Hypnotherapist

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A specialist who uses hypnosis as a method to aid people in managing emotional or behavioral problems like stress, addiction, or trauma
2. An expert in the practice of hypnosis who supports clients in healing psychological barriers through induced trance states and suggestion techniques
3. A professional trained in hypnosis that assists individuals in overcoming challenges related to emotional health, behavioral issues, and personal growth through trance and suggestion methods

Etymology: The second half of this word is older than the first. "Therapist" traces back to Ancient Greek "therapeuein", meaning to attend, serve or care for, and in its earliest Greek sense it was used of servants and attendants rather than healers. The Greek "therapeia" (service, healing) passed into New Latin as "therapia" and then into English as "therapy", while the agent ending "-ist" arrived through Latin "-ista", Old French "-iste" and Middle English "-ist", producing "therapist" as a person who provides that care. "Hypno-" comes from Ancient Greek "hupnos", sleep, which is also the source of "hypnosis". The prefix was attached to "therapist" in modern times to name a practitioner who works through induced trance, so the compound is a plain, deliberate coinage rather than an ancient word. Its meaning is a narrow specialisation within the wider field of therapy: the first element names the method and the second names the role.

Synonyms: hypnosis practitioner, hypnosis therapist