Soul singer and nineteen sixties soul sensation Geno Washington has been talking about how he worked as a stage hypnotist and how practising self hypnosis and meditation helps him when performing music gigs with his band.

Born in Indiana, Geno Washington was stationed in England with the United States Air Force during the early 1960s when he started playing music and asked Pete Gage the guitarist if he wanted to join his group, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band.

But he didn’t start out that way. Speaking to the Bolton News he said:

"I never in a million years ever dreamed or thought about being an entertainer or singer. I was an athlete when I was in the American Air Force, in track and field. It just happened by accident, me being in show business." He is a member of the American guild of hypnotists.

It is interesting to hear him talk about hypnosis and the part it has played in his career. He explained the ways that hypnotherapy has helped to change his life, helping balance mind, body and soul, and provide an interesting side career too.

"That's a great love of mine, how the mind works. That's very powerful. I was in LA when I was studying, getting my degree and I came back to the UK. I started doing hypnosis shows up and down the UK. I would do half hypnosis, have a 20 minute break then I would come on with the Ram Jam Band. The house was rocking. It was a great show. “

When not performing on the stage Geno also know how well taking time out for yourself works.

"I do a lot of meditation. That's got the benefit of self-hypnosis. It keeps you on your toes to keep healthy."

Comedian and Actress Helen Lederer has been having hypnotherapy to cope with her nerves about going on the road.

She has enjoyed a 30-year career in comedy and appeared in many well known comedy TV shows, but actress Helen Lederer has talked about how she gets so scared of performing that she'll need hypnotherapy before her upcoming book tour.

When describing how stand up feels for her she says it is.. 'truly, utterly and honestly quite terrifying, I torture myrself over the overwhelming fear of 'fluffing the act' or 'f*cking-up a gag'.

Last year when appearing in the ITV show Splash she sought out a local hypnotherapist who helped her with her nerves and confidence for that show and now she is going back for help with her book tour and stand up gigs.

An Audience With Helen Lederer tours across the UK from February to coincide with the publication of her debut novel, Losing It.

I have a love-hate relationship with stand-up

Helen has been writing about the experiences of her life in her blog postings and has said 'I have a love-hate relationship with stand-up. It’s how I started, and it at least let me loose on some amazing performers so I can’t moan. But I’d be a liar if I said I thoroughly enjoyed doing it because, it’s truly, utterly and honestly quite terrifying at times. The fear of failure or silence or both is always at the back of my mind. It’s difficult to relax "into it" as the therapist suggests when I feel I’m about to jump off a cliff naked and possibly throw up my lunch over the front row.'

Now she is learning how well hypnotherapy works to help to teach you to calm your nerves and gain confidence so that you can perform to the best of your abilities and also really enjoy the experience as well. Rather than being something to worry about it can become something to really enjoy.

She says " I can be hired to speak nonstop at small parties if it feels awkward (for me). In fact, I am you could say ‘silence sensitive ’ – since the fear of failure or silence or both is always at the back of my mind, and paradoxically, I seem to have chosen a nicely de–railing job that taps into it for extra turmoil."

Helen Lederer appearing in many shows in the early 1980s on the alternative comedy scene alongside the likes of Rik Mayall, Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. She went on to star in Bottom, The Young Ones, BBC’s Naked Video, and as the dippy Catriona in all five series of Absolutely Fabulous.