Trauma builds on trauma. Frequently and unhappily the memory is distorted by the emphasis given by the therapist according to their own personal agenda. Having said this, itis not only traumamatic experiences that are distorted. Existential therapy may be the only honest approach alongside hypnotherapy, where the client and therapist are firmly grounded in the now.

http://www.physorg.com/news198910620.html

I appreciate the comment Andy and I am delighted to see your enthusiasm for the subject… However, you do not ‘control peoples minds’ with hypnosis, you certainly do not put them to sleep, and there is no evidence what so ever to suggest that such a thing as a subconscious mind actually exists… Moreover, for some it is a useful metaphor that we use to illustrate hypnosis.

And what on earth this comment is to do with the actual regression post, I have no idea… I noticed that you linked your name to a crude affiliate hypnosis website so suspect you were posting your comment to get a link back to it or hope that my readers will go look at it… I have disabled that. if you are really interested in learning more about this field, do explore and read more of what’s on offer here and feel free to contact me, I am always around to help. If you were writing ill-conceived comments to market your website, then consider this a wrap across the knuckles and go spam someone else’s blog. 🙂

Thank you for your contribution John, it is very much respected and appreciated.

You are quite right, is there actually such a thing as ‘true regression’? I mean, we do not actually go back in time, do we?

I have not experienced spontaneous regression. My initial discussions ensure that our session is focused in a way that abreaction is never encouraged and we have a focus which leads the client to be in control of that which we are working on.

And one thing you didn’t discuss, is whether or not you believe it is part of our duty of care and informed consent to advise a client on the potential risks associated with regressive work if you choose to do it with them.

Again, thanks John, good hearing from you.

I’m not about to give up on the use of regression completely; I have on occasion found it useful, especially when coupled with inner child work.

I might say that is not always true regression but a reviewing (as if on film) of previous life experience. The notion of role play is a valid one but it is still useful and allows the client to come to new understanding of and freedoms from previous life events.

One thing you didn’t discuss is what happens when a client has a spontaneous regression. It’s only happened to me that a client regresses to their own life rather than a past life, but other therapists tell a different story. If it comes up don’t you use it to assist the client in the change they are seeking to make? How do you deal with it?

There is also the idea that a ‘past life regression’ is really the sub-conscious mind attempting to deal with a problem in the here and now through a metaphor or story that is acceptable and non-threatening to the person as a whole.

For the record, I listen to the client first, decide on an approach, get their ‘buy in’ to that. Then do the work and monitor the outcomes, adjust as appropriate and repeat until done. The client alone does not get to decide the approach taken; if that worked they would not be seeing you or me!

It would be a very poor therapist of any stripe, who did regression to cause and waited for the cathartic release without offering the client any additional tools to re-frame the event or situation in a new and more positive way. Unfortunately, I too have heard stories (apocryphal?) about people experiencing exactly that situation.