Society of Experiential Trance

~ Society of Experiential Trance ~

the Exclusive Society of Exceptionally Competent Practitioners in the Arts of

HYPNOSIS
Altered States of Consciousness
Focused Trance Thoughtforms

Guided Imagery, Meditation, and
Genuine Experiential Trancework

Membership Certification

The Society of Experiential Trance is an Exclusive Community Society of Exceptionally Competent Practitioners in the Arts of Hypnosis, Altered States of Consciousness, Focused Trance Thoughtforms, Guided Imagery, Meditation, and other forms of Experiential 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 within the special Inner Circle level community of the Society is gained through honors nomination or through one of several competence demonstration opportunities, typically the attainment of Trance Wizard ranking via the mastery of qualifying specialist certifications. In addition to member certified hypnotist and specialist certifications, the Society does maintain an open community Associate membership level for those who have not passed the competence examinations.

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). Instructors or certification evaluators 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.

Instructors 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 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. Instructors or evaluators 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. Prospective members need not take a course with an SET-approved instructor. However, a program must prepare them for competence demonstration of the appropriate skillsets.

Society of Experiential Trance Institute The Online Institute at www.TrancSociety.org/institute.html periodically adds new course offerings for basic certification as well as advanced specialist programs with the Society of Experiential Trance for Continuing Education Unit credit, certifications of completion, professional specialization certification, and much more. This dynamic growing program is poised to expand over the coming years.

For those looking for an intensive review to supplement live training or a distance learning option, the a comprehensive online version of our comprehensive Core Hypnosis Skills is available via the Online Institute at www.TrancSociety.org/institute.html. This 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). This video program is available via our partner store at briandavidphillips.net/store/store-set or via the direct link at here.

See information below on Membership Certification for details of the specific skillsets tested in the various Examinations available as well as how to find the nearest course or Certified Membership Instructor near you. As the Society of Experiential Trance is an inclusive open community-based honors society, certification is a membership qualification and should not be confused with legal status of any type.

HPTI Another excellent choice of the many varied opportunities available for cross-training and certification is the very comprehensive hypnosis training program from the Hypnosis Practitioner Training Institute at www.HypnosisTrainingInstitute.org. Successful completion of this program with a passing grade qualifies participants for full Certified Membership with the Society of Experiential Trance. Initial Certified Hypnotist Membership with the SET via HPTI program completion credit is provided gratis for two year certification with no additional charge. The HPTI main program as well as their extension courses also count toward Continuing Education Units for those with previous Certified Membership with the SET.

Beyond a full training program of a basic membership certification preparation course, 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.

Candidates who have taken a live course with an SET Certified Instructor have one year to finish their Specialist Certification requirements by submitting and passing an exam (live or video). Additionally, if they submit a video examination for evaluation by their instructor, the number of demonstrations required are the same as those indicated in the Course or Live column rather than those indicated in the Video exam column. If they complete their Specialist Certification requirements within one year, then the Specialist Certification is gratis for those who are currently Certified Hypnotist members in good standing with the SET. Those who are not currently Certified Hypnotist members may receive a Certificate of Completion for their course instead, if they are enrolled as non-certified Associate Members of the SET.

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 digital video disk or via FTP or even unlisted video platform uploads such as Youtube's unlisted video option (examinees are responsible for video transfer and compatibility, including finalization and formatting). In their video examination, the hypnotist must successfully demonstrate each skillset by performing each at least three or more times. Some skills require more demonstrations. See individual certification requirements for specific skills and number of competence demonstrations expected. 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.

Society of Experiential Trance Institute The online training programs at our Online Institute at www.TrancSociety.org/institute.html employ video examinations of this type.

Students are strongly encouraged to form practice groups while working through the online courses to ensure appropriate practice and demonstration opportunities.

Those deciding to pursue and independent video examination toward certification may wish to examine that program and the scheduled approach taken there and perhaps use it as inspiration toward their own self-study program.

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
  • Hypnosleep Specialization Certificate
  • Learning Enhancement Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Medical and Dental Hypnosis Specialization Certificate
  • Neuro-Linguistic Experiential Trance Specialization Certificate
  • Seiðr Specialization Certificate
  • Shaking Ecstatic 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 webpages maintained by particular instructors to check contact information for the instructors or examiners.

For those looking for an intensive review to supplement live training or a distance learning option, the a comprehensive online version of our comprehensive Core Hypnosis Skills is available via the Online Institute at www.TrancSociety.org/institute.html. This 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). As previously noted, this video program is also available via our partner store at briandavidphillips.net/store/store-set or via the direct link at here.

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