OUR FOCUS

CSIG’s commitment is to … “the study and prayerful use of progressive relaxation, suggestion. imagery, and various methods of clinical hypnosis as a part of our ministry of love, compassion and spiritually-motivated healing.”

We stand for excellence through continuing education in hypnotherapy, pastoral ministry and pastoral counselling.

We sponsor and support on-going education and mentorship, assisting members of the professional clergy to bring the benefits of hypnosis to ministries within institutional settings, including churches, private schools, hospitals, prisons, the military, as well as to the more personalised pastoral counselling professions.

 WHY ARE WE UNIQUE?

As a group, we work to make hypnosis an increasingly useful tool to those who’re called upon to help in times of crisis, and to support the ongoing spiritual needs of those under our care.

To meet that objective, we have expanded ur membership to include non-ordained practitioners vs. just clergy.

This spring 1987 statement from our founder, Dr. William Curtis, epitomises our continuing vision ... “We are a non-sectarian Fellowship and Educational organisation. We come from differing backgrounds, education and denominations with varied clerical, theological and hypnosis backgrounds. Although we might differ in our philosophies, theories and our practices, our common interest unites us in the midst of these varieties.”

Members of CSIG bring to the Guild our collective expertise, our enthusiasm for the appropriate use of hypnosis within both secular and religious institutions of education, health and healing, and our ongoing commitment to the continued growth and development of the community of hypnotists of which we are all members.

WHY MERGE WITH THE GUILD?

We arose from the National Association of Clergy Hypnotherapists (NACH), founded by Presbyterian minister Dr. William Curtis in 1983. The NACH then merged with the much larger NGH in 1997 as a special interest group (SIG).

We merged with the NGH with the belief that clergy would have a far greater influence in the 21st century with the Guild than as a separate organisation.

We fit well with the NGH as it is also non-theological, and has done more to advance the standing of hypnosis practitioners internationally over six decades than any group in the world.

Additionally, affectionally referred to as the world’s friendliest convention, NGH’s annual Convention and Educational Conference is a candy store of learning mirroring our own pastoral values of on-going training and positivity while reflecting our ethical and leadership objectives.

MEMBERSHIP 

Professional membership in the CSIG is open to all religious professionals (minister, rabbi, priest, iman, member of a religious order in or preparing for final vows, etc.) whose life work is within the settings of organised religion.

In 2023 we expanded our membership to those Consulting Hypnotists on a spiritual path as a step to expand our footprint both within the NGH and the professional at large.

For clarification, ordained Membership is not open to those who claim self-ordination, or claim ordination through “mail order” groups like the Universal Life Church.

However, we welcome those who are professional leaders in traditions that do not include ordination, such as the Society of Friends, the American Humanist Association, Ethical Culture, and those with a belief in a Universal Power, or spirituality (as differentiated from spiritualism, which is a distinctive spiritual path.)

OUR QUESTION TO YOU ...

With the rise of different roles facing ordained clergy, lay ministers, chaplains and other laity, in moving forward, we are taking stock of the profession and ask for your opinion on where, as a religious/spiritual professional, you think you may fit within our universal role.

We have instituted an Associate category in the event you feel your background, qualifications and experience don’t meet the ordained tier of professional membership, and ask your opinion on how that would interest you. Or, perhaps you have an idea for another level of membership. Write us and let us know!

HYPNOSIS CHAPLAINS
in HISTORY

A little known fact is that when chemical analgesics and aesthetics weren't available for the wounded during the Korean and both World Wars and subsequent conflicts, it was the battlefield military chaplains who, taking their lead from Dr. James Esdaile, helped the injured overcome their pain and distress with emergency situation hypnosis.

That evolved to clergy counsellors using the powerful effects of hypnosis to mitigate phobias, panic disorder and combat-induced PTSD with its characteristic nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety and terror when traditional techniques proved ineffective (Abramowitz, E., & Lichtenberg, P., 2009).

CSIG also received substantial leadership and motivation from US Army Chaplain Brigadier-General Paul G. Durbin, Ph.D. Th.D. (Rtd. ’89) during his lifetime (Feb. 2012), a clinical hypnotherapist and counsellor.

Additionally, current CHC member Rev. Dr. Scot Giles, the pre-eminent hypno-oncologist in North America, is setting the standard for assisting cancer patients within formal hospital settings.

JOIN US

We invite you to seek us out and join us at our CSIG annual general meeting at 6:00 p.m. Friday evening at the NGH Convention in the executive suite (beside the NGH convention office) at the Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center during the NGH’s August Convention & Educational Conference in Marlborough, MASS.

We also invite you to participate in our 45-minute Worship Service held at 0700 Sunday morning at Convention.

This web presence if for you to ask any questions, or to leave comments or ideas for furthering our ministry in health and healing.

We look forward to hearing from you!

———————————————

Article Researched/Written by Rev. Timothy Jones, OB,
and Published in NGH’s JOURNAL OF HYPNOTISM
In CSIG’s “DEEPENINGS” column

(Updated 2024)

===========