A Landmark Moment for Hypno-CBT® in China: Certification by The Chinese Psychological Society

📝 Editor’s Note (2025)

Although this post recounts a remarkable event from 2019, it was never published at the time. Given the growing international recognition of Hypno-CBT® and frequent questions about our work in China, we’re sharing it now — with pride and historical clarity.

Hypno‑CBT® Certified by the Chinese Psychological Society (CPS)

n June 2019, our Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy — the framed training at the core of what we now call the Hypno‑CBT® Diploma — became one of the first private psychotherapy training programmes in China to be officially certified by the Chinese Psychological Society (CPS). This landmark moment reflects years of collaboration, training, and refinement of our approach in China.

How Hypno‑CBT® Became One of the First Certified Private Psychotherapy Programmes in China

June 2019 marked a historic turning point in the development of psychotherapy training in China – and for Hypno-CBT®!.

A number of leading international and domestic training organisations gathered at the Sunrise Leela Kempinski Hotel, just outside Beijing, for a high-level presentation and review event.

Until this point, only state-run counselling courses and university-based psychology degrees (e.g., clinical, educational, organisational, and sports psychology) had received official certification. But in early 2019, after extensive discussions between the CPS and the Chinese government, the Society was authorised to act as an official consultant to the state — and to begin evaluating external programmes against recognised standards.

Presenting the Hypno-CBT® Diploma for CPS Certification

Among the eight programmes presented at this milestone event was our very own Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (CBH) — delivered in China since 2016 through our ongoing collaboration with our exceptional partner and translator, Hui Bee Teh.

Since 2016, we had offered a compressed 15-day version of the Diploma twice a year in China. Over 200 students completed the training in the first three years, and feedback had been overwhelmingly positive.

Together with my college, co-teacher and translator, the brilliant Hui Bee Teh, we presented our programme to a panel of professors from the Chinese Psychological Society. The panel consisted of a lead professor from each of the main divisions: Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Organisational Psychology and Health Psychology as well as the President of the CPS.

Official Certification by the Chinese Psychological Society (CPS)

We are proud to announce that the Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy was officially certified by the CPS — making it one of the first eight private psychotherapy training programmes in China ever to receive such recognition.

Even more remarkably:

🔹 Our programme was one of only two to be immediately approved and certified without requiring any changes.

🔹 It was the only short-format training (15 days vs the 1–2 year duration of the others) to receive this distinction.

🔹 The CPS President specifically praised the programme for being scientifically grounded and systematic, and encouraged several of the other programmes to look at our course as an exemplar of scientific grounding.

What CPS “Certification” Means for Psychotherapy Training in China

It’s worth clarifying what this certification signifies.

• The Chinese Psychological Society is China’s leading professional body for psychology, comparable to the APA (USA) or BPS (UK).
• The certification was granted by the CPS Standards Committee, following formal review by a panel of senior experts.
• It applies to continuing professional education programmes in psychotherapy — not to national licensure or clinical authority.
• Nonetheless, this marked a historic first in China: official recognition of private-sector psychotherapy training by the country’s central professional body.

In short: it’s a major endorsement of the scientific rigour, practical quality, and educational standards of Hypno-CBT®.

A Deep Thanks to Hui Bee Teh – Co-Trainer & Translator

None of this would have been remotely possible without my brilliant co-teacher and dear friend, Hui Bee Teh — Clinical Psychologist, MSc — who led and translated our training in China.

Based in Kuala Lumpur, Hui Bee also works in a psychiatric clinic and serves as a tutor, trainer, and supervisor on our Diploma programme. She has taught the Hypno-CBT® Diploma both in English (alongside me) and in Mandarin (alongside Katherine Yu).
You can read more about Hui Bee on her fabulous blog over at HuiBee.com.

🌐 Note: Hui Bee’s blog is currently offline (due to maternity leave), but her impact and dedication to training in Asia continue to be extraordinary.

A Fully Translated Programme — With Assessment & Supervision

The Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy is fully translated into Mandarin and now includes:
• Chinese-language manuals and materials
• Translated assessments and case study process
• Local supervision and tutor support in Mandarin
• Option to be taught in English (with translation) or entirely in Mandarin

Although live teaching in China paused during COVID-19, we are currently in discussions with partners to resume delivery — including via live webcast for students across mainland China.