The Hippocratic Oath

Ancient Ethics in Hypnotherapy & Psychotherapy

Hippocrates of Kos

Copyright (c) Donald Robertson, 2010.  All rights reserved.

The Hippocratic Oath is an oath traditionally taken by doctors, and believed to have been written in the 4th century BC by Hippocrates, widely regarded as the father of Western medicine.  This is a traditional translation of the oath,

I swear by Apollo the Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods, and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:

To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and if he is in need of money to give him a share of mine, and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage and to teach them this art –if they desire to learn it– without fee and covenant; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken the oath according to medical law, but to no one else.

I will apply dietic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.

I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.

I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work.

Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male persons, be they free or slaves.

What I may see or hear in the course of treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep myself holding such things shameful to be spoken about.

If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honoured with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.

The oath has frequently been modified and modernised throughout recent centuries.  This is my proposal for a modern version adapted for hypnotherapy and psychotherapy,

I pledge a moral oath before my peers and colleagues, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfil to the best of my ability and judgement this covenant and undertaking,

I will respect the clinicians and researchers in my field, study their work diligently, critically, and with care, and extend their contributions by my own efforts to advance the therapeutic art and science.

I will apply therapeutic methods for the benefit of others according to my ability and judgement; I will keep them free from distress and respect their human rights.

I will never offer treatment or advice which might needlessly harm a client.

I will only offer treatment or advice within my sphere of professional competence, and will respect the judgement and actions of other professionals within their own.

I will act with honesty and integrity, and in particular I will avoid any potential exploitation of clients.

What I see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment, in regard to the life of my clients, which falls within the bounds of professional confidentiality, I will keep private, as far as it is legal, reasonable and practicable to do so.

I will fulfil this pledge and refrain from violating it; If I break it and swear falsely, may my colleagues hold me to account for doing so.

Although its wording clearly needs to be modernised, the basic principles of the Hippocratic Oath have stood the test of time, and it seems to me to apply as well, if not better, to the psychological therapies as to traditional medicine.  I therefore hope that my adapted version, or some similar version, might be found useful by professional organisations, as a guide for modern therapists.