Renowned master hypnotist Rebecca O’Rourke is inviting guests to enjoy an evening of laughter and entertainment in support of those in need of service dogs.
On Wednesday, March 27th, the director of Kawartha Hypnosis will be hosting a hypnosis show at Peterborough’s Erben Eatery & Bar with a cocktail hour and door prizes.
The show, which kicks off its cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., is in support of Paws with Payge, a local non-profit organization founded by a Peterborough teenager to help connect people with service animals. Tickets cost $40 when purchased in advance at erbenptbo.com/event-details/hypnosis-show-in-support-of-paws-with-payge or $50 at the door.
While the customizable programs at Kawartha Hypnosis help clients looking to make a change in their life, such as losing weight or reducing stress or breaking habits, the hypnosis show is all about having a good time for a good cause.
“The outcome of the stage hypnosis is fun and entertainment,” says Rebecca, who will invite volunteers to participate in the experience, putting them in a deep stage of relaxation and heightened suggestibility for light-hearted comical moments and interesting displays of the human mind.
Whether volunteers begin speaking an imaginary language or act like a famed celebrity, the event promises an evening of clean fun — nothing that will embarrass participants — and laughter.
“When we do a hypnosis show, it’s about using the participants to be the star of the show,” Rebecca explains. “It becomes a lot of fun when people in the community see their friends up there having this experience that’s a little bit outside of what they’ve experienced before. I love doing these things that help people have experiences outside of the box.”
Tickets to the event include one signature cocktail and appetizers that are named for the sponsors, like Miskin Martinis and Miskin Mints named after sponsor Miskin Law. There will also be door prizes from the sponsors.
The hypnosis show is in support of Paws with Payge, a new non-profit organization whose mandate is to educate and raise awareness surrounding service dogs, while additionally raising funds for those in the community facing barriers to getting their own required animal.
“Service dogs are very near and dear to my heart,” says Rebecca. “It’s important for people to know the effects that they can have for families in need and that the cost of them, unfortunately, is not something that is attainable for everyone.”
Sixteen-year-old Payge Creasy launched Paws with Payge with her mother Tiffany Creasy after learning first-hand the obstacles in getting a service dog to support her own mental health challenges. Despite having a family connection to help with the process, between navigating widespread scams and funding the costs for training, getting a service dog was a taxing journey for the family.
“There are people out there who struggle more than I do,” says Payge. “If this is how hard it was for me — and we had these connections — for people who don’t have connections, it must be really, really challenging. So I wanted to make accessing service dogs easier for people.”
Now, through Paws with Payge, the teen is spreading awareness, educating on topics like the need for service dogs, the many different kinds of service dogs, and where to go to avoid improper training.
By connecting with other local professionals, including Lexi Mills of Healing Souls K9 Training, the Creasys are hopeful to change provincial regulations and laws to not only make it easier for those in need to get a service dog, but to legitimize them and clear up misunderstandings surrounding what it means to require a service dog.
“We’ve seen some people who think that their dog is a service dog, but it’s an emotional support (dog),” says Payge’s mom Tiffany, explaining that service dogs are tasked to a single person, as opposed to emotional support animals who know commands and pressure points. “They’ll bring it into a public place but it’s not trained. It makes it hard for someone like Payge who has a service dog.”
Payge adds that often people have a specific idea of what they think a service dog is — usually thinking of guide dogs for visually impaired people or medical service dogs that can predict seizures or assist diabetics — while psychiatric assistance dogs, like Payge’s dog Kyle, are overlooked.
“Service dogs are not just for the blind or for the deaf or medical,” says Payge. “There are a bunch of different kinds of (service) dogs.”
In the three months since getting Kyle, a one-year-old Spanish Alano, Payge has been paying better attention in school, spending more time with her family, regularly doing homework, and all around being more “present” in her day-to-day life.
Having to train and focus on Kyle allows her to be more grounded in the moment, without overthinking or becoming stressed.
Though he is still in training, Kyle has also started helping with Payge’s involuntary anorexia, overcoming her lack of hunger cues by prompting her to eat more regularly.
“We weren’t even supposed to expect that for another month but, when it’s dinner time, he paws at me and won’t stop until I go get my food,” she explains. “He follows me around and sits with me while I eat. I couldn’t imagine my life without him now.”
Despite the important work that Kyle does, he also gets plenty of time to play in his new home.
“Without his vest on, you wouldn’t think he is a service dog, because he gives so much energy like he just want to play,” says Payge. “It’s something that people should know: they are normal dogs. But when that vest is on, he’s a working dog.”
Funds from previous Paws with Payge fundraisers have gone to others in need in the community, including a 12-year-old child with autism who was recently able to get a support dog. Proceeds from the Kawartha Hypnosis show will continue to support that child, while any remaining funds will be distributed where necessary in the region.
“Peterborough really is a community of helping each other, so this event is a good way for shining a light on her business,” says Tiffany, referring to Rebecca and Kawartha Hypnosis.
“She can help other people through hypnosis, while maybe breaking down some of the stigma around treatments that are not just medication.”
Kawartha Hypnosis and Paws with Payge are still looking for event sponsors for the March 27 hypnosis show. Interested individuals and businesses can email pawswithpayge@gmail.com.
To purchase advance tickets for the show, visit erbenptbo.com/event-details/hypnosis-show-in-support-of-paws-with-payge.
For more information about Paws with Payge, visit facebook.com/pawswithpayge/.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Hypnosis Show in support of Paws with Payge.
