Established in 1986 The Orca Institute is Canada's oldest and only accredited Hypnotherapy School in BC. Our 285 hour Basic course combines 6 days onsite and the balance through distance learning.Our full time 500(385hrs. onsite) hour, 5 month course is for those who are looking for an intensive Advanced diploma program. Finincial assistance may be available. Please see our web site for more details. Graduates are eligible for IACH Certification. Hypnotherapy Certification Training, hypnosis training, Ericksonian Advanced Hypnotherapy and Post-traumatic stress courses are offered through our hypnotherapy school. Our Hypnotherapy and Counseling courses are offered onsite in Vancouver, Kelowna, Victoria and Chase, BC Canada as well as Calgary, AB.

All of our onsite courses are also offerred by distance on Video DVD. Please see our web site for detailed information on our Hypnotherapy and Counselling training.

Sheldon Bilsker, HT., RCC.

Sheldon Bilsker is a practicing Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Registered Clinical Counselor with 28 years experience in private practice. He is President of The International Association of Counselling Hypnotherapists and is a member of the Legislatiive Review committee of the BC Association of Clinical Counselors.

In 1986, Sheldon began training students in hypnotherapy and other therapeutic approaches. It was at this time that he founded Orca Hypnosis Seminars, now The Orca Institute. These training programs are well known throughout British Columbia, Canada and now becoming known worldwide for their practical application, broad perspective and high standards.

As both instructor and caring mentor, Sheldon has been instrumental in the present success of many hypnotherapists, counselors and workshop facilitators. In 1992, he was called by the BC Human Rights Commission to testify as an expert witness on hypnosis. This set a legal precedent in BC. Sheldon has also written two training manuals in hypnotherapy, as well as numerous articles on hypnosis and related fields. His style of instruction is specifically designed to teach students how to offer tools, which empower clients and each other to find their own answers. Unique to Sheldon is his eastern body/mind approach to the application of hypnotherapy. By working through the body to affect the mind, he includes an important physical integration of mental, emotional and spiritual change. Sheldon is also known as a keen advocate of complementary health care in British Columbia. This is reflected in his training as he explains and incorporates a wide variety of alternative concepts, giving his students a broad base of understanding on which to build a career.

JOE SOLANTO, PH.D.

Before coming to B.C. in the early 90's Joe served as a school psychologist in the public schools of New York for eighteen years.  He then completed a doctorate in psychology and founded and, for seven years directed a multi-disciplinary out-patient treatment centre for addictions and trauma that utilized the services of over 20 professionals, treating the full range of addiction-related problems.

Since coming to Vancouver he has taught a wide variety of courses at the Justice Institute of B.C. focusing on trauma assessment and treatment, as well as offered training in counselling-related topics at other post-secondary institutes.  In the past few years Joe has also been working in First Nations communities assisting with the healing from residential school trauma, and training front-line staff to respond to the high incidence of suicidal, addictive, and other self-harming behaviours in their communities. He and his wife, Lisa, also a counsellor, co-teach a course on the use of Guided Imagery as part of the Justice Institute’s Certificate in Integrative Healing. They have also offered training workshops, sponsored by the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board, on responding to traumatic loss and grief for Outreach Workers on the Downtown Eastside.

 Joe is also known for his work as the former director of the Vancouver Ocean Challenge Society, which provided high-risk youth challenging marine and wilderness expeditions in a therapeutic milieu.  This work helped to inspire the creation of a Justice Institute training program for educators and mental health professionals who use the principles of Adventure-based Therapy in their work.  He currently provides consultation and training to a variety of organizations in B.C. and other provinces.

The Orca Institute was founded on January 3, 1986, due to the growing need for such a school in British Columbia. The school's program was conceived and developed in response to the desire of many practitioners to achieve a high standard of hypnotherapy practice in British Columbia. The Orca Institute aims at promoting such a standard by offering professional hypnotherapy training of the highest quality. Our teaching approach is strongly influenced by our belief in the natural ability of each individual to heal themselves given the appropriate support and tools. We also believe that an essential part of the therapist's or healer's role is to respect the integrity and uniqueness of each client. We remain dedicated to our students, past, present and future, and hold the philosophy that when they succeed, we succeed. Our intent is to grow with our students even after Certification, through our mentorship program and advanced training. The Orca Institute is registered with the Private-Post-secondary Education Commission of British Columbia. The Orca Institute is registered as an approved school through The American Board of Hypnotherapy and the International Association of Counseling Hypnotherapists.

Please see web site.

In my opinion the course material is excellent, well organized, comprehensive, and covers the field of hypnotherapy very well. I was pleased to note that Dr. Milton Erickson is given so much prominent attention, and that his system of using hypnosis has been incorporated. I knew Dr. Erickson personally, having met him in 1952 at the home of Mr. Aldous Huxley in Los Angeles. I do agree that the mastery of this course of instruction would enable any person who has really studied it to produce high quality work.

A. Hoffer, M.D.,Ph.D.,F.R.C.P.{C}

Victoria, BC

It is my professional opinion that this course is well organized and very comprehensive. It is without question that mastery of this course material would enable a person to perform high quality work in the field of hypnotherapy.

Serge King, Ph.D.

Author, The Urban Shaman

Kilauea, Hawaii

You have a wonderful course. I was looking for a certification course that was more than the weekend workshops I have heard about. I was thrilled to have found yours.

Sherry Stone, RMT, CNMT

San Antonio, Texas

Thanks for the wonderful classes! And thanks for the technology which allowed me to be able to receive great lessons without the need of having to work towards a Canadian visa... I look forward to the future new courses!

Elisa Alvim, Psychologist (Brazil)

Brazil

Thank you so much for the class! I learned a lot more than I imagined I would.....you really have a great way of imparting the information; the class is kind of a "Sheldon original" I think, and I feel fortunate to have found it.

Lauren Forcella

Artist

California