Letter of Thanks for the Hypnotic Experience

I donate my time to perform my comedy hypnosis show for high schools, colleges, community groups and charitable organizations.  The organizers and audiences are so appreciative, and, equally important, it’s the right thing to do.

Called “Hypnotic Experience,” the show is fun and family friendly with a message about the importance of positive thinking.  This is typically right in step with the philosophy and culture of educational and community-based organizations.

In January, I was the headline entertainer at an event hosted the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) at Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, MD.  The money from ticket sales to the show and a silent auction held at the event helped fund the school’s after prom party in May.

Shelton Mooney, the school’s assistant principal, who attended the show tweeted, “Great to see so many students, families, staff out for @mrussellhausman hypnotist show.  Highly recommend!”

You can read more about the show and check out a few additional comments from attendees on my blog at this link:

 Seneca Valley Gets Hypnotized for After Prom

This past week I received the letter below in the mail.  It’s a nice thank you from the PTSA and the Montgomery County Project Prom/Graduation Committee.  Plus, the personal, hand written note was a special touch.

I plan to extend my commitment and donated time to schools in Montgomery County and Fairfax County when the new school year starts in the fall.  They do a wonderful job educating and it’s a true privilege to be able to help.

Helping make the After Prom party at Seneca Valley High School a reality!

Sleep Strategies Explored and Explained

During this recently completed academic year I spoke on campus at more than a dozen high schools and colleges in the Washington, DC area about hypnosis as a tool for health, wellness and exceptional living.

The students were great and consistently demonstrated a high level of interest in hypnosis.  One common theme though was how a myriad of kids at every school reported being consistently sleep deprived due to school, extra-curricular and work commitments.

With that in mind, I’d like to share this excellent article published by NBC News with tips about how to get to sleep.  Kids may not be able to increase the time allocated for rest, so it is incredibly important to make the sleep experience as productive as possible.

You can also find other good suggestions on my blog at these links:

Insomniac Turns to Hypnosis to Rediscover Sleep

Sleeping Well with Hypnosis

More on Sleeping Well with Hypnosis

How "Real" is Hypnosis?

Before and after one of my Hypnotic Experience shows I’m often asked by audience members if hypnosis is real.  Has the volunteer truly entered an alternate state of consciousness?  Or are they simply playing along with a suggestion?

It’s a fair question, and academic and medical researchers have yet to provide a definitive answer.  Here is a nice write-up of the findings of a recent study conducted at the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science at the University of Sussex.

Candidly, the conclusion reached through the study is a bit opaque and still leads much in doubt.

"This study does not tell us whether hypnotically suggested actions are genuinely involuntary, or whether it is the person's own experience of the action that changes,” said Peter Lush, one of the researchers. “However, our interpretation of the results is that hypnotically suggested involuntary actions are voluntary actions that are experienced as involuntary." 

So…how do I answer the question about the validity of hypnosis?

Hypnosis is as real as the volunteer wants it to be. 

Are they volunteers truly hypnotized?  Science remains unsure.

A Strange Face at Clarksburg High School

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of making a return trip to Clarksburg High School in Montgomery County, Maryland.   

I’ve established a great relationship with the school’s social studies department.  They had invited me to speak on campus a few months back to psychology students about hypnosis as an altered state of consciousness.

Last week’s Clarksburg visit was all about fun.  The kids have worked hard all year and recently completed final projects.  I performed the version of my Hypnotic Experience show that I typically use at county fairs, community events and other family-oriented environments.

I attracted more than 30 volunteers and then had a number of kids stick around after the show to ask questions about hypnosis.  One student who participated in the show slipped back into hypnosis and demonstrated her creativity with one of my favorite suggestions.

It’s called the “wrong face disease” and it makes a simple photograph a rather entertaining experience.  Hypnotist Marc Savard who performs in Las Vegas is the master at using this suggestion in his show.

She is still hypnotized!  This student cannot resist the "wrong face disease" suggestion when asked to smile for a photo with the hypnotist and her friend.