Best Read in 2015

Actress Olivia Munn scores big in readership on this blog.  (Photo source: Vogue)

After four years and more than 200 articles this blog has enough critical mass to shed interesting insight into what intrigues people most when it comes to hypnosis.

A review of analytics for the year points to interest in the applications for health, wellness and athletic performance.

Plus, there continues to be healthy curiosity in the answer to the most frequent question I am asked:  what does it feel like to be hypnotized?

Here are links to the four best read in 2015:

X-Men Apocalypse Star Finds Health through Hypnosis

Teens Talk Hypnosis: the Good, the Bad and the “Boring”

How the Lady Terps Achieve Zen

Peterson’s is a Jewel in Magical Clifton

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Join me on New Year’s Eve at an amazing event at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC.  It is themed “Passport to the World Gala” and is hosted by Professionals in the City, one of the most profile social groups in the country.

The evening includes food and spirits, entertainment, and activities for singles and couples.  I’ll perform my “Hypnotic Experience” show at 10:45 PM and 12:30 AM.

Plus, you will receive a special discount if you use the promotional code HYPNONYE when purchasing a ticket at www.prosinthecity.com or by calling 202-686-5990.

Steph Curry Talks Confidence and Sensory Deprivation

Steph’s sweet, silky smooth jump shot is pure perfection and his ball handling skills defy what should be possible.  Is it his basketball prowess alone that has propelled the Golden State Warriors to the best start to a season in NBA history?

Not according to a recent Q&A with the reigning league MVP published by ESPN Magazine.  Here are a couple of excerpts that provide more insight into how Steph has elevated his game:

“The game is slow.  It just feels so comfortable, smooth, natural.  It’s the confidence that, when we’re out on the floor, only good things are gonna happen.”

“When I’m on the floor, I believe I am (the best player in the world).  I don’t get into why I’m better than such and such.  But that’s my motivation when I work.”

“It’s an opportunity to relax…to get away from the demands and all the stimuli we have in the world and in our lives.  When I get in the (sensory deprivation) tank I lean back, try to take a couple of deep breaths, ground myself and commence the floating.  Then it’s just me and my thoughts for an hour.”

While Steph may not be a practitioner of self-hypnosis, he subscribes to what I preach when it comes to health, wellness and exceptional living:  1) drip with self-confidence; 2) manage and mitigate stress; and 3) find time for focus and clarity.

You can read ESPN Magazine’s Q&A at this link.

What makes Steph Curry so confident and strong?  The answer may surprise you.  (Photo Source:  BusinessInsider.com)

Words of Wisdom for Teen-preneurs

A dozen teenagers gathered on a Saturday morning in Bethesda, MD to study entrepreneurship. Now, that was a sight to see.

Due to my 20+ year run as the founder and owner of a professional services firm, I was invited to speak at a session hosted by the Bethesda Entrepreneurship Academy. I realized after a quick review of the exceptional speakers recruited by Zain Yaqub (the Academy’s founder and a teen entrepreneur himself) that I needed a unique and unexpected topic.

My presentation, entitled “The Entrepreneurial Spirit: Wealth & Empowerment,” delivered just that. In what I believe was a refreshingly candid and entertaining style (hey, I perform stand-up comedy as a hobby), I sought to disabuse these future business titans of the notion that success is measured by your take home pay.

Rather, the value of business creation is in the ability to craft more meaningful and intimate relationships with family, friends, community, etc., while building a lifestyle which is consistent with a belief system.
Here are the five steps to business creation I offered during the presentation:

1. Identify the things important to you in life.
2. Make an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.
3. Define the personality type(s) you most successfully work with.
4. Construct a business plan that aligns accordingly.
5. Drip with self-confidence.

Did my message resonate?

Admittedly, it was hard to tell. The youthful audience was reasonably well engaged during my talk, yet the Q&A afterwards lacked any significant meaning or depth.

Perhaps it was merely a reflection of the date/time of the event? Or maybe I came off too much of a tyrannical type A?

Or, worse, this group may not be ready for entrepreneurship…yet?

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Interested in reading more about how visualization can improve the entrepreneurial experience?  Check out these blog posts:

Anxious Decision-Making is a No-No

Pathways to Success, Achieving Confidence through Hypnosis

Busy Execs Get Hip to the Power of Visualization

NOVA Manassas Gets Hypnotized

Colgan Hall, Northern Virginia Community College, Manassas Campus

As I swung my car off of I66 and hooked a right turn onto Nova Way, the first thing that struck me about the Northern Virginia Community College’s Manassas Campus is its pristine condition.   

The campus, situated next to Manassas National Battlefield Park, includes state-of-the art facilities housed on well kept grounds.

Thankfully, parking was convenient and plentiful, which is very much appreciated when you are hauling along an audio/sound system.

I performed my Hypnotic Experience show in the school’s Colgan Theater, an intimate venue that can house about 100 guests.  It was the perfect set up.

Cool..Hypnotic Experience made the "Hype" board.

Sponsored by the campus’ psychology club and hosted by Dr. Mocha Dyrud, my show as part of their annual “Toys for Tots” fundraiser.  As such, I was wonderfully pleased with the strong student turn-out and the number of gifts the club collected.

Here are a few observations about the show:

1. I had 20 minutes prior to the start of the show to chat up early arriving guests.  It quickly became clear that I would focus my content on the more educational version of Hypnotic Experience, rather than a pure entertainment approach.

There was a high level of interest from audience members about hypnosis and its applications.  Accordingly, I delivered an entertaining discussion about hypnosis as a tool for health, wellness and exceptional living.

2. The questions from the audience were fascinating and demonstrated a high level of engagement in the topic.  For instance, one young man inquired about the adoption of hypnotic techniques in religion.  I have never gotten that one before.   

There were also a few queries related to therapeutic applications of hypnosis.  I had to acknowledge that those were beyond my area of experience and expertise.

3. My visualization demonstration prior to asking for volunteers drew a lot of interest.  There were six chairs on stage for volunteers to experience a hypnotic induction, yet I had 2x the number of guests express a desire to participate.  I was able to accommodate the group, which is something I also try to do when performing at a school. 

4.  I used a hypnotic induction technique based on guided meditation with one of my go-to visualizations designed to generate feelings of wellness and self-confidence.  How did it work out?

Well…like most shows you could group volunteers into three categories:

Deeply entranced:  There was a group that quickly enter a state of hypnosis due to a high level of creativity and imagination.  One lady commented about the power and effect of the beach visualization I incorporate into the induction.  Even the president of the psychology club got hypnotized, which was very cool.

I also had two gentlemen each explain that they became emotional when visualizing a moment in their life when they felt a high level of self-confidence and pride.  That was rewarding to hear.

Comfortable and relaxed:  For some, an induction is a positive and enjoyable experience, yet they don’t truly achieve a state of hypnosis.  They may have been distracted during the induction.  Or simply don’t have a high level of suggestibility.   

Smirkers:  I only had one at this show.  These are people who volunteer, yet really don’t want to get hypnotized.  They spend their time on stage casually demonstrating to the audience how they remain in their conscious mind.  

 It’s all good and actually reinforces my point that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.

All in all, it was a fun and fulfilling afternoon on campus at NOVA Manassas.  I even had a couple of students who were unable to attend the show approach me in the parking lot to inquire when I’ll return.

I hope to be back soon! 

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UPDATE:  Here is the nice Email I received from Dr. Dyrud.  You can read more testimonials on my Web site at this link. 


"Thank YOU so much, Marc!  It was an awesome event with over 50 students in attendance. The students I talked to had glowing reviews and there is much interest in hosting another 'Hypnotic Experience' show soon! We would be so appreciative to be able to continue to work with you."

Stuart High School's Psychology Club Learns About Hypnosis

On November 12, I presented to a group of smart and engaged students in Stuart High School's Psychology Club.

“Um, are you the hypnotist,” the young man asked when he spotted me seated in the main office.  “You are supposed to come with me.”

His reluctance to approach was not a surprise.  In my button down shirt and slacks I looked like nearly every suburban father who arrives at school to pick up a child.  His next question did catch me off guard.

“Was hypnosis passed down from generation to generation in your family,” he inquired as we waited for the hallway to clear of students rushing to catch a bus home.

Ha…not quite, I explained.  My father is an attorney.

So began my wonderfully fun visit to JEB Stuart High School in Falls Church, Virginia.  

I had connected a few weeks back via Email with Matt Levi, an educator at the school and faculty oversight for Stuart’s psychology club.  After an Email exchange and due diligence on his behalf, I locked in a presentation at the club’s monthly meeting to talk about hypnosis– what it is and its applications for stress management, self-confidence, and athletic, academic and career performance.

Here are a few observations for my hour long talk:

--High school audiences are typically engaged when it comes to learning about hypnosis.  I have to keep the presentation moving and pepper in entertaining anecdotes, yet once you capture their interest and attention they tend to be courteous and respectful.  The 40+ students in Stuart’s psychology club were no exception.  I was incredibly well received.

--Audience questions were outstanding.  One student asked about my own practice of self-hypnosis.  Another inquired about hypnosis as a tool to shed unwanted behavior, such as smoking.  Still another inquired about the use of hypnosis to remedy phobias.  Great stuff!

--We finally got to a hypnotic induction, but (unfortunately) the kids were precluded from volunteering.  I had two faculty members who gave hypnosis a try and both enjoyed the experience.

Interestingly, there was young lady in the audience who followed along with the induction and clearly got to a point of trance.  I didn’t let her slip into a deeper hypnosis state out of respect for the organizer’s request to keep the hypnosis strictly for staff.

So…why the concern about kids trying hypnosis?

Through my talks at Washington, DC based high schools and performances at after prom and all night graduation parties I have hypnotized hundreds of teens.  It’s an age I am experienced and comfortable working with.

The source is a recently settled case involving a principal at a Florida high school who practiced hypnotherapy on students without a license.

I’ll refrain from sharing my opinion on this incident because the topic is inconsistent with the editorial approach of this blog.  I write about the use of hypnosis and positive visualization for health, wellness and exceptional living.

 

However, I certainly understand and respect the decision by Stuart High School’s administration when it came to psychology club students being hypnotized.

All in all, it was a fun and informative experience for all at Stuart High School.  I hope this is the start of an ongoing relationship similar to the ones I maintain with Whitman, Walter Johnson and Springbrook.