About
ABOUT
Australian Society of Hypnosis
About the Australian Society of Hypnosis (ASH)
The Australian Society of Hypnosis (ASH) is the only nationally recognised organisation in Australia offering accredited training in clinical hypnosis. ASH also provides ongoing professional development, peer support, and a strong professional network. It serves AHPRA-registered professionals, along with Counsellors, Speech Pathologists, Social Workers, and other allied health practitioners.
Membership Requirements and Eligibility
To join ASH, most applicants need to be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). ASH offers accredited clinical hypnosis training in Australia, and also provides special entry provisions for certain professions.
- Counsellors – must be listed on the Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP)
- Speech Pathologists – must be members of Speech Pathology Australia
- Social Workers – must be members of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
These requirements ensure all members meet nationally recognised professional standards.
Hypnosis Training and Clinical Skill Development
ASH offers comprehensive hypnosis training programs across its State Branches. These programs aim to develop clinical skills and include:
- State Branch programs that deliver advanced and specialist clinical hypnosis training
- Webinars, short workshops, small group presentations, peer supervision, and networking opportunities
- An Annual Congress, hosted by a different State each year, featuring lectures, discussions, and international keynote speakers
The opportunities above allow members to apply hypnosis effectively across diverse healthcare settings. Additionally, they help foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among practitioners.
Annual ASH Congress and Global Engagement
Each year, a different State hosts the ASH Annual Congress—a three-day event focused on professional education, discussion, and networking. Recent Congresses have been held in Cairns (2024), Cradle Mountain (TAS), Christchurch (NZ), Norfolk Island, the Gold Coast, and Brisbane.
This event features expert speakers, including at least one international presenter. It provides a valuable space to exchange ideas, explore new techniques, and strengthen connections with fellow hypnosis professionals worldwide.
Our Approach to Clinical Hypnosis
ASH promotes the use of clinical hypnosis as an adjunct to evidence-based treatment—not as a standalone therapy. This approach supports its integration into a wide range of healthcare disciplines and enhances overall patient care..
Governance and Leadership
The Society operates under the guidance of a Federal Council, which includes representatives from every State Branch. Meanwhile, the Federal Secretariat, located in Sydney, manages daily operations.
All training and accreditation activities fall under the authority of the Board of Education (BoE). This constitutionally mandated subcommittee ensures the integrity and quality of ASH’s hypnosis training programs.
The Role of the Board of Education (BoE)
The Board of Education plays a critical role in maintaining ASH’s educational standards. It oversees:
- Curriculum development
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Appointment of Case Report and Viva Examiners
- Recommendations for candidates advancing to Full Membership
The Chair of the BoE is an ex officio member of the Federal Council. The current Chair is Full Member Alberto Mariani, and the Secretary is Full Member Ann Wilson.
Who can join ASH?
ASH welcomes Associate Membership applications from the following registered healthcare professionals:
- Counsellors
- Chiropractors
- Dentists
- Medical Practitioners
- Midwives
- Nurses
- Occupational Therapists
- Optometrists
- Osteopaths
- Physiotherapists
- Podiatrists
- Psychologists
- Social Workers
- Speech Pathologists
After completing approved training and assessments, Associate Members become eligible for Full Membership.
ABOUT
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is the process by which a person induces an altered state of attention or degree of awareness in another person. The process may result in a variety of phenomena, which occur spontaneously or in response to verbal or other stimuli. These phenomena include alternations in consciousness and memory; increased susceptibility to suggestion; the production of responses and ideas unfamiliar to the person in the normal state of mind; or changes in behaviour, perceptions, or psychological processes.
Hypnosis can also occur naturally when a person has become totally absorbed in what they are doing. Thus, like daydreaming, hypnotic-like states may occur in people regularly.
Hypnosis is not the same as sleep. It is not like an anaesthetic. You do not “pass out” and you are not unconscious when you are hypnotised. You do not lose control over your mind or your feelings. You do not weaken or surrender your will to any other person. In fact, your willpower may be strengthened with hypnosis.
In hypnosis, it is usual to feel relaxed, at ease, and you may well enjoy a special peace of mind. Many people comment on their feeling of comfort and security, or the sensation of lightness or floating. What is particularly pleasant about hypnosis is the fact that it is natural and safe when used by trained professionals, and almost everyone can learn to use it by themselves and be helped by it. It can be learned and used by adults, adolescents, and children alike.
Where Hypnosis can be used
Hypnosis is particularly useful for helping people change their behaviour, symptoms, and attitudes. It is one of the most powerful psychological methods for mental and physical relaxation. Thus, hypnosis is useful for anxiety and stress control, and phobias. It is also useful in dealing with attentional deficits, motivation, assertiveness and confidence building, ego-strengthening and enhancing psychotherapy and counselling.
Medical Applications
Treatments for most conditions including asthma, enuresis, hypertension, migraine, obesity, smoking cessation, gastrointestinal disorders and anxiety. It is also used extensively for labour and childbirth, minor surgical procedures, and pain control.
Psychological & Psychiatric Applications
Including anxiety control, motivation training, attitude change, depression, eating disorders, fears and phobias, memory training, nail-biting, panic and performance anxiety, sexual dysfunction, sleep disorders, stuttering, study problems, trauma counselling, and thumb sucking.
Dental Applications
Including anaesthesia, anxiety control, bleeding control, bruxism, dental phobias, fainting, gagging, nausea, orthodontic problems, pain control, salivation control, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and thumb sucking.
Other Professions
As many other professions have recently been accepted as members of ASH, their uses for hypnosis will be noted here in the future.