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This article is about the English hypnotist, for the English footballer, see Paul McKenna (footballer).
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Paul McKenna (born 8 November 1963, in Enfield, Middlesex, England) is an English hypnotist, author, and television personality. He also produces self-help material, combining hypnosis with neuro-linguistic programming, including such topics as smoking cessation, weight loss and recovery from heartbreak.

In October, 2003, McKenna sued journalist Victor Lewis-Smith for libel, over claims that McKenna obtained a "bogus degree" from Lasalle University and intentionally used it to mislead the public. In July, 2006, McKenna won the case.

Professional Career

Paul McKenna's original calling was as a radio disk jockey; he cites Kenny Everett as one of his inspirations. He appeared on Chiltern Radio in the mid-1980s, where he became known for his personality and sense of humour, before moving to Capital Radio in London. Capital's programme controller Richard Park told him to abandon the overt humour of his presenting style and stick to being enthusiastic about the music and the station.

McKenna had studied hypnosis for some time by then. While working as a DJ, he began experimenting with small hypnotic shows. The early performances were first for the amusement of friends, then for paying audiences in pubs and clubs. He promoted his shows on Capital and soon played large theatres. While the primary focus of his hypnosis work was still entertainment, he was beginning to gain clients for professional one-to-one hypnotherapy.

In the early 1990s, he left Capital and briefly joined BBC Radio One, before leaving radio to concentrate exclusively on hypnosis. In 1993, his Celador series, The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna, aired on ITV. This entertainment show featured audience members told to do silly things under hypnosis. (It was later re-run on the UK's Bravo channel.)

In 2005, McKenna's Sky One show, I Can Change Your Life, showed him more as a professional hypnotherapist than an entertainer. He assisted people with phobias, such as agoraphobia and addictions to gambling and shopping. (Sky Three plans to repeat the series.) In 2006, another Sky One programme, I Can Make You Thin, debuted, showing the hypnotist helping people lose weight.

McKenna has produced a range of self-help cassettes and books,. In addition to best sellers such as Change Your Life in 7 Days, he offers several training programmes on weight loss and NLP seminars with Richard Bandler and Michael Breen. McKenna is also known for working with celebrity clients, including Hollywood stars, although he scrupulously avoids naming names.

Misplaced Pages Dispute

On August 29, 2006, Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director Brad Patrick removed a large section of this article pertaining to the Lewis-Smith case. He asked that it not be reinstated, pending further investigation. "Mr. McKenna's solicitors are adamant in making a number of points about what may be said about this matter," he explained.

Trivia

  • McKenna's ex-girlfriends include Penny Smith and Liz Fuller. The latter ended their relationship during a live broadcast. In June, 2004, Fuller sent McKenna a text message asking him to watch her show on Auction World.tv. During a sale of engagement rings, she turned to the camera and told McKenna she was leaving him. Then, as she closed the bidding on one item, she said, "Going, going, gone - like you!"
  • McKenna made an appearance on Top Gear and hypnotised Richard Hammond. He made him forget how to drive a car and later on made him think that a toy pedal car was his Porsche 911. Hammond then took his new car 'for a spin' around the studio making car noises and, when Jeremy Clarkson bumped into it with another pedal car he got very angry still under McKenna's 'spell'. To watch a clip of this episode, click here
  • McKenna recently became a patron for Noah's Ark Trust, a charity for bereaved children in Worcestershire.

Published Works

  • Change Your Life in Seven Days, ISBN 0-593-05053-3 (with Hugh Willbourn)
  • How to Mend Your Broken Heart, Bantam Press: 2003. ISBN 0-593-05055-X
  • The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna, Faber and Faber: 1994. ISBN 0-571-16802-7
  • I Can Make You Thin, Bantam Press: 2005. ISBN 0-593-05054-1
  • Instant Confidence, Bantam Press: 2006. ISBN 0-593-05535-7
  • 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 Power to Influence, Nightingale-Conant: 1998. ISBN 1-905453-56-6 (audiobook with Michael Breen)
  • Quit Smoking Today Without Gaining Weight , Bantam Press: 2007. ISBN 0-593-05536-5 (not yet published)

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, Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd.: 2006. ISBN 0-283-07038-2.

External links

General

Legal Coverage

See also

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