A New Jersey man who touts himself as a “master hypnotist” told clients he needed to give them prostate exams — then sexually assaulted them, prosecutors say.
Robert Bruckner, 55, of Randolph was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and practicing medicine without a license after some clients reported he subjected them to what he described as prostate exams, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said.
It is unclear if Bruckner, who owns and operates Major Mindset Hypnosis Counseling in Fairfield, assaulted anyone while they were hypnotized, Assistant Prosecutor Jeffrey Conrad said in a statement.
Bruckner, who is not licensed to work as a doctor, offers “hypnosis counseling” for adults, teens and children, according to his website.
The site says Bruckner specializes in “academic, sports performance and medical hypnosis-counseling” for both juvenile and adult patients.
“We are not psychologists or psychiatrists,” the site reads. “We are hypnotists and we help you get from where you are right now to where you wish to be. We help you to change your thinking, and behavior.”
“Robert is a Master Hypnotist who practices both Ericksonian Conversational Hypnosis and Moderate to Deep Trance Hypnosis for medical, sports, academic and many other issues and concerns,” the site continues.
Bruckner remained jailed without bail Friday in Essex County, online records show.
He is identified as single and as a college graduate in jail records, which did not list his next scheduled court date. It is unclear if he had hired a lawyer.
He was arrested after a joint investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and Fairfield police, authorities said.
Bruckner charges up to $395 per session, according to a profile on PsychologyToday.com that identifies him as a board-certified hypnotist who has practiced for eight years since graduating Long Island University in 1999.
“I can make problems go away,” the profile reads. “There’s never any strong talk. I guide you to the answer using special hypnotic techniques.”
Anyone with additional information regarding Bruckner is asked to contact Essex prosecutors at (973) 753-1130.
