Juliet Arndt is the epitome of an international performer. Audiences from Russia to Jakarta have seen her unique approach to mentalism. These days, she’s based in Dubai, where she aspires to become the David Copperfield of the Middle East.

She spoke with Gulf News about her act. Arndt said many of the other acts in her field play it for laughs. “Usually it’s comedy hypnosis, and people are embarrassed in the show,” she explained. “So my show is completely the opposite. I use a lot of storytelling and I combine hypnosis with magic, with illusions.”

Arndt is a big believer in the power of the human mind, and that’s true in her off-stage career too. When she’s not performing mentalism, she works in hypnotherapy and cognitive coaching. Her interest in the medical side of hypnosis came from her grandmother, a healer who passed on her knowledge to Arndt. “[People] are listening to the hypnotist and going into a trance to establish new patterns. Because everything that we think is a pattern — for instance how we deal with stress — and I’m helping people develop a more resilient personality.”

If you’re in Dubai and want to catch her act, Arndt is performing at The Junction on May 11 at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm.