Paul McKenna
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2008-07-17T00:28:44Z
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/* Sources and further reading */ oops - already a references section
:''This article is about the British [[Hypnosis|hypnotist]]. For the British [[football (soccer)|footballer]], see [[Paul McKenna (footballer)]].''
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{{Infobox actor
| name = Paul McKenna
| image = pm portrait.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birthdate = {{birth date and age|1963|11|8}}
| birthname =
| location = [[London Borough of Enfield|Enfield]], [[Middlesex]], [[England]], [[UK]]
| height =
| notable role = Host for ''[[I Can Make You Thin]]''
| spouse =
}}
'''Paul McKenna ''' (born [[8 November]] [[1963]], in [[London Borough of Enfield|Enfield]], [[Middlesex]], [[England]]) is a British [[Hypnosis|hypnotist]], and television personality. According to the [[Sunday Times]] he is Britain's best selling non-fiction author and is published in 23 languages.<ref> [http://uaforeign.wordpress.com/ Worldpress.com ]</ref>
McKenna has written and produced books and multimedia products, hosted self-improvement television shows and presents seminars in [[hypnosis]], [[neuro-linguistic programming]] and weight loss.
==Professional career==
Paul McKenna worked as a DJ in Topshop at age 16. In 1984 he began work as a radio broadcaster joining [[Radio Caroline]] and later moving to Chiltern Radio in the mid-1980s.<ref>Radio Rewind, http://www.radiorewind.co.uk/paul_mckenna.htm</ref>
McKenna became interested in [[hypnosis]] when interviewing a hypnotist on his show. His original interest was hypnosis for self-improvement, although he also demonstrated how it could be used for entertainment. Whilst 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 Radio and soon played theaters in the UK, USA, Australia, Hong Kong, The Netherlands and Ireland.<ref>'Look Into My Eyes', The Observer, 12 December 2004</ref> While the primary focus of his hypnotic shows was entertainment, he began to gain clients for professional one-to-one [[hypnotherapy]].
In the early 1990s, he left Capital Radio and briefly joined [[BBC Radio One]], before leaving radio to concentrate exclusively on hypnosis. In 1993, his TV series, ''The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna'', aired on [[ITV1|ITV]]. The programme was shown in 42 countries. This entertainment show featured audience members who volunteered to be hypnotised, to act in comedic ways.
{{Neuro-linguistic programming}}
During this time, McKenna continued to study hypnosis, and [[neuro-linguistic programming]] with [[Richard Bandler]], the co-creator of NLP. In mid 1990s Paul McKenna set up ''McKenna Breen Ltd'' with Michael Breen which produced seminars on neuro-linguistic programming and hypnosis.
McKenna has produced a range of self-help cassettes and books. In 2006 McKenna’s book sales reached £3.5m,<ref> Financial Times 18 November 2007</ref> McKenna has helped many celebrities <ref>[http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1370145,00.html The Guardian] </ref> including helping [[Ellen DeGeneres]] to quit smoking <ref>[http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2006500039,00.html The Sun] </ref>, [[David Walliams]] with 'a time distortion technique' to help with swimming the English Channel <ref>[http://www.coach2success.co.nz/nlp-articles/ Coach 2 Success]</ref><ref>[http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article1180171.ece The Independent]</ref>.
McKenna has made a number of television programs including ''The Paranormal World of Paul McKenna'', ''Hyp the Streets'', ''I Can Change Your Life'' (2005) and ''I Can Make You Thin'' (2006). I CAN MAKE YOU THIN, launched March 16, 2008, on TLC, The Learning Channel. In 2008, Paul McKenna became Britain’s highest paid T.V personality in a deal worth £23 million. <ref> The Daily Mail 17th January 2008 </ref>
==Education ==
In 1996, after 2 years of study on a 70,000 word thesis McKenna was granted the doctoral degree [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] degree from [[LaSalle University (Louisiana)]]. LaSalle University was properly licenced by the state of Louisiana, but falsely claimed to be an accredited university. After the principal of LaSalle pleaded guilty to fraud, McKenna, along with thousands of other students, was awarded compensation from the US government.<ref>{{cite court
|litigants = Paul McKenna v MGN Ltd.
|pinpoint=2006 EWHC 1996 (QB)
|date=2006
|url=http://insidehighered.com/index.php/content/download/78468/1068777/file/McKenna%20v%20MGN%20Ltd.doc}}</ref>
In 2004, McKenna completed an APEL and subsequently gained the UK accredited doctoral degree [[Doctor_of_Philosophy#United_Kingdom|DPhil]] from the business school International Management Centres Association (IMCA) <ref>[http://www.g-a-r-c.org/garc/contentprev.asp?pg=111138 Abstract of thesis Paul McKenna] - Website IMCA DPhil dissertations</ref><ref>[http://www.i-m-c.org/imc/ Website IMC Association] - Online resources</ref>, accredited by the [[British Accreditation Council]] <ref> [http://www.the-bac.org The BAC website]</ref>. The title of his thesis was "The Effects of Fixed Action Patterns and Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Determining Outcomes in Human Behaviour".
In 2006 McKenna successfully sued The [[Daily Mirror]] for [[libel]], over claims made by journalist [[Victor Lewis-Smith]] that McKenna obtained a "bogus degree" merely for money to deliberately defraud the public (the degree was from [[LaSalle University (Louisiana)]]). McKenna won the case and substantial damages. Lewis Smith wrote about this "bogus degree" even though he knew that Paul McKenna had since earned a UK accredited doctorate. <ref>
[http://www.ukhypnosis.com/gatesjudgement.pdf Justice Toulson's Judgement on Gates vs. McKenna Case] </ref>
<ref>[http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1008282006 Hypnotist McKenna sues over degree claim] </ref>
<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/5223454.stm McKenna wins 'fake degree' case] </ref>
<ref> [http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/comment/story/0,,1835596,00.html McKenna the brave ''Guardian'' op-ed on McKenna's libel case victory] </ref>
<ref> [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060729/ai_n16645901 McKenna triumphs in 'bogus degree' libel case] </ref>
==Published works==
:* ''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 (with Hugh Willbourn) ISBN 0-593-05053-3
:* ''How to Mend Your Broken Heart'', 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
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.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.mckenna.com/ McKenna's official website]
* {{imdb name|id=0571408|name=Paul McKenna}}
* [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1370145,00.html ''Guardian'' interview] with McKenna
== See also ==
*[[Richard Bandler]]
*[[Hypnosis]]
*[[Neuro-linguistic programming]]
*[[Neuro-linguistic programming: Bibliography|Neuro-linguistic programming bibliography]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKenna, Paul}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Intimate relationships]]
[[Category:Human sexuality]]
[[Category:Hypnosis]]
[[Category:Hypnotists]]
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[[Category:Old Ignatians]]
[[Category:Social psychology]]
[[Category:Personal development]]
[[Category:People from Enfield]]
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