Hypnosis and hypnotherapy can be highly effective in helping you deal with issues and problems, rid yourself of unwanted habits and behaviors, or to make improvements in your life.  Selecting the most appropriate hypnosis program and the best hypnotherapist can, however, be time consuming and challenging, so here are 9 tips that will help you breeze through the process and be assured that you end up with an effective hypnosis program, a great hypnotherapist, and, most important, the long term results that you seek.   Here are the tips:

1. GO WITH EXPERIENCE.  Select the most experienced hypnotherapist you can find.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, beats experience.  And…make sure that your hypnotherapist has experience in dealing with your particular issue or problem.  Ask the question directly—“How much experience do you have in working with my issue or problem?”
2. COST SHOULD NOT BE THE DECIDING FACTOR.  While cost is always important, it should not determine which hypnosis program is best for you.  In many cases, the very best, most experienced, and most effective hypnotherapist charge more because they have a proven track record of success, and they have invested much time and money in advanced training.  In other words, they are worth it.  In the end, paying a little more for a program that yields outstanding success makes more sense than paying less for a program that does not produce the expected outcome or does not produce long term results.
3. NEVER MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITHOUT FIRST SPEAKING WITH THE ACTUAL  HYPNOTHERAPIST WHO YOU WILL BE WORKING WITH.  Speaking with a receptionist, other staff person, or even another hypnotherapist (but not the one who will be seeing you) simply is not enough.  Before deciding on a hypnosis program and a hypnotherapist, always speak first with the hypnotherapist who you will be working with.
4. CONSIDER ONLY A HYPNOTHERAPIST WHO OFFERS A NO CHARGE TELEPHONE OR IN-PERSON CONSULTATION.  A qualified professional hypnotherapist should always be willing to discuss your problem or issue with you in detail by phone or in-person before you make a decision, and there should be no charge or obligation associated with that consultation.
5. CONSIDER ONLY HYPNOTHERAPIST WHO ARE CERTIFIED BY AT LEAST TWO NATIONAL CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATIONS.  Not all certification organizations are equal.  The two leading certifications organizations are the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH) and the the American Association of Professional Hypnotherapist (AAPH).
6. ASK ABOUT THE EDUCATION LEVEL OF YOUR HYPNOTHERAPIST.  Some hypnotherapist practice without a degree or only with an undergraduate degree.  You may want to consider only hypnotherapist who hold an advanced degree (a Master’s degree or, better yet, a Doctoral degree).
7. CONSIDER ONLY HYPNOTHERAPIST WHO USE A SCIENTIFICALLY BASED AND SYSTEMATIC HYPNOSIS PROGRAM.  Hypnosis programs that use only direct suggestion techniques are of limited value for many issues and problems.  Select a hypnotherapist who uses a proven and systematic hypnosis program.  One of the leading programs is 5-Path ™ Hypnotherapy.  Hypnotherapist who practice this internationally recognized system belong to the 5-Path International Association of Hypnosis Professionals and are considered among the top 1% of hypnotherapist in the world. 
8. CONSIDER ONLY HYPNOTHERAPIST WHO IS AN ACCREDITED MEMBER OF THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.  Having a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating is good, but being an Accredited Member of the BBB is even better.
9. EVALUATE THE PROGRAM’S WEBSITE.  You can tell a lot about a hypnosis program by taking a close look at it’s website.  Does the website look professional?  Does it have a lot of information about hypnosis and hypnosis programs?  Does it contain an up-to-date blog with recent entries that provide current information?  Is the location clearly stated?  Is the program’s certification and Better Business Bureau Accredited Member status stated.
10. CONSIDER ONLY A HYPNOTHERAPIST WITH WHOM YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE—WITH WHOM YOU “CONNECT.”  Use your instincts and intuition.  During the initial telephone call, did the hypnotherapist take the time to learn about your problem or issue?  Did they fully explain how hypnosis could help you?  Did they go over the fees in a clear and understandable way?  In the end, go only with the hypnotherapist who meets the criteria outlined in these 9 tips, and the one that you feel most comfortable with.