The hypnotherapist cat

The regulation of hypnotherapists in the UK is so lax that even a cat can become accredited, the BBC has found.

Chris Jackson, presenter of Inside Out in the North East and Cumbria, registered pet George with three industry bodies.

Each one accepted a certificate from the non-existent Society of Certified Advanced Mind Therapists as proof of George’s credentials.

It follows a similar investigation by an American clinical psychologist.

Dr Steve Eichel suspected industry bodies in the US were not running checks on their members.

He said: “I felt I’d test my hypothesis and I did that by getting my cat certified by a number of the most prominent lay hypnosis organisations in the United States. It was a frighteningly simple process.”

In the UK, George was registered with the British Board of Neuro Linguistic Programming (BBNLP), the United Fellowship of Hypnotherapists (UFH) and the Professional Hypnotherapy Practitioner Association (PHPA).

The UFH welcomed the Inside Out investigation and admitted the mistake, which it said has since been corrected.

A PHPA spokesman said the organisation makes great effort to ensure every applicant is a fully-qualified hypnotherapist.

The BBNLP said it exists only to provide benefits to its members, not to check or certify credentials.

Joke Of The Day... Laugh... then pass it on!

A business executive injured his leg skiing one weekend. By the time he got home Sunday, the leg was very swollen and he was having difficulty walking, so he called his doctor at home. The doctor told him to soak the leg in hot water. The man tried it, but the leg became more swollen and more painful. His maid saw him limping and said, "I'm only a maid, but I always thought it was better to use cold water for swelling. " So, the executive tried cold water, and the swelling rapidly subsided. On Monday morning he called his doctor. "Say, what kind of a doctor are you anyway? You told me to soak my leg in hot water and it got worse. My maid told me to use cold water and it got better." "Really?" answered the doctor. "I don't understand it. My maid said hot water."

Man Stinks Up Port Orchard Wal-Mart, Thinking It's Funny

The South Kitsap Wal-Mart was evacuated Sunday after a 51-year-old Belfair man allegedly dumped “Stink Bombs” liquid and sprayed “Super Fart Spray” inside the store.

South Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews were sent to the store at about 12:40 p.m. Sunday for a reported hazardous-material incident. A man was reportedly throwing onto the floor a liquid that was creating a severe smell and causing headaches.

Deputies estimated about 75 shoppers and store employees were evacuated.

The man admitted dumping liquid onto the floor that made people nauseated. He said there were more bottles of the liquid in his glove compartment.

Deputies found bottles labeled “Stink Bombs,” which included a warning that the liquid is an irritant containing ammonium sulfide. He also handed the deputy a can called “Super Fart Spray,” which he said he also sprayed.

The man said he did it because he thought it would be funny.

The man’s girlfriend, a 46-year-old Belfair woman, said she was shopping and didn’t know what he was doing.

Fire crews kept the rest of the liquid and the man was banned from the Wal-Mart. A report was forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review.

Man Stinks Up Port Orchard Wal-Mart, Thinking It's Funny

The South Kitsap Wal-Mart was evacuated Sunday after a 51-year-old Belfair man allegedly dumped “Stink Bombs” liquid and sprayed “Super Fart Spray” inside the store.

South Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews were sent to the store at about 12:40 p.m. Sunday for a reported hazardous-material incident. A man was reportedly throwing onto the floor a liquid that was creating a severe smell and causing headaches.

Deputies estimated about 75 shoppers and store employees were evacuated.

The man admitted dumping liquid onto the floor that made people nauseated. He said there were more bottles of the liquid in his glove compartment.

Deputies found bottles labeled “Stink Bombs,” which included a warning that the liquid is an irritant containing ammonium sulfide. He also handed the deputy a can called “Super Fart Spray,” which he said he also sprayed.

The man said he did it because he thought it would be funny.

The man’s girlfriend, a 46-year-old Belfair woman, said she was shopping and didn’t know what he was doing.

Fire crews kept the rest of the liquid and the man was banned from the Wal-Mart. A report was forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review.