Is Stage Hypnosis Real? What’s Actually Happening on That Stage
By Alexandra Janelli
You’ve seen it before—someone on stage clucking like a chicken, “forgetting” their name, or collapsing into laughter with a simple snap of the fingers.
It’s entertaining, wild, and... kind of confusing.
So let’s get to it: Is stage hypnosis real?
Yes—but not in the way most people think.
Yes, Stage Hypnosis Uses Real Techniques
Stage hypnosis is built on the same core principles of hypnosis that are used in therapeutic and clinical settings. The state people enter is real: a focused, relaxed, and highly suggestible mental state where the subconscious is more open to influence.
But here's the twist: the people on stage are willing participants—often extroverted, curious, and open to doing something fun (and maybe outrageous) in front of a crowd.
They’re not being “controlled.” They’re allowing the experience to happen.
Here’s What Makes It Work:
Pre-Show Suggestibility Testing
Most stage hypnotists run subtle tests before the show (like raising a hand when asked) to find people who are highly responsive. Only the most suggestible make it to the stage.Peer Pressure and Spotlight Effect
Being in front of an audience naturally encourages people to go along with suggestions. The subconscious mind responds to social cues and the desire to "play along" increases compliance.Permission, Not Control
Hypnotists don’t control people. Instead, they guide them into a state where the participant becomes more open to fun, silly, or surprising suggestions—as long as those suggestions don’t violate their core values or safety.
What Stage Hypnosis Isn’t
It’s not mind control. Nobody can make you do something you truly don’t want to do.
You’re not unconscious. Participants hear everything and can stop at any moment.
You can’t get stuck. The hypnotic state is temporary and natural. You come out of it just like waking up from a nap.
Stage Hypnosis vs. Clinical Hypnosis
Stage hypnosis is a show. Clinical hypnosis is a tool for deep transformation.
Same mental state—very different purpose.
Why This Distinction Matters
A lot of people are afraid to try real hypnosis because of what they’ve seen on stage.
They think they’ll lose control or get “stuck.” But therapeutic hypnosis is the opposite of that.
It’s a safe, guided experience that you control at all times.
You don’t lose yourself—you find yourself, just without all the mental noise in the way.
At Go burble, we use a calm and science-backed approach to hypnosis—no dramatics, no tricks, no clucking. Just real, guided access to the part of your mind that creates lasting change.
Final Thought
Stage hypnosis is real—but it’s also theater.
What makes it work is a mix of real suggestibility, social compliance, and a dash of showbiz.
What makes clinical hypnosis work is intention, safety, and the desire to change from within.
One is for laughs.
The other?
It’s for life.