Individualized Consultation (IC) is offered for those health and mental health care practitioners interested in enhancing their knowledge and expertise in the use of hypnosis.  This 20-hour intensive meeting is designed to fulfill the requirements for attaining ASCH Certification in Clinical Hypnosis or to obtain the hours of consultation necessary to become an Approved Consultant.

Individuals attending this program must have completed an ASCH-approved Basic and Intermediate Workshop and should be using hypnosis in their professional practice.

This workshop is unique among ASCH’s educational offerings.  The format is one in which participants meet and consult in a small group setting with fellow practitioners and a group of facilitators who are ASCH Approved Consultants.  This model encourages participants to learn from one another, to have their own expertise affirmed and expanded, and to network with other professionals in clinical hypnosis. During the twenty hours of consultation the focus is on issues unique to each practitioners’ specialties and practices. Consultation is done in a small group, usually comprised of no more than 6 people. The groups are heterogeneous as to discipline (medicine, psychology, dentistry, social work; etc.) and gender. Group process plays a key role in this type of training while meeting the specific needs of each participant. This diversity in grouping encourages participants to focus their attention on refining techniques and skills in a context of interdisciplinary learning about the mind/body considerations in the application of clinical hypnosis.

Each small group remains together during the 20 hours with the occasional opportunity for a self-selected group based upon topic. In such groups, participants will have the opportunity to enhance utilization techniques and to address specific uses of hypnosis in behavioral medicine, pain management, obstetrics and gynecology, children and adolescents, trauma, DID, chronic illness and/or palliative care.   Actual topics discussed will be determined by attendee learning contracts.

The depth of learning in the Consultation model of training is directly related to the level of involvement of the participants.  Participants are required to bring:

• Audio or videotapes and/or typed transcripts of their work with clients using clinical hypnosis - please follow appropriate standards of practice for permission for these recordings and privacy of your clients; and
• A copy of their training file and/or application for Certification or Certification as an Approved Consultant.

These materials are used to explore and deepen their understanding and application of hypnosis.  This is training and consultation, not testing.  At the same time, participants have a superb opportunity to receive feedback, input and creative suggestions from their professional peers.  Many participants have indicated that they emerged from the Consultation with clear and precise options for increasing their effectiveness in the application of clinical hypnosis to their existing practices.

For more information about the IC Workshop or the certification process, contact Elizabeth Goins, Director of Membership and Certification, at 630-980-4740 or email her at certification@asch.net.