Protecting the Public
Dear Anthony,
I wanted to thank you for writing such an interesting article in the November issue of Counseling Today regarding Life Coaches. I am a recent graduate in Community Counseling and just passed the LPC exam.
Here in Dallas, a lot of so-called “hypnotist/hypnotherapists” pass themselves off as therapists and life coaches. It’s amazing because they have NO clinical training to practice mental health. I’m wondering if there are any laws out there to protect the public.
For example, there is a guy in Dallas who is top listed on Google for Hypnotherapy.
The guy claims to be a “board certified hypnotherapist”…but in reality it requires no formal education nor licensure. If you look at his site, he claims to treat all kinds of clinical issues … including addictions. There are an awful lot of people out there claiming to by hypnotherapists, but are not licensed by the state to perform therapy. I’m wondering what I can do as a counselor to change this situation?
Sincerely,
Jeremy Porter
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Dear Jeremy,
Thank you so much for reading, and for your comments about, my column!
The issue of licensure you describe is complicated, evolving all the time, and differs by state.
In Massachusetts, where my practice was founded, the term “Mental Health Counseling” is regulated. However, other terms, such as “psychotherapy” and “counseling” have not always been regulated. Note: they might be now, but in my discussions with the board of licensure in the mid 2000s there were not regulated.
Hence, at that time persons could hang a shingle and provide services called “psychotherapy” or “counseling” and –depending on what they were actually doing—they might be working within the law. Truly, every time a term is regulated it seems someone comes up with a new title that’s note regulated. Consider “life coaching”, “mentorship”, “listening services”, “life consulting” or who knows what else.
It seems, you are having a similar experience, with someone providing services under the term “Hypnotherapy.”
However, regardless of the title one is using, they might still be in violation of laws for practicing medicine, or psychology / mental health services, without a license. It seems the person you’re citing is claiming to treat additions, depression, etc…. I’m not sure about your local laws, but it seems such claims might very well might cross the line in your state.
If you’re trying to practice in the same marketplace, I think that a good approach for you and other licensed mental health professionals (counselors, social workers, psychologists) is to emphasize your strengths to potential clients. This might include:
1 – Showing the difference in caliber of education and licensure you possess
2 – Being eligible to accept clients’ insurance (which unlicensed providers can’t do)
3 – Patient/Client Privilege — The legal protection of client privacy licensed counselors have, but others don’t.
Jeremy, I hope this helps!!
Sincerely,
Anthony
Dr. Anthony Centore
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Anthony Centore
All I can say is WOW…. I knew we were all over analyzed and overanalyzing but , just wow…I will NEVER utilize a professional in this field again. In addition, I have decided to get on board with
oversight enforcement.
mental ealth evaluations and drug tests for all providers. For the publics’ protection not mine because you people have serious issues.
I have experienced some licensed therapists that helped me greatly and others that have been inappropriate and harmful in their “treatment”. Yet the latter are able to hide behind their degrees and their education. Thankfully I’m educated in psychology and many forms of therapy. So I know when a therapist is causing harm or perhaps just clocking in the hours and just trying to stay awake. Being a licensed therapist doesn’t make someone god. You shouldn’t blindly do and agree with everything a licensed therapist says or tells you to do. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.
When talk therapy wasn’t working for me, I went to see a hypnotherapist. I was able to overcome trauma, anxiety and depression that had been plaguing me for years. There are therapists out there that are not licensed. Many of these therapists are just as committed to helping people as licensed therapists, maybe even more so because they don’t have degrees to hide behind. It is their reputation and referrals for which they are counting on.
I am surprised by the comments on this post by people claiming to have degrees, yet speak unintelligibly and some mysteriously don’t post their name. Also, if you feel the need to write in CAPS, you’ve already lost your integrity. Didn’t you learn APA style of writing in school? It confirms to me that having a degree and license as a therapist is a privilege. It also does not prove that someone is qualified to be a good healer of the mind. But it does prove they, their parents or someone else paid a lot of money for them to go to school. How lovely for them to have that opportunity and/or privilege. But don’t be naive in thinking it automatically makes them a good and effective healer of one’s thoughts and mind.. Healers and counselors come in many forms. Be open and mindful when looking for the right one for you.
I want to become a “Certified Painter”. I have a Master’s Degree, have studied every form of painting there is. Ask meanything and I can regurgitate what and how each elite painter through the ages created his/her masterpieces.
I haven’t sold anything, and have been reviewed as not having a painting instinct; not being able to visualize in my minds eye. I don’t seem to have “talent”. I’m not giving up though! I’m going to go back and get my Doctorates, then no one will be able to dispute my true calling.
I have a belief that, on any given day, out of a hundred people doing a job, only 10/10% have the technical knowledge AND the desire and motivation to exert their full effort. There are the inexperienced. They are gung ho! Wide eyed innocence, disputing advice from the pros who aren’t doing it “correctly”. If only people acted/reacted like they’re supposed to, like the case studies in the syllabus!
As opposed to: the experienced person who knows the ins and outs, who to call and when, the computer shortcut/software workaround, the person they know will pick up the phone Friday night, that will do a favor for only you.
So some form and level of burn out infects the knowledgeable host. 1. Acquired disdain for their clients (ER Nurses, waitresses). 2. Disillusionment. You could help them but what’s the point? They don’t follow advice. 3. Boredom, stir crazy, semi-comatose/lethargic. 4. Outside stressors, chemical dependency…focus slowly shifts from client to the time clock, or to indeed.com.
Counseling, in the actual JOB, falls ridiculously over into the intuition catagory. I’ve obviously ran off the road less traveled at some point. In my experience, to UNDERSTAND addiction, suicide level depression, victim of physical/sexual abuse…you have to have experienced something. The counselors that are just too well adjusted, by DEFINITION, can’t experientially understand. Within the big 3, there’s crossover understanding. If you have wrist scars (literal or figurative), you can understand the despair, hopelessness, and maybe some truth in what needs to take place to come out the other side. Relationships attempted (romantic, work relationships, etc) following the inherited malignant family blueprint is a universal experience that most clients understand – insecurity, self sabotage, anger, isolation. (They leave home with this malignant family tumor, and over time it metastasizes, to some degree, to all other areas. Step one – stop the bleeding.)
Besides not relating to where the client ‘s at related to f’d history combined with whatever else they’ve self inflicted into the equation (2nd DWI, lost custody, spouse, financial), they can’t see the games the client secretly wishes someone would call them on. They can’t step back and see the big picture…the one the counselor with the blotchy background has already painted.
All this being said, either counselor, of course, can get have success. Being up front about your cursed happy childhood and the two beers you drink per month works. If counselor can convey he/she really cares, kudos (rare). Ultimately a motivated client that wants to actually CHANGE, that’s willing to get honest, do the work, yada, covers a multitude of deficiencies. Ok, great, I can relate on a core level. Doesn’t necessarily mean I can do the 45 minutes week in week out well. The non-MS counselors would seem to have less familiarity with psych meds and DSM level diagnoses/psychosis…may come in handy to do the job.