ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS IN THE PRACTICE OF HYPNOSIS

This paper is a synthesis of the main ethical provisions of professional associations in the field of hypnosis. Whether related to research or clinical hypnosis, the ethical issues involved in the practice of hypnosis constitute a more sensitive issue compared to other areas of psychology. This is due, on the one hand, to the mystery and the myths associated with hypnosis in the common perception, and, on the other hand, to the fact that it is a technique that can easily violate the principle of "primum non nocere", if it does not comply with the ethical principles. Thus, although the principles and the ethical standards are roughly similar to those used in psychotherapy, and with the ones used in research in general, hypnosis has, unquestionably, its peculiarities, proven by the considerable number of codes of ethics developed by various specialised associations.