Hypnosis helping sportspeople to reach full potential

MENTION hypnosis to some and they think of the pendulum or pocket watch on the end of a chain, swinging rhythmically, lulling the subject into a blissful state of unconsciousness. It’s a cliché that has, largely, been created by the movies.

However, the reality is that this ancient form of therapy has moved on significantly since then and it has now been embraced by sportspeople and teams around the globe to strengthen their focus and belief in an effort to improve performances.

Yes, the pendulum is still used in some parts of the world but Galway’s John Connolly of ‘Hypno Sport’ says hypnosis is so much more than that, stressing this form of psychoanalysis is more about delving into the deep of the sub conscious, identifying the negative imprints that have us behave in such a manner, and employing a remedy to break the cycle of bad habits.

This is something Connolly himself is familiar with, having first been introduced to the concept of hypnotherapy many years ago in London when he embraced the technique to kill his smoking habit. It worked and, since then, he has been fascinated by the power of the mind.

That said, it was not until the lorry driver lost sight in his left eye – due to a blockage that built up behind the eye socket – that he actively pursued this avenue as a career choice and for the last eight years, he has worked as a professional hypnotist.

His work to date has included helping clients to deal with such issues as smoking, weight loss, anxiety, fears, phobias and depression while, over the last year, he has also branched into the whole area of sports performance.

One of the reasons for this has been that, in recent times, many of the individuals who were coming to him were engaged in sporting activities but were finding it difficult to fulfil their potential – in not only sport but other areas of their life due to issues.

These individuals ranged from a high profile cyclist to your run-of-the-mill GAA player. “These athletes had the potential at club level – they had everything else physically – but something was holding them back. Through the work we done though, we achieved some fantastic results in a relatively quick space of time,” says Connolly.

In many ways, the hypnotist, through his own personal experiences, can identify with those who attend his clinics in Oranmore, Athlone and Ennis. For aside from using hypnosis to kick his smoking habit, he has also applied the techniques to achieve his own sporting goals.

“I have run a few marathons and done some endurance stuff, so I have seen how much mind over matter can work. It can be very powerful, especially when you see sportspeople who have so much belief in themselves and how stronger they are as opposed to someone who is completely caught up by fear on the day.”

In addition to running, the Castlegar native is also heavily involved in the GAA in his community, although he is no relation to the Connolly hurling dynasty locally. He, himself, played for Cashel until injury cut short his career in his late teens but in later years he has worked with many of the club’s underage teams. Indeed, he is currently the Castlegar minor manager.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.