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."