Hypnosis wasn’t on Dominick DeCarlo’s mind when he graduated in ’92.
DeCarlo, who graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in media art, was on his way to medical school before he decided to switch his focus.
“I thought that ‘HMOs and PPOs’ were really screwing up the [medical] system,’ and I have this really creative side of me. I wanted to pursue acting and hosting/emceeing,” DeCarlo said.
While he was visiting family in Tucson for the holidays, one of his favorite musicians — 1980s singer Tiffany — was in town for a New Year’s Eve performance in 2006.
DeCarlo was asked to co-host the show. It opened with a live band, followed by a comedian and a hypnotist. He immediately agreed because he grew up with her music.
The hypnotist came over to DeCarlo after the show and asked him if he’d ever considered being a hypnotist.
“That’s really random, no,” DeCarlo responded.
The hypnotist insisted he give it a try because DeCarlo had “amazing stage presence.”
The hypnotist gave him his card, and DeCarlo started making the transition to being a stage performer.
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DeCarlo talked about training with the hypnotist to his family, who remembered, and contacted, a more experienced teacher, who had been in the business for over 26 years.
The training, which lasted nine months, started with shadowing live shows in Cancún, Mexico and slowly moved to more interactive learning experiences, according to DeCarlo.
“I watched my mentor’s show a good four or five times a week for three weeks,” DeCarlo said. “So I probably went to the show 13 or 14 times and then started analyzing all the dynamics.”
His mentor was set to perform for six weeks before switching with another hypnotist, but the replacement was a no-show.
“If no one shows up, we’re going to lose this year’s contract for this hotel,” His mentor told DeCarlo. “If this hypnotist doesn’t show up and relieve me, you’re going to be doing the show.”
DeCarlo got a call confirming the no-show and would be performing the next night after only three weeks of training.
After practicing all day, he performed his first show for 3,000 people.
This show led to a year-long contract with the hotel. After that, DeCarlo returned to the U.S. to continue his career, networking to get a show started in the states.
“I pounded the pavement,” DeCarlo said. “One day, the former manager of Guns N’ Roses [Doug Goldstein] heard of what I was doing, and he said he wanted to personally manage me and take my career worldwide.”
Goldstein along with Tim Murch from PRG, helped DeCarlo create a multimedia show with “living room” environments that make the audience and participants feel more at ease and relaxed as well as change scenes.
HYPNOVIDEO™ was now born resulting in DeCarlo being branded as the “David Copperfield of Hypnosis.”
DeCarlo also educates people about the benefits of hypnotherapy, ridding one’s fears, phobias, challenges addictions even pain using hypnosis, HYPNOHELP™, help through hypnosis.
“I want to educate, educate, educate about hypnosis and dispel people’s myths or fears that they have,” DeCarlo said. “There is nothing to be scared about. The more knowledge they can get, maybe they can apply it to their lives, maybe they can start practicing it to help overcome their own fears, phobias, challenges, addictions and even pain.”
DeCarlo is looking to have outreach from the UA psychology department, have classes or talks about hypnotherapy or even put on a show at Centennial Hall.
DeCarlo will be performing The HYPNOVIDEO™ Show in Tucson on February 10 at 7 PM at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church located at 8051 East Broadway Boulevard. For more information visit www.dominickdecarlo.com. For tickets, call 520-296-6149 or 520-526-9290.
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