New Hypnosis Videos from My Visit to Clarksburg High School

There are two things I can count on when visiting Clarksburg High School to speak with psychology students about hypnosis as an altered state of consciousness: 1) a wonderful and warm reception from the kids; and 2) great video from the psych teachers.

These videos were captured today.  They depict a shock hypnosis induction and reinduction, which both are somewhat dramatic.  The goal of my talk is to help make the psychology curriculum come alive and that require a bit of flair.  

Per 7 #hypnosis @mrussellhausman pic.twitter.com/zSuR00WNf8

— Coyote AP Psychology (@CburgPsych) November 13, 2019

Hypnosis Day! pic.twitter.com/G3Dwm5sU4w

— Coyote AP Psychology (@CburgPsych) November 13, 2019

Wow pic.twitter.com/GuaVWQx5Br

— Coyote AP Psychology (@CburgPsych) November 13, 2019

Try Hypnosis for Health, Wellness and Confidence

At nearly every Hypnotic Experience show I am asked by guests who elected not to volunteer if there is a way they can try hypnosis in the privacy of their own home. 

That request inspired me to upload to YouTube a hypnosis induction to inspire health, wellness and confidence.  The video includes a surprise to measure your suggestability.

Give it a try.  You might be inspired to add a comment to YouTube.

How Credible are Hypnosis Videos Uploaded to YouTube?

Have you ever seen a hypnosis show?  Perhaps it was on a cruise ship?  How about at a county fair?

This is how I engage with volunteers at a high school after prom or all night graduation party.  Rather than performing a traditional stage show, my “Hypnotic Experience” is a series of mini-shows or demonstrations that last about 20 minutes each. 

This approach fits better with the flow of the event as it doesn’t require the kids to gather in a single location for a show.  Plus, it allows more kids to try hypnosis as part of their celebration of prom or graduation.

This gets me back to my introductory remarks.  The answers: 1) Yes…most kids have seen hypnosis performed; yet 2) not at a county fair or on a cruise ship.  Rather, they’ve watched or even tried hypnosis from a video on YouTube.

How credible are these YouTube videos that demonstrate hypnosis?

I have watched my share of them to study the hypnotic induction techniques employed by others.  I’ve noted the visualization language, and evaluated the rhythm or cadence of delivery.  I have considered the suggestions used as convincers.

Here are my thoughts on how to evaluate the quality of a YouTube hypnosis video:

1. Consider the source.  Was the induction created by a hypnotherapist or experienced entertainer?  The more the uploader shares about their background and its credibility, the more trustworthy the induction.

2. Read the comments before trying the induction.  Have users expressed or shared positive remarks after trying the hypnosis video?  Or, are the comments vague or (worse) critical?  What if there are no comments at all?  You’ll want to steer clear of an induction that lacks validation from the user community.

3. Try the induction with a friend there for support – even if the video seems to check out.  With an experienced hypnotist in a comfortable environment, an induction is as safe and fun as day dreaming.  However, like most things in life, trust is absolutely essential.  Social media content posted by someone you don’t know lacks that trust.

Do your due diligence, evaluate and, if you still want to try a hypnosis induction on YouTube, have a friend or family member there to watch.

3 Considerations With Hypnosis on YouTube

A question I ask a volunteer at a high school after prom party or community festival is whether they have ever seen hypnosis before.  A prior experience helps me determine what to discuss during the pre-talk, as well as how to best structure the hypnotic induction.

Most people have had some exposure to hypnosis.  They’ve seen it in a movie or on television.  Or, they have attended a comedy hypnosis show.

Interestingly, another source of hypnosis experience is YouTube and other Web-based video sites.  A quick search using the phrase “hypnotic induction” generates more than 50,000 videos.

I took a look at videos on the initial three pages of search return and came away reasonably impressed with the quality and effectiveness of the inductions.  It could be a good way for a person to give hypnosis a try. 

However, like nearly everything on the Web, a viewer has to be guarded and cautious when engaging with one of these inductions.  Here are three considerations:

1. Know the source.  Take a few minutes to read about the person who posted the induction.  What is their background?  Are they a trained hypnotist?  Take a look at the other videos they have posted.

2. Read the comments.  YouTube is a social network that gives viewers the opportunity to post comments about a video.  Check them out.  Have other people who followed this induction had a positive experience?

3. Try it with a friend.  There is comfort and security in numbers.  Have a friend present when trying a hypnotic induction posted on YouTube and ask them to turn the video off should you have any sign of discomfort.  

Hypnosis Across Language Lines

I recently met a woman who expressed interest in learning the practice of self-hypnosis for health, wellness and career performance.  She’s smart, articulate and creative – all important attributes to derive meaningful benefits from hypnosis.

Yet, I have reservations about sharing my process with her.  What is source of my concern?

She hails from China and arrived in the United States for graduate school, staying in-country through a work visa.  Her English is fine and allows her to function in the US without incident. 

 

It’s definitely a second language though.  She also readily admits that when listening to English she thinks in Chinese, translating in her mind as rapidly as possible

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Will a hypnotic induction based on guided imagery be effective?  Or would she be unable to keep pace because of the need to translate?

I’m a member of an online community of hypnotists called Hypnothoughts which provides an environment to share best practices.  I posed the question of the effectiveness of a hypnotic induction to a non-native speaking individual and received some interesting (and unexpected) responses.

They are included below.

I plan to do more research on this topic with a goal of adjusting my hypnotic induction technique for this woman.  We’ll then give it a shot.  Stay tuned for more on this blog. 

In India, English is the second language for most, but is also the main exchange language across states. There are 18 or so official local languages -- one in each state. 

I have used English for a lot of people from other states who spoke different other languages as their first language. English is the only common language for me and them.  It works without any problem. Just speak slowly and clearly. If possible get response (i.e. "If you understand it and able to create it nod your head and let me know." ).  That is about it.

If she can speak English and attend graduate school there should be no problem at all. Even if you speak in Chinese there will always be a language/image translation going on. So this is not too much of a difference.
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Here in Western Canada , I get a lot of clients for whom English is their second language , either French Canadians or landed immigrants. In my experience, I have found they actually go deeper and quicker than my English speaking clients!

I have not researched it thoroughly, but my early thoughts were that they have to listen more intently, translate my words into workable visuals, and that creates a kind of distraction to the 'monkey' mind or the critical conscious mind as it were.

It could be that this is widely inaccurate, and just down to the monotony of my voice, but I think that providing you simplify the language you use in your guided meditation and guide with the same confidence you would your other clients, your client should have a very successful session.

The Color of Hypnosis

The woman I met with earlier this week because of a shared interest in self-hypnosis is what my buddies and I refer to as an “if only girl.”

--If only I wasn’t married with children

--If only I was 20 years younger

--If only she didn’t have a boyfriend

Well…you get the picture.  She’s smart, articulate, passionate, opinionated, professional and stunning.  Yet, she harbors a similar set of insecurities about life and career that plague many young people as they transition to a real world work environment.   

Can hypnosis be an effective tool to instill and reinforce a well deserving sense of confidence to help achieve success?

I guided her through a basic hypnotic induction to get her comfortable with the process.  We took time to talk at several natural breaks in the session because I was interested in her feedback on the experience.  She studies psychology, so I perceived she might have a unique perspective on hypnosis.

A couple of fascinating comments:

--She felt like she was “floating in time.”  A sensation similar to what she experiences during meditation.  She reported being of clear thought and mind.

--She visualized the color purple during the induction.  My voice was that color and when I asked her to experience an instant induction the color was the dominant sensation.  Candidly, hearing about a personal color of hypnosis was a first for me.

We concluded the introduction to hypnosis with one of my favorites – the use of a power word to build a subconscious bridge to feelings of empowerment and confidence.  That was meaningful for her.

While under hypnosis, she experienced color all around her and in my voice.

Taming the Shadows of Our Mind

Our subconscious lays in the shadows of our mind.  It influences our thoughts, perceptions and emotions.  It's there when we decide to take action, shaping how we respond to situations.

The subconscious even emerges in unexpected places – such as our dreams.  Or, in the case of a woman who I worked with this week, in the form of nightmares.

Highly intelligent, driven and an accomplished attorney, this woman is no push-over.  She takes life challenges head on, and does a remarkable job managing family, parenting and career.

Yet, at times when she closes her eyes at night she is met by unexpected nightmares.  We didn't dive into their specific content, yet she explained they awaken her and leave her so shaken she is often unable to return to sleep.

Could hypnosis be an effective tool to help her enjoy a more peaceful and restful night?

Like many professionals in the areas of law, accounting and finance that require a high level of critical thinking, it took some time to get her into a deeply relaxed hypnotic state.  I guided her through a primary induction and then multiple deepening visualizations over a 45 minute period.

Even when she instantly and willingly responded to the “sleepsuggestion," she refrained from acting on other basic hypnotic suggestions (i.e. heavy hands, blank mind, etc.).  I even showed her a photograph of what she looked like in a hypnotic trance as a visual reinforcement of its effectiveness. 

Yet, I was comfortable enough with her level of relaxation and focus to introduce three post-hypnotic suggestions:

--Positive feeling about the hypnotic process to encourage the use of self-hypnosis

--Overall relaxation and stress management

--Feeling of confidence, comfort and warmth when getting ready to sleep at night

The next day we exchanged text messages and she shared the following: 

“Just about to text you.  I slept well!  Feeling low stress.  Thank you so much!”

Are the nightmares now in the past?  Well...that's still something she will need to work on using self-hypnosis and positive visualization.

Like the other aspects of her life, she is empowered now to manage this challenge.  That is the promise and value of hypnosis.

Nightmares can result from an eager and anxious subconscious mind.  Can hypnosis help?  Photo:  Fanpop.com.