MY STORY
There aren’t many of us that grew up thinking “I want to be a hypnotist when I grow up!”
Here’s my story.
I first became interested in hypnosis in college when a stage hypnotist came to my school. Something clicked, and I became ravenous for information. I read whatever I could find. I watched every video I could track down.
My education led me into a profession as a stage manager working in professional theater, managing the creative personalities that come with Tony-award winning artists.
In addition to managing the people, the stage manger’s role is to meticulously track and call the cues for every minute detail of a performance.
Every prop,every lighting transition, every sound effect, and every actor entrance or exit. These are the skills I’d eventually credit for my skills at building a successful business.
“Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you have to do it the rest of your life.”
This quote stuck with me, and while experiencing the wonder of “professional burnout,” I set a five-year-plan to leave behind the arts and transition into hypnosis full-time.Five years was too long, and within a few short months I turned down an offer for my “dream job” and have never looked back.
The stage hypnosis origins of my training launched me into a career as a full-time stage hypnotist. I’ve since performed programs for hundreds of schools and corporations nationwide. The biggest thrill of my stage hypnosis career was being invited to entertain as part of the Inaugural celebrations for President Obama’s first term.
My thirst for more knowledge brought me to Hypnotherapy training and then everything shifted.
I soon opened Virginia Hypnosis, a busy hypnosis practice in Alexandria, Virginia. I typically see about two-dozen clients a week and fill the schedule as well for an associate staff.
I’m a Board Certified Hypnotist with the National Guild of Hypnotists. I offer Hypnosis Training and Certification, training dozens of new hypnosis each year as a Certified Instructor with the NGH. I’ve also certified with IMDHA and IACT.
As a trainer, I’ve also been personally invited to train the hypnosis protocols of Roy Hunter’s Parts Therapy protocol and Sheila Granger’s Virtual Gastric Band weight loss protocol.
Michael Ellner once gave me a suggestion that truly stuck. “Learn from people who disagree with each other.” I developed a passion for ongoing education, learning from the top people in our profession.
As a business owner, others in the hypnosis profession began to take notice. My client schedule is typically full a few weeks in advance. My classes fill up. I successfully host guest trainings. I’m the president of the Northern Virginia Hypnosis, chapter of the National Guild of Hypnotists.
A successful business is a good thing. Having a reason to be successful is more important. My wife, Michelle, and I have two amazing children, Claire and Max. In everything that I’ve built, they are always my top priority. Remember this as you work with your clients trying to achieve positive change. It’s not about finding the time, it’s about making the time.
Just as my career goals shifted from live theater to stage hypnosis to working with clients, my focus shifted to something far bigger. Building the hypnosis profession. The one thing that will advance hypnotism the fastest is for us all to become more successful. The more of us that are working, the more of us that are working. If every hypnotist had the success I’ve built, we’d be fully integrated into people’s lives.
So here we are. Let’s build your success. Let’s help more people. Let’s do it the best way possible. Let’s work smart.
