REED TATE

About Me

There is a shorter version on the homepage, but this is for those who want to know more about who I am. I grew up in the small town of Liberty, Illinois. A town of around 600 people where everyone knew everyone. Growing up, I was a part of as many activities and organizations as I could: track and field, cross country, Boy Scouts of America, Quizbowl, FCCLA, Operation Snowball, band, and an active member of my local church. I grew up with my parents, brother, and various dogs throughout my life.

My start in performing was rather sudden. I somewhat learned how to play the piano mostly to entertain myself, but it grew into entertaining others. Having stage fright in my younger years, even though I still do from time to time today, I wanted to do more. So, I turned to learn magic.

It never grew to anything more than a hobby or party trick as I never wanted to do any shows for magic, but it became the go-to fact about me. Everywhere I went, someone was asking me to do magic. I was no Criss Angel or David Blaine, but I was pretty good for a 15-year-old.

In March, of 2016, a hypnotist came to my high school. I had known about hypnosis, but it was never something I intended to explore. Enter Dr. Jim Wand. An hour and a half later after his hypnosis show, I became obsessed. It was one of the most amazing, funny, and phenomenal experiences I had ever seen. Magic was pretty neat, but hypnosis seemed like the real deal. Even though I wanted to learn, it would seem like the only way was a couple thousand dollars and a flight to Las Vegas since that's where most trainings take place. Well, being a 15-year-old kid, this was not going to happen.

I spent the next year trying to uncover the secrets of how it worked via the only thing I had: the internet. I watched all the YouTube videos I could, ready as many articles on hypnosis as I could find, even attempted to use the Wiki-Hows. I was unsuccessful.

Fast forward to June of 2016, I decided to completely change my approach. Instead of snapping my fingers and shouting 'SLEEP' at every person I met, I tried an extended, relaxing approach. To mine and everyone's amazement, the volunteer who offered to step forward suddenly slumped over in his chair. I had done it!

Over the next several months, I ran with that method, memorized it, adapted it, and hypnotized as many people as I could. Albeit, I got in trouble just as often as my high school was not pleased with my newfound hobby. I was the reason my school included a 'no hypnosis' rule at school functions.

Skip to March of 2017, Dr. Jim Wand was back for another show. This time, with some encouragement from other students, I went up and introduced myself. Apparently, he had already known about me since the students running our local FFA chapter had told him about a student who had learned hypnosis. It also helped him figure out it was me as I was the only person who laughed at his joke about using pocket watches for hypnosis since I used them for all my inductions.

After I graduated high school in 2017, Jim and I remained in contact throughout my years at John Wood Community College while he helped me learn more and more about hypnosis, even asking me to perform alongside him at some local functions. Just before my last semester at John Wood, he offered me a year-long internship/mentorship where I would travel alongside him for all his shows, and he would teach me everything I needed to know. After graduating from John Wood in 2019, I moved to Dubuque, Iowa to begin my training. It was everything I could have dreamed of as a performer.

Before COVID-19 hit, we had done over 100 shows in 14 different states. Of course, Covid shut everything down and things became quite sluggish after that. Still, I was able to continue my training in the office. Before Covid, I was trained enough to begin performing on my own with the guidance of Jim.

After my internship ended in 2020, I moved to Macomb, Illinois to continue my formal education at Western Illinois University. I have since graduated with my Bachelors in Psychology and a minor in Marketing. I now live in the Chicagoland area with my wife living out my dream.

Since the beginning of this journey, I have done many, MANY shows, and have hypnotized thousands of people in hopes of hypnotizing thousands more.

Contact me to learn more!

SPECIAL THANKS

To those who have helped me since the beginning, in no specific order.

Eric Foster, Coordinator of Student Life at JWCC: For pushing me to explore more about myself and hypnosis throughout my years at John Wood, for always helping out whenever I needed advice, and always supporting me since day one as a student and beyond.

Katlyn Roberts: For being the person who introduced me to Jim Wand when I was too shy to do it myself and for being the person who probably kickstarted this whole thing.

Reilly Shoemaker: For being the first person who I ever successfully hypnotized and for putting up with me as I asked to hypnotize him over and over again since.

Jim Wand, Kenda Summers, and Stelly: Kenda for always supporting me and always making sure I had something to do when Jim ran out of ideas. Stelly for being the sweetest pup I've ever met and only non-human I've seen hypnotize someone. Jim, for taking a chance with me and taking me under your wing as an intern, and for always helping when went back to school and after graduating. You were a great man; the best. I hope I'm making you proud from the great stage up in the sky. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Randy Andrews: For constantly helping me with all my hypnosis endeavors and taking every single phone call whenever I need help with anything I do.

Lauren Johnson: For designing my logo and much of the artwork displayed on my website.

Russ and Kay Tate, my parents: For allowing me to take a year off of schooling to pursue my dreams of becoming a hypnotist and supporting me since.

And many, many more.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me and helped me on the way. Even if your name is not among those on the list, I have not forgotten you nor any less thankful.

Jennifer Gutierrez, my wife and my better half: For putting up with my lack of common sense and shenanigans for four and a half years now, and for supporting me on every leg of this journey.

Harrison Clarke, Dallas Harvey, Austin Owen, and Elizabeth Fodor: For being the Boys, my rides or die since John Wood, and always supporting me every day since. Austin Owen especially for being my volunteer all throughout my years at John Wood.