Final answer:
Psychologists should use hypnotherapy within their competence and with client consent, ensuring ethical practice; hypnotherapy is not a universal first-line treatment and must be consented to by the client.
Step-by-step explanation:
The APS ethics guidelines advise psychologists to employ hypnotherapy within the boundaries of competence and consent. This means that psychologists must have the proper training and expertise to practice hypnotherapy and should only use these techniques with the informed consent of the client. Hypnotherapy should not be used as a blanket first-line treatment for all clients, nor should it be employed without considering ethical implications. The therapist must ensure that the client fully understands the process, risks, and benefits and agrees to the treatment. Client consent is crucial for any therapeutic intervention.
Hypnotherapy is considered a state of extreme self-focus and attention, often used in conjunction with other techniques for therapeutic purposes such as pain management, treatment of depression and anxiety, smoking cessation, and weight loss, but should never be practiced without proper client consent and therapist competence.