The Egmond-Nelson Agreement, 2005
With the plethora of hypnosis and psychotherapy based organisations for practitioners to belong to I think it is important that prospective clients know what these organisations stand for. The European Association of Hypno Psychotherapy, (EAHP), of which I am President and a long-term member created the Egmond Agreement of 1999 Â which was amended to the Egmond-Nelson Agreement 2005. It states the following:
All physical contact with clients during a hypno-psychotherapy session must be appropriate and consensual. It should be noted that most legitimate hypno-psychotherapeutic aims could be realized without physical contact between therapist and client.
 Hypno-psychotherapeutic trances can be induced by verbal techniques. All physical techniques such arm drop inductions, anchoring, etc. must be fully explained and clientâs informed consent given before use.
 It is not permitted for the hypno-psychotherapist to use forced breathing and or rebirthing, or to use physical actions that affect bioloÂgical functioning, such as interfering with the bloodstream to the brain to induce trance. In such cases where the use of stimulants, drugs or medication, are indicated or recommended, one must refer to a qualified medical physician who is also a trained hypno-psychotherapist.
 When the therapist deems it necessary or useful to deviate from these guidelines and utilize a different form of therapy, in which s/he is properly trained, s/he can do so only with informed consent by the client. Any resulting treatment does not fall within the framework of hypno-psychotherapy and requires a new contract between therapist and client.
Egmond a/d Hoef, 1st October 1999
Nelson, 9th February 2005
