Who is the best Hypnotist in Ottawa?

I was asked by a friend who I thought was the best hypnotist in Ottawa. Naturally, I gently reframed this question to “who is the best hypnotist you know?”  Of course, I was the only hypnotist they knew. While the answer to this rhetorical question felt good, it started me thinking about how does a person choose a hypnotist?  For that matter, how does a person choose their doctor, their mechanic or their butcher?  In addition, how does one define “the best hypnotist?”

For those of us in Ottawa, we are lucky to have a wide-selection of hypnotists.  A simple internet search can reveal several, hypnotists, including Luke Howard (lukenosis.com), Richard Haney (ottawahypnosis.com), Anthony and Dave Hallett with Benoit Lavallée (canadianhypnosicentre.com), Grace Joubarne (gracewellness.ca),  Johanna Lynn (empowerhypnosis.ca), Mike Proulx (beliefsinmotion.com), Karinna Nájera (focusingonchange.com), of course, myself, Derrick Barnes (derrickbarnes-hypnotist.ca) and others.  

To put things in context, many people are surprised to learn that there are no formal requirements to call one-self a hypnotist.  It is truly an unregulated title and someone could take a weekend course and “hang their shingle”.   If fact, you can even call yourself a hypnotist without any training.

Hypnotists, including myself, tend to be associated with various different organizations, and there are plenty!  There is the International CertificationBoard of Certified Hypnotists, National Guild of Hypnotists, American HypnotistAssociation, Canadian Hypnotist Association, International HypnosisAssociation, Association of Registered Clinical Hypnotists Canada, and this is just a drop in the proverbial bucket! Most associations require that their members attend a certain amount of course work and adhere to a Code of Ethics; of course, most people enter into this type of work because they want to help others and will respect the Code.  If a person violates the Code of Ethics, there are usually no real repercussions other than the person can apply to another association. Don’t despair; most of the hypnotists out there are honest hard working people who do amazing work to help their clients reach their goals. 

So, back to the question of how to choose the best hypnotist?  The reality is that the “best hypnotist” depends on a variety of factors and the “best hypnotist” is largely a question of personal preference.  The best hypnotist for you might not be the same person that your neighbor chooses. The comfort factor should play a big role in your decision making process.  Simply put, are you comfortable working with your chosen hypnotist?  Secondly, are you comfortable and confident that they have the education and the skills/competence to address the issue you want to work with? Do they have external resources to whom they can refer you, should the need arise? Look at their website; quite often it will tell you a lot about their style and their areas of expertise.  If the site does not instill comfort in you, check out someone else’s site. Convenience may also play a role in which service you finally choose.  Is the person available when you want them or are they conveniently located?  Finally, costs may influence who you choose (don’t forget service rates are generally not reflective of skill level).

To conclude, while I would like to believe that I am the best hypnotist in Ottawa, I fully appreciate and respect that every person has their own point of view.  I encourage you to speak with your friends and colleagues and do your research to find out who is the best hypnotist for you.

Derrick Barnes, Registered Social Worker
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist