Society of Experiential Trance

: Society : of : Experiential : Trance :

the Open Community Honor Society of

Altered States of Consciousness
Focused Trance Thoughtforms
Guided Imagery, Hypnosis, Meditation, Trancework

Membership Certification

The Society of Experiential Trance is an inclusive Open Community Honor Society of Altered States of Consciousness, Focused Trance Thoughtforms, Guided Imagery, Hypnosis, Meditation, and other forms of Trancework. The function of the Society is to provide recognition for achievement while fostering a community in which competence and innovation are recognized as well as providing a bridge in which those utilizing hypnosis and trance in a variety of contexts can meet as equals, sharing techniques and experiences with one another within a caring and thoughtful community. Membership in the Society is gained through honors nomination or through one of several competence demonstration opportunities.

Membership certification within the Society of Experiential Trance is based upon honors nomination or Demonstrational Competence Examination.

There are three Examination Options for gaining membership and competence certification from the Society (Membership Certification Course, Live Examination, and Video Examination). Periodically, special intensive review courses are held which allow for a streamlined video examination option. Currently, the basic type of membership in the Society is Hypnotist. There are also additional specialization designations such as Hypnotherapy, Sports and Performance Excellence Hypnosis, Fertility and Birth Hypnosis, Metaphysical Hypnosis, Entertainment Hypnosis, Erotic Hypnosis, Speed Hypnosis, or other specialty certificates. To qualify for certificates in specialization areas, one must first qualify as a competent Hypnotist in addition to taking the advanced skills examination appropriate to a specialty area.

Paying a course or examination fee or taking a course in no way entitles one to membership in the Society. However, taking a course should certainly expose participants to the appropriate skillsets required and may offer the opportunity to take an immediate competence examination which does qualify one for membership. Note that it is typical for instructors to present a course of the required skillsets and delay examination options until a later date when students have had time to process information and practice their skills (some instructors may encourage students to video their practice sessions during the course in order to get a jump start on their own video examinations). Certified Membership Instructors are responsible to certify for membership only those who have successfully demonstrated competence in the skillsets required for membership.

In examination, all skillset competence demonstrations should be performed from memory. Notes or scripts are not allowed in competence examination demonstrations.

All certification demonstrations must incorporate the use of clean session language and candidates must demonstrate a clear understanding and facility in guiding clients and trance partners rather than leading them. This is particularly true of any regression-based processes but applies to any and all hypnosis techniques.

More information regarding membership qualifications, fee schedules, forms, and more can be found on the Membership page.

Membership Certification Course

There is no one Membership Certification Course for the Society of Experiential Trance, only a minimum list of skillsets for demonstrational competence, although a course guidebook with standards is produced by the Society for basic skillsets as well as for each specialization. Individual courses are up to an instructor on what additional material or orientation may be covered.

There are a number of Certified Membership Instructors who may offer their own courses which may make one eligible for certification with the Society via coursework and course examination. The course is not the qualification, successful demonstration of skillset competence are the key to membership in the Society.

Any course taken live with an approved Certified Membership Instructor with the option of certification examination should require that each passing student successfully demonstrate basic acceptable competence with each skillset by performing each at least once from memory. Some skills require multiple demonstrations. The demonstrations need not be performed in one session. Certified Membership Instructors may choose to have one long examination session or schedule demonstrations over the course of a seminar, workshop, or course. Instructors may offer delayed examination options as well and typically do so.

Completion of a comprehensive live Membership Certification Course entitles members to membership certification for two years with the the Society of Experiential Trance upon passing the appropriate examination (all other options are one year for initial membership certification).

Beyond a full training program of a basic membership certification preparation course, Certified Membership Instructors may periodically offer a Review Course for hypnotists who have previous training or experience. These intensive reviews cover all of the required skillsets in an abbreviated fashion as refresher review for the examination and culminate in a Live Examination. The number of required successful demonstrations for a Review Course examination are the same as for a Membership Certification Course. Students in a Membership Certification Course or Review Course may opt in to take a Delayed Examination by scheduling to participate in a Live Examination once with the demonstration expectations of a Membership Certification Course rather than those of a regular Live Examination (ex., if a skillset normally requires one demonstration for Membership Certification Course participants but requires two demonstrations for a Live Examination, those taking a Delayed Examination during a Live Examination would be expected to perform one demonstration instead of two although Live Examination fee and registration requirements should still be met). Likewise, students in a Membership Certification Course or Review Course may opt in to take a Delayed Examination via Video Examination with the same demonstration requirements as a typical Live Examination. Delayed Examination options are valid within six months of completion of a Membership Certification Course training.

Live Examination

The Society periodically holds public examinations (registration required) for those who have previous training or experience. Those wishing to participate in the examination must bring at least one or two volunteer trance partners with them (one for public Live Examinations, two for Private Live Examinations). These individuals will serve as volunteer trance partners for themselves and others participating in the examination. Volunteers must be of legal age and will be asked to sign a release and testament form. Examinees will be asked to successfully demonstrate basic acceptable competence with each skillset by performing each at least twice. Some skills require more demonstrations. Certified Membership Instructors may schedule Live Examinations either for public groups or by appointment. Normally, the Certified Membership Instructor will schedule at time and date with an expectation of a certain number of slots for registrants based upon typical examination length per student. Once the registration limit has been reached, further examinee registration for that date is not possible. Those who were not able to participate in a scheduled Live Examination may either wait for the next public Live Examination or, if time or availability is a factor, schedule a Private Examination. Please note that the Examination fees for Private Examination slots are higher than those of public Live Examinations.

Video Examination

Hypnotists with previous training or experience who are unable to attend either a Membership Certification Course or a Live Examination may opt to participate in a Video Examination which can be submitted on DVD (examinees are responsible for video transfer and compatibility, including finalization and formatting). In the hypnotist must successfully demonstrate each skillset by performing each at least three times. Some skills require more demonstrations. Each demonstration of an individual skillset requires a different trance partner. The hypnotist must work with at least five different volunteers who will serve as trance partners for the demonstrations.

Membership Certification Types

For specific Examination Requirements for each level of certification and each type of exam, see the appropriate information page.

Please note that while minors are welcome to join the Society as hypnotist members (with parental consent), certain specializations such as Hypnotherapist are not open to anyone under the age of majority. In addition to age requirements, there are also educational minimum requirements or prerequisites for some specialities.

Core Membership Certification

Advanced Specialization Certifications

The Hypnotist Membership Certification is a prerequisite for any of the following advanced specialization certifications.

In addition to the formal membership specialization certifications above, the following specialization certificates are also available (details to be made available at a later time).

  • Children’s Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Experiential Trance Dance Facillitator Specialization Certificate
  • Experiential Waking Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Fertility and Birth Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Forensic Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Learning Enhancement Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Medical and Dental Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Neuro-Linguistic Experiential Trance Specialization Certificate
  • Sports and Performance Excellence Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Waking Hypnosis Eyes Open Experiential Trance Specialization Certificate

For information on Membership Certification Courses, Live Examinations, or Video Examinations in these or other certification areas, see the information on Certified Membership Instructors to check contact information for the appropriate instructors or examiners. When a prospective member passes a Membership Certification Examination, the member's name and contact information are forwarded to the Society for appropriate membership enrollment, fees, and certificates to be issued.

For those looking for an intensive review to supplement live training or a distance learning option, the Comprehensive Core Skills Hypnosis DVD Program includes explanations and demonstrations for all of the skillsets required for Certification as a Hypnotist member with the Society of Experiential Trance (please note, the video program also contains a number of other methods in addition to the minimum required for SET certification).

While basic membership in the Society of Experiential Trance is required to be renewed upon a yearly basis with continuing education credit requirements, specialization certifications are not renewed in this way but they are required to be maintained. As long as a member has an active status within the Society, such specialization remains current. However, as the Society endeavors to remain current and state-of-the-art as far as expectations are concerned, it is possible that periodic updates to skillset lists will be made. If requirements for a specialization certification change with new skillsets added, then those already holding that certification are given a two-year grace period within which they must demonstrate competence in the new skillsets or their certification in that specialization will expire. It is the responsibility of members to maintain current certifications.

Society of Experiential Trance : Main Page
Society of Experiential Trance : Main Page