BENEFITS OF HYPNOSIS FOR ACTORS – Peter Kingsford Petley

BENEFITS OF HYPNOSIS FOR ACTORS

Peter Kingsford Petley is a clinical hypnotherapist who has practices in both London and Whitstable. He treats a wide range of people from all walks of life, including actors. Improving confidence, changing self-limiting beliefs, and managing stress are just a few of the many ways that he helps his clients to transform their lives.

The Actors Pad wanted to find out more about how hypnosis could benefit actors and creatives. Here’s what Peter had to say:

It is a fact that everyone can benefit from hypnotherapy. It’s also a fact that actors have a distinct built-in advantage when it comes to hypnosis. I’ve discovered through experience that actors are among the best hypnotherapy clients in the world. This is because they’re already familiar with that state of mind that we call trance. They’re already very much in touch with their subconscious minds because of the nature of their profession.

It’s not at all unusual for actors to unwittingly access a trance state of sorts during auditions, rehearsals and performance. Some believe this is necessary in order to enter that slipstream of inspired creativity. Julianne Moore has said that she considers acting a form of self-hypnosis. She’s referred to being ‘hyper aware of the acting process’ while she’s in it, and ‘tricking herself’ into an emotional state in which a part of her believes that what’s happening on set or on the stage is real. Part of the success of hypnosis depends on the ability of the client’s subconscious mind to ‘buy into’ a reality that isn’t apparent as yet. Obstacles and barriers to success and moving forward reside in the subconscious, and we’re not aware that they’re there, sabotaging our best intentions. Actors are used to regularly entering another reality to the point that a part of them has to believe it in order to bring the audience into their world.

It’s hardly surprising then that actors respond exceptionally well to hypnosis. There is a whole field of psychology around the profession of acting, and understanding this psychology has enabled me to understand the kinds of challenges that actors have to contend with on a regular basis. It’s also given me a window into their world and as such has enabled me to more effectively address their concerns.

Apart from the usual suspects of audition nerves, performance anxiety, and self-confidence, actors also have other issues that effect everyone in the acting community. My clients have ranged all the way from drama school students to experienced and sometimes high profile actors of stage, screen, and TV. I’ve discovered that it doesn’t matter at what stage you’re at in your career, these issues affect everyone.

For example, stress and anxiety is pervasive and epidemic in today’s fast- paced society and can be found in any kind of profession. However, an actor’s life by its very nature can be one of frustration, rejection, and a lack of financial security. It is little wonder then that this can result in self-doubt, negative inner dialogue and lack of confidence across the board, all of which can lead to other problems such as eating issues or disturbed sleep patterns.

Hypnotherapy can also address other more specific psychological issues which are unique to the acting profession, such as emotional regulation. An actor’s ability to choose just how much emotion he or she wishes to experience during a performance or audition can be a challenging and sometimes precarious balancing act. In fact, one writer has very aptly described actors as ‘emotional athletes’! Hypnotherapy can help actors to successfully navigate this treacherous terrain.

An occupational hazard that can affect both amateur and professional actors from time to time is the unwanted ‘blurring of the boundaries’ between their character and themselves. This has also been referred to as ‘emotional hangover’, and ‘post-dramatic stress’. When this happens, the line between the life of the actor and the life of the character being portrayed can become very tenuous indeed. This can sometimes occur when actors approach a role using various method techniques to access the required emotions. If and when boundary blurring occurs it’s important that it be recognised and addressed immediately in order for the actor to successfully negotiate the role without unwanted emotional fallout. Many well known actors including Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem have talked quite openly about how immersing themselves in emotionally demanding roles has sometimes come at a substantial personal cost. Many actors are by nature risk takers and will often venture into uncharted areas of their own psyches for the sake of an authentic performance.

Various studies around the world have highlighted the fact that the emotional and mental welfare of actors has generally been a woefully neglected area. While drama schools are very good at teaching all the skills necessary to get into a role, actors are pretty much left to fend for themselves the rest of the time, and any serious discussion of emotional fallout and how to ‘step out of’ or separate oneself from a role in the post-performance phase is almost non- existent. It’s because of this, among other reasons that Dr Alice Brandfonbrener, the founder of the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) has referred to actors as ‘the forgotten patients’. It’s been suggested by academics within the acting community that it would be beneficial to have someone who is permanently available to drama schools, agents, and actors in a therapist/counseling capacity to address any issues should they arise.

With these concerns in mind, I’ve created a series of mini-workshops that utilise hypnosis to help actors. These workshops are 2.5 to 3 hours in length that address all aspects of the actors craft. There is also an MP3 product available on my website called Acting Excellence that has been especially designed for actors.

If you’re interested in what I do and would like to know more, check out my website, petleyhypnosis.com, and follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. I can be contacted through DM on Twitter@petleyhypnosis.