“Are you going to get me to cluck like a chicken?”

Is ITV’s new hypnosis game show harmful?

I was recently interviewed  by a local paper about the hypnosis gameshow, You’re Back in the Room. I was misquoted and the article read that I “poured scorn” on the show. Not quite.

‘Mindhacker’ Keith Barry will use hypnosis for contestants to win cash prizes.

Hosted by Phillip Schofield this may seem like harmless fun but is this literally messing with people’s minds?

ITV insist they adhere to a strict duty of care abided by the 1952 Hypnotism Act and Ofcom rules.

But is this type of stage hypnosis harmful to the perception of the serious business of hypnotherapy.

As a hypnotherapist in Belfast, many clients ask the question “Are you going to get me to cluck like a chicken?” This is most people’s perception of what hypnosis is and I spend the start of each therapy session explaining how what they see on stage or TV is quite different to hypnotherapy.

Nobody can be made to do anything they don’t want to do. People joining in with stage hypnosis want to perform.

If a client comes to me to stop smoking or overcome a phobia they have to want to make a change in their lives.

Barry says, ‘There is obviously a huge difference between using hypnosis as a therapy and as entertainment.”

Many hypnotherapists are up in arms over the new ITV show ruining the reputation of hypnotherapy.

Anything that attracts more people to this still underused and very useful therapy is a good thing. But always make sure your hypnotherapist of choice is qualified and registered with the relevant bodies.

I believe it’s great for the profession and don’t mind explaining for a few minutes how I wont make a person quack like a duck… unless they want to that is.