Abreaction

With the re-living of past memories also known as age regression, the emotions tied to the experience are also remembered. The client might then re-live the experience resulting in an emotional discharge, known as an abreaction. These abreactions taking place are the result of either real, or imagined (partially imagined) events, and may even result from distorted perceptions of real events. It has been said that, the release of emotions long suppressed in the subconscious, can have a very therapeutic effect and lead to release and relearning, the valuable third and fourth therapeutic steps to change. This makes it very important to allow clients, to discharge emotions in their own way during an abreaction. nd each client should be granted the right to visit those events which he!she believes significant during hypnosis. lthough at times therapeutic, the hypnotherapist should most definitely be aware that, some therapists seem so caught with the "inner child# concept that they try to force clients into remembering childhood traumas. client forced to abreact pains from childhood could feel emotionally violated $ or, worse, yet, could re%uire additional hypnotherapy or psychotherapy as a result of such mishandling. It is further suggested that when a client remembers the correct event, we should not force anger, but rather, allow him!her to e&press in whatever manner seems most appropriate, to help facilitate release, and create personal empowerment. 'harles Tebbetts taught that forcing e&cessive emotion(s) is unwise, and that it is e%ually unwise to stop an abreaction during a regression. (e believed the release, to be essential for at least a partial resolution, or agreement, to resolve the situation later at the appropriate time and place. The hypnotherapist must simply be a good listener, and not offer his own advice or personal e&periences. )or the purposes of release and relearning, it is considered appropriate to ask %uestions guiding the client (leading), to the desired outcome. It is suggested that the hypnotherapist provide the client with sufficient time, to e&perience the emotion(s) before interfering, and then, reduce the intensity of the abreaction as described below* +et the scene fade away now. 'lear your mind, and go deeper into rela&ation, and en,oy this pleasant, rela&ed feeling - deeper and deeper .ow come forward (or backward) in time to a scene in which you are ( //0 and 1.230I.4 yourself thoroughly5 (- or client6s peaceful place) I am going to count to three and snap my fingers. t the snap of my fingers you are there - a happy scene. 3ne, two, three (snap) you6re T(1715 .ow feel how wonderful life is at this moment.# 0ou can also use the peaceful place. fter a minute or two, go back to the traumatic scene once again with words such as* It is important to your future happiness that you go back to the scene you ,ust e&perienced, but this time the feelings will be much less intense. )or the sake of your happiness, are you willing to go back to that scene for ,ust a short moment8 9esensiti:ing, re-learning and forgiving can be employed at this time with any number of hypnotic

193339028.doc

techni%ues ranging from the ;Informed child# to "4estalt role playing#. I myself like the 4estalt method due to my .+/ training. 7ichard <andler developed a techni%ue referred to as perceptual positions using self, other, and observer which appears to me to be fairly similar to 4estalt role playing. This isn6t surprising seeing as how =r. <andler openly admits to having a "<lack belt in 4estalt Therapy#. 9escribed below is the 4estalt method of helping someone through an abreaction* )irst* make it safe for the client to tell the other person(s) e&actly how he!she feels about what has happened (as the informed child). >econd* have the client role-play being the other party (or parties) in the e&perience. This may provide even greater insight to help facilitate release and clearing. This dialogue can be initiated with suggestions such as* 0our mother (or father, or the person or animal who caused the hurt) must now listen to you talk. 7emember, you have all your present adult knowledge, wisdom, understanding, intelligence and e&perience. Tell her (him or them) 1? 'T+0 how you )11+ about what has happened Wait for response, and allow the client to e&press. (e!she may talk for several minutes5 .ow, <1 03@7 =3T(17 (or father, or the person or animal who caused the hurt) and 71>/3.95 If there is no intermediate response, you may repeat the phrase and then summari:e what the client e&pressed as though you are talking to that person rather than the client. )or e&ample, assuming a client6s mother spanked too hard, say* .ow, <1 03@7 =3T(17. 0our daughter says you spanked her too hard (or whatever was done). >he doesn6t know how you can love her and spank her so hard (or do whatever was done). 71>/3.9 T3 03@7 9 @4(T175 Taking the role of the other person leads to understanding, which leads to forgiveness, which is usually necessary for release. 9epending on the individual client, you may facilitate this part of the age regression in either a paternal or maternal manner. 9o what you believe you would want if the roles were reversed. The final release ()orgiveness and!or @nderstanding), provides for the importance that the client forgive him!herself as well as the person or situation involved for final clearing. If forgiveness of the other person seems impossible, the ne&t best ob,ective is to reach understanding, then still find a way of helping the client attain self-forgiveness. The process of understanding and!or forgiving empowers and protects the client from further hurt. n emotion cannot be completely cleared as long as a client is holding onto a grudge. The anger or whatever emotion will remain an obstacle to change if not re-understood. The confirmation of resolution, and relearning, is the final important step to facilitate change, and is demonstrated as follows using ideomotor

193339028.doc