One of the principal goals of the Association to Advance Ethical Hypnosis (AAEH) is to establish hypnosis as a worthy and dignified profession on a par with related professions. To this end it is necessary that members conform to high but realistic standards of conduct. The AAEH Code of Ethics and Standards has therefore been adopted to provide a system of principles and regulations intended to govern the personal conduct and the professional behavior of the members.

I. General Principles
A. Hypnosis shall not be advertised or used in any way that would violate any existing and applicable law or governmental regulation.
B. Members shall use hypnosis only within the limits of their training and competence.
C. The welfare of the client shall be the prime consideration at all times.
D. The rights and desires of the client shall always be respected.
E. Complete confidentiality shall be maintained for all disclosures made by a client during hypnosis, unless specific permission to release such information is given by the client.

II. Practice of Hypnosis
A. Limitations on Use. The Association permits the practice of hypnosis for medical or diagnosable mental ailments only by those members who are qualified to do so by virtue of their education and training and/or state licensure. Even members of the medical and ancillary healing arts are considered qualified to use hypnosis only within their respective areas of competence. Thus a dentist may employ hypnosis in connection with dental work, but not in the treatment of neurotic or other unrelated ailments.

B. Medical Use. The professional hypnotist is normally not permitted to employ hypnosis for medical healing purposes except when performing specific functions, as a technician, as directed by licensed members of the healing arts. The hypnotist's function is deemed to be technical and educational rather than medical.

C. Nontherapeutic Applications. The professional hypnotist may employ, hypnosis for therapeutic purposes such as, but not limited to: correction and breaking of habits, facilitating the learning process, improving memory and concentration, developing social poise and stage presence, improvement in athletics, police work (with additional training in forensic hypnosis), and other social, educational and cultural endeavors of a strictly non-medical nature.

D. Induction Methods. No harmful induction method, such as electric shocks and the carotid sinus, shall be employed.

E. Drugs shall not be used by the professional hypnotist in the practice of hypnosis.

F. Demonstrations of Hypnosis. Demonstrations shall be conducted in a dignified and professional manner and shall not include bizarre or humiliating or hazardous effects.

G. Emerging From Hypnosis.
1. Suggestions of well being shall always be given prior to bringing a client out of hypnosis.
2. No sudden or shocking methods of bringing a client out of hypnosis (such as slapping), shall be used.
3. All unnecessary suggestions which could have any undesirable effects shall be removed prior to conclusion of the hypnosis session.

H. Age Regression and Recall.
1. The Association regards age regression as a tool of the clinical hypnotist. If it is deemed necessary to produce age regression in special circumstances, this shall be permitted at the direction of a qualified clinical hypnotist and under the direction of a licensed member of the healing arts.
2. In criminal investigations, age regression may be used, but only if the hypnotist has taken a course in forensic hypnosis from a recognized professional forensic organization and follows the standards and principles of practice and any state regulatory requirements for practicing forensic hypnosis.
3. Recall or regression earlier than the age of f ive must be used judiciously.

I. Hallucinations. 1. In producing hallucinations, nothing of a frightening, shocking, obscene, sexually suggestive or humiliating nature shall be suggested.
2. No sudden changes of emotion shall be suggested.

J. Posthypnotic Suggestions. 1. Posthypnotic suggestions may be employed to meet the needs of the client. Any suggestions,,whether given posthypnotically or otherwise, which are of a degrading or embarrassing nature, shall be avoided.
2. Posthypnotic suggestions to block the induction of hypnosis by other persons is considered unethical, due to its constituting an attempt to deprive a client of his/her inherent right to make his/her own decisions as to who shall or shall not serve him/her.

K. Responsibility of Members. It shall be the responsibility of members of this Association to conduct themselves in a manner which will best advance the interests of ethical hypnosis. Therefore, members:
1. Shall not disseminate false or exaggerated claims regarding hypnosis.
2. Shall attempt whenever possible to inform and educate the public with a true perspective of hypnosis.
3. Shall respect all fields of ethical hypnotic practice.
4. When working with a client in an area which cannot be proved or disproved (such as the seeming recall by the client of a past life or'lives), the client should be informed that this is an area where confabulatioh and hallucination may render the experience inconclusive.
5. Members,shall not become involved, in connection with their activities in hypnosis, with outlandish or unethical forms of advertising or practice that could bring hypnosis into public disrepute or disfavor.

L. Nonacademic Titles and Degrees. Use or granting of nonacademic titles and degrees is unethical and shall be considered cause for expulsion. A member may not use any letter designation after his/her name which implies a degree or license, unless the member has such an academic degree or official license. Recognized degrees are those awarded by accredited academic institutions of higher learning.

M. Occupational Titles. Hypnotists may use titles appropriate to their occupation and qualifications, but may not use titles that would tend to mislead or give a false impression as to their qualifications. Thus a licensed doctor of medicine or osteopathy who is qualified to use hypnosis in conjunction with his or her specialty may refer to himself or herself as a medical hypnotist, and a qualified dentist who uses hypnosis in dentistry may refer to himself or herself as a hypnodontist. A professional hypnotist may refer to himself or herself simply as a hypnotist, or as a consulting hypnotist or hypnoconsultant or hypnotechnician, or, if the applicable job description fits, may use any other job title listed in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles published by the U.S. Department of Labor.

If the word "certified" is used, in connection with a member's name or title, the member must also designate the organization or authority which granted such certification. The word "licensed" may not be used in connection with such title unless the hypnotist holds a license to practice hypnosis granted by the state or other governmental body having jurisdiction in the area in which the hypnotist conducts his or her practice.

N. Advertising. All advertising shall be factually presented and shall be in complete accord with the AAEH Code of Ethics and Standards.
1. A member may advertise:
a. A literary work on hypnosis which he/she has authored.
b. A school of hypnosis of which he/she is the director.
c. A mechanical or electrical appliance or hypno-aid for use in the field of hypnosis.
d. Tapes, records or books in the field of hypnosis.
e.'The opening of an office or the removal of an office, provided that all advertisements meet the requirements of the Code of Ethics and Standards.
f. In telephone directories or business directories, pirovided all copy is kept within reasonable limits as to size and contents, and no false or misleading claims are made.
g. "Calling card" ads at meitiber's discretion.

0. Education.
1. AAEH approved schools of instruction now existing and those to be established in the future shall provide a full curriculum consisting of the following:
a. Theory, practice and application of hypnosis.
b. Complete instruction and supervised practice in methodology.
c. A realistic appraisal of the possibilities and limitations of hypnosis.
d. An elementary knowledge of normal and abnormal psychology.
e. Information about the special requirements and limitations of forensic hypnosis.

2. Curricula shall be approved and schools shall be certified by AAEH in accordance with the above and other requirements of the AAEH school certification program.
3. Individual instructors shall be certified members of AAEH.