The Hollywood Nightmare

[Justin James]

So here I was the other day in a heated discussion about Stage Hypnosis affecting our credibility as therapists and shaking my head.
I know my history well and I am very proud of what I do for a living.

Well saying that, late last night I am in my hotel done with shows for the evening when I turned the TV on.. The MENTALIST was on and I have enjoyed the show so I started watching... Well it seems I caught the last half because here is a gal hypnotizing everyone (cops as well) The main character said she was only 1 of maybe 3 in the world who could hypnotize a cop and she was making people try to kill themselves.

Hollywood has called me before to consult and ask me to do things on TV.. Many times I have said no do to the fact that what they wanted to do was unethical or unreasonable...

I do not believe that Stage Hypnosis will affect your credibility as a Hypnotherapist. However I do believe that Hollywood can truly cause a nightmare.

We as stage Hypnotists have done a considerable amount to keep this industry alive yet Hollywood comes in behind us and takes license of unbelievable proportions.

When Hollywood does stuff like this I believe it effects us stage hypnotists as well.

So the question is. How do we deal with the influence of Hollywood?

Having taught Hypnosis at the college level I would instruct my students on how to deal with someone who was skeptical of what we do. On stage I do it every night...

Still this is nuts...

What are your thoughts?

Justin James

www.thehypnosiscompany.com

[Conrad Cook]

Before I tell you my thoughts, Justin, I'd like to draw you out a little on this thing you saw.

Was this woman successful in getting people to kill themselves? What happened?

Was what she was doing just shocking, or actually wrong?


Conrad.

ps - My first reaction is to want to call the woman's agent and ask for a statement on her prior subject's recent apparent suicide, ask whether her hypnosis could be the cause, and what the appearance of her name in the victim's suicide note might mean. Or better yet, organize an interview with her and ask her on camera. But I'm tempermental that way.

C.

[Justin James]

Oh they saved it in the end however she had cops pointing guns at each other and attempting to through other cast members off a roof thinking they were throwing them in a pool.
Justin...

It was last nights episode.. it may be available online... This show has had a few hypnotic routines before.. most quite good...



Conrad Cook said:

Before I tell you my thoughts, Justin, I'd like to draw you out a little on this thing you saw.

Was this woman successful in getting people to kill themselves? What happened?

Was what she was doing just shocking, or actually wrong?


Conrad.

ps - My first reaction is to want to call the woman's agent and ask for a statement on her prior subject's recent apparent suicide, ask whether her hypnosis could be the cause, and what the appearance of her name in the victim's suicide note might mean. Or better yet, organize an interview with her and ask her on camera. But I'm tempermental that way.

C.

[Doreen Cohanim C.Ht]

Hi Justin,

My thoughts is, Oh No, It's BAD and they are really going to ruin all stage hypnotist and hypnotherapist Image.
Not much to do, This is Hollywood, they want to sell fear, sex, action, comedy, drama, and people should be intelligent enough to know the difference between a hypnotherapist who act bizarre in movies and normal hypnotist out in the world, who are for good fun entertainment or self healing.

Cab you stop Hollywood? NO
I Also beleive that Hollywood does use great story's with hypnotist and hypnotherapist who help with healing.

And this is my thoughts.

Respectfully, Doreen Cohanim C.Ht

[Conrad Cook]

But you haven't answered the question. In your judgement, was what she was doing just sensationalist, or was it wrong?

C.

[Justin James]

To answer your question Conrad I think what she was doing was not only wrong but paints us (Hypnotists) in a evil light. To that effect when booking shows or sessions I that this material can effect all of our businesses negatively.

Justin...



Conrad Cook said:

But you haven't answered the question. In your judgement, was what she was doing just sensationalist, or was it wrong?

C.

[ASUCENA ENRIQUEZ]

In my opinion she did wrong! That makes us look like we don't have ethics nor integrity, Hollywood is a big influence and it does affect us because of some uninformed person that has some type of influence can ruin in min. work of years and years. A lot of people do belive what they see on TV, simply because they get hipnotized when watching TV. Maybe there is nothing we can do about it, but it is a pain...I think I frased it right...I'm still working on my english! Anybody out there writes spanish?

[Conrad Cook]

I understand. And we can talk about the negative effect of Hollywood images on our business; but I'd like to get to the heart of this matter first. Since it's difficult to know what to do, or what can be done, about something until we understand it.

What was it about what she was doing that made it wrong? What's the smallest change that would be necessary to make it not wrong?


C.

[Doreen Cohanim C.Ht]

It's Hollywood my dear... It's all about making money.. GOOD OR BAD....

[Conrad Cook]

follow-up:

I'll put it this way: I believe it's illegal to tell someone to kill themselves. I want to say it's covered under the part of the law that talks about death threats. In this sense, her being a hypnotist doesn't really enter into it. If what you saw really bothers you, Justin, and you honestly think it was wrong, you might call the FBI and ask for their opinion on it.


C.

[Bruce Taylor C.Ht]

I would think that this type of show portraying hypnotists as you stated is not doing us any good. I also see Hollywood using doctors and others in a way that is probably not doing them any good either. Is it hurting our business? I do not know because I am doing a good business however I am only part time. I guess it is up to us to continue to educate as much as possible to get the correct image out there for all to see. Maybe more of us can participate in World Hypnosis Day.

Question: Justin, do you see or think that your business is suffering because of this type of Hollywood elaberation?

Bruce Taylor

[Roy Hunter]

Over the decades of the 20th Century, Hollywood has hurt the public image of hypnosis FAR more than helping it.

Nonetheless, we need to realize that STAGE HYPNOSIS kept interest in hypnosis alive during times when hypnosis might have otherwise died.

While I've seen many stage hypnosis shows over the years that offended me, I also must state publicly that I believe strongly in ethical stage hypnosis as a way of both educating and entertaining. In my professional opinion, there should always be a place for ethical stage hypnosis.

Roy Hunter, M.S., FAPHP
www.royhunter.com

[Joshua Johnston]

I'm not sure, but I think you might be under the misapprehension that this was a real event, like on a reality show. The show in question is a fiction show, not based on real events. Actors playing every part. The female character learned hypnosis and NLP informally from a Tony Robbins-like mentor. The male lead used to be a fake psychic but is now a consultant for the police and uses hypnosis (mostly in a covert way; does a lot of Derren Brown-like handshakes with water bottles and such) and his powers of observation and deduction to solve murders.

The woman was not successful in making anyone commit murder, but was able to use her skills to frame someone else for the murder she committed, attack but not kill a coworker, etc. For example, she had a guy drag what he thought was a bag of russet potatoes to the cops "as a gift." It was really a bag with a body in it.

Joshua

Conrad Cook said:

follow-up:

I'll put it this way: I believe it's illegal to tell someone to kill themselves. I want to say it's covered under the part of the law that talks about death threats. In this sense, her being a hypnotist doesn't really enter into it. If what you saw really bothers you, Justin, and you honestly think it was wrong, you might call the FBI and ask for their opinion on it.


C.