A Story of Tweens and Hypnosis

This past weekend I had the privilege of performing my Hypnotic Experience show at a birthday party for an 11-year-old.  Rather than accepting gifts, the birthday girl asked her family, friends and guests to make a donation to KaBOOM!, a charitable group that constructs playgrounds in underserved communities.  She raised more than $600 for this wonderful organization.  

Admittedly, I was a bit apprehensive about this show because the tween age group is atypical for me.  Most of my entertaining is for high school and college aged students, as well as young professionals and adults.  

Would the kids demonstrate the level of focus required for hypnosis?  How would the content of my pre-talk resonate with tweens?  How would parents react to a hypnotist?  These were questions I considered as I prepared for the show.

I elected to stick with my standard approach with some minor content adjustments, based on what I believed would resonate with tweens.  The party came together well and, based on the feedback I have received from the hosts, the Hypnotic Experience was a success.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

--Kids this age are just starting to develop the attention span that makes a 45 minute to an hour hypnosis show fun.  I made the right call to streamline the pre-talk content by cutting down on a couple of the anecdotes related to applications of hypnosis.

--Similar to older kids, tweens absolutely have an interest in hypnosis.  Rather than the health and wellness, academic or athletic benefits, it’s more of a natural curiosity.

--Nearly every kid in attendance volunteered to try hypnosis, which presented some challenges for me.  Of the 25 or so kids who participated, my guess is a handful truly reached a state of hypnosis with heightened suggestibility.

--Thankfully, the birthday girl was one of the kids hypnotized which allowed me to use a basic suggestion to demonstrate her creativity.  Her friends truly enjoyed that.

While I plan to stick with my performance niche, I do anticipate having the chance to introduce hypnosis to tweens when I perform this summer at the Arlington County Fair and Burke Centre Festival.  

Hypnotist Helps Soccer Player "Bend it Like Beckham"

Professional, college and high school athletes are increasingly turning to hypnosis as a tool to improve training and on-field performance.   When speaking on campus at schools in Maryland and northern Virginia, I have personally found a high level of interest from athletes in how visualization can give them a competitive edge.

Here is a link to a recent article about how a hypnotist helped a group of professional soccer players.  The story includes a dramatic video of a player emerging from a hypnotic trance to deliver a stunning free kick as if he were the legendary David Beckham.

A Great Visualizer Hypnotized

A few weeks back I performed my Hypnotic Experience show at a corporate sponsored health and wellness event in northern Virginia.

She was very much engaged during my talk about the importance of positivity and was quick to volunteer when I asked for people interested in hypnosis to join me on stage.  During the visualization segment of the hypnotic induction process I employ, her breathing slowed and her body relaxed.  It took her a mere five minutes to drift into a nice state of hypnosis.

After the demonstration, we chatted for a few minutes and agreed to meet-up to discuss her experience with hypnosis for this blog.  I’m always intrigued by people who quickly and seamlessly allow themselves to be hypnotized and then respond effort-less to suggestions.

Here are a couple of highlights from our follow-on conversation:

--Even prior to trying hypnosis, she uses visualization in her daily life.  She referred to herself as the great visualizer.  Examples include her interest in home improvement projects and how she sees the completed work before even stepping into a Home Depot or Lowes.

--She also explained that when she is faced with a career or life decision, she’ll often sit in a comfortable chair on her porch and stare at her front yard.  This trance-like state has helped her find clarity.

--She found hypnosis to be incredibly renewing.  Thoughts seemed to flow from her conscious, she explained.  Everything I asked her to visualize just felt right and my voice seemed to become part of her.  (The voice connection is something I have heard from others who have been hypnotized.)

--She was very much present in the moment and actually had a stronger sense of intuition.  It was if she allowed herself to take a mental break that she earned and deserved. 

Visualization I use in a hypnotic induction: imagine floating in a warm and safe cloud.

Did Hypnosis Slay the Hoyas in 85?

Basketball coach Rollie Massimino used visualization techniques to help his team win the 1985 NCAA men's basketball title.  (Photo Source:  SI.com)

During the 1984/85 season the Georgetown University men’s basketball team was a juggernaut.  Led by All-American center Patrick Ewing, the Hoyas won 30 games during the regular season and rolled into the NCAA tournament final against Villanova, a team they had already defeated twice in conference play.

 

Villanova coach Rollie Massimino employed a new defensive scheme to confuse the Hoyas and keep the game competitive.  Yet, it may have been the power of suggestion that helped his Wildcats pull off a 66 to 64 upset victory.

According to an obituary published in the Washington Post (Massimino died on August 31 at the age of 82), the coach inspired his underdog team through psychology.

“Go back to your rooms,” he told his players hours before the tipoff. “Close your eyes and picture yourself playing this game to win. Don’t play this game not to lose. Play it to win. Believe you can win.”

Villanova played what many sports writers consider to be the perfect game against a near unbeatable opponent.  They shot 79 percent from the field and made an astonishing 9 out of 10 shots in the second half.

Was it that coaching?  Or did hypnosis take down the Hoyas that night?

Stressed at Work? You're Not Alone.

A recent survey from payroll company Paychex validated something most of us have long suspected – work stresses us out.

Deadlines, weekend requirements, missed family time, dysfunctional relationships with co-workers…it all adds up to 80 percent of respondents feeling overwhelmed.  And that’s not good for our physical and mental health, and overall wellness.

How do we combat stress?

This article published in Forbes magazine offers up some excellent suggestions.  Of most interest to me is the recommendation to “find your inner Buddha.”

Guided meditation, visualization and…yes…self hypnosis…are all wonderful ways to more effectively manage job-related stress. 

Read more about stress management on this blog at the following links:

Research Finds Job Stress Can be a Killer

Self Hypnosis for Stress Mitigation and Empowerment

Why Millennials are Part of the Stress Generation

My Call for Stress Busting

Love & Hypnosis

For 18 years I have been fortunate to be married to a wonderful woman.  In no way do I present myself as an expert in the construct of a successful union.  In fact, women – my wife in particular – are often a complete mystery.

Yet, in nearly two decades of marriage I have come to recognize important foundation points for a husband:

--Be respectful

--Be consistent

--Be prepared for the highs and the lows

--Cherish every moment

--Recognize happy wife = happy life

I practice self-hypnosis to be more caring and considerate (i.e. less self-centered), as well as to promote overall health and wellness.  Interestingly, my wife has never expressed an interest, preferring to invest her time in more intense cardio work-outs.

However, I have been reading quite a bit lately about how hypnotists have helped couples sustain their marriage through visualization.  Here is a link to an article published by the Daily Mail entitled, Can Hypnosis Improve Your Love Life?

I incorporate an approach similar when I entertain at a high school after prom or all night graduation party, or a community festival.  

While under hypnosis, I suggest to the volunteer that when they open their eyes they will see a friend, date or family member.  They’ll immediately realize how much that person cares for them and how much they care for that person, and that their bond is deep.

The result is typically a warm and positive moment for the volunteer.

Happy wife = happy life