Be Mindful of “Mindfulness”

As a reader of this blog, you get that I am a big-time believer in the power of positive thinking to improve health and wellness, while creating an environment conducive to exceptional living.  That is an important message of my “Hypnotic Experience” show, which I perform at school-sponsored events, community festivals, and charitable fundraisers.

Hypnosis, guided meditation and mindfulness are all tools to help a person focus on the positive.  Yet, a group of medical professionals have expressed concern that “lots of people and organizations — many of which are well-meaning — have gotten overzealous as they make lots of money off of mindfulness therapies.”

Here is a link to an article that explains why it’s important to be diligent when evaluating the practice of mindfulness:

Psychologists Express Growing Concern with Mindfulness Meditation

Hypnosis and Mindfulness Intersect in Stress Mitigation

A new study organized by Baylor University has found that "mindful hypnotherapy" delivers a high level of stress mitigation and relief.

In this summary article about the study, Gary Elkins, Ph.D., director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory at Baylor, explains:

"Combining mindfulness and hypnotherapy in a single session is a novel intervention that may be equal to or better than existing treatments, with the advantage of being more time-effective, less daunting and easier to use.  This could be a valuable option for treating anxiety and stress reduction."

As pandemic related stress levels continue to soar, I anticipate there will be continued evaluation of techniques and approaches that can be easily employed to improve health and wellness.

Stress and the On Campus Consideration

As a parent of three children who are enrolled in the K-12 public school system, I am torn about the issue of students returning to campus in the fall. 

Yes…it is imperative for kids to be in-school, in-person.  My wife and I noted a rapid regression in learning when education moved online in the spring.  There have also been social implications, especially for my rising first grader.

However, our inability as a country to effectively manage the current pandemic creates real and scary health and wellness issues for educators and students.  There are simply no easy answers for the current situation.

That’s why I found this blog post I penned six years ago to be relevant in today’s environment.

How the Grind of Stress Impacts Educators

An Audience Member's View of Hypnosis

On this Web site and blog I have posted videos of hypnosis inductions from presentations I have given to psychology students at high schools and colleges in the Washington, DC area.  It is part of the curriculum on altered states of consciousness.

What is the hypnosis experience as an audience member at one of my shows?  Do you get a sense that something real and interesting is happening on stage?  Or does it feel staged and fake?

This week I came across on YouTube a video of a show I performed last year at Clarksburg High School.  It was recorded and posted by a student who was in the audience.  The reactions of those hypnotized (and the audience members) are real and candid.

 

The school’s administrators who organized the show preferred a demonstration, rather than a comedy act with suggestions.  It is important to note all the volunteers were required to provide written parental approval prior to participating.