Over the past several years many Hypnotists/Hypnotherapists in Florida have been served with cease and desist orders. This is important. For example, I treat PTSD and other psychiatric disorders with Hypnosis with positive outcomes. I have years of training and I am a licensed practitioner of the healing arts. However treating PTSD and other medical issues can be very dangerous in the hands of an unlicensed provider. If an unlicensed hypnotist were to treat PTSD and if the person were to re-experience a traumatic memory, a crisis situation could evolve. This is the “why” behind the law. The “why” is to protect people with medical issues from being treated by non-medical, untrained people.
Florida enforces the following law regarding Hypnotherapy. Make sure your hypnotherapist meets and abides by the following Florida Statutes.
Don’t put your life into the wrong hands. be sure your doctor has a license toll free 1-877-HALT-ULA
To report unlicensed hypnotherapy please either call the above number or
Click on http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Mqa/unlicensed/unlic_report.html
485.002 Legislative intent.
( 1) It is recognized that hypnosis has attained a significant place as another technique in the treatment of human injury, disease, and illness, both mental and physical; that the utilization of hypnotic techniques for therapeutic purposes should be restricted to certain practitioners of the healing arts who are qualified by professional training to fulfill the necessary criteria required for diagnosis and treatment of human illness, disease, or injury within the scope of their own particular field of competence; or that such hypnotic techniques should be employed by qualified individuals who work under the direction, supervision, or prescription of such practitioners.
Hypnosis, practitioner of the healing arts, and qualified individuals are terms defined in the law:
(3) “Practitioner of the healing arts” shall mean a person licensed under the laws of the state to practice medicine, surgery, psychiatry, dentistry, osteopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, naturopathy, podiatric medicine, chiropody, psychology, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, or optometry, within the scope of his or her professional training and competence and within the purview of the statutes applicable to his or her respective profession, and who may refer a patient for treatment by a qualified person, who shall employ hypnotic techniques under the supervision, direction, prescription, and responsibility of such referring practitioner.
491.0141 Practice of hypnosis.—A person licensed under this chapter who is qualified as
determined by the board may practice hypnosis as defined in s. 485.003(1). The provisions of this chapter may not be interpreted to limit or affect the right of any person qualified pursuant to chapter 485 to practice hypnosis pursuant to that chapter or to practice hypnosis for nontherapeutic purposes, so long as such person does not hold herself or himself out to the public as possessing a license issued pursuant to this chapter or use a title protected by this chapter.
History.—ss. 15, 19, ch. 87-252; ss. 19, 20, ch. 90-263; s. 4, ch. 91-429; ss. 121, 127, ch. 92-149; s. 2, ch. 95-279; s. 513, ch. 97-103; s. 215, ch. 2000-160.