Barry Jones - Comedy Hypnotist
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Have fun reading Lifestyle Modification Support's interview with Barry Jones below and......
Keep checking back here for the latest event information on Barry's work or go directly to his website for more info and to order his inductions for: weight loss, sports focus, migraine relief, tobacco cessation, and lots more!
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Barry Jones - Comedy Hypnotist
What is a comedy hypnotist doing in the Featured Healers page?
Comedy, as it turns out, is an accepted form of healing with the National Institute for Health (NIH) among other institutions in the world (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed). Many articles on laughter as healing modality can be found when perusing the NIH library. LMS has already posted articles on laughter’s benefits for healing and why it works. Expect more on this healthy topic.
Today’s interview is with a well known San Diego hypnotist, Barry Jones, who began as clinical hypnotist related to his sports training, but quickly turned to comedy hypnosis due to his overwhelming success as a performer using his hypnosis skills, his public speaking talents, and his very Monty Python sense of humor.
I have looked forward to this interview for some time. In preparation for it, I began researching laughter as another successful complementary and alternative healing therapy. Just reading the stories of how laughter cures had me all smiles and spirits uplifted. Perhaps the effect will rub off on you too.
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LMS: Barry, since I have experienced your show many times, for many different kinds of audiences, I have heard the story of how you got into hypnosis. But for the sake of the LMS readers, would you please tell the story of how you went from Ulta-Endurance Athlete/Fitness Instructor/Fitness Coach/University Professor to Comedy Stage Hypnotist?
Barry Jones: As a University professor, I also engaged in ultra-endurance events including the Hawaiian IronMan. While competing in the Death Valley race, which was an intense 137 miles on the bike and 22 miles of running up Mt Whitney and down again in extreme temperatures, I slipped unintentionally into a 4 hour trance to survive the experience. Afterwards, I wanted to learn more about the mind’s ability to cope and change. UCSD’s Medical School offered a course in Clinical Hypnosis for HealthCare specialists. After taking the course, my university students learned I was certified and asked me to give a show at their dorm. After that first show came more offers until it did not make sense anymore to teach because I was so successful performing.
LMS: So the switch from one career to the other was almost overnight? Or at least over a few short years? Would you say that your audiences must have recognized your skill in comedy as well as in hypnosis right away? and began spreading the word?
Barry Jones: Maybe, or should I say, I hope so. In the early days, I was not performing consciously as much; so I am sure the comedy was spontaneous and natural from enjoying the experience.
LMS: Were you consciously using comedy with the idea of spreading the healing it brings? or was humor just a natural for you? Where did the comedy come in for you in life?
Barry Jones: I have always been a happy person so it is natural to make others laugh. I know it is healthy by experience.
LMS: You had experience in public speaking, as a University Professor and as a Keynote Speaker too. Looking at your experience, your focus seems to have always had a health or fitness direction. What kinds of work do you use hypnosis for besides stage performance?
Barry Jones: Many forms of therapy as well as educational presentation on subconscious programming.
LMS: Your love of sports and teaching and coaching remains an integral part of your career?
Barry Jones: I still keep track of my old Rugby team that I started at university; and I steer my focus toward working with athletes.
LMS: Because I have collaborated with you on a couple of clients, I am aware that you also use clinical hypnosis to alleviate people’s issues with adverse effects of cancer therapy. You also have some MP3s for tobacco cessation, weight control, and migraine relief. How do you decide to accept clients for those issues?
Barry Jones: I interview prospective clients. If I sense they are perceiving the hypnosis as a panacea or as a replacement for personal accountability, I am less likely to work with them. . . and will suggest resources or other directions for them to pursue, such as a therapist.
LMS: Seems to me that your comedy would be hugely beneficial, especially to those cancer patients. Do you invite these clients to your shows?
Barry Jones: Everyone is always invited to my public shows.
LMS: I do not want to skip ahead or miss any points but I have to say that the most remarkable observation of mine from your shows is the sound of the laughter from the audiences. Mild or even moderate are not adequate words to describe the unremitting gale of laughter that comes from the audiences at your shows. I, too, regardless how many times I have witnessed your shows, find myself bursting with uncontrollable laughter at some point in every show. I find I am chuckling at the performance for days after some times. Are you conscious of the effect the various scenes in your performance have on people and do you consciously set up the performance to bring about this huge release in the audience?
Barry Jones: Certain things always seem to bring big laughs, usually the simplest things.
LMS: Seriously, the way the laughter builds and builds for your performances sounds beautiful to my ears. How does it feel to have people so pleased with your work? How do you gauge an effective performance? or client session?
Barry Jones: Every show is different. I listen and watch the audience as much as I watch the volunteers on stage.
LMS: If you could make a one-liner to express the purpose of what you do, what would you say?
Barry Jones: To make people cry with laughter.
LMS: [laughing] And thanks so much for all you do to make that happen! Your link to the Barry Jones website is posted on LMS in our link column on the front page. May I also post your phone number or email address? And what is the best way to learn when you are giving a performance?
Barry Jones: Email, mine is on my website, is the best way to contact me and ask to be added to my show list so that I can let you know about upcoming public performances as they are scheduled.
LMS: [ www.barryjones.com and barryj@barryjones.com ] Please tell Barry where you heard about him.
~~~~~~~LATE BREAKING UPDATE~~~~~~~~
Barry Jones will be giving his tastefully lewd comedy show in Dublin & Cork September 23-25, 2015.
If you will be in Ireland during these dates, contact Barry re availability for admittance.
Or contact The City Limits Club in Cork for the Friday comedy show.
Keep checking back here for the latest event information on Barry's work or go directly to his website for more info and to order his inductions for: weight loss, sports focus, migraine relief, tobacco cessation, and lots more!