Gerard V – Comedy Stage Hypnotist

Other than having a few laughs, what is hypnosis good for? You will have heard of . . .

Hypnosis isn

Despite the movies, it is not possible to

This has never happened to anybody in hundreds of years of hypnosis.  Eventually, people will just drift from a hypnotic trance into ordinary sleep, and from there they will wake up. The trances we use in shows are fairly light, so the chances of actually having a long nap are also quite slim.

The fact that this myth persists is odd, because if you think how hard it would be to set up all those people to be willing to

Some people do, and some do not.  Often we will play this up, by asking people if they are hypnotised, and they almost always deny it and then go out like a light when I say the word

A very small number of people experience spontaneous amnesia when they emerge from their light trance at the end of the show.  However if the hypnotist then suggests that they will recall everything they will do so.  Most people however recall their actions during the show quite well, although the daydream-like quality of their recollections [...]

Unless brain damaged or suffering from a psychosis, everyone can be hypnotised.  Some people are better at it than others, and some people just resist.  But if they want to, and under the right circumstances, everyone can be hypnotised unless they lack the mental capacity to focus on and understand what is going on.  During [...]

This is a common belief, partly reinforced by some hypnotists telling candidates to

Hypnosis is in essence a communication skill.  No special powers are needed.  You only need a bit of training.  Almost anyone can learn to hypnotise.