How To Choose A Stage Hypnotist For Your Event

First I must say that I consider myself to be an Expert in the area of providing Hypnotic (and Magical) musical notes. I say this not out of a sense of ego,

 but because although I am not an entertainer myself; Providing, Producing & Directing Hypnotic & Magical Entertainment has been my Exclusive Business Focus for nearly 15 years now. I am also a certified professional hypnotist, but I would NEVER profess to be a “Hypnotic Entertainer”!

I have worked with a wide variety of Stage Hypnotists over the years in very many capacities. After a few years I came to one conclusion… All Hypnotists are certainly not created equally!

The entertainment provided within the Fair, Festival & Event Industries is certainly a reflection of the knowledge of the individuals whose job it is to actually secure & book the talent. Unfortunately, over the years I have found that many people in these jobs do not know what they need to know when it comes to booking Stage Hypnotists. Most individuals in those positions simply know that having a Hypnotist is a crowd pleaser. They are right in their thinking on the one hand… having a Stage Hypnotist perform a few times each day during the run of an event is most certainly a drawing act. Many attendees return repeatedly to the event just to see the Hypnotist. I can state this from personal experience, since about 20 years ago, I myself was what I now call in the business… a “hypno-junkie”. These are the people who are so fascinated by Hypnosis Shows that they just can’t seem to get enough of them. So began my business career & involvement in providing this type of entertainment, although I used to “pretend” to hypnotize my friends in the dressing room of my Home Ec Class in Junior High School.

Let me begin by stating that MOST of the individuals who sell themselves as “Hypnotic Entertainers” are simply people who have either studied hypnosis in one way or another, and/or received certification of some type… many by attendance at a weekend seminar. Know that Hypnosis is NOT governed or regulated on a National level, and VERY FEW states regulate it in any way whatsoever. Obtaining Certifications and/or Registrations with local or national Hypnosis organizations is VERY easily achieved… therefore ANYONE can call themselves a Hypnotist, with or without any type of study, knowledge or “certification”.

Just drink that in for a minute. I could train & prep YOU (in just a few hours) to get on a stage and perform a Hypnosis Show. Would you consider yourself qualified as a Stage Hypnotist / Performer… I think not! But that is exactly much of what is on stages across the country today in my Industry! That is a pretty scary thought isn’t it… since we are dealing with people’s psyche in these shows?

Having some virtually worthless Hypnotic “certification” certainly does not qualify an individual to be knowledgeable enough to actually handle an abreaction (a negative emotional response) should it occur during a performance (which it does frequently).

Most certainly, having some “certification” DOES NOT MAKE THEM AN ENTERTAINER… and I am here to say THAT is one HUGE difference that buyers of talent need to look at ! Is this individual that you are about to hire, an “Entertainer” first and foremost, who simply uses Hypnosis as his tool to entertain with? OR Is this individual you are about to hire a person with some easily obtained “paper” credentials who is TRYING TO BE AN ENTERTAINER?

Some buyers of talent are very hung up on the Hypnotist having “paper credentials”, when most of these buyers don’t realize how worthless it really is. Point in fact is that having that “paper” is absolutely NO INDICATION of what you are actually buying in the way of suitable entertainment for your event & attendees!

In my personal business of delivering Hypnotic Entertainment, I am affiliated with only one Featured Performer. I frequently look for QUALITY & QUALIFIED Stage Hypnotists whose services I can use in cases such as double bookings for my own Featured Show. I rarely find those individuals, since the Quality Acts & Performers are generally as booked up as we are. I am very frequently approached by other Hypnotists who want me to book them… so I acquire their promotional materials… I go see their “shows”… and I repeatedly turn them down! I will not attach my name to “entertainment” such as that delivered by most of these “ hypnotic performers”.

Look for the “Entertainer” qualities first. Is he/she charismatic? What types of High Venue & Events have they performed for or do they spend most of their time in a Hypno THERAPY practice? Do they have many years of studying the mind and Hypnosis behind them, or are they what I call a “weekend wonder”? How long have they actually been performing… most entertainers started out as a child in some way or another. Is their show active? Do they musically choreograph their shows? Are they “clinical” in their appearance & delivery? Is their “show” merely a “demonstration” of Hypnosis instead of an entertaining performance? Are they trying to “sell you” by using the fact that they are “certified”?