In recognition that millions of Californians receive a substantial volume of healthcare services from complementary and alternative healthcare practitioners, the Legislature enacted AB 2271 (Chapter 397, Statutes of 2002) to establish, under the provisions of Section 2053.6 of the California Business and Professions Code, a set of guidelines for those practitioners.

The purpose of a program of hypnotherapy is for vocational and avocational self-improvement (Business and Professions Code, Section 2908) and is not a substitute for licensed medical, psychological, psychiatric, or dental treatment. Referral-based hypnotherapy services for medical or psychological purposes are available only upon referral from a licensed physician, dentist, or psychologist, where applicable.

Hypnosis works with the power of the subconscious mind to change habits and behaviors. The subconscious mind is considered to be the source or root of many of our behaviors, emotions, attitudes, and motivations.

Services consist of a program of conditioning, including an undetermined number of private sessions, depending on the client’s needs and progress. Each private session is approximately 50 to 90 minutes in duration.

The feelings and experiences one has in the hypnotic state can vary from individual to individual. Many people remain conscious and aware of their surroundings during the process. Others may drift into a very relaxed drowsy feeling. Most people, after emerging from the hypnotic state, feel very calm and relaxed.

The use of hypnosis could elicit memories of past events which may or may not be literally true. It is possible that events recalled under hypnosis may be influenced by the hypnotic process itself.

While it is the practice of Hypnotherapists to keep information confidential, information revealed in hypnotherapy is not protected by law as a privileged communication.