A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: RICK COLLINGWOOD

Founder & Chairman of TAHA

Welcome to The Australian Hypnosis Alliance. As the founder and director of what is now Australia’s longest established (sole owner) hypnosis training organisation, I’ve been involved at the forefront in the training and therapy aspects of hypnosis for over twenty five years, both in Australia and internationally. During that time, especially in Australia, the profession has seen some significant changes, some for the better and some perhaps not so much.

The existing hypnosis associations and the Hypnotherapy Council of Australia (HCA) maintain rigorous levels and other requirements to be met by members and potential members and so many people who have trained in NLP and short course studies, or who are entertainment hypnotists, are often left out in the cold. Obviously there is good reason for this but it leaves a void for individuals who don't meet association requirements, or who don't want to jump through the membership hoops. Hence this Alliance membership is open to everybody of good character and intentions, both individuals and training organisations. On line internet studies also arrived in abundance, which is fine if you want to know someone’s opinion of the theory. 

Since the national de regulation of the practice of hypnosis the profession has experienced lots of changes. NLP somehow got distorted into becoming hypnosis, Conversational Hypnosis appeared as did Hypnosis Without Trance and Mesmerism and suddenly self-appointed experts appeared everywhere. It was both interesting and sometimes disconcerting to witness the changes bought about by the national de regulation. Carpet Baggers with a profit motive and new training organisations popped up like mushrooms, offering everything from a three day master trainings for $97, to train the trainer master trainings for up to $20,000. While some RTO’s were bought by individuals with little or no experience in hypnosis to take advantage of VET and HECS fees. Then the nefarious activities of some of these organisations appeared in the media and the Government realised that there are no jobs for hypnotherapists and that tens of millions of dollars of taxpyers money had probably been wasted the funding ceased as quickly as appeared. It now seems that many of these Jedi master trainers have gone to a galaxy far far away.

I remember an old mesmerist I trained with in Italy offered his wisdom on what has become of hypnosis by shrugging his shoulders and saying - “Bah the Television ruined travelling stage hypnosis shows and now the internet is doing the same thing to all hypnosis”. More amusing to me was his opinion after watching a Milton Erickson video, he said words to the effect of “Well if that’s hypnosis I don’t know what I have been doing for the past 75 years”.

Although the TAHA is not an association there are many significant benefits available to all registered members, such as: A Frameable A3 Membership Wall Certificate - Discounted Indemnity and Public Liability Insurance (to appropriately trained members) - Skype or one on one Professional Development Sessions - a Members Only Forum - A Huge Training and Resource Centre - A Public Practitioner Listing Database - A Monthly Newsletter – Discounted International Trainer Opportunities - Monthly Membership Giveaways To Help Your Practice and more. There are no hoops to jump through and no minimum or maximum requirements for various levels of membership; every associate is on an equal footing.

Its taken a lot of time, money, expertise and effort to get the Alliance to the live stage and I am proud to have my friend and colleague Michael Werts as my partner in this endeavour. Michael spent many successful years as the president of the Western Australian Hypnosis Association and guided it to a very high professional standard and I take comfort in the fact that I know he will do the same with The Australian Hypnosis Alliance.

There are many excellent professional hypnosis associations in Australia, whose members and boards do a lot of hard and good work in regards to the promotion and continuation of the profession. The Australian Hypnosis Alliance is not an association, it is a privately owned entity. There is no board of directors etc and TAHA does not claim to be anything other than a common ground place for hypnotists from all areas of the profession including therapeutic and entertainment hypnotists. If you want to join a professional hypnosis association there are many approved by and listed with the Hypnotherapy Council of Australia (HCA) at this link http://www.hypnotherapycouncilofaustralia.com/member-organisations/

The Australian Hypnosis Alliance is not associated with any other particular association or training school. The Alliance is here for those people with an interest in all aspects of hypnosis at any level and is steered by two of the most experienced hypnotists in Australia. Our interest is in the adhesion and cohesion of the profession in all of its aspects. We welcome you to join the alliance and please do contact us if you need any further clarifications.

Kind Regards

- Rick Collingwood -