A hypnotherapist should not be confused with a hypnotist. A hypnotist is an expert in hypnosis, someone who has the ability to use self-hypnosis and is able to teach it to other people. A hypnotherapist is a professional and certified hypnotist who operates in a clinical setting. Patients who need hypnotic treatment are referred by their physicians to hypnotherapists.

A hypnotherapist is responsible for setting up initial consultations with patients, taking their medical and social history, recommending courses of treatment and inducing a trance-like state.

Many hypnotherapists help patients through behavior modification. By inducing a hypnotic or trance state, the hypnotherapist is able to help his patient deal with conditions such as anxiety, attitude problems and bad habits. During hypnosis, the patient is able to alter the way he feels, behaves or thinks about a specific issue in his life. Other hypnotherapists work on the treatment of stress-related illnesses and pain management.

Hypnotherapists have been effective in treating people with anxiety, depression, panic attacks, eating disorders, phobias, smoking habits and addiction.

People under hypnosis are very vulnerable thus, a hypnotherapist must always have impeccable professional and personal ethics.