Stage shows and therapeutic hypnotherapy

Stage Hypnosis and Mind Control

Many people first encounter hypnosis through stage shows. Watching someone appear to forget their name, act like a chicken, or perform something completely out of character can make it seem as though the hypnotist has taken control of their mind.

But is that really what is happening?

No. Hypnosis is not mind control.

People generally do not lose their ability to make choices or suddenly become powerless to resist suggestions. Even in a stage show, the people who participate are willing volunteers who have chosen to take part and are comfortable participating in the experience.

So, why does stage hypnosis look so convincing?

Stage hypnotists use a combination of hypnosis, suggestion, expectation, personality, audience interaction and careful selection of volunteers.

Before bringing people onto the stage, the hypnotist will often conduct a number of exercises or suggestibility demonstrations. These aren’t simply about finding out who can be hypnotised. They also help identify people who are responsive to suggestion, enthusiastic about participating, comfortable being in front of an audience and willing to play along with the experience.

Someone who is naturally outgoing and enjoys being the centre of attention is far more likely to volunteer — and far more likely to make an entertaining stage participant — than someone who feels uncomfortable performing in front of a crowd.

This is an important part of what the audience sees.

The hypnotist isn’t necessarily forcing someone to behave against their wishes. Instead, the participant has volunteered, entered into the experience willingly and is responding to suggestions within a situation where they feel comfortable participating.

In many ways, stage hypnosis is about permission rather than control — giving people an opportunity to temporarily let go of their usual inhibitions and have fun.

What does this mean for therapeutic hypnotherapy?

This is where the difference between stage hypnosis and hypnotherapy becomes particularly important.

Your hypnotherapy session is about your goals and your choices.

I am not going to make you quit smoking, lose weight, overcome a fear or make changes that you genuinely do not want to make.

Instead, hypnotherapy can help you access your own motivation, resources and ability to make the changes you have already decided you want to make.

If you want to quit smoking, for example, you have already made the important decision that you want to become a non-smoker. Hypnotherapy can help reinforce that decision and work with the thoughts, habits, associations and patterns that may have been keeping the behaviour in place.

The same principle applies to many other areas of life.

Hypnosis doesn’t take away your control — it can help you take greater control of yourself.

You remain the person making the decisions. Hypnotherapy simply provides a powerful way of working with your thoughts, habits and behaviours to help you move towards the changes you genuinely want to make.

You are not being controlled. You are being empowered to make the changes you have already chosen for yourself.