Spring once again, time for daffodils, frolicking and renewing our registration with the BSCH. As most will know, the registration year runs from April to April and to ensure maximum benefits one should re-register before March 31 if possible. Quite a large number of members have re-registered in good time this year for which I am grateful, as it helps to spread out the additional administrative load.

This is also a good time to check your contact details to make sure that they are up-to-date and to inform the secretary of any changes. It’s particularly important that we have your correct telephone number, as this is the main means of client contact.

Corporate Advertising

The corporate advertising scheme is well under way and almost all regions of the Yellow Pages now carry members’ adverts under the BSCH banner. This is becoming successful and cost effective but some members have expressed a desire to make the overall impression of the ‘block advert’ more eye catching. 

It is quite possible to modify the appearance of the design so that it stands out more amidst the ‘sea of yellow ads’ by increasing the number of colours used. It may well attract more attention, for example, if a white background is used to make the text and the body of the insert more attractive and visible. If you have any thoughts about the appearance of our corporate ads please pass them to the organising secretary ( 01262 403 103 or sec@bsch.org.uk). Corporate advertising is open to all registered members of the Society. To ensure you are included in the scheme call the Yellow Pages Corporate ad Team on: 0800 371 755 (freephone).

Members in the Limelight

Recently a few members have been in the media spreading the good word about our profession.

Veronica Witter has filmed with BBC Science and Dale Robinson had a feature on BBC radio Cleveland. Steve Lauder did a half hour programme about phobias with LBC, where he took calls from the public and Chris Morgan-Locke, John Hempstead and Rob McColgan have been busy getting their articles published in national journals. 

Hypnosis Video Library

I have had an idea ‘brewing’ at the back of my mind to start a video library for Society members, covering the topics of hypnosis and NLP and other allied therapeutic strategies. There are quite a few titles on the market that could be of interest but the drawback to collecting them is their cost and in some cases an incompatible format (NTSC). I’m not sure exactly how this would work, or if there would be enough interest from members to warrant the initial outlay, so feedback would be appreciated. Perhaps you have a suitable title laying idle on your bookshelf that you would like to share with fellow members? If so please send it to the secretary. 

National Phobics Society

I’m sure most members will know of the work of the National Phobics Society but for the benefit of newcomers I will introduce them again.

‘NPS is a national registered charity formed 30 years ago by a sufferer of agoraphobia for those affected by anxiety disorders. Today we are still a user-led organisation, run by sufferers and ex-sufferers of anxiety disorders supported by a high-profile medical advisory panel. Our belief is that those who have experienced anxiety disorders are best placed to provide support to other sufferers because they are able to truly understand the impact these conditions have on people's lives. We are now the largest anxiety disorders association of our type in the UK and the most well-established with many thousands of members UK wide and abroad.’

Data Protection 

Member John Hempstead wrote to me to remind us about the Data Protection Act, particularly as many members are now using the Practitioner database software. It’s a good point and in fact anyone who keeps records, whether on a computer or not, may find it necessary to register as a ‘data controller’. 

There is more information to be had from the data protection agency web site at: http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk
This is quite an informative site and there is an online questionnaire, which is designed to let you know right away if you are required to register, or not. Also you can apply for free information booklets and videos. Lastly there is an agency information line on 01625 545 740.

Membership Upgrade

Just a brief reminder for affiliates who are due to take their diploma examinations soon or for associate members who have recently taken additional master classes. Please let the secretary know your results as soon as you receive them, so that your membership can be upgraded accordingly. This is especially important for the change from affiliate to associate membership, as valuable advertising and referrals might otherwise be lost.

Requirements for membership

Since sending out the annual reminder for re-registration several members have sought clarification regarding the accredited learning requirements necessary for full membership of the Society. To help answer this I quote from the BSCH constitution, item 6 note b.

‘Associate Membership shall be automatically available to persons who are holders of the Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis from a training organisation approved by the EC. Such Membership shall carry the designating letters BSCH (Assoc) and shall be available for a maximum of four years from the date of the award of the Diploma. If the Associate Member has not graduated for Full Membership within the permitted four year period, then such Associate Membership shall be forfeited.’

The date of the award of the Diploma is the date on which the examination was passed, from which the associate member has four years in which to accrue a number of additional accredited learnings, after which they graduate to Full Membership. Full Membership is for life and cannot lapse. If enough accreditation is not achieved within the four year period then membership of the Society lapses.

Naturally not all circumstances are equal and occasionally events can make the satisfaction of this requirement impossible in the normal term. Such cases will be appraised individually and, if there is sufficient cause, extra time may be granted. The date of the Diploma examination is printed on the registration reminders and is also available from the organising secretary.
 

Tom Connelly, 
Organising Secretary,
British Society of Clinical Hypnosis,
Tel: 01262 403 103 e-mail: sec@bsch.org.uk