Orca Institute 

I recently completed the Counselling Hypnotherapy Diploma Program at the Orca Institute. The program is well organized, comprehensive, and offers expert knowledge and support. I'm thrilled I chose the Orca Institute over other programs as the program and instruction is quite frankly stellar. It gave me the knowledge and skill set to incorporate hypnotherapy into my current practice.
Veronica Connors, M.Ed., CSLC,
Author: Soul Steps: 52 Ways to Reconnect with Spirit,

The Counselling Hypnotherapy program offered through Orca is great. The instructors are knowledgable and very supportive. The course helped me to define what I wanted to be able to offer my clients and gave me the confidence to dig deeper within myself and to help others to do the same. I am grateful for my time with Orca and highly recommend it.

I recently completed my counseling hypnotherapy diploma with Orca institute and I have learned so many new skills to help people. I was originally a life coach and I needed to be able to help people on a deeper level. Now with the counseling and hypnotherapy diploma, I am able to listen on a new level to find the root cause and use hypnotherapy to allow my clients to find their own inner solutions to their problems. One of the great things about this school is you get to work at your own pace and you have a lot of support from the weekend classes and from the teachers whenever you need it.

Fantastic program! My instructors have been supportive, available, responsive and they go over and above to make sure I am doing well with the program and that I stay on track. Excellent material and thought provoking content. I did not expect to learn so much about myself and the way I think, respond and communicate with others. I couldn't be happier with my education. I highly recommend Orca Institute.

Orca Institute is a hidden gem. When I was looking to upgrade my counselling skills, I researched a number of places. What sold me on Orca was how thorough and professional they were on explaining their courses as well as how knowledgeable they were about the field of counselling in general. Upon taking their courses, I was again impressed with the wisdom and knowledge depth of the instructors along with their perspectives on the industry updates posted to the student's groups. All in all, Orca Institute should be a choice consideration for you.

The Orca Institute's Counselling Hypnotherapy Diploma program was fantastic! I had previous training from the US as a clinical hypnotherapist and was looking to find great mentors, deepen my skills and obtain a certification that was professional, credible and insurable in Canada. The Orca Institute truly fit the bill in all ways. I was able to fit the learning around my busy working/mothering schedule and very much enjoyed the weekend class times we spent together. Sheldon and Diane are wonderful, knowledgeable and compassionate instructors who teach with a very high level of integrity and respect for this deep and transformative form of therapy. I highly recommend this program!

Laura Shaw B.Ed, M.A. CC.HT
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher/ Counselling Hypnotherapist

In school settings, agencies and private practice, Orca Hypnotherapy Certification has been a cornerstone of my counselling training and practice for the past 10 years. I continue taking courses with Orca because they offer outstanding experiential learning directly applicable to membership into counselling associations in Canada.
Sheldon and Diane's commitment and expertise has created a superior competency based hypnotherapy counselling program that attunes to individual learners, and is a flexible paced learning at a very reasonable cost.
With outstanding teacher support, supervision and collegiality, Orca Institute demonstrates professional standards in both philosophy and practice.
Diane is a master teacher whose skills in fostering critical thinking and deep exploratory inquiry are highlights of my Orca experience.
Orca counselling courses will continue to be a foundation of my professional development.
With deep appreciation,
Patricia Orr
B.A., B.Ed., H.T., R.T.C., M.T.C.

My experience at Orca Institute
Sheldon and his team of experts at Orca Institute offer a great program for anyone seeking to help others in counselling and hypnotherapy. I was looking for some serious training in hypnotherapy. His course was not a fly by night, learn in two days type of training. It is designated PTIB and his step by step, self paced program and online group classes makes it comfortable and accessible for anyone in the province or worldwide to attend. Any questions you are responded to in a timely fashion. Orca Institute keeps all staff, classmates and graduates in constant updates with his online Facebook group page so, you can be the best informed with the latest news in the counselling and hypnotherapy field.
I would recommend anyone wanting to learn not from Canada's oldest Hypnotherapy school but from One of Canada's Best!

I was on a treasure hunt to find a program that would help me to not only become a counsellor, but to have tools I could use that would really help people. I recalled a time earlier in my life when I had the chance to experience hypnotherapy and found it had amazing results. When I discovered the Orca Institute counselling hypnotherapy program, I knew right away that it was the treasure I had been looking for and I was right. As a student I have already started working 'in practice' with clients and have found the process to be trans-formative, not only for the clients but also for me. The Director and course instructor Sheldon Bilsker has been an amazing model of how to effective practice counselling hypnotherapy and the course manual and videos are very interesting and so is the delightful video conferencing teacher Diane Auld! I am finding that the process of learning how to help others has also turned out to benefit my own mental and physical well-being.This course is fantastic.

Amazing experience all the way through! The instructor's were knowledge and very hands on when needed. If someone was struggling they were always there to lend extra help. Very intimate experience and well worth it! 5 Stars!!!

I highly recommend Orca Institute! I took the Counselling Hypnotherapy Diploma program and after looking at similar schools this one really stood out to me. They are dedicated, supportive and very knowledgeable. I learned new skills and a lot about myself. The prices are reasonable for a quality education.

I trained with Sheldon in 1993 and have been using the skills and techniques taught in my private practice since that time. Sheldon is an expert in his field and is always available to help and guide his students. The training provided is both professional and creative. If you are a therapist looking to employ hypnotherapy in your practice, you will find that trance work is an exceptionally valuable tool that enhances other modalities and has a deeply beneficial effect for your clients. I highly recommend the Orca Institute and Sheldon Bilsker.
Cam Oxendale RTH MPCP MTC

I graduated with my Basic course certificate in Erickson Hypnosis with ORCA Institute. I loved our classes on Skype which were run in a small group of people from different locations. It was useful to listen how students built up their own hypno scripts. The feedback for my work in a group helped me to understand how words, pace and voice can affect others. Diane (our tutor) was an inspiration. She was very helpful and ready to answer all questions. Lots of video sessions with Sheldon giving therapy to real clients gave me a great source of knowledge on practical level. I would really recommend this course especially if you wish to get deep knowledge in Ericksonian hypnotherapy.

Before I enrolled in Orca, I was looking for training in hypnotherapy that supported client healing. It needed to be deeply client centred and specific to my client's healing needs. Because I attend to spiritual elements within my work, that are deeply intuitive and heart felt, I desired training in counseling hypnotherapy that would complement these skills. I had studied Carl Rogers, Virginia Satyr and Milton Erickson and was searching for increased knowledge in Milton Ericksonian hypnosis. Orca Institute's Counseling Hypnotherapy, Complete Diploma program accommodated this desire perfectly.

My studies at Orca opened new personal awareness, in the process of learning counseling hypnotherapy skills. I learned how to trust my deep intuitive awareness and responses with increased understanding and empathy. I am well pleased with the education, guidance and mentoring I received from Orca before enrolment, during studies and after graduation. Orca's staff works to support their students progress within their career paths. My connection with Orca continues to be a learning, growing and transformational process. I recommend Orca Institute for your professional level counseling hypnotherapy training needs.

Keiya Tasire MS, CH, RMT
Counselor, Counseling Hypnotherapist, Wellness Education
InSpirit Solutions - Counselling

On July 7, 2014 I earned my Counselling Hypnotherapist (Cand) Diploma through the Orca Institute. I am very proud of this achievement as the Orca Institute provided me with high quality, Indepth training that gave me the confidence, experience and knowledge to practice as a Counselling Hypnotherapist. Being a Counselling Hypnotherapist requires ongoing learning and sharing with others working in this field. I still meet with, practice with and learn with a former group of students.
I went on to take “Ethics of Counselling” through the Orca Institute which I believe to be an invaluable training for all Counselling Hypnotherapists.
The teachers are highly respected professionals who teach out of a love for counselling and a motivation to ensure that you have the knowledge, training, and ethics to assist others in a safe and empowering manner.
I highly recommend this training.

I'm proud to say that I graduated with a Diploma in Counselling Hypnotherapy from the Orca Institute in 2016.

I really enjoyed the instruction on how one supports the client who decides for themselves whether to move inward into a trance and how best to support that. The course material covered many communication techniques as well as both counselling practices and ethical concerns.

The wealth of experience that Sheldon and Diane have and generously share with their students helps to provide a safe and solid grounding of instruction.

I highly recommend Ora Institute for Counselling Hypnotherapy. As a student, I felt I learned a lot and was supported all through the learning and training.

I completed the Orca training in 2004 and have been practicing ever since. The course material is well balanced and emphasizes a thorough investigation into hypnotherapy. It is intended for the serious student who really wants a deep dive into real issues and practical applications. Sheldon and Diane provide strong support for all components in the program.

I took the counselling hypnotherapy diploma at Orca Institute and was very happy with both the course and the personal, ongoing support provided as I started my own practice. As a working mother, the distance learning portion made education more accessible for me.

Hypnosis and Inner Energies were the interests of mine since I could remember. The Orca Institute was of great help opening the door to an actual Hypnotherapy Practice. Hypnosis is a tool to help individuals overcome their obstacles; however, before we use the "tool" of Hypnosis, we need the best instructor/school to guide us - I am glad for choosing Orca Institute to guide me in gaining my professional training. The School and Instructor provide the highest quality education and support. Sheldon Bilsker, an expert with years of practice is welcoming, always ready to assist, guides and helps. With experience from the Orca Institute, I highly recommend Orca Institute as a Hypnotherapy School and Training.
Anna Stoklosa

Sheldon and his colleagues at Orca Institute created a comprehensive on-line diploma course in Counselling Hypnotherapy, that provides the tools to feel confident in your own practice, as well as a course design that offers a great connection between staff and students. After I completed my training in 2013, they continue to be a tremendous support, and are always very accessible. Sheldon has taken the "distance" out of long distance education, and if you are considering hypnotherapy training, I would encourage you to join Sheldon and the Orca community that he has created.