“There’s nothing special about your hypnosis show.”
The words made my stomach twist. I had been a professional hypnotist for six years, performing mostly in the college market and for high schools. After five years on my own, I had been picked up by an agent, but only did two more shows that first year with the agency than I had done the year before when I was self-represented.
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For many years, people who performed hypnotism as entertainment called themselves “stage hypnotists.” Then, there was a movement toward the term “comedy hypnotist.” It was part of an effort to re-brand the art form from the old vaudeville days–when hypnosis was portrayed more as a mystical event, mysterious and even spooky–to a more modern experience of light-hearted hilarity. Both terms are still in use today, but as a college hypnotist I find myself wishing for a new term.
College opening week can be overwhelming for many students, especially those who are starting college for the first time. It’s a time of new beginnings, new experiences, and new challenges for college students. With all that newness comes the uncertainty of leaving behind old friend networks and familiar places. Students’ social order has been disrupted.
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Choosing the best college hypnotist is, of course, ultimately a matter of opinion, but there are some common factors that can be evaluated when trying to make a reasonable argument. In this article, we’ll make our case for what makes a great hypnotist, and then identify which active stage hypnotists are in the running for “best college hypnotist.”
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If you’re a college hypnotist, bookings closely follow the school calendar. Across the United States, colleges and universities open up during the last two weeks of August and the first week of September. I’ve had years where I’ve done eighteen shows in that twenty-one day period. It’s busy and demanding, and a lot of fun.
There are a lot of hypnotists out there, today. More than you would think. Many of them are good at what they do. Many more are not good at what they do. How do you choose a stage hypnotist?
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I started my career as a stage hypnotist in 2004. I was working at the University of New Hampshire as a residence hall director, and I hired a retired hypnotist to come to my hall once a year and put on a hypnotism demonstration as a fun educational program for my residents. Each year Bob Chase would show up early, chat with me for a bit, do his demonstration, then chat with me a bit more after the students went back to their rooms. Read more
Whether it’s high school shows, college shows, corporate events, or any other kind of performance, I love sharing hypnosis with people. The hypnotic state lets a hypnotist transform everyday people into a cast of characters. It boosts people’s creativity, reduces their sense of limitation, and allows them to become the stars of the show. When in hypnosis, volunteers can actually have a wide range of hallucinations that are incredible to experience first-hand, and entertaining to watch from the perspective of the audience, as well.
