Get one free hypnosis consultation
Get one free hypnosis consultation
Age regression hypnosis is based on the concept that everything that has ever happened to us in our current lives is stored in our subconscious, much like a hard disk recorder (Fischer, 1991). The purpose of age regression is to create a “time machine” that allows individuals to revisit their personal history and uncover potential early-life sensitizing or traumatic experiences. The idea is that by resolving the original conflicts created by these experiences, a person can release the neuroses that have manifested as coping mechanisms. This model is typically embraced by traditionally trained psychologists and psychoanalysts who adhere to Freudian principles (Freud, 1917).
Age regression, commonly associated with hypnosis, is often conflated with hypnosis itself. Many healthcare professionals mistakenly use the terms “hypnosis” and “age regression” synonymously. The most common application of age regression is to identify a “cause” for a particular condition. Practitioners may attempt to hypnotize the subject rapidly, regress them back until the “cause” is identified, and then attempt to exorcise that “cause” to achieve a “cure,” all within a single session (Yapko, 2013).
However, there are valid objections to this traditional approach to age regression. Critics argue that this method can over-simplify complex psychological issues, neglecting the intricate interplay of biological, environmental, and cognitive factors that contribute to mental health conditions (Nicolas, 2016). Additionally, there are concerns regarding the reliability of recovered memories, as research has shown that memories can be malleable and susceptible to suggestion (Loftus, 1993). This raises ethical considerations about the potential for false memories to emerge during age regression sessions.
In summary, while age regression hypnosis can provide valuable insights into a person’s past, it is essential to approach this technique with caution and a critical understanding of its limitations. A more nuanced approach that incorporates a wide range of therapeutic modalities may be beneficial in addressing the complexities of psychological issues.
References:
1. Fischer, R. (1991). Hypnotherapy: A Handbook. New York: Crown Publishing.
2. Freud, S. (1917). Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. New York: Norton.
3. Loftus, E. F. (1993). The Repressed Memory Controversy: A Critical Review of the Literature. Psychological Bulletin, 113(3), 355-364.
4. Nicolas, L. (2016). Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Memory. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 17(4), 451-467.
5. Yapko, M. D. (2013). Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis. New York: Routledge.
DEFENSE MECHANISMS
Why is regression indicated? Due to the belief that these experiences are assumed to have been blocked from conscious memory by a subconscious defense mechanism known as repression, regression hypnosis is a safe tool to access a part of our brain storing those repressed experiences. This is a different method than past life regression. At hypnosis USA New York we tailor our methods to specific needs.
Real repression is a powerful defense mechanism, and, as the name defense mechanism implies, repression exists to protect the subject from something that they have a hard time to remember because it is too traumatic or painful.
regression hypnosis do and don’t
Repression is one of the stronger and less commonly found of all defense mechanism and should be treated with great respect when discovered. If, in fact, a memory has been repressed from consciousness, consider these potential implications:
1. A memory may be too intense to handle;
2. The issues it hides could be of a psychological origin;
3. Regression could trigger other, related traumas that a person does not need to deal with at the present time.
Psychologically, it may only be the wisest option or last choice to expose the memory and experience to the client without knowing if they are ready to handle it or if the therapist is able to handle it. Such repression may involve a problem that is beyond the scope of vocational and avocational self-improvement and may require the skills and knowledge of a professional licensed to practice psychology.
One of the biggest drawbacks to using regression as a fact-finding tool is that a lot, if not most, of what surfaces is not reality. The subject, however, (and many times the hypnotist as well) confuses this material as fact and can develop many questions or doubts about their past or things they now think has happened to them. A common example of this is when the hypnotist or client suspects child abuse or sexual abuse in the client’s history. In regression such suspicion will most likely lead the client into discovering such abuse whether it really happened or not. Once discovered it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to separate fact from fiction. Thus the client’s belief that they were abused when in fact they were not, creates a whole new set of problems for the client.
Regression then should not be used to discover “cause” or “fish around” for traumatic experiences, but should rather be used to “change the subject’s history” by going back to events that the subject perceives as the cause of their problem and change the emotional impact of that memory.
SUBSTITUTION is not mind control it’s the result of regression hypnosis.
Finding one isolated traumatic experience as the cause to a problem is the exception rather than the rule. More often than not the hypnotist leads the subject into finding some early life trauma as the cause which may or may not be the actual cause.
Even if the hypnotist is successful at removing a symptom with this modality one problem still remains: By not finding out what the “real” variables or ”common denominators” were that created and/or supported the problem, those variables still remain and therefore the problem will either a) re-occur or b) be transferred into another symptom.
One of the biggest drawbacks to using regression as a fact-finding tool is that a lot, if not most, of what surfaces is not reality. The subject, however, (and many times the hypnotist as well) confuses this material as fact and can develop many questions or doubts about their past or things they now think has happened to them. A common example of this is when the hypnotist or client suspects child abuse or sexual abuse in the client’s history. In regression such suspicion will most likely lead the client into discovering such abuse whether it really happened or not. Once discovered it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to separate fact from fiction. Thus the client’s belief that they were abused when in fact they were not, creates a whole new set of problems for the client.
Regression then should not be used to discover “cause” or “fish around” for traumatic experiences, but should rather be used to “change the subject’s history” by going back to events that the subject perceives as the cause of their problem and change the emotional impact of that memory.
Copyright © 2018 Hypnosis-USA - All Rights Reserved.
white & partners advertising New York
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.