Dr Zoe D Katze Proves Credentialing May Not Be the Cat's Meow (2002)
The Credentialing Con

   







   
      
         
      
      
         
      
      
         
      
   
   
      
         
      
      
         Credentialing: It
         May Not Be the Cat's Meow
      
      
         
      
   


Steve K. D. Eichel, Ph.D.,
ABPP

Copyright © 2002, revised
2011





The cat is
      out of the bag.
      
      After many months, I've
      finally been pushed to finish this article on questionable
      credentialing in hypnosis and "psychotherapy." A reporter from
      a major magazine wrote to "Dr. Zoe D. Katze" for input on an
      article she was writing on hypnosis for childbirthing. She had
      stumbled across Dr. Zoe's name on the American Association of
      Professional Hypnotherapists' website. I had to tell her the
      truth.
      
      Dr. Zoe D. Katze, Ph.D.,
      C.Ht. is a cat. In fact, she is my cat. Those familiar with
      basic German have probably already enjoyed a laugh. "Zoe Die
      Katze" literally translates to "Zoe the cat."
      
      Dr. Katze's credentials look
      impressive. She is certified by three major hypnotherapy
      associations, having met their "strict training requirements"
      and having had her background thoroughly reviewed.
      
      I was motivated to
      credential my cat by two circumstances. First, I have become
      increasingly heedful of all the questionable credentials out
      there, and I've grown tired of sounding defensive to
      therapist-shopping clients who confront me with something along
      the order of: "I found somebody with all these certifications
      and diplomas and he/she charges half of what you psychologists
      charge."
      
      The last straw (and my
      moment of inspiration) came during an internet search for a
      colleague. I accidentally came upon the website of another
      "psychotherapist" who listed a doctoral degree from an infamous
      diploma mill. Along with his degrees, he listed a veritable
      alphabet soup of impressive-looking letters after his name,
      corresponding to various "board certifications" and his status
      as a "Diplomat [sic] and Fellow" of the "largest
      professional hypnosis association in the world."
      
      I decided to credential my
      cat.
      
      This was a surprisingly easy
      thing to do. First, since so many financial transactions are
      conducted by credit card, I had to get Zoe some credit. No
      problem; I just added her as an "authorized user" of one of my
      own credit cards. (The credit card agent asked for Zoe's social
      security number, but then cheerfully relented when I told him
      it would take me some time to search for it.)
      
      The rest was equally as
      easy. In the nefarious world of quasi-credentialing and diploma
      scams, money talks. Or at least it meows. All I had to do was
      get Zoe her first credential, which I did by filling out an
      "application for certification" on a lay hypnosis association's
      website. I charged her application fee, and within a few weeks,
      Zoe had her first piece of paper. Since most lay hypnosis
      associations have a reciprocity agreement respecting each
      others' certifications, it was a snap to obtain additional (and
      very impressive sounding) certificates.
      
      Zoe is (or was, since I
      doubt I will pay certification maintenance fees) certified by
      the National Guild of Hypnotists, the American Board of
      Hypnotherapy, and the International Medical & Dental
      Hypnotherapy Association. She is a Professional Member of the
      American Association of Professional
      Hypnotherapists.
      
      Not bad for a cat who's not
      even purebred.
      
      
      
      What do credentials mean,
      really? In most health professions, the basic credential is a
      license. Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy are activities that are
      difficult to regulate. With few possible
      exceptions--psychological testing may be the only one--they do
      not require an ability to utilize a clearly-defined or unique
      technology (like surgery) or a tangible asset (like
      pharmaceuticals). Instead, they rely primarily or exclusively
      on communication and human interaction. Ultimately, then, we
      are up against a seemingly impossible proposition: How does one
      "license" a form of human interaction? Licensing boards have
      taken on this improbable task, but they typically do not
      attempt to define or enforce any set of behaviors except upon
      those who submit to licensing. Of course, there are strong
      incentives to being licensed, like the ability to qualify for
      insurance reimbursement or for certain agency, healthcare
      service or government positions. But by and large one can get
      by without a license to practice, especially if one has other
      sources of income. Some unlicensed practitioners have succeeded
      quite handsomely, thank you; unlicensed therapist-cum-author
      John Gray is one of the prime examples, neurolinguistic
      programmer and motivational speaker Anthony Robbins is
      another.
      
      And for the thousands of
      private practice "counselors" and "therapists" who are engaged
      in what is essentially a small part-time business or even a
      hobby (they do not need this income to survive), licensing is
      largely superfluous and--with its rigid experience
      requirements, laborious application and examination procedures,
      and continuing education requirements--perhaps even an
      irritant.
      
      In psychology and mental
      health, research on whether licensing actually assures
      competence has yielded inconclusive results. Nevertheless,
      licensing and certification are minimally capable of doing two
      things: (1) guaranteeing that an individual possesses a
      journeyman's fund of basic information (at least at the time of
      the examination) and shares a somewhat common
      educational/training experience; (2) providing a system of
      accountability to the public.
      
      Compared with the
      conservative, rigidly regulated and highly structured world of
      medicine, psychotherapy is the wild west of credentialing. When
      a physician claims board certification, her patients can be
      reasonably assured that their doctor has completed a fairly
      uniform course of training and has passed a tough examination.
      In mental health, credentialing is a far more varied and
      amorphous affair. Until relatively recently, "board
      certification" meant one was either Diplomated by the American
      Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) or, if a social worker,
      by the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work.
      There were also a small number of proficiency certifications
      available (e.g., rehabilitation counseling, career counseling)
      to those who completed substantial training requirements (and
      usually an examination) in that area.
      
      But, in my opinion,
      something happened in the 1980s and '90s that led directly to
      the proliferation of credentialing (and pseudocredentialing) in
      mental health. First, the advent of managed care, coinciding
      with the proliferation of graduate school programs in mental
      health (especially at the masters degree level), led to
      uncontrolled growth in the supply of practitioners while demand
      became increasingly restricted. As a result, many mental health
      practitioners began to scramble for a means (any means) to
      distinguish themselves, to be perceived as above the common
      horde, to be singled out.
      
      Second, the last 20 years
      have seen a proliferation of specialties and "techniques," some
      valid, others a bit dubious, and still others the peculiar
      invention of their creators. In some cases, like trauma
      treatment, neuropsychology and forensic psychology, specialties
      were essentially invented where none existed before, due
      primarily to advances in the science as well as the practice of
      psychology. However, other more arguably dubious credentials
      also came into existence, leading to the development of
      "certified specialists" from "energy therapist" to "alien
      abduction therapist" to "past life regression
      therapist."
      
      How confusing this must be
      to clients and consumers of our services. And how frustrating
      this is to the legitimate clinician who might be left feeling
      "credential challenged" or even intimidated by the therapist
      who advertises him/herself with multiple impressive-sounding
      credentials.
      
      Would additional laws help?
      In my opinion, probably not. In fact, l can not think of a
      legal or legislative solution that would positively impact
      credentialing without creating even worse problems. Unlike
      medicine, which often involves immediate life and death issues,
      mental health clinicians typically treat more subtle and (with
      the exception of a relatively small percentage of critical
      emergencies) less immediately dangerous situations. As a
      result, the public and our lawmakers are less likely to worry
      about the inflated or even implausible claims made by some
      therapists. In addition, we clinicians have traditionally
      operated under a kind of libertarian tradition. By and large we
      loathe guidelines, treatment manuals, or any external agent
      claiming to be able to judge or measure our competence. Nor do
      we want anything beyond broad and inclusive suggestions when it
      comes to external agents telling us what constitutes "good" vs.
      "bad" therapy. And for good reason. Human behavior and the
      "mind" are just more complicated than, say, the liver or a
      broken bone. What is "good" and "bad" for the psyche is not as
      easily defined as what is good for the liver or bad for the
      fibula. We psychotherapists continue to argue and debate these
      issues, and I for one value our disagreements. I hope we never
      come to completely understand the mind and what is "right" for
      it. (If we ever did, we would be a short skip and a jump away
      from a form of psychologically-sanctioned fascism that would
      make Orwell's 1984 seem like a hippie utopia.) Those who claim
      to know the absolute truth about the human psyche are more
      likely to be psycho-demagogues and therapy cult leaders than
      benevolent role models.
      
      So it seems that, with the
      possible exception of the most outrageous forms of "certified
      therapies," we are doomed to tolerate an extremely broad array
      of credentialing bodies, from the legitimate to the
      questionable to those that are outright shams. It is up to each
      of us to examine our own motivations for obtaining credentials
      (both legitimate and dubious), to police ourselves and our own
      professions, and to do our best to educate the
      public.
      
      Still, one has to ask: What
      value can a credential hold when it can be so easily obtained
      for a common household pet? I expect the unmasking of Dr. Zoe
      D. Katze, Certified Hypnotherapist, will make some people very,
      very angry. I hope they will find it within the purview of
      their anger to demand serious changes in the credentialing
      process employed by these associations.
      
      
      
      Limiting a credential to
      homo sapiens would be a good start.
      
      

 



Zoe D. Katze,
Ph.D., C.Ht.



Yes, really. I'm afraid so.



 

 







On 9/23/02, Dr. Katze received the
following Membership Renewal Reminder from the NGH:




         -REMINDER-
         
         
         
         Your NGH Membership has lapsed
         since April 2002
         
         If you would like to renew your
         membership Online, you may at
         https://www.ngh.net/membershipapp.htm
         
         (our new SECURE ONLINE APPLICATION
         !)
         
         Don't lose out on your NGH
         Publications and New NGH Benefits!!!
         
         Renew your membership
         today!
         
         https://www.ngh.net/membershipapp.htm
         
         -- National Guild of Hypnotists,
         Inc. © --
         
         PO Box 308
         
         Merrimack, NH 03054
         
         (603) 429-9438 • Fax (603)
         424-8066 • ngh@ngh.net
         
         http://www.ngh.net
      
 

Immediately after, also on 9/23/02, Dr.
Katze received this follow-up:


         Please disregard the previous
         e-mail.
         
         -Thank you
         
         Jereme Bachand -
         NGH
      
 

Oops, Zoe! You've been
busted!!




 

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This
Cat is not a Hypnotist

or

How to Find a Qualified
Hypnotherapist

Steve K. D. Eichel, Ph.D.,
ABPP

Copyright ©
2005



Felix, Fritz, Garfield
   and Morris.  To this list of well-known cats I can add my
   own, Dr. Zoe D. Katze, Ph.D., C.Ht., DAPA.  Although her
   Google hit count of 205 (as of 4/5/05) pales in comparison to
   Garfield's (over 735,000), it is nevertheless higher than many
   bona fide psychologists, including me.
   
   A cat with a degree and
   certifications!?  How can that be?
   
   In 2002 as an experiment I
   applied for and obtained a variety of credentials on Zoe's
   behalf.  To get her certified as a hypnotherapist by the
   National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), the International Medical
   & Dentistry Hypnotherapy Association (IMDHA) and the American
   Board of Hypnotherapy (ABH) I only had to fill out online
   applications (with made-up information) and pay the application
   fee.
   
   Originally, I only posted my
   article on my own website as well as the website I administer for
   the Greater Philadelphia Society of Clinical Hypnosis.  But a
   year later Zoe's story was discovered by a writer for the American
   Bar Association's online journal, and after that, the kitty litter
   hit the fan.
   
   Zoe's story has been snatched
   up by a plethora of online sources, including websites belonging
   to MacArthur Foundation "Genius Award"-winner James Randi,
   self-esteem psychologist Nathaniel Brandon, and "Dipscam" FBI
   consultant and bogus degree expert Dr. John Bear.  The
   lessons taught by my "Cat Credentialing Project" have been
   incorporated into several graduate-level psychology classes, one
   forensic psychology program, and at least one state licensing
   board's training website.
   
   Not all reactions have been
   positive.  The IMDHA wrote a letter to my credit card company
   in which, bizarrely (since they were the recipients of my money),
   they tried to report me for fraudulent use of my own credit
   card!  The letter was forwarded to me with an incredulous
   note indicating that the only one who could make such a complaint
   was, of course, me.  (The IMDHA had no qualms about keeping
   my money, nor did any of the other associations.)
   
   The National Guild of
   Hypnotists wrote a scathing editorial about me.  I was also
   the subject of a lay hypnosis blog in which a well-known NGH
   member repeatedly referred to me as, among other epithets, "the
   dishonest, misrepresenting, liar named Steve K. D. Eichel." 
   It took the threat of a libel suit to put an end to that
   diatribe.
   
   Unlike medicine and law, which
   are tightly controlled by state and federal laws, mental health
   and hypnosis are in reality largely unregulated.  (The
   reasons for this are too complicated for this article, but are
   addressed in the article I previously referenced.)  What this
   means for consumers is that, when they find an online or Yellow
   Pages listing for a physician or an attorney, they can be
   reasonably certain that the professional has earned a legitimate
   graduate degree (M.D. or J.D.) and has a state-issued license to
   practice.  This also means that, if something goes wrong,
   consumers have well-known avenues for redress.
   
   Not so in mental health or
   hypnosis.  Unless the professional is licensed by the state,
   there is no guarantee that your hypnotist or "therapist" has any
   background or training whatsoever.  In the most extreme
   cases, you apparently don't even have a guarantee that your
   "professional" isn't, well, a nonhuman.
   
   Just as anyone can be
   "ordained" as a minister in certain "religions" simply by filling
   out an online application form and paying a fee, it is absurdly
   easy to gain hypnosis and even psychotherapy credentials.  To
   this day, the NGH and ABH accept online applications for
   certification;  as far as I can tell, the only "new"
   requirement since the Zoe scandal has been for the NGH to require
   a photo driver's license.  That requirement effectively keeps
   cats out of their certified membership, but what will keep your
   neighbor's 18 year-old daughter from becoming a "certified
   hypnotherapist" if she wants to (and does not mind misrepresenting
   herself)?
   
   Licenses, certifications and
   graduate degrees do not guarantee a competent hypnotist/therapist,
   but they are a good start.  Being properly credentialed at
   least means the professional is held somewhat accountable for his
   or her actions.  Here are some pointers for the careful
   consumer:
   
   1. A graduate
      degree is not a graduate degree is not a graduate
      degree.  Degrees, including Ph.D.s, can be purchased
      from "accredited" universities online.  These schools fall
      under the general heading "diploma mills" or "degree
      mills."  Most people incorrectly assume that when a school
      claims to be "accredited," it means accredited by an agency
      recognized by the Department of Education (DOE).  This is
      not necessarily so;  some of the more outrageous degree
      mills are "accredited" by organizations they created, and of
      which they alone are "accredited members."  Others have
      banded together with like-minded institutions to form their own
      "independent accrediting" agencies.  Many of these exist
      only as post office box numbers, or a filing cabinet in an
      office.  Institutions affiliated with religious
      organizations are yet another matter.  In the U.S.,
      church-affiliated schools are or can choose to be exempt from
      many governmental regulations.  Some of these schools are
      quite excellent, and refuse accreditation by DOE agencies on
      truly religious grounds.  Others, however, exist primarily
      to grant their clergy ubiquitous "Doctor of Divinity" or other
      doctoral degrees primarily out of the belief that the title
      will gain respect for the title-bearer.  (For an excellent
      source of information on bogus vs. legitimate post-secondary
      education, treat yourself to Dr. John Bear's superb website -
      http://www.degree.net/ .  It is also worthwhile to read
      Dr. Bear's article on diploma mills, located at
      http://www.degree.net/html/diploma_mills.html .)  In
      hypnosis and psychotherapy, which are largely unregulated,
      there are a variety of semi-legitimate and outright
      illegitimate diploma mills offering doctoral degrees in
      counseling, psychotherapy, and hypnotherapy.  A relatively
      new development has been the "Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy"
      degree (DCH).  As far as I know, nobody has thoroughly
      researched the legitimacy of this degree, although none of the
      institutions granting it appear to be fully accredited by
      agencies recognized by the DOE.
      
      If you are uncertain about
      the legitmacy of the school that granted your potential
      therapist's degree, see if it is listed on the DOE's Office of
      Postsecondary Educations's website: 
      http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.asp .
      
      2. The basics of hypnosis
      are not hard to learn. When I was in college, I taught
      myself basic hypnosis from a book I bought in a used
      bookstore.  Many lay hypnosis associations promise to
      certify people after a weekend course.  Amost 10 years ago
      I wrote an article in which I called for the licensing and
      regulation of lay hypnotists (see
      http://APMHA.com/page9.htm).  Under the supervision of an
      appropriate licensed healthcare professional, I see little
      reason to believe hypnosis paraprofessionals (i.e., lay
      hypnotists) should not be able to perform basic hypnosis
      interventions for many people.  However, it is a stretch
      to believe that a weekend hypnosis certification course is
      sufficient training for a high school graduate to treat an
      individual with phobias, anxiety, depression or habit disorders
      (e.g., addictions).  Clinical hypnosis is a skill built
      upon a foundation that consists of accepted medical and
      psychological practices, including the ability to evaluate and
      diagnose psychological problems.  Lay hypnosis
      organizations like the National Guild of Hypnotists certify a
      broad range of members, some of whom are licensed healthcare
      professionals and many of whom are not.  I've seen the
      description of many NGH training programs, and a large
      percentage of these involve clinical training.  As far as
      I know, these programs are equally open to trained clinicians
      and untrained "lay" people.  There does not seem to be any
      attempt to limit clinical training to appropriately licensed
      clinicians.
      
      And, of course, the NGH and
      other lay hypnotist associations certified my cat, which does
      not speak well of their screening processes.
      
      3. Licensing and
      legitimate graduate degrees may not guarantee competence, but
      they are a start.  Moreover, going to a licensed
      professional at least guarantees some degree of
      accountability.  If a psychologist or a licensed
      professional counselor behaves inappropriately, or engages in a
      questionable practice, there are state licensing boards and
      national professional associations who oversee these
      professionals, and with whom a client can file a
      complaint.  All practicing psychologists are required to
      carry malpractice insurance.  Not so with lay
      hypnotists.  I have provided forensic psychological advise
      in several lawsuits involving lay hypnotists, and the bottom
      line is that, if a lay hypnotist misbehaves, the client may
      have no legal recourse, no way to rectify the situation or, if
      necessary, to have the therapist drummed out of the
      profession.
      
      4. So where can I find a
      qualified professional trained in clinical hypnosis? 
      In addition to word of mouth and referrals from other trusted
      professionals (always a good place to start), consult the
      membership directories of the American Society of Clinical
      Hypnosis (http://www.asch.net), the Society of Clinical and
      Experiment Hypnosis (http://www.sceh.us/) and the American
      Psychotherapy & Medical Hypnosis Association
      (http://APMHA.com/).  All three require health profession
      licensure as a basis for membership;  ASCH and APMHA
      additionally certify those members who have completed a
      prescribed training course.  Zoe the cat would not have
      made it into membership in these organizations. 
      Additionally, there are a handful of hypnosis-oriented websites
      (including this one) that will refer only to qualified
      practitioners.
   
   I am sometimes asked about
   hypnosis tapes and CDs.  Do they work?  Which ones are
   the best?  There is no question that people can be hypnotized
   using tapes;  in order to provide a standardized induction,
   audiotapes have been used for years in university studies of
   hypnotic phenomena.  Still, there is only limited research on
   the effectiveness of tapes and CDs.  For certain goals (such
   as insomnia) with motivated subjects, taped hypnosis can be as
   effective, or almost as effective, as "live" hypnosis;  for
   other concerns, live hypnosis has been shown to be consistently
   more effective.  One study indicated that people who listen
   to hypnosis tapes tend to overestimate the beneficial effects of
   those tapes.  That is, they believe it helped more than it
   actually did.  Interestingly, there are several studies that
   indicate the most effective use of taped hypnotic suggestions is
   in addition to live hypnosis.  The combination of taped and
   live hypnosis produced significantly more of the desired effect
   than either condition alone.
   
   There is the potential for what
   I would term "unwanted" or even potentially harmful effects. 
   Studies have shown that taped hypnotic suggestions that support
   "unusual" or controversial beliefs, such as past-life regression,
   can significantly alter a subject's belief system.
   
   My general advice about
   hypnosis tapes and CDs is to approach them with caution. 
   They can be quite helpful when purchased and used with planning
   and careful consideration.  They are even more effective when
   used in combination with "live" hypnotherapy.  I believe the
   following guidelines will increase the likelihood of making a safe
   and effective hypnosis tape or CD purchase:
   
   1.  Look for
      the union label.  Just as I suggested when looking for
      a "live" clinical hypnotherapist, your odds of purchasing a
      safe and effective hypnosis tape or CD are increased if you
      stick to those produced by licensed mental health or medical
      professionals who are appropriately trained and credentialed in
      clinical hypnosis.  In my experience, clinicians who are
      members of (or better yet certified by) ASCH, SCEH or APMHA
      usually fit that description.
      
      2. Go to a source
      you can trust. If you don't already know a qualified
      professional who produces hypnosis tapes and CDs, finding an
      online publisher may help. A good "quality control" check
      on a publisher is to review their website, paying particular
      attention to the qualifications of the people associated with
      it. Be wary of websites that employ obvious "hype"
      language (see below) and dubious claims.  Check how they
      reference their claims. Does the publisher only cite
      anecdotal reviews (e.g., personal testimonials) or do they
      reference good, solid science? Publishers of quality will
      reference scientific studies in respected psychological or
      medical journals. Does the website provide information on
      hypnosis from reliable sources, and does it provide appropriate
      warnings about the misuse of hypnosis?  It's also a good
      idea to use those publishers that provide samples of their
      tapes/CDs or have a solid refund policy.
      
      3. Be very wary of
      hype and unsupported claims.  Most people are familiar
      with sales hype, and generally know the old saying that if it
      sounds too good to be true…then it probably isn't. 
      That adage certainly applies to hypnosis as well. Hypnosis
      tapes (and practitioners!) claiming instant or super-fast
      results are probably misleading you. There are hypnosis
      tapes/CDs publishers run by outright hucksters.  As a
      general rule, if the website seems to violate common sense,
      then have the sense to move on. It is also prudent to
      avoid tapes, CDs (and their promoters) who claim to be able to
      "cure" long-term problems, like alcoholism or chronic
      depression. If these tapes and CDs wind up delaying or
      preventing someone from obtaining real help, then they have not
      only failed to "cure," they may have caused actual
      harm.
      
      4. Tapes and CDs can
      help but only to a degree. Many problems can not be
      remedied by tapes and CDs alone. Reputable publishers will note
      that clearly and plainly (not hidden in the small print), and
      provide guidance to the consumer who may benefit from obtaining
      qualified help. They will be clear about distinguishing
      between appropriate self-help and self-improvement and serious
      behavioral disturbances that need professional
      intervention. The better clearinghouses will utilize
      advisors of the highest caliber possible (with reputable
      credentials and background) to assist in this
      process.
   
   With these guidelines in mind,
   consumers and potential clients will increase the likelihood of
   obtaining the help they truly want, and need.  Limiting your
   choice of hypnosis materials (such as tapes and CDs) and clinical
   hypnosis practitioners referrals to appropriately trained and
   licensed health professionals are important first steps on the
   path to a successful hypnosis experience.

 








 

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