Paul McKenna

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Paul McKenna bigraphy, stories - Hypnotist, author

Paul McKenna : biography

8 November 1963 –

Paul McKenna (born 8 November 1963, in Enfield, London) is an English hypnotist and an author of self-help books.

Paul McKenna has written and produced books and multimedia products, hosted self-improvement television shows and presents seminars in hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, weight loss, motivation and the Zen meditation Big Mind.

Professional influences

Paul McKenna learned hypnosis and NLP from Richard Bandler, co-creator of Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

Paul McKenna uses Thought Field Therapy in many of his television demonstrations and studied under Roger Callahan, the creator of TFT.

McKenna also teaches the Zen meditation ‘Big Mind’. He presents the process with its creator, American Zen Master Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi, abbot and founder of Kanzeon Zen Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Publishing career

Paul McKenna has produced self-help books, CDs and DVDs as well as several audio books that provide the information from the books in audible form. In 2006 his book sales alone reached £3.5m. His guides and manuals have been worth just shy of £17m to UK book retailers in the 21st Century, according to Nielsen BookScan data. His book ‘I Can Make You Thin’ has been called ‘The best-selling weight loss book in British history’ with Paul McKenna. Paul McKenna’s latest book is ‘Hypnotic Gastric Band’.

Paul McKenna’s full list of published titles include:

  • Hypnotic Gastric Band Bantam Press 2013 ISBN 978-0-593-07074-1
  • 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, Sterling Publishing: 2010. ISBN 1-4027-6922-9
  • I Can Make You Sleep, Bantam Press: 2009. ISBN 1-4027-6574-6
  • 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, 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 Michael Breen)
  • 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

Paul McKenna has also released a number of audio recordings including Sleep Like a Log, Eliminate Stress, "Positive Self-Image", "Attracting Wealth", "Inner Happiness", "Supreme Self-Confidence", 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

Career

Paul McKenna started off in radio aged 16 at in-store Radio Topshop, and went on to present for stations including Radio Jackie, Radio Caroline, Chiltern Radio, Capital Radio, BBC Radio One and TV channel Music Box as well.

A hypnotist 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 pubs and clubs. Paul McKenna then started doing regular Sunday night shows at the Duke of York’s Theatre, 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.’Look Into My Eyes’, The Observer, 12 December 2004