Hypnotist Wayne Donnelly has a reputation as one of Australia’s funniest and most inventive stage hypnotists.  

Performing in venues around Australia, Wayne’s fun-filled shows have audiences rolling in the aisles with laughter as they are amused and amazed by the volunteers’ “on-stage” antics.

A balance of mirth and mayhem unfold as volunteers come up on stage to be hypnotised, Donnelly says.

“They don’t know what will happen, they may not remember what did happen...yet. And the audience watch it unfold  right before their very eyes.”  

The volunteers are quickly and safely transported into the realm of trance in a brilliant display of rapid hypnotic inductions. This is the place where the ‘magic’ transpires, Donnelly says, as he takes them on a journey through their unconscious minds to perform as ‘stars’ of the show. The volunteers are the stars, and like an orchestra, with Donnelly as the maestro guiding and leading them through routines that graphically demonstrate how ‘reality is plastic’, he says.   

Audiences marvel at the mystery of the mind in Donnelly’s hypnosis shows.

“Even I still marvel at what volunteers will do as they respond to my hypnotic suggestions,” Donnelly says.

Donnelly was introduced to hypnosis through two powerful experiences. The first was via a fire walk in Sydney with Anthony Robbins.

“To watch a man speak to a few thousand people from stage and put them into a state of mind that enables them to walk on fire is inspiring to watch.” 

The second powerful experience was when a hypnotherapist worked with Donnelly in 2005 to overcome depression after major back surgery. 

“In three or four sessions I felt like I was embracing life again” Wayne says.

So when his future was freed up during the GFC, Wayne turned to indepth training in the skills of hypnosis and Neuro Linguistic Programming. He now shares his skills with people Australia-wide.