A Gem of an Article about the Hypnotic Experience

Every few months I conduct a Web search on my name to see if there are any performance reviews or comments about my Hypnotic Experience show I may have missed.

Today's trip down Google lane led me to this gem published last year by the Clarksburg High School student newspaper.  This is one of the school's in Montgomery County that I have a wonderful relationship with so it was exciting to come across such a nice write-up.

CHS Students Get Sleepy in the Name of Learning

By Kaylee Towey
The Howl (February 17, 2017)

The Business Case for Mindfulness

The practice of mindfulness as a tool for improved performance and decision-making has quickly taken hold in boardrooms and executive suites across the business landscape. 

The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania recently published an interview with the author of “Leading From Within: Conscious Social Change and Mindfulness for Social Innovation.”

Here is a link to the article, which includes both a podcast and a written transcript.

Guided meditation and self-hypnosis are paths to mindfulness.  (Photo source: TD.org)

3 Truths About Coyote Country

A nice "thank you" from the students at Clarksburg High School.

 Each year I have the opportunity to speak with psychology and health students at high schools throughout the Washington, DC region about hypnosis as a tool for stress management, confidence building and performing in the moment (i.e. athletics, academics, etc.).

  

One of my most favorite visits is Clarksburg High School – home of the Coyotes.  I’ve been on campus as a psychology speaker and to perform the comedy version of my Hypnotic Experience show at the end of the school year.   

Here is a write-up I published in June 2017 about the comedy show:

A Strange Face at Clarksburg High School

With so much time spent in Coyote country, I’ve come to recognize and appreciate a couple of important things about the school:

1. It is a culturally diverse student population which makes for a rich educational experience.  The kids come from all sorts of backgrounds and belief systems which, I believe, fosters an environment of open-ness and learning.  I suspect this diversity may lead to conflicts from time-to-time.  Yet, in the long run this will prepare the students to be successful in life.

2. Like most of the high school students I meet, the kids at Clarksburg are engaged and super smart.  This demographic often gets a bad rap for being self-absorbed and entranced by digital devices.  By relating the practice of hypnosis to issues in their world, I find a high level of interest. 

Plus, the questions I got from kids at Clarksburg after my talk were insightful.  It’s not easy to approach an adult you just met, look him in the eye and ask a question.  Yet, that is just what a whole group of kids did after each class period.

In my talk I relate the topic of hypnosis to specific issues students deal with every day.

3. And finally, the psychology teachers at Clarksburg who I have come to know during the past two years very much care about the success and well-being of their students.  I have found this same attribute in teachers in all of the schools where I have spoken. 

Teaching is a challenging gig as you have to manage students, parents, administration, etc.   You thrive as a teacher by loving your craft!     

Carol Sabet, Richard Nowland and Scott Mathias are an exceptional group of educators at Clarksburg HS.

  

Is Mind Over Munchies Possible?

This past weekend I presented to a group of professionals about hypnosis as a tool for health, wellness and exceptional living.

After the 90 minute talk and demonstration, I had the pleasure of speaking individually with a number of attendees about the specific outcomes or changes each hoped to achieve through the power of visualization.  Weight management and making healthier eating choices was top of the list.

I then came across this interesting article in the Washington Post entitled Why People Regain Weight After Dieting.  The author – an interventional obesity medicine specialist -- contends that for those who struggle with their weight sustained loss through exercise and diet is an unachievable goal.  Metabolic surgeries and bariatric procedures, along with medications are a better path for more desirable result.

“The reality is, the body fights against calorie restriction and new exercise,” David Prologo writes.  “This resistance from the body can be lessened using medical procedures, by new medications or by increasing one’s exercise capacity to a critical point.”

While this may very well be true, my experience has been that the practice of self-hypnosis can be an effective and empowering tool to help a person:

--Eat only when hungry, rather than as a coping mechanism for stress or boredom

--Make smarter eating choices (i.e. vegetables and fruit, rather than sugary or salty snacks)

--Continue to enjoy food, rather than feeling guilty after a meal  

Smarter eating choices through the practice of hypnosis.  (Photo:  Nutrimight.com)

  

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.

Best Read Hypnosis Articles of 2017

A highlight of the year: psychology students at Good Counsel High School experience hypnosis. (May 2017)

Each December I like to take a few moments to revisit my year of blogging about stories, applications, approaches and outcomes related to hypnosis as a tool for health, wellness and exceptional living.  This insight allows me to organize my editorial calendar for the coming year with the goal of aligning content with the interest of readers.

So…drum roll please…a study of analytics reveals these three posts to be most popular content of 2017:

Get Hypnotized at the Burke Centre Festival

(August 2017)

2,606 readers

Seneca Valley Gets Hypnotized for After Prom
(January 2017)

2,128 readers

Hypnotist, Comedian and Thought Provoking Speaker

(November 2017)

2,111 readers

Frozen in time!  This student under hypnosis responds instantly to the freeze suggestion.

2 Schools…2 Shows…2 Wonderful Causes

I have performed my Hypnotic Experience show more than 40 times this year with each venue presenting new, interesting and exciting challenges.  

Along the way I’ve met a wonderful group of people -- event organizers, educators, PTSA reps, professionals, and college, high school and middle school students.  It has been a blast!

The past few days has been the culmination of an amazing year as I headlined a fundraiser hosted by Churchill High School and then visited with students at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School as part of a series of events to promote health and wellness.

The hypnotist with Churchill High School's basketball team after the fundraiser.

“The turn-out was fabulous and I heard great things so far from students who attended, especially from those who volunteered.  You’ve been so generous with your time and energy.  Thank you for being flexible about our approach to organizing the day.  The voluntary workshops are new for us and we are energized about continuing the effort to promote skills, joy and a mindset of wellness for our community.  You’ve been a great contributor to that effort and we are grateful.”

Rachel Soifer

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School