Stage hypnosis, show hypnosis

Stage hypnosis and show hypnosis are often called equivalent in their terminology. They mean the same thing, although the term show hypnosis is more common today. Show hypnosis is a form of hypnosis that serves to entertain an audience. Unlike clinical, therapeutic hypnosis, it does not have the goal of promoting change processes in a person, helping or supporting healing processes. People are hypnotized on stage by a show hypnotist and are instructed to do or say funny or embarrassing things so that the audience has something to laugh about. But this has nothing to do with serious hypnosis in the clinical sense. Unfortunately, show hypnosis conveys a one-sided and false image of hypnosis as a therapy.