Studio 10 viewers have been left seriously confused and slightly sceptical after a hypnotherapy segment left panellist Jessica Rowe meowing and snuggling into the lap of her co-worker like a cat.
“I love Studio 10 but this was a big miss for me today,” one viewer commented, adding, “I think its [sic] ridiculous.”
Another viewer agreed, saying, “I love the show and watch it every day when at home but this segment was ridiculous, do they think we are that gullible?”
The segment took place on Thursday when renowned hypnotherapist Peter Powers was invited onto the show and put a number of audience members and panellists into a trance.
Rowe was told by Powers that she was "a friendly cat," while a show producer named Celestina became "a friendly puppy and then a kung-fu expert."
But within minutes of airing, viewers began calling out the segment, saying it was clearly all a well-rehearsed act.
But addressing the criticism on Friday, Rowe stood strong, telling fellow panellist Sarah Harris, "of course it's not put on."
"She's just susceptible to that," panellist Denise Drysdale chimed in, adding, "she just goes under."
Explaining to viewers how the segment worked, Rowe continued, "Peter Powers talks about 20 per cent of people you can hypnotise, 20 per cent you can't and the rest in the middle you can but it takes time. I'm one of those people who are very susceptible."
Listen: Jessica Rowe talks about Studio 10, parenthood, partnerships and mental health on I Don't Know How She Does It. Post continues...
The mum-of-two went on to explain that Powers believes people who are artistic and open-minded (or as Drysdale said, "daydreamers") are more likely to react to hypnosis, and said, "For me what it was like, it's like what I imagine meditation would be like."
Studio 10 producer Celestina agreed with Rowe that it was completely real and said that despite being under, she can clearly remember what happened, comparing the experience to "a big night out", where it's only when you see photos and "people are like, 'you did this!' that you remember."
Have you ever been hypnotised?
Top Comments
I love the show Studio10 but, of late it has become a little hard to watch with silly goings on (yes I do have a sense of humor) , being hypnotised is one thing but being phony about it makes us out to be fools. You all can do better.. Come on Ita, show them how be sensible and honest and how to be entertainer.. Looking forward to better shows.
I find this type of silliness around an important and useful tool for therapy a really sad indictment of our society. We haven't progressed from the parlour games that hypnotherapy was introduced into the late 19th century, it was used along with psychics and seances as a form of entertainment, for the rich and well healed to entertain their society friends. Surely the likes of Peter Powers can do better than this, using it for another silly exercise in keeping the disengaged public entertained. I am one of those people that actually believes that hypnotherapy has more to offer than this, may be next time a bit more thought around this may provide far more engagement, and investigation into the use of a tool that is not only making a difference to many people's lives ie giving up smoking, helping with weight loss. etc. Of course this isn't as entertaining, or as interesting for the likes of Powers obviously.