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{{short description|British hypnotist and TV personality (born 1963)}}
{{about|the British self-improvement author and broadcaster|the British ]|Paul McKenna (footballer)}}
{{about|the British self-improvement author and television broadcaster}}{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
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| image = Paul McKenna at The Best You Expo 2018.png
{{Infobox actor
| image_size =
| name = Paul McKenna
| caption =
| image =Paul_McKenna_portrait.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1963|11|8}}
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| birth_place = ], England
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| death_date =
| birthdate = {{birth date and age|1963|11|8|df=yes}}
| birthname = | death_place =
| occupation = Hypnotist, writer, television & radio broadcaster
| location = ], ], ], ]
| known_for = Hypnosis
| height =
| notable role = Host for '']'' | spouse =
| website = {{URL|paulmckenna.com/}}
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{{Neuro-linguistic programming|expanded=practitioners}}


'''Paul McKenna''' (born 8 November 1963)<ref>{{cite book |title=] |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/contemporaryauth0000unse_s0m6/page/240/mode/2up |chapter=Paul McKenna|volume=338|date=2013 |publisher=Gale |location=Detroit |isbn=978-1-4144-9727-3 |pages=240–242 }}</ref> is a British ], ], television and radio broadcaster and author of ] books.
'''Paul McKenna ''' (born 8 November 1963, in ], ]) is an ] ] and self-improvement author. According to the '']'' he is Britain's best selling non-fiction author and is published in 30 languages.<ref> </ref>


McKenna has written and produced books and multimedia products, hosted self-improvement television shows and presents seminars in ], ] and weight loss. McKenna has hosted self-improvement television shows and presents seminars in ], ], weight loss, motivation, the Zen meditation ], Amygdala Depotentiation Therapy (ADT) and the ] techniques.

==Early life==
McKenna was born in ] to a builder and a home economics teacher. He attended ].<ref name="norman">{{cite news |last=Norman|first=Neil|title=Paul McKenna: The eyes have it |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/paul-mckenna-the-eyes-have-it-6095218.html |access-date=20 February 2023 |work=The Independent |date=15 July 2006 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wignall |first=Alice |title=The hypnotist |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2004/nov/02/myfavouritelesson.schools |access-date=20 February 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=2 November 2004}}</ref> He was routinely bullied by his teachers for his ].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Day |first1=Elizabeth |title=How I healed my inner nerd |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3641487/How-I-healed-my-inner-nerd.html |access-date=20 February 2023 |work=www.telegraph.co.uk |date=4 May 2005}}</ref>


==Career== ==Career==


===Radio and television===
Paul McKenna started in radio, aged 16, at in-store Radio Topshop, and went on to present for stations including ], ], ] and ].
McKenna started working in Radio Top Shop aged 16, and went on to present for stations including ] and ].<ref name="norman" />


After two years presenting at ] in the early 1990s, McKenna hosted a number of TV programmes, including ''The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna'' (1993–97), ''The Paranormal World of Paul McKenna'' (1996–97) and ''Hyp the Streets'' (1999). He won the ] Award for Best TV Newcomer in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2003-10-10 |title=From small-time radio DJ to TV star attracting millions of viewers around the world |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/small-time-radio-dj-tv-star-2464537 |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref> During this time, he continued his studies of hypnosis and ] (NLP) with Richard Bandler, the co-creator of NLP.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
A ] who guested on his show led to a developing interest in the subject, initially for reasons of self-development, although entertainment was later to play a big part. Whilst still working at Capital, he began experimenting with small hypnotic shows, first for the amusement of friends, then for audiences in ] and clubs. McKenna then started doing regular Sunday night shows at the ], which was owned at the time by Capital. The success of those shows led to his playing other theatres across the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, the US, Australia and Hong Kong.<ref>'Look Into My Eyes', The Observer, 12 December 2004</ref>
{{Neuro-linguistic programming}}
After a brief spell at ]<ref>http://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/paul_mckenna.htm</ref> in the early 1990s, McKenna decided to quit radio. In 1993, ] broadcast ''The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna'', which featured audience members volunteering to be hypnotised to act in comedic ways, the show subsequently being aired in 42 countries. During this time, McKenna continued to study hypnosis, and ] with ], the co-creator of NLP.


McKenna appeared on series 4, episode 2 of '']'' to hypnotise presenter ] in 2004. In October 2009 he was a guest on '']'', a music discussion programme on ].<ref>{{cite web |date=11 October 2009 |title=Private Passions: Paul McKenna |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n6ths |access-date=4 February 2014 |publisher=BBC Radio 3 |type=programme listing}}</ref>
Many of McKenna's one-to-one ] clients are celebrities<ref> </ref> including ]<ref> </ref> and ], who used McKenna's "time distortion technique" to help with his swim across the English Channel.<ref></ref>


From February 2014 to September 2015, McKenna hosted a talk show called ''McKenna'', broadcast on ] and featuring "non-journalistic" interviews with ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Stadlen |first=Matthew |date=2015-01-26 |title=Paul McKenna's spreadsheet of destiny |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11364836/McKennas-spreadsheet-of-destiny.html |work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=20 April 2014 |title=Media Monkey's Diary: BBC, Tony Gallagher, Ipso and Zai Bennett |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2014/apr/20/bbc-tony-gallagher-ipso-zai-bennett |website=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Paul McKenna, Ph.D. |url=https://www.hayhouse.co.uk/authorbio/paul-mckenna-ph-d |website=Hay House Publishing}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fernando |first1=Aneya |date=24 July 2014 |title=Paul McKenna on What Makes a Great Interviewer |url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/paul-mckenna-on-what-makes-a-great-interviewer/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803173339/http://www.adweek.com/fishbowlny/paul-mckenna-on-what-makes-a-great-interviewer/221820 |archive-date=3 August 2016 |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=] |publisher=}}</ref>
In the 1990s, McKenna presented a number of TV programmes including ''The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna'' (1993-1995), ''Paul McKenna's Paranormal World'' (1997) and ''Hyp the Streets'' (1999). In January 2008, the ] signed a £23 million deal with McKenna to make a series of self-help programmes. To date, the deal is the largest ever for a British TV personality.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-508749/Think-rich-TV-deal-make-McKenna-Americas-biggest-diet-guru-earn-23m.html</ref> The first of his ''I Can Make You Thin'' programmes aired on ] on 16 March 2008.


=== Hypnosis ===
In October 2009 he was a guest on '']'', the biographical music discussion programme on ].<ref></ref>
He became interested in hypnotism as a result of a guest who appeared on his show.<ref name="The Independent">{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Alice |date=7 January 2016 |title=Paul McKenna is launching a new book on the psychology of influence |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/paul-mckenna-interview-the-celebrity-hypnotist-is-launching-a-new-book-on-the-psychology-of-a6801446.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/paul-mckenna-interview-the-celebrity-hypnotist-is-launching-a-new-book-on-the-psychology-of-a6801446.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=The Independent |language=en-GB}}</ref> He was taught hypnosis by ], with whom he continued to work closely for many years. While working at Capital Radio, McKenna began experimenting with small hypnosis shows in pubs and clubs, UK military bases and university events. He then starred in a regular Sunday night show at the ], which was owned at the time by Capital Radio. The success of those shows led to his playing other theatres across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the US, Australia and Hong Kong.<ref name="Observer2004">{{cite web |last=Vernon |first=Polly |date=12 December 2004 |title=Look in to my eyes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2004/dec/12/features.magazine67 |access-date=12 January 2024 |website=The Observer |publisher=The Guardian |type=Interview with Paul McKenna}}</ref>


==Education == ===Research===
In 1996, McKenna was granted a PhD from ] in Louisiana. It was legally licensed by the state, but it falsely claimed to be an accredited institution.<ref name="Scotsman" /> The school exempted McKenna from coursework based on his prior work, and his dissertation was producing a series of self-help tapes that eventually became a book, ''Change Your Life in Seven Days''.<ref name="addley">{{Cite news |last=Addley |first=Esther |date=2006-07-11 |title=McKenna sues journalist over 'bogus' PhD claim |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/jul/12/estheraddley.uknews2 |access-date=2023-02-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
McKenna holds two Doctorates. In 1996, after two years of study on a 70,000-word thesis, McKenna was granted the doctoral degree ] degree from ]. LaSalle University was properly licenced by the state of Louisiana, but falsely claimed to be an accredited university. After the principal of LaSalle pleaded guilty to fraud, along with thousands of other students, McKenna was awarded compensation from the U.S. government.


Discovery of this lack of accreditation prompted McKenna to obtain another PhD from ] in 2003.<ref name="addley" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Blau |first1=Rosie |date=16 November 2007 |title=I'm not a guru, I'm not a Svengali |url=https://www.ft.com/content/ac785c90-93f9-11dc-acd0-0000779fd2ac |access-date=20 February 2023 |work=Financial Times}}</ref> The title of his thesis was "The Effects of Fixed Action Patterns and Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Determining Outcomes in Human Behaviour".<ref name="Times">{{cite web |last1=Flintoff |first1=John-Paul |date=30 July 2006 |title=Repeat after me . . . I am not dodgy |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/repeat-after-me-i-am-not-dodgy-tdx5frcth07 |access-date=24 April 2024 |website=The Times |language=en}}</ref>{{efn|The IMCA was accredited at the time of McKenna’s study through the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and British Accreditation Council. As of 2005 it no longer has either status, affecting degrees awarded from 2005 onwards.<ref name="TES">{{cite web |title=Cyber university's credibility in question - News - TES |url=http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6003546 |website=tes.co.uk |access-date=24 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202190634/http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6003546 |archive-date=2 February 2014 |date=10 October 2008}}</ref>}}
In 2004, McKenna completed an APEL and subsequently gained a UK accredited doctoral degree ] from the business school ] (IMCA),<ref> - Website IMCA DPhil dissertations</ref> which is accredited by the ] (BAC).<ref>http://www.the-bac.org British Accreditation Council</ref> The title of his thesis was "The Effects of Fixed Action Patterns and ] in Determining Outcomes in Human Behaviour".


McKenna specialises in ], severe trauma, pain control and emotional overwhelm.<ref>{{cite web |last=Iley |first=Chrissy |date=15 January 2012 |title=Paul McKenna: 'I'm not built for relationships' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/9010562/Paul-McKenna-Im-not-built-for-relationships.html |work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Moore |first=James |date=13 May 2013 |title=Paul McKenna: I can make you better |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/paul-mckenna-i-can-make-you-better-8614417.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/paul-mckenna-i-can-make-you-better-8614417.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |work=The Independent}}</ref>
In 2006 McKenna successfully sued the '']'' for ], over claims made by journalist ] that McKenna obtained a "bogus degree" merely for money to deliberately defraud the public (the degree was from ]). McKenna won the case and substantial damages. The court stated, "Mr McKenna was not, in my judgment, dishonest and, for that matter, whatever one may think of the academic quality of his work, or of the La Salle degree, it would not be accurate to describe it as 'bogus'." "Desmond Browne, QC, for McKenna, said that 'any perceived lack of academic rigour at La Salle' did not prove that his client was dishonest."<ref> </ref><ref> </ref><ref> </ref><ref> </ref>


===Self-help===
==Publishing career==
McKenna is the author of self-help and personal development books.


He has practiced one-to-one ] on celebrity clients.<ref name="Observer2004" /> He helped ] cope with stage fright when she starred in ''The Seven Year Itch''.<ref>{{cite web |date=2000-10-09 |title=Daryl makes stage splash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/963670.stm |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=BBC News}}</ref> According to one of McKenna's books, Rob Brydon claimed that McKenna helped alleviate his fear of flying, ] advocated for McKenna's weight loss strategies and ] used McKenna to help with his swim across the English Channel.<ref name="The Independent"/>
McKenna has produced a range of self-help books, CDs and DVDs. In 2006 his book sales alone reached £3.5m.<ref>Financial Times, 18 November 2007</ref>. He is the king of the UK self-help genre - his guides and manuals have been worth just shy of £17m to UK book retailers in the 21st Century, according to Nielsen BookScan data.


McKenna focuses on teaching people how to "deprogramme" their sugar cravings, claiming "sugar is the most dangerous drug in the world".<ref>{{cite web |last=Dunbar |first=Polly |date=22 January 2017 |title=Can Paul McKenna Fix YOUR Sugar Addiction? |url=https://www.womanandhome.com/health-and-wellbeing/can-paul-mckenna-fix-your-sugar-addiction-88676/ |work=Woman & Home}}</ref>
He has also published:


==Libel lawsuits==
:* ''I Can Make You Rich '', ]: 2007. ISBN 0-593-05537-3
===''Daily Star'' & ''National Enquirer''===
:* ''Quit Smoking Today Without Gaining Weight '', Bantam Press: 2007. ISBN 0-593-05536-5
In 1999, McKenna successfully sued both the '']'' and '']'' for ] after they published articles that alleged he had damaged the mental health of a man whom he hypnotised in one of his shows.<ref name="bbc1999">{{cite news |date=1999-05-21 |title=McKenna wins six-figure libel |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/349627.stm |work=BBC News}}</ref> Both lawsuits resulted in six-figure settlements.<ref name="bbc1999" /> The man involved had sued McKenna in a previous trial, but the judge dismissed the suit after concluding that there was no evidence that McKenna's stage hypnosis posed any risk to those taking part.<ref name="bbc1999" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Finn |first=Gary |date=14 August 1998 |title=Hypnotist cleared over schizophrenia |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/hypnotist-cleared-over-schizophrenia-1171659.html |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
:* ''Instant Confidence'', Bantam Press: 2006. ISBN 0-593-05535-7
:* ''I Can Make You Thin'', Bantam Press: 2005. ISBN 0-593-05054-1
:* ''Change Your Life in Seven Days'', 2005 (with Hugh Willbourn) ISBN 0-593-05053-3
:* ''How to Mend Your Broken Heart'', Bantam Press: 2003. ISBN 0-593-05055-X
:* ''The Power to Influence'', ]: 1998. ISBN 1-905453-56-6 (audiobook with ])
:* ''The Paranormal World of Paul McKenna'', Faber and Faber: 1997. ISBN 0-571-19245-9
:* ''Paul McKenna's Hypnotic Secrets '', Boxtree: 1995. ISBN 0-7522-0192-1 (with Peter Willis and Clare Staples)
:* ''The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna'', Faber and Faber: 1994. ISBN 0-571-16802-7


===''Daily Mirror''===
McKenna has also released a number of audio recordings including ''Sleep Like a Log'', ''Eliminate Stress'', and '' Stop Smoking for Good''. He also wrote the foreword to Nikolic, Seka and Sarah Tay, ''You Can Heal Yourself: Bio-energy and the Power of Self-healing''.<ref>Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd.: 2006. ISBN 0-283-07038-2</ref>
In 2006, McKenna successfully sued the '']'' for libel over claims made by former TV critic ] that McKenna's qualification from LaSalle was a purchased "bogus degree" bought with the intention of deliberately defrauding the public.<ref name="Scotsman">{{cite web |date=11 July 2006 |title=Hypnotist McKenna sues over degree claim |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/uk-news/hypnotist-mckenna-sues-over-degree-claim-2510484 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719205508/http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1008282006 |archive-date=19 July 2012 |access-date=12 January 2024 |website=The Scotsman |publisher=}}</ref> McKenna won the case, and the newspaper was ordered to pay £75,000 in costs. The judge, Justice Eady, said that while the scholarly characterisation of the degree was "another matter", McKenna did not believe the degree was "bogus or that he misled anyone in allowing himself to be referred to as a PhD."<ref>{{cite news |date=28 July 2006 |title=McKenna wins 'fake degree' case |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5223454.stm |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=BBC News}}</ref>


==Published works==
== Professional influences ==
{{div col|colwidth=48em}}

* ''Success for Life: The Secret to Achieving Your True Potential'', Headline Publishing Group: 2024 {{ISBN|9781802797886}}
McKenna learned hypnosis and NLP from ], co-creator of ].
* ''Freedom from Anxiety'', Welbeck: 2023 {{ISBN|978-1-80279-550-9}}

* ''Control Stress'', ] 2017 {{ISBN|978-1-401-94913-6}}
He uses ] in many of his television demonstrations and studied under Roger Callahan the creator of TFT. ], Ph.D. a clinical psychologist. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Syracuse University. <ref> </ref>
* ''Supercharge Your Intelligence Today!'', Hay House 2017 {{ISBN|978-1-401-94897-9}}
<ref> </ref>
* ''Get Control of Sugar Now!'', Hay House 2017 {{ISBN|978-0-593-07568-5}}
<ref> </ref>
* ''The 3 Things That Will Change Your Destiny Today!'', Hay House 2016 {{ISBN|978-1-401-94909-9}}

* ''Freedom from Emotional Eating'', Hay House 2015 {{ISBN|978-1-401-94895-5}}
McKenna also teaches the Zen meditation 'Big Mind'. He presents the process with its creator, American Zen Master ], abbot and founder of Kanzeon Zen Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. He received transmission in both Soto Zen and Rinzai Zen. Merzel was the second Dharma Successor of Taizan Maezumi roshi, with whom he began his Zen practice in the 1970s.<ref> </ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>
* ''Instant Influence and Charisma'', ] 2015 {{ISBN|978-0-593-07566-1}}

* ''Hypnotic Gastric Band'', ] 2013 {{ISBN|978-0-593-07074-1}}
== See also ==
* ''I Can Make You Smarter'', Bantam Press 2012 {{ISBN|978-0-593-06405-4}}
*]
* ''I Can Make You Happy'', Bantam Press: 2011 {{ISBN|978-0-593-06404-7}}
*]
* ''Change Your Life in Seven Days'' updated version, Bantam Press: 2010 {{ISBN|978-0-593-06661-4}}
*]
* ''I Can Make You Confident'', ]: 2010. {{ISBN|1-4027-6922-9}}
*]
* ''I Can Make You Sleep'', Bantam Press: 2009 {{ISBN|1-4027-6574-6}}
* ''Control Stress Stop Worrying and Feel Good Now!'', Bantam Press: 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-593-05629-5}}
* ''I Can Make You Rich'', Bantam Press: 2007 {{ISBN|0-593-05537-3}}
* ''Quit Smoking Today Without Gaining Weight'', Bantam Press: 2007 {{ISBN|0-593-05536-5}}
* ''Instant Confidence'', Bantam Press: 2006 {{ISBN|0-593-05535-7}}
* ''I Can Make You Thin 90-Day Success Journal'', Bantam Press: 2006 {{ISBN|978-0-593-05056-9}}
* ''I Can Make You Thin'', Bantam Press: 2005 {{ISBN|0-593-05054-1}}
* ''Change Your Life in Seven Days'', 2005 {{ISBN|0-593-05053-3}}
* ''How to Mend Your Broken Heart'', (with Hugh Willbourn) Bantam Press: 2003 {{ISBN|0-593-05055-X}}
* ''The Power to Influence'', Nightingale-Conant: 1998 {{ISBN|1-905453-56-6}} (audiobook with ])
* ''The Paranormal World of Paul McKenna'', ]: 1997 {{ISBN|0-571-19245-9}}
* ''Paul McKenna's Hypnotic Secrets'', ]: 1995 {{ISBN|0-7522-0192-1}} (with Peter Willis and Clare Staples)
* ''Hypno Slim'', Sunday Books: 1994 {{ISBN|978-1-898-88501-6}}
* ''The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna'', Faber and Faber: 1994 {{ISBN|0-571-16802-7}}
{{div col end}}


==References== ==References==
{{reflist|2}} {{reflist}}{{Notelist}}


==External links== ==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.paulmckenna.com}}
*
* {{IMDb name|0571408}}
*
* {{imdb name|id=0571408|name=Paul McKenna}}
* with McKenna
* by Director magazine


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Latest revision as of 00:44, 17 October 2024

British hypnotist and TV personality (born 1963) This article is about the British self-improvement author and television broadcaster. For other uses, see Paul McKenna (disambiguation).

Paul McKenna
Born (1963-11-08) 8 November 1963 (age 61)
Enfield, London, England
Occupation(s)Hypnotist, writer, television & radio broadcaster
Known forHypnosis
Websitepaulmckenna.com
Neuro-linguistic
programming
Topics
Developers
Practitioners
Organisations

Paul McKenna (born 8 November 1963) is a British hypnotist, behavioural scientist, television and radio broadcaster and author of self-help books.

McKenna has hosted self-improvement television shows and presents seminars in hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, weight loss, motivation, the Zen meditation Big Mind, Amygdala Depotentiation Therapy (ADT) and the Havening techniques.

Early life

McKenna was born in Enfield, London to a builder and a home economics teacher. He attended St Ignatius College. He was routinely bullied by his teachers for his dyslexia.

Career

Radio and television

McKenna started working in Radio Top Shop aged 16, and went on to present for stations including Radio Caroline and Capital London.

After two years presenting at BBC Radio 1 in the early 1990s, McKenna hosted a number of TV programmes, including The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna (1993–97), The Paranormal World of Paul McKenna (1996–97) and Hyp the Streets (1999). He won the Television and Radio Industries Club Award for Best TV Newcomer in 1994. During this time, he continued his studies of hypnosis and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) with Richard Bandler, the co-creator of NLP.

McKenna appeared on series 4, episode 2 of Top Gear to hypnotise presenter Richard Hammond in 2004. In October 2009 he was a guest on Private Passions, a music discussion programme on BBC Radio 3.

From February 2014 to September 2015, McKenna hosted a talk show called McKenna, broadcast on Hulu and featuring "non-journalistic" interviews with Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest, Roger Moore, Rachael Ray, Tony Robbins and Richard Dawkins.

Hypnosis

He became interested in hypnotism as a result of a guest who appeared on his show. He was taught hypnosis by Richard Bandler, with whom he continued to work closely for many years. While working at Capital Radio, McKenna began experimenting with small hypnosis shows in pubs and clubs, UK military bases and university events. He then starred in a regular Sunday night show at the Duke of York's Theatre, which was owned at the time by Capital Radio. The success of those shows led to his playing other theatres across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the US, Australia and Hong Kong.

Research

In 1996, McKenna was granted a PhD from LaSalle University in Louisiana. It was legally licensed by the state, but it falsely claimed to be an accredited institution. The school exempted McKenna from coursework based on his prior work, and his dissertation was producing a series of self-help tapes that eventually became a book, Change Your Life in Seven Days.

Discovery of this lack of accreditation prompted McKenna to obtain another PhD from Revans University in 2003. The title of his thesis was "The Effects of Fixed Action Patterns and Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Determining Outcomes in Human Behaviour".

McKenna specialises in post-traumatic stress disorder, severe trauma, pain control and emotional overwhelm.

Self-help

McKenna is the author of self-help and personal development books.

He has practiced one-to-one hypnotherapy on celebrity clients. He helped Daryl Hannah cope with stage fright when she starred in The Seven Year Itch. According to one of McKenna's books, Rob Brydon claimed that McKenna helped alleviate his fear of flying, Stephen Fry advocated for McKenna's weight loss strategies and David Walliams used McKenna to help with his swim across the English Channel.

McKenna focuses on teaching people how to "deprogramme" their sugar cravings, claiming "sugar is the most dangerous drug in the world".

Libel lawsuits

Daily Star & National Enquirer

In 1999, McKenna successfully sued both the Daily Star and National Enquirer for libel after they published articles that alleged he had damaged the mental health of a man whom he hypnotised in one of his shows. Both lawsuits resulted in six-figure settlements. The man involved had sued McKenna in a previous trial, but the judge dismissed the suit after concluding that there was no evidence that McKenna's stage hypnosis posed any risk to those taking part.

Daily Mirror

In 2006, McKenna successfully sued the Daily Mirror for libel over claims made by former TV critic Victor Lewis-Smith that McKenna's qualification from LaSalle was a purchased "bogus degree" bought with the intention of deliberately defrauding the public. McKenna won the case, and the newspaper was ordered to pay £75,000 in costs. The judge, Justice Eady, said that while the scholarly characterisation of the degree was "another matter", McKenna did not believe the degree was "bogus or that he misled anyone in allowing himself to be referred to as a PhD."

Published works

References

  1. "Paul McKenna". Contemporary Authors. Vol. 338. Detroit: Gale. 2013. pp. 240–242. ISBN 978-1-4144-9727-3.
  2. ^ Norman, Neil (15 July 2006). "Paul McKenna: The eyes have it". The Independent. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  3. Wignall, Alice (2 November 2004). "The hypnotist". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  4. Day, Elizabeth (4 May 2005). "How I healed my inner nerd". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  5. "From small-time radio DJ to TV star attracting millions of viewers around the world". Wales Online. 10 October 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  6. "Private Passions: Paul McKenna" (programme listing). BBC Radio 3. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  7. Stadlen, Matthew (26 January 2015). "Paul McKenna's spreadsheet of destiny". The Daily Telegraph.
  8. "Media Monkey's Diary: BBC, Tony Gallagher, Ipso and Zai Bennett". The Guardian. 20 April 2014.
  9. "Paul McKenna, Ph.D." Hay House Publishing.
  10. Fernando, Aneya (24 July 2014). "Paul McKenna on What Makes a Great Interviewer". Adweek. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  11. ^ Jones, Alice (7 January 2016). "Paul McKenna is launching a new book on the psychology of influence". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  12. ^ Vernon, Polly (12 December 2004). "Look in to my eyes". The Observer (Interview with Paul McKenna). The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Hypnotist McKenna sues over degree claim". The Scotsman. 11 July 2006. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  14. ^ Addley, Esther (11 July 2006). "McKenna sues journalist over 'bogus' PhD claim". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  15. Blau, Rosie (16 November 2007). "I'm not a guru, I'm not a Svengali". Financial Times. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  16. Flintoff, John-Paul (30 July 2006). "Repeat after me . . . I am not dodgy". The Times. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  17. "Cyber university's credibility in question - News - TES". tes.co.uk. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  18. Iley, Chrissy (15 January 2012). "Paul McKenna: 'I'm not built for relationships'". The Daily Telegraph.
  19. Moore, James (13 May 2013). "Paul McKenna: I can make you better". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022.
  20. "Daryl makes stage splash". BBC News. 9 October 2000. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  21. Dunbar, Polly (22 January 2017). "Can Paul McKenna Fix YOUR Sugar Addiction?". Woman & Home.
  22. ^ "McKenna wins six-figure libel". BBC News. 21 May 1999.
  23. Finn, Gary (14 August 1998). "Hypnotist cleared over schizophrenia". The Independent. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  24. "McKenna wins 'fake degree' case". BBC News. 28 July 2006. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  1. The IMCA was accredited at the time of McKenna’s study through the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and British Accreditation Council. As of 2005 it no longer has either status, affecting degrees awarded from 2005 onwards.

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