Let’s Get Hypnotized - Health Protocols for High School Post Prom and Graduation Celebrations

 

Students give hypnosis a try at Blair High School's Post Prom.

This time last year I was committed to entertain at 14 high school post prom and all night graduation parties in the Washington, DC area.  For the past 10 years I have donated my time to Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSA) as it is often a challenge to raise money to fund these fun (and important) events for graduating seniors.

Of course, the onset of the novel coronavirus led to the cancellation of those events.  And as the pandemic has dragged on, this year’s senior class has had to forfeit so many of the wonderful activities that are part of the high school experience.

Hope has arrived and things are starting to change! 

During the past few weeks, I have been contacted by six high school PTSAs that have begun to make plans for an end of year celebration for their seniors.  These events will require flexibility and a strict adherence to safety protocols, depending upon community conditions. 

Am I willing to donate my time to bring hypnotic fun to these events?  You bet!

I have confirmed to each PTSA that, if needed, I can keep volunteers six feet apart, while requiring masks for everyone (including me).  It will certainly create challenges.  Yet, it is a privilege for me to help provide graduates with a fun way to celebrate their senior year.

Thanks to the PTSA at each of these schools for including me:

Good Counsel High School

Magruder High School

Seneca Valley High School

Northwest High School

Fairfax High School

McLean High School

Chantilly High School

 

 

A hypnotized volunteer, Springbrook HS Post Prom

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