18 Years as a Stage Hypnotist

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.

Bob would tell stories of the interesting clients he had over his 18 years as a practicing hypnotist.  I marveled at his ability to use simple techniques to create positive changes for people who had already been to doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists, without getting relief.

The third time that I brought Bob in, we were chatting after his demonstration, and he offered to teach me hypnotism. “I think you’d be good at it, Paul” he said.  I put him off for a year, then took him up on it after his fourth visit to my dorm.  I thought it might make a fun hobby.

As soon as I had the basics, and started practicing with the students that lived in my building, my whole viewpoint changed. This was not a hobby, but a powerful skill that had so much more to offer.  I finished my training during my fifth year as a hall director, told my boss I wouldn’t be returning for a sixth year, and left to start my hypnotism business.

That was in 2004.  I’ve now spent nearly two decades as a stage hypnotist.  I’ve hypnotized about 30,000 people and performed for over 150,000 people.  I feel so blessed to do this work, and I intend to keep hypnotizing people for years and years to come.