Ericksonian hypnotherapists prefer talking to the unconscious rather than the conscious mind. The conscious mind contains the Patient's learned limitations. These limitations often get in the way of successful therapy. After all, if the Patient knew consciously how to get better, why would they come to a therapist. Despite this obvious revelation many Patients like to participate consciously in their own healing or treatment. It is only natural that Patients should try and help themselves through conscious effort. So the therapist also has to educate the Patient about the functions of the conscious and unconscious mind and play down the former whilst praising the latter.

The law regarding the practice of hypnotherapy can vary enormously from country to country. And anyone wanting to train as a hypnotherapist needs to look specifically at the requirements within the area they wish to practice. For example within the USA each state can have its own criteria. In 1997 the South African government introduced an amendment to their Health Professions Act, which stated that “hypnosis and hypnotherapy” could only be offered by a licensed psychologist or mental health practitioner, effectively making the practice of hypnotherapy illegal without these professional qualifications. Yet in South Africa, as in many countries, there are still many people practising as hypnotherapists, trained to a high level in the skills and techniques of hypnotherapy, but who do not have these ‘official’ qualifications. Likewise, there are many hypnosis training schools offering courses run by trainers who are not themselves registered psychologists or mental health workers. These schools and their practitioners are having to be artfully vague in their marketing so as to avoid the word “hypnotherapist”, because, the term implies that the practitioner uses therapy. The word “hypnosis” doesn’t seem to be such a problem however. Back in 1997, stage hypnosis was also made illegal, but