– PSA – 2nd draft- I Have a Love/Hate Relationship w/ Stage Hypnosis
– I hate when a stage hypnotist uses the model and myth that they take control someone’s mind.
– The truth is I can’t snap my fingers and make people do anything I want. If I could I would be on a yacht in the south of France. And yet, the myth is so strong, that I’ve had people run away, when they learned I’m a hypnotist.
– And yet, I love that stage hypnosis really shows how powerfully people can stretch their imagination, and step into a wildly different version of themselves.
– The truth is people have much more choice about following suggestions or not. And that person, up there, on stage, because it is for entertainment, or their own personal beliefs is choosing to act out the suggestions of the hypnotist. An example comes to mind of a woman who had strong religious objections to dancing, and when instructed to dance on stage, she flat out refused. And when the hypnotist kept on pushing, she came completely out of trance, and walked off stage.
– When we peer behind the illusion of control, we find a stage hypnotist often has sorted the audience, to find individuals that will most dramatically follow his/her suggestions. And during the act the stage hypnotist is always observing his volunteers. And if he notices the beginnings of some hesitation on any person’s part, he often chooses to leave them alone, so it doesn’t spoil the illusion. Perhaps, you’ve noticed some of them on stage, the people props, in a relaxed trance, doing nothing.
– What hypnosis looks like and how they are supposed to feel & act if someone went to a hypnotist for a personal session, is quite different from the zombie version of trance that happens on stage.
– The truth is trance is a beautiful natural state, that allows you to experience a different way of focusing your attention and thinking, that can help you make positive change with a body of scientific research behind how the brain & hypnosis works, and how it affects people.
I remember, a hypnosis client wanted to demo kick-ass confidence when interviewing for a sales position the next day. Talking them into a trance (less than a zombie, more like a daydream), I invited them to imagine the strong feeling of confidence they wanted, but, they couldn’t quite get there. So, I asked a different question, “Can they imagine a role model who had that kick-ass level of confidence they wanted?”. After thinking for a while, out popped, “Lara Croft, Tomb Raider”, the action heroine.
I smiled at their unconscious’ brilliant answer, and had them imagine stepping into the shoes of Lara Croft, and really taking on that deep level of confidence. We practiced strengthening the feeling, and practiced having them imagine handling the interview as Lara Croft until it locked solidly in place. The next day, they aced the interview and got the job. And thanked me for the session and my help.

If you want to talk more about the possibilities, of what hypnosis can do for you, I invite you to schedule a discovery call.