This weekend just gone I spent at the NZ Hypnotherapy Federation conference, which was very good. The NZHF is an umbrella organization which covers several hypnotherapy schools, the NZ Hypnotherapists Registration Board, and four professional societies, including the one I belong to, the NZ Association of Professional Hypnotherapists (NZAPH).
During the weekend I volunteered to be Publicity Officer for the NZAPH, so as a start on that I thought I’d blog about the Code of Ethics.
Being in a professional role inevitably gives you a degree of power in your relationship with your client, no matter how carefully you try to empower the client, and as Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben has taught us, with great power comes great responsibility. This is why a code of ethics and an ethics committee are so important to a professional organization. To join the NZAPH, you need to pass an exam (written and oral and a videotaped session with a client) and sign a declaration before a Justice of the Peace, renewed each year, which includes a commitment to the code of ethics.
Here is the code, with my commentary.
1. Members are expected to conduct themselves in a responsible and professional manner at all times and abide by the Code of Ethics, Rules and Constitution of the Association. Failure to do so shall result in disciplinary action.
There have to be real consequences for failure to abide by ethical and professional practice guidelines, just as with any other rules.
2. Members shall recognise an obligation toward the client at all times, and shall practice their profession to the best of their ability for the benefit of the client. The client’s comfort, welfare and future health must always have priority.
It’s not about me. The client comes first. I was telling the story recently of my client who came to me for help with the side effects of his antidepressants and was asked why I didn’t treat his depression. I answered: “Because he didn’t ask me to. He was quite happy with the way the drugs controlled his depression, he just wanted to overcome the side effects.” This is the principle of client autonomy.
3. Members shall recognise their level of competence and shall refer clients to a specialist or another member competent to deal with any presenting symptom or problem beyond their capability.
This is the other reason I didn’t attempt to treat the man’s depression. I refer all serious mental health and addiction issues to a colleague who is trained and experienced in those areas. When I have more training I will treat them, but I am not going to risk harm to a client by taking on something I am not trained to do. I also send people who I feel would benefit from counseling to a counselor who practices nearby and whom I know personally. And if I find that a client’s issue is too difficult for me, I send them on to my teacher, a very experienced practitioner.
4. Members shall keep in confidence all information derived from a client, or from a colleague, regarding a client and, except where the law requires otherwise, divulge the information only with the express permission of the client, or where failure to take action would constitute a menace or danger to the client or another member of the community.
Trust is essential in any therapeutic relationship. My clients trust me and tell me things that they haven’t told anyone else sometimes. I need to be worthy of that trust. On the other hand, if what they tell me is that they’re planning to harm themselves or someone else – not that this is likely with my clientele, but it could happen – I’m legally obligated to report it.
5. Members shall give due respect to fellow members of the Association at all times so as to avoid any action which may lead to a dispute or difference or controversy. Should any dispute or difference arise, members concerned shall make a determined endeavour to settle it between themselves. Should agreement not be reached they shall submit it for settlement in accordance with the rules of the Association.
I’m very glad that the Code of Ethics includes this explicitly. Organizations and professions are notorious for disputes like this, and therapeutic professions are certainly not immune. Basically this is reminding us that we need to act like adults and sort out our disagreements, rather than tear up the profession and bring it into disrepute.
6. Members shall not make any claims to secret techniques, nor offer guarantees regarding the results of any services, or exploit a client for financial gain through inferences or misrepresentation.
This provision has the feel of something included out of bitter experience with the con artists and hucksters who, unfortunately, use the mystique of hypnosis to their financial advantage. It’s easy to find examples of all of these things on the Internet. Secret techniques that cost thousands of dollars to learn, guarantees of ridiculously high levels of success… Disbelieve them.
I’ve actually been asked by people inquiring about my services if I give a guarantee that my treatment will work. I remember one distinctly, someone who wanted to give up smoking. I refused to offer him a guarantee, both because I’m forbidden to do so by the code of ethics and because no therapy works for absolutely everyone.
I have both a legal and an ethical obligation to offer the best quality of service I can and to use techniques which I know to be effective, but because people are people and no therapy works for everyone I can’t ever offer a guarantee of results.
7. Members’ premises shall be maintained in a professional, safe and hygienic manner.
A lot of hypnotherapists, myself included, work from home, so this is an important point to be aware of. Again, it’s going to bring the profession into disrepute if your premises are untidy, clients are tripping over clutter or the place hasn’t been cleaned. It’s just basic business sense.
8. Members shall not knowingly interfere with any on-going treatment instigated by another practitioner whilst the client is under that practitioner’s care.
This means, for example, that I should not suggest to a client who is taking drugs that he or she stops taking them. That’s for the client’s doctor to determine.
(It would be nice if doctors would extend the same courtesy and refrain from telling our clients that hypnotherapy isn’t going to work, but until we can raise the positive profile of hypnotherapy and make the medical profession aware of its scientifically tested benefits, we need to accept that this will happen sometimes.)
9. Members must ensure that advertisements and other public announcements are such as will not bring the Association into disrepute.
Just basic professional good sense.
10. Members shall display current Practising Certificates and Code of Ethics in a prominent position in their premises within easy viewing of the client.
The Code of Ethics and professional membership aren’t much protection for a client who’s unaware of them. I have mine up on the wall in my entryway among my other certificates.
The Code of Ethics protects my clients, but it also protects me, by acting as a reminder of how I should conduct my practice in a safe, professional and responsible way. Taking it seriously results in good outcomes for me, my clients and the profession of hypnotherapy.
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