talking with Albert Bramante PhD

Denise Billen-Mejia MD CH www.healandberadiant.com       office@aahypnosis.com

Les Roberts ACH www.lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk contact@lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk

Albert Bramante PhD https://bramanteartists.com    albert@bramanteartists.com

 Welcome to Two Hypnotherapists Talking with me, Denise Billen-Mejia, in Delaware, USA. (0:06) And me, Les Roberts, in St Helens, United Kingdom. (0:10) This weekly podcast is for anyone and everyone who'd like to know more about the fascinating (0:14) world of hypnosis and the benefits that it offers.I'm a clinical hypnotherapist (0:21) and specialist in working with children. And I'm a retired medical doctor and consultant (0:28) hypnotist. We are Two Hypnotherapists Talking.So let's get on with the episode. (0:36) Welcome again. Today, I'm really happy to be introducing Albert Bramante, (0:42) who I met on a course about three, four years ago, I think.I've been always a little bit (0:48) fascinated about what he actually does in hypnosis, since he's also a talent agent. (0:53) This is an unusual thing. So Albert, thank you so much for coming to talk to us today.(0:59) Well, first, I really want to thank you, Denise, and Les for having me on here. (1:03) And I'm really happy to be here. And yeah, this was all kind of an accidental, you know, (1:10) discovery of mine.If you asked me when I was growing up, would I ever work in the entertainment (1:17) industry? I would say no, that's foolish. I always was intended to be a clinical psychologist (1:24) and college professor. And that was where I really, where I wanted to, where I felt like (1:31) I really thrived in, was psychology and research and teaching.But there was a part of me that (1:39) enjoyed the arts ever so slightly. I was in the high school drama club for three years. (1:45) I took a few acting classes as electives and theater classes.And I really enjoyed it, (1:52) but it wasn't really anything I didn't really pursue or take seriously. Now, ironically, (1:59) I tell this story. When I was in grad school, I went on a whim and a dare to go get my fortune read (2:06) by, you know, a local reader.And I really felt walking out of there like, this woman does not (2:13) know what she's talking about. Not gifted. But the one thing that really stood out for me, (2:17) and the reason why I bring this up, because I asked her, when she asked if I had any questions, (2:21) I said, well, what do you see me in career-wise? This was way before, you know, years before I (2:26) started working in the entertainment industry.But she says, I see you working in show business. (2:31) And immediately I thought, okay, no. You know, this woman is all for rocker.I'm out of here. (2:38) Rockers, you know, totally. I walked out of there and even told my friend, you know, (2:42) who I went with, I said, you know, this was a ripoff.And I didn't think anything of it for (2:47) years, but I happened to be driving past where the office was, and I still saw that she was there. I (2:52) didn't go see her. But when I drove past, that memory flashed in my head years later, and the (2:58) hair on my arm stood up because I was like, wow, she was spot on.But who would have thought? (3:04) So what happened was, it all started when I was finishing up my master's degree. You know, (3:10) I was going, you know, I received a master's degree from Seton Hall University in New Jersey (3:17) in psychology with a concentration in family therapy. During my last semester, I did a (3:23) practicum, unconventional practicum, but it was at a New York City talk show.And it was a staple, (3:31) for those of you who may remember, it was a Sally Jesser FAL show back in the 90s and early 2000s. (3:39) And what my role was working in the aftercare, what we meant by aftercare, (3:44) is for legal purposes, all of these talk shows had to have a debriefing afterwards, (3:50) you know, or some sort of, or follow up, just in case nobody, you know, didn't need an extreme (3:55) after an episode, because there was a, you know, an incident in the 90s with a dog show where (4:00) someone was murdered. So they wanted to kind of cover their, you know, themselves by creating, (4:06) you know, an aftercare department.So that's how it started, working with the social worker on the (4:11) show. And I realized, first of all, TV is very chaotic, and I never wanted to work in production (4:19) again, you know, dog show environment again, because it really gave me a rude awakening. (4:25) And what the rude awakening was, how much of it is performative, versus real, yeah, (4:33) the issues were real, the people, the stories were somewhat real, you know, but it was all staged.(4:41) Like the host, for instance, like Sadr just read the L, everything was scripted, every comment, (4:49) every question, every remark, was already scripted, he was reading a teleprompter, (4:54) or someone was feeding, you know, in an earpiece. And the questions were, it was all manufactured. (5:01) So, and doesn't surprise me now, you know, years later, at the time, it did when I was young.(5:07) So after that happened, I kept in contact with the people, you know, from the show. (5:13) And this was the same year, unfortunately, that 9-11 had happened in New York, (5:17) and being very close to that, I was very affected, you know, in that, you know, every industry was (5:24) affected in the where I'm at. So I started volunteering with a group of people, you know, (5:29) some of the contacts from the show, and a lot of that were actors.You know, a lot of those people (5:34) were actors I was volunteering with, some were established, you know, some were, you know, (5:40) because they were given back and trying to, you know, because they're New York icons, you know, (5:45) and so that started getting me into just an acting. Now, I really, you know, so I did my (5:51) hand a little bit as an actor in New York, local, you know, stuff. But I realized I didn't really (5:56) like acting, for instance, but what I loved was the energy of actors, the psyche of the actor, (6:04) you know, the energetic field.It was just really compelling, like how much I really just wanted to (6:10) be around actors. And so I was like, okay, I don't want to be an actor myself. But how can I still (6:17) keep myself immersed in this environment? So I said, Well, let me become an advocate or a support (6:22) agent.And so I started my, you know, representing actors in 2004. Now, when I started this process, (6:29) I was also going back for a PhD in psychology. And one thing that I kept noticing, especially (6:35) with the actors I was working with, was there was a lot of self sabotage happening, where they were (6:42) not preparing fully, not showing up for auditions, being late, you know, all these factors that were (6:48) kind of taking themselves out of it, out of the field, which is already immensely competitive (6:54) show business.It is a one of probably the most competitive industry out there. You know, it's (7:00) 97 to 98% of actors that are declared are unemployed chronically. So it's not an easy (7:08) industry.But if you're already taking yourself out of it by self sabotage, it makes it even more (7:12) difficult. And I wanted to know why this was happening, because this was not a calm, this (7:18) was not like a one off thing. This was happening a lot.So when it came time to do my investigative (7:24) dissertation for my PhD, I said, what's going on with these actors? What's psychologically (7:30) happening? Why are these actors self sabotaging? Because in another industry I work with is also (7:35) in higher ed, I've been in higher ed for 20, you know, 22, 23 years as a college professor. And (7:41) I've seen it several times, hundreds of times where really some students are really talented (7:47) and smart, but they're not self-sabotaging as well. Yeah.So that was the top coming to class. (7:54) I'm studying, you know, not, not opening up the textbook, but when I would speak to them or, (7:58) or having interactions, I'm like, you're very intelligent. I don't know what's happening here.(8:04) And so it was that combination of those two things that were like, I really need to start (8:09) doing a deep dive on self-sabotage. And then that's when I started discovering I could notice (8:13) as an NLP because of, you know, working a lot with limiting beliefs and patterns and identity (8:19) was a huge part of it, you know, and, and so, and plus I was also getting a little disillusioned (8:25) with clinical psychology. Now I'm not here to say I think clinical psychologists do a great job.(8:31) I think it's a wide, you know, I have immense respect, but for me, there were a lot of things (8:36) that weren't resonating. The labeling, the diagnostic, the pathologizing was a big factor (8:44) for me. And then also the prolonged therapy.I mean, I would have colleagues and professors (8:49) that were saying, Oh, I've seen this person for eight, nine, 10 years, and we're starting to make (8:55) breakthroughs. I'm like, what do you mean starting? You know, I would think at that point, you know, (9:00) that's a lot of money to burn through. And for very little progress, it's got to be never away.(9:08) Now I'll backtrack when I was in grad school, I was, was exposed, not, not in the context of (9:15) hypnosis, but like with Fritz Perls and Milton Erickson and, and Jay Haley and Chloe Madonnas, (9:22) who were proposing and the way we were taught was it was solution focused therapy, (9:28) which actually is really a foundation of a lot of hypnotic and NLP principles. (9:34) And I really found myself so much identifying with these people, you know, because it was get (9:40) in,

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:29

We are two therapists talking. So let's get on to the episode.

SPEAKER_02 0:36

Welcome again. Today I'm really happy to be introducing Albert Romante, who I met on a course about three, four years ago, I think. I've been always a little bit fascinated about what he actually does in him versus since he's also a talent agent. This is an unusual thing. So Albert, thank you so much for coming to talk to us today.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Well, first, I I really want to thank you, Denise and Les for having me on here. And I'm really happy to be here. And yeah, this was all kind of an accidental, you know, discovery of mine. If you asked me when I was a growing up, would I ever work in the entertainment industry, I would say, no, this that's that's foolish. I always was intended to be a clinical psychologist and college professor. And that was where I was really where I wanted to, where I felt like I really thrived in, was psychology and and research and teaching. But there was a part of me that enjoyed the arts ever so slightly. I was in a high school drama club for three years. I took a few acting classes as electives and theater classes, and I really enjoyed it, but it wasn't really anything I I didn't really pursue or to or take seriously. Now, ironically, I tell this story. I when I was in grad school, I went on a whim on a dare to go get my fortune read by you know a a local reader. And I really felt walking out of there like this woman does not know what she's talking about, not gifted. But the one thing that really stood out for me, and the reason why I bring this up, because I asked her when she asked if I had any questions, I said, Well, what do you see me in career-wise? This was way before, you know, years before I started working in in the entertainment industry. But she says, I see you working in show business. And immediately I thought, okay, no, you know, this woman is off her rocker. I'm out of you. Rockers, you know, totally. I I walked out, I even told my friend that, you know, who I went with, I said, you know, this was a ripoff. And I didn't think anything of it for years, but I happened to be driving past where the office was, and I still saw that she was there and I didn't go see her. But I when I drove past, I that memory flashed in my head the years later, and the hair on my arm stood up because I was like, wow, she was spot on. But who would have thought? So what happened was I it all started when I was finishing up my master's degree. You know, I was going, you know, I received a master's degree from Scene Hall University, New Jersey in psychology with concentration in family therapy. During my last semester, I did a practicum, unconventional practicum, but it was at a New York City talk show. And it was a staple, for those of you who may remember, it was a Sally Jess Raphael show back in the 90s and early 2000s. And what my role was working in the aftercare, what we meant by aftercare is for legal purposes, m all of these talk shows had to have a debriefing afterwards, you know, or some sort of or follow-up just in case nobody, you know, did anything extreme after an episode. Because it was a, you know, an incident in the 90s with a tale where someone was murdered. So they wanted to kind of cover their, you know, their themselves by creating, you know, an aftercare department. So that's how it started. Working with the social worker on a show. And I realized, first of all, TV is very chaotic, and I never wanted to work in production again, you know, dog show environment again. Because it really gave me a rude awakening. And what the rude awakening was how much of it is performative versus real. Yeah, the issues were real, the people, the stories were somewhat real, you know, but it was all staged. Like the host, for instance, like Sagis Raphael, everything was scripted. Every comment, every question, every remark was already scripted. She was reading on a teleprompter or someone was feeding, you know, in an earpiece. And the questions were it was all manufactured. So and and doesn't surprise me now, you know, years later, at the time it did, when I was young. So after that happened, I kept in contact with the people, you know, from the show. And this was the same year, unfortunately, that 9-11 had happened in New York. And being very close to that, that I was very affected, you know, in that, you know, every industry was affected in in the where I'm at. So I started volunteering with a group of people, you know, some of the contacts from the show. And a lot of that were actors. You know, a lot of those people were actors that I was volunteering with. Some were established, you know, some were, you know, because they were giving back and trying to, you know, because they were New York icons, you know, and so that started getting me into interest in acting. Now, I really, you know, so I I did my hand a little bit as an actor in New York, local, you know, stuff. But I realized I didn't really like acting, for instance. But I what I loved was the energy of actors, the the psyche of the actor, the the energy you know, the energetic field. It was just really compelling, like how much I really just wanted to be around actors. And so I was like, okay, I don't want to be an actor myself, but how can I still keep myself immersed in this environment? So I said, well, let me become an advocate or a support agent. And so I started my, you know, representing actors in 2004. Now, when I started this process, I was also going back for a PhD in psychology. And one thing that I kept noticing, especially with the actors I was working with, was there was a bunch, there's a lot of self-sabotage happening where they were not preparing fully, not showing up for auditions, being late, you know, all these factors that were kind of taking themselves out of it, out of the field, which is already in immensely competitive show business. It is a one of probably the most competitive industry out there. You know, it's 97 to 98 percent of actors that are declared are unemployed chronically. So it's not an easy industry, but if you're already taking yourself out of it by self-sabotage, it makes it even more difficult. Yeah. And I wanted to know why this was happening because this was not a com this was not like a one-off thing. This was happening a lot. So when it came time to do my investigative dissertation for my PhD, I said, what's going on with these actors? What's psychologically happening? Why are these actors self-sabotaging? Because in another industry I work with is also in higher ed, I've been in higher ed for 20, you know, two, twenty-three years as a college professor. And I've seen it several times, hundreds of times, where really some students are really talented and smart, but they're not self-sabotaging as well. Yeah, self-sabotage, stop coming to class, stop studying, you know, not not opening up the textbook. But when I would speak to them or or have interactions with them, like, you're already intelligent. I don't know what's happening here. And so it was that combination of those two things. I was like, I really need to start doing a deep dive on self-sabotage. And then that's when I started discovering eyednosis and NLP because of you know, working a lot with limiting beliefs and patterns and and identity was a huge part of it, you know, and and so and plus I was also getting a little disillusioned with clinical psychology. Now, I'm not here to say I think clinical psychologists do a great job. I think it's a why, you know, I have why immense respect. But for me, there were a lot of things that weren't resonating. The labeling, the diagnostic, the pathologizing was a big factor for me. And then also the prolonged therapy. I mean, I would have colleagues and professors that were saying, Oh, I've, you know, we've seen this person for eight, nine, ten years, and we're starting to make breakthroughs. I'm like, what do you mean starting? Yeah, you know, I would think at that point, you know, that's a lot of money to burn through.

SPEAKER_01 8:59

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

And for very little progress, like, there's gotta be another way. Now, I'll backtrack when I was in grad school, I was was exposed, not in the context of hypnosis, but like with Fritz Pearls and and Milton Erickson and and Jay Haley and Chloe Madonna who were proposing, and the way we were taught was it was solution-focused therapy, which actually is really a foundation of a lot of the hypnotic and NLP principles. And I really found myself so much identifying with these people, you know, because it was get in, get out, get your you know, roll your sleeves up, get in there and and and and create a solution and leave. Not have the client there for years and or at a stuck state. So that's where why I think I became so immensely interested in in this type of work, you know, because it's more rapid and it's more solution focused. We're there to work, not to keep perpetuating a pathology or or perpetuating a label. And one of the things that came up with my work was identity. So if an actor, let's say, you know, who's trying to make it up and coming, and they have the identity of a struggling actor or a starving artist, which seems to have romanticized on the starving artist. And therefore, if a starving artist, I really can't make money. So I'm gonna stop it. My subconscious is gonna prevent, prevent me and protect me from making money. Therefore, I'm gonna self-sabotage. And so that that's the whole thing too. And even with these students, a lot of it could come from identity. Maybe they weren't really taught a lot, or maybe they had you know their parents who set limiting beliefs on them growing up, you know, childhood traumas, childhood experiences.

SPEAKER_02 10:53

So yeah, I mean, how many times can you be go for an audition and and not get the part, or go for a second audition for the same part and not get the part?

SPEAKER_00 11:03

Yeah, well, uh going on dozens of auditions. And I think what adds insult to injury is very rarely are you told no, you just don't hear anything. So you go on the audition and then you don't hear anything. And no feedback, uh very little feedback. Even as agents, we don't really get that much feedback from our clients, which I can understand the actors' frustration there. I can really truly get understand and empathize through their frustration because there's no concrete feedback. There's nothing at all.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

You you you need that feedback, don't you, in order to make any changes that could potentially get you the next part.

SPEAKER_00 11:44

Well, absolutely. And in every other profession, that's that's true. I mean, whether I'm going for coaching, teaching, even our professions, isn't it? We need feedback from our trainers and and from our clients.

SPEAKER_02 11:57

Ultimately, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:58

Our clients and you know, because we need to know what we are doing? Are we are our methods going to be effective? And so that comes into play.

SPEAKER_01 12:08

Yeah, and it must be must be very daunting, though. It must be and and very um you you're left in limbo, aren't you, when you go for an audition. And if you don't hear anything, I mean, I don't know about you, but I'd be checking my emails, I'll be thinking, well, have they got the right email address? Have they got, you know, have it gone into my spam folder or something? So you you would become a little bit obsessive with it, with it, wouldn't you? It's it's quite easily to do, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 12:36

Absolutely. Or calling your agent and asking, did you hear anything? And you know, I'd gently reassure them like you'd be you'd be the first to know if I did you if I didn't hear anything. But I'm just like with you, yeah, with there's no feedback. So I I think a lot of the the issue that plays into that is the no's even even the most talented actors, no matter what, are gonna get the ratio to no's to yeses are gonna be very high and disproportionate. That's the reality. And I wish that a lot of action conservatories and training programs or university programs would prepare the actor for that.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

They do a great job of teaching technique and and working with a script and I suppose also when they're when they're in the training stage, the auditions are basically taken from the 20 people in the class. So there's a much higher chance they'll get the part that they're asking for.

SPEAKER_00 13:32

Absolutely. Or like if you're in a university training program and they're doing like a pre production Macbeth, for instance, where there's 20, 30, you know, actors and there's 20-30 actors in the classroom, you're guaranteed already.

SPEAKER_02 13:45

Everyone gets apart.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

Everyone gets apart. Now, when you're put into a larger market like New York, LA, or even West End, hello, it's much more competitive because you're not dealing with you know a dozen other people, you're dealing with hundreds, if not even thousands, of other people vying for that same part, that same role. And there has to be like a lot of resilience or grit that kind of comes in to being able to be told no thousands of times.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

Yeah, this is less for the viewer, more for me. Do you feel that they are as cutthroat as they are portrayed on TV shows? Sometimes.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

I I I think it varies. I mean, I've met people that are and I met people that aren't. What I do think you you really have to have thick skin, though it works, and even in my role as an agent, and and you know, in I'll disclose the first year or two when I was really starting out, I had a rough time with that, with the cutthroat aspect of it. It was a reality, and I'm not cutthroat, you know, that's not who I fundamentally am. So that was a little difficult for me to adjust.

SPEAKER_03 15:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

Because it is it is cutthroat. You know, people come and go, and you know, that's how the industry is. You know, other actions are sometimes that way. And so it really takes an adjustment. I think that's another part that training programs should prepare the actor for, not necessarily to be cutthroat themselves, but at least how to handle it or how to coach when it becomes that way. Yes. Some of the worst case scenarios that can happen. And you know, installing, you know, rituals or self-protection or self-care, you know, so that yeah, when it does happen, it's not as devastating or as problematic.

unknown 15:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Where it just becomes this happened. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

The sport industry is very similar, isn't it? That's very cutthroat and that's very um, you can be dropped just like that. My 14-year-old grandson is a very, very good football player, soccer player. Very, very good. And he plays for his local team. And he has to make his choices now over what his options are at school. So we talked to him and we asked him what he wants to do when he leaves school. And he is still adamant, he wants to be a footballer. So we've sort of said to him, well, that's great. Follow your dream. We will encourage you to follow your dream. We will support you in any you know respect that we can. However, you may need something else to fall back on, just encourage growth. You know, and and to do that to a 14-year-old, to have to say to him, yeah, get follow your dream, but you know, it's yeah, it it's unfair, isn't it, really? But that's the the nature of the beast, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 16:53

Well, absolutely. And especially if you're going to be, you know, out of the professional player, or uh what do you do in the sea the downtime? Because geographically is near New York City. Now, New York City is not cheap to live in, or at least even in the surrounding area. You need rent, you're gonna need, you know, uh hell expenses for food and board and lit in health, you know, insurance and all that. So you have to have a an anchor to fall back on, or you know, a balloon a balloon that can help you out, like some sort of saving grace. So it it's really important that again, that backup plan, you know, and some people may say, like, well, you're not if you have the backup plan, you're not gonna really be fully committed. Yes and no to that, because there needs to be safety in it. And most actors, I would say 99% of them have a survival job. They may work in real estate, they may work in coaching themselves, or or fitness, or catering, or taxi driving, taxi driving, or temp work, whatever it is that they need to do because they need to fund their living expenses.

SPEAKER_01 18:05

Of course, yeah. And also if you get called up for an interview or an audition, you've got to get there, haven't you? So you need the funds to be able to get there.

SPEAKER_00 18:14

Yeah, and the flexibility too, because yeah, this is why, you know, and that's why I can understand why some companies don't really like employing actors because it's gonna mean you know, have an audition buy. Exactly. And and the way that it works is you have little to no control when the auditions are gonna come in, where they can come in. I mean, they can come in last minute.

SPEAKER_01 18:40

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:40

They can they often do, and it it you have to be flexible. And if you want to really do this, yeah, then you have to drop everything that goes out of audition. Now, one thing that's kind of helpful with that because of the pandemic and COVID, a lot of auditions are now remote. So you do it on your own and you upload a tape, like they call it self-tape.

SPEAKER_02 19:04

So and if it's happening in hypnosis, there's so many more hypnotists are able to work online because we were forced to during that.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

Yeah, we were.

SPEAKER_00 19:13

Yeah, and and just like with when our because I remember too when this was happening, how a lot of hypnotists were not too thrilled, and you know, a lot of them were resistant, especially the ones that have been doing you know in person for years. And the same thing goes with the actors, especially the older actors who are not really that comfortable with. Now you gotta film, now you gotta have almost like a video production suite in your house, a setup. You need to be able to edit and and film and and all that. And they were not because you would just go to the audition and they would, you know, tape the audition at the studio. Yeah, yeah. You wouldn't have to have any technical skill. Now it's a a bit different. And one thing that often happens a lot, and I think it even happens with us, is perfectionism comes in. And perfection is complex. So then we start beating our the actors start speeding themselves up with, you know, do I need to do another take? Do I need to do another filming? And they never get anything done. So there's downsides to you know everything.

SPEAKER_01 20:16

Yeah, yeah. So what sort of approaches do you use, Albert, with your with your clients? Because I know you you have just before we we came on, we were talking and uh you mentioned hypnosis and NLP, didn't you?

SPEAKER_00 20:30

Yes, a lot of it is more applied. I mean, I really I may not even say what I'm doing is hypnosis and NLP because that may scare people, especially with actors. But one of the things that I've said all the time is how I think actors are probably the most easiest, you know, subjects and participants of hypnosis. Because they live in their imagination when they create characters, they're actually going into trance when they're creating a character. Yeah, so in reality, it it's second nature, even though they may say, I don't like hypnosis, and like you're using that technically every day when you're playing a character, you're getting into trance, really think about it in the worldview of the character. So a lot of it, what I might do is a lot of visualization, and it's basic, you know, maybe an NLP like a new behavior generator where they're actually watching themselves on the screen play this role. Yeah. And then stepping into the screen and stepping into the character and notice how you notice how it feels.

SPEAKER_01 21:33

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:34

And then I kind of, you know, educate like your subconscious mind does not know the difference between reality and you know, imagination. So even though you're running this through your imagination or visualizing this, your brain is making those pathways of it actually happening.

SPEAKER_02 21:51

One of the things I find makes me smile every time I see it, particularly with Stephen Colbert, who started originally. This friend is an actor in the movie into comedy. But when, for example, he takes a book from a shelf and he's reading the book. When he's finished the bit, he gives the book, he puts the book back. It's not bare in the first place. It does be slightly bonkers. But it it's very real to him, and presumably other actors respond the same way to the conversations they're having.

SPEAKER_00 22:25

Absolutely. And and that's that's part of it too. So you're already you you know that helps reduce the nerves and then also reframing. Yeah. So a lot of because there's a lot of pressure a lot of times when when it comes to auditions, and so a lot of it is reframing two things. Number one, the audition as a performance, not as a judgment. Because a lot of times I think subconsciously actors that are like, okay, I'm going to this room now, or I'm putting myself on tape, and I'm going to be judged in these 90 seconds to two minutes that I have to perform. So get rid of we eliminate that by saying, okay, you're there to perform, you're there to show them what you love doing. And then also when they get that bodily sensations, whether it's that butterflies in the stomach, the increased heart rate, that's the same physiological response that we have when we're excited.

SPEAKER_03 23:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

So let's reframe I'm nervous to, I'm excited to go in and just show you. So we combine that together. I'm excited because I get to show you for two minutes what I can do with this character. Now another reality is in this business that you could give a great audition, but that doesn't mean at all that you're gonna get the role or the part. That's only like 30 to 40 percent. That's all. The other 60% is out of your control. However, though, if you already have that 30 to 40 percent optimized by walking in there with that the expectation of I'm excited and I'm gonna have to show you what I can do, your audition is gonna be 10 times I could even say 10 times better. Yeah. And you were being in your head. So that's part of what we would do there. Is get ri reframe the expectation. And then also we'd work on your identity. Instead of saying I'm a starving artist, I'm a professional working actor. Because and I think this even goes with our profession too. Because I I'll go to conferences, a lot of hypnosis conferences, and I'll run into people, I'm like, yeah, you know, I'd introduce it, so tell me about you. They're like, I'm a bottling hypnotist. Like, yes, and I would blink my eyes really fast. Well, why would you say that? Yeah. The idea here is I think a lot of us get the thing, you know, we don't call ourselves a professional until we we're seeing clients are do are getting paid for it. And I think that's backwards. I think we need to re you know, adopt the identity as a professional train in order to be successful in what we do. So it's kind of like an act as if sort of thing here. So another thing we work with actors is like sort of saying an inspiring actor or a circling actor, walking with the identity of a professional working actor, well trained. I'm trained, I'm ready to do this, and then you combine the rest. I'm excited, and I get to show you what I can do. So, again, when I'm using hypnosis or another processes, I'm not replacing training because I think a lot of people who are not or are late, not maybe confused about hypnosis. It's it we're not miracle workers. They're not gonna create, you know, I can't just like I'm gonna be an athlete.

SPEAKER_02 25:40

Some of that I think comes from the the story, you know. I was working behind the co counter at Woolworths when so-and-so walked in and hired me on the spot. And those stories are everywhere in the media and nowhere in real life, or at least very few places in real life.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

Because uh that part, the first part may be true. You may be working at Woolworths, you may be working at and they discovered you, but what they also didn't tell you was I've been also, you know, working my my rear end off for the past 15 years doing black books theater and student films before I they found me, you know, in the in this cafe. Yeah, you know, so that is more of the reality because that's why the expression goes, it took me 15 years to become an overnight sensation. So it's that's part of it too. But you know, I I think that's where where that comes in is you know the training, the experience. Now, hypnosis in NLP is not gonna get you, you know, make you a celebrity. I want to make that very clear. And that's really when I talk and work with people, and like that is not gonna happen. That's where acting training comes in. You actually need you know mechanical training. Just like with with your grandson, you know, playing hypnosis is not gonna make him a better football player and maybe get him out of his head. He needs practice. Yeah, but however, what we can say is like when you're 100% working up here, the rest becomes easier. What you're gonna take in is gonna become easier and you're gonna be much more impactful because you're gonna be the best you you can be.

SPEAKER_01 27:16

Yeah, yeah. And that's what we do, don't we, as therapists? We we help people to become the the best version of themselves, don't we? In all in all capacities, in all walks of life. I've got um a young lady that I I specialise in working with children, Albert. So I've got a young lady coming to see me who is an elite gymnast and she's got a bit of a mental block. So she's coming to see me uh so I can fight for her. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, so just one particular, one particular, how do how can I describe this? Just one particular movement in her routine, and it's it's gone. She can't do it.

SPEAKER_00 27:59

So yeah, so I I and I think there's work we can do a lot with this, you know, with with that by you know, doing certain rituals and and and even that, even you know, doing physiological movement, state control. That's a big factor too, is managing your state. Even doing civil power poses. I'll have, you know, if if it's an in-person audition, maybe they can step off to the restroom for, you know, so they're not people won't see them doing it, but do like a power pose for like two minutes so that now they're clear, their site is cleaned, and they walk in in a much more powerful state.

SPEAKER_01 28:40

A lot of musicians use them, don't they? A lot of musicians, excuse me, a lot of musicians will sorry, my voice has gone. A lot of mu I don't be watering. A lot of musicians will anchor themselves into that positive state, though, won't they, that positive mindset before they go on stage if it's a live performance or anything like that. And I I uh I know a lot of sports people do the same, the anchor in those good, you know, positive mindsets and thoughts and behaviours. So I suppose actors can do exactly the same, can't they, when they when they go for auditioning or when they go for for parts? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 29:27

Do you use hypnosis to assist your clients? Do you advertise outside? Do you see other people's clients? Sometimes hypothesis? Okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:39

If if they come, yes. I mean, sometimes I'll help them with their their systems, you know, come in and work with their their mindset, you know, but yeah, I mean, some some actors that just need advice, you know, a little conditioning in a sense, or tune-up.

SPEAKER_03 29:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Uh, and I've also worked with stud you know, non-acting clients too, like students and you know, like where you know, a past student who will contact me and say, I need a couple of sessions to work on whatever it is I need to work on, whether it's imposter syndrome or you know, just anxiety or juggling, you know, learning how to juggle different types of roles. So, yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 30:19

And now you said uh earlier on the good thing about what we what we do is, you know, whether it's hypnosis, NLP, or a mixture of everything, we don't take very long to do it, do we? It's not months and months of therapy, it's just a few weeks, really, isn't it, in general?

SPEAKER_00 30:38

Absolutely. And that's what I really enjoy about this type of work, is it's not it's it's very rapid.

SPEAKER_01 30:45

So I don't know about how what it's like over there in the States, but over here in the UK, Denise and I have talked about this before. It we're usually the last resort. Hypnotherapists or therapists for hypnosis are usually the last resort when all other avenues have been exhausted. Then you know they'll think, well, where else can I go? Oh exactly. Is that is that what it's like there?

SPEAKER_00 31:11

100%. And again, it's still there's still, even though it's been around for you know the eight since the 1800s, yeah, it's still stigmatized.

SPEAKER_02 31:23

Yeah and cold hypnosis for more than a hundred years now.

SPEAKER_00 31:27

Yeah, yeah. Well, and and there's still there's still a lot of stigma attached because of the stage hypnotists, yeah. Or they've seen movies that it's so a lot of them is a little people were scared of of hypnosis. And again, it's not seen as as mainstream. Yeah, so I I know I know at least here in the states, it's almost impossible to get insurance to cover here managed care to to cover you know hypno hypnosis services. Although I do believe they would have a much more effective rate. We know that. We know it. But you know, getting the mainstream to to get that is you know a little bit out of out of my bag.

SPEAKER_01 32:08

Yeah, yeah. It is it's a it's a sad state of affairs, really, for us, isn't it? But it the the good things that we have is when our clients come to see us and that transformation um to witness that is is just so humbling as well, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 32:25

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 32:26

Yeah. But thank you, Albert. Thank you for talking to us. So if you give me all your details, then I will put them at the end of the recording. So if you send me all your details and a folks, sure, I will do that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:40

So probably we should put a writer. Do you have different addresses for your hypnosis business and your acting? Yeah, I could I could send both.

SPEAKER_00 32:51

I can send that vote. I'll send everything, like my agency website, my um personal and and all that so that you can get a hold of me.

SPEAKER_01 32:59

And a photograph of you so people can see at the end. I will do that. Really good seeing you again. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 33:04

Good seeing you again, too. And I really appreciate you both.

SPEAKER_01 33:08

Oh no, thank you. It's it was lovely. Thank you very, very much. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 33:12

All right, have a good one.

SPEAKER_01 33:13

Thank you. We hope you've enjoyed listening. Please remember this podcast is designed to give you an insight into therapeutic hypnosis. And it's for educational purposes only. So remember to start with your own health and professionals if you think something you've heard may apply to you or a loved one.