Bravo to these High Schoolers

My work as an entertainer puts me in front of hundreds of teenagers every year.

Each semester I speak at high schools in the Washington, DC area about hypnosis as an altered state of consciousness, and as a tool for positive and meaningful change.  I also entertain at after prom and all night graduation parties.  I’m signed on for 14 of these Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) organized events in the coming months.

Teens often get characterized by adults as moody, difficult and hard to reach.  I have received my share of flack from high school audiences.  You can read the biting criticism of my talk about this hypnosis in this blog post. 

Yet, for the most part I’ve found high school kids to be incredibly engaged and invested in their own health and happiness, as well as the well-being of their peers.  

The video below is an example of everything right about high school kids.  The athletes from both schools and the kids in the crowd should be recognized for their self-less support of a peer with special needs.

How the Lady Terps Achieve Zen

The Lady Terps won both the Big 10 regular season title and the conference tournament.

The University of Maryland’s women’s basketball team is loaded with the talent.  The coaching staff is exceptional.  And the school’s athletic department invests in the facilities and support to create a winning environment.
 

Yet, when the Washington Post’s Dan Steinberg spoke with players about the team’s success this year many attributed their 32 win and 2 loss record to something beyond the ability to make jump shots, rebound or play stingy defense. 

 For the past two years, the Lady Terps have worked with a performance enhancement coach who helps keeps the players’ minds in the right place.

Through team discussions and one-on-one sessions, the Terps’ mental advisor helps each player sharpen their focus, achieve balance in all aspects of their life and prepare themselves to perform on the court.

“It’s obviously helped us,” senior Laurin Mincy told the Post’s Steinberg.  “We got to a Final Four last year, and we’re to a Sweet 16 now.  So I say keep it going.”

Although the article doesn’t specifically mention the practice of hypnosis, I suspect stress management and positive visualization are a core part of how the Terps prepare their minds for high level competition.   

Its how winning franchises like the Seattle Seahawks and Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls of the 1990s elevated their physical performance.

If you are interested in learning more about how hypnosis empowers athletic performance, check out these blog posts:

Hypnosis Sharpens an Athlete’s Mindset for Recovery

College Basketball Star Sharpens Performance with Hypnosis

Hypnosis for Athletic Success, Capitals Style

Hypnosis Sharpens an Athlete's Mindset for Recovery

Athletes at all levels live with injuries. 

 

Some are dramatic and require significant rehabilitation.  Others are nagging and primarily a nuisance.  Yet, physical injuries share a common characteristic:  a mental and/or emotional impact that can also limit performance.

Can hypnosis help an athlete more quickly and effectively achieve a mindset of recovery?

Last week I met with a recently graduated collegiate basketball player who has been preparing for summer league play.  The area where a pin was inserted in her ankle after a break in 2012 continues to be tender, although she experiences no swelling after training and X-rays have been negative.

Her goal was to mitigate the discomfort, which would allow her to compete with confidence.  Plus, she desired a way to sharpen her focus to enhance her performance on the court.

Like most athletes, she allowed herself to achieve a deep level of hypnosis.  The hypnotic experience is defined by visualization, concentration and creativity, and those are attributes of people who compete in sports.

Once in a relaxed and focused state, I talked her through visualization I call “healing waters.”  It empowers a person to manage pain prior to and after any type of physical activity.

The result has been all positive.  She will still need to be tuned in to her physical health and well-being, and seek appropriate medical attention for injuries.

Yet, healing waters has given her another tool to improve her on-court performance.  And it’s a sense of empowerment that athletes desire.

Read more about hypnosis to enhance athletic performance:

Hypnosis for Hoops: How I've Stayed on the Court

Hypnosis for Exceptional Athletic Performance

Tween Athletes: Is Hypnosis Beneficial?