I'm a Funny Hypnotist "Dude"

A BIG thanks to the AP psychology teachers at Paint Branch High School in Silver Spring, Maryland for hosting me this past week as a guest speaker.  I donate my time to speak on campus at Montgomery County high schools as part of the psychology and health curriculums. 

My presentation is an exploration of hypnosis and its most popular applications for students (i.e stress management, academic success, and athletic performance.)  I pepper my talk with fun and engaging anecdotes, as well as a few jokes.  Some of the jokes play well with a high school audience.  While others not so much.

Here is a nice Email I received from one of the Paint Branch psychology teachers after my visit.

 

Thank you so much for coming to Paint Branch and sharing with our students.  It is definitely a highlight of the school year!  I hope the afternoon classes were as awed as the morning classes.

My students were buzzing this morning with excitement over their experiences.  These were their quotes:

 

    "Please tell that dude that his jokes were really funny"

    " I was so relaxed, especially after my hands were glued together"

    " He reminded me of Adam Sandler"

          " He thinks we didn't think he was funny, but really we did. We are just too nonchalant to show it"

Anyhow, we loved it. Thank you again.

Actress Jennifer Aniston Turns to Hypnosis to Ease Travels

Actress Jennifer Aniston uses hypnosis to manage a fear of flying.

From time-to-time I will share on this blog interesting articles about how celebrities employ hypnosis to improve health and wellness, as well as to overcome fears.  Here is a post from January 2013 and one seven years later I published in January 2020.

I recently came across this article in People Magazine about how Friends star and accomplished actress Jennifer Aniston has turned to hypnosis to remedy a fear of flying.  It has allowed Aniston to enjoy traveling for work and leisure without the dread of stepping on an airplane.

 

Jennifer Aniston Opens Up About Her ‘Fear of Flying’ and How She Uses ‘Hypnosis’ to Help

Should I be Scared of Hypnosis?

This is a question I am frequently asked from people at a post prom, all night grad party, or other event when I am about to solicit volunteers for a show.  It is why I always share the following information:

1. Hypnosis is a natural state of mind defined by focus, concentration, creativity, and enhanced suggestibility.

2. All of hypnosis is self-hypnosis.  My volunteers hypnotize themselves.  I merely serve as the guide.

3. A person will never do anything when hypnotized that they wouldn’t normally do.  They won’t commit a crime.  They won’t give away their money.  They won’t tell me secrets.

4. A person is aware of everything around them at all times when hypnotized.  Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness.  It is not unconsciousness.

5. A person can never get stuck in hypnosis.  If I were to have someone in trance and run out of the room, the moment they recognized my voice was no longer present the person would bring themselves out of hypnosis.

 

What about those clips you may have seen on YouTube or other social media with people hypnotized and acting crazy?  The answer to that question is quite simple.  The people who volunteer to be in a comedy hypnosis show love being the center of attention.  It is a show.  They are on stage.  It just feels right to go with it.

You can watch my hypnosis induction on YouTube.  It was uploaded by a student at Clarksburg High School in Germantown, Maryland.