaBay notes that for those who would like to learn more about personal exploration in the field, she also teaches the electives "Hypnotherapy: Professional Weight Management", “Hypnotherapy: Past-Life Regression” and “Hypnotherapy: Transpersonal Discovery.”
Want to learn more about the Hypnotherapy Training Program and our other noncredit programs, which include:
You are invited to meet Dr. LaBay and the other instructors at an Information Session for Noncredit Programs from 6-9 p.m. January 9, 2012. Although free, pre-registration is required.
