Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott McFall.
Hi Scott, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I grew up in North Dakota in a household with my younger sister. My interest in human behavior began because of a congenital heart issue — my first heart surgery was at the age of 11. Often, sitting around watching people and my own coping with mortality as a kid began the process. An ICU nurse taught me hypnotic techniques to distract myself from pain during my time in intensive care, and the assistance inspired an enthusiastic student within this discipline.
My grandparents were also involved in hypnosis as well as my father; I became certified in hypnotism in the 1980s. Shows, demonstrations of hypnosis, and mentalism became a big part of my career. The first place I worked was the Oldenburg Clinic in Bismarck. There were many referring doctors and tons of cases. Then I became educated. I didn’t take academics seriously until I was at the infamous and ill-fated American Institute of Hypnotherapy run by Al Krazner in California. Through massive referrals and the marketing genius Russell Yarnell’s teaching, my practices and seminars grew. Then teaching people how to become teachers became the most important mission for me.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been smooth thankfully. How boring would smooth be, really? Luckily, we all have successes and times when we are down so that we can know the difference. I have had disfigurements that required 3 summers of reconstruction and 2 heart surgeries. There are always the days you are a hero and the days you bomb. The most significant challenge we all face is to simply accept ourselves. That way, if you are in a ten-thousand-person arena and the show goes well, your head and ego stay the same on the ride home as it was on the way there. Our own irrational desire to match expectations without bumps in the road is definitely the biggest struggle.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I founded a group called the Master Hypnotist Society, which was formed after creating several schools and trainers in the industry. The organization is dedicated to the promotion and use of techniques from neuro-linguistics, hypnosis, and perceptual engineering. We educate physicians and mental health professionals, as well as consulting hypnotists on the use of methods to facilitate skill building, emotional growth, medical use, and forgiveness skills within our specialty. The current president of the organization, Dr. Daniel Burow, is a licensed psychologist with an extensive background in Ericksonian Hypnosis. We advocate for an educational, skills-building approach to human change rather than a problem-fixing model. Another reason for the organization is to lobby and advocate with policymakers.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Throughout my career, I’ve had some great experiences. My favorite moment as an entertainer was opening for Johnny Cash as a last-minute replacement in Minot, ND. Clinically, my favorite experience was a forensic case in which a man was found beaten within an inch of his life in his garage. He could not remember what happened. When he was hypnotized, he first thought it was aliens that beat him, then fictional characters. After repeating the process several times, he could admit to himself that it was his next-door neighbor and his wife that had committed the crime. The case showed me how foolish some investigators happen to be; they don’t realize how many times a person who doesn’t want to face what the truth is can imagine almost anything, even under hypnosis.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://scotthypnosis.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcfall.publishing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scott.mcfall.543/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/hypnotistscott
