Regression in Hypnosis: Does It Really Work?

Age regression is one of the most powerful tools available to the hypnotherapist.But lately it has come under fire for creating false memories. The truth of the matter is that it does work… but the hypnotherapist must be well trained, and used to regression work so that they don’t “lead” the subject.

Many therapies involving hypnosis take advantage of the mind’s ability to visualize. And this ability is very useful when treating someone for overeating, smoking cessation or helping them to achieve athletic or career goals. But combining age regression and visualization must be done very carefully.

“The subconscious mind retains every single piece of information that it receives. If someone is having trouble retrieving a memory, the hypnotist may suggest that they visualize something that will help them retrieve it.” explains Dr. Georgina Cannon, Director of the Ontario Hypnosis Centre.” If the suggestion isn’t very carefully worded, the mind may confuse the image with the memory. For this reason it is very important to use non-directive hypnotherapy.”

An example she gives is that of a client, who came to her during one of her corporate stress reduction programs. During the break, a young woman named Cathy asked if Georgina could spare her some time to discuss a personal problem. She then told how from as far back as she could remember, she had always felt sad when visitors left her home, but the situation was becoming increasingly troublesome. The emotional upsets were no longer limited to loved ones, but happened whenever anyone
went out through a door. Which, because she worked in a large office, was becoming impossible to ignore. The situation seemed to be out of control and she felt she needed help. It was arranged that she go to the clinic for a hypnosis session.

“After chatting with Cathy for a while, I decided that it was possible that some event in her early life had left a strong imprint. I put her into a light trance and asked her to go back to the time and place where she first remembered the feeling”. explains Georgina. “Cathy saw herself as three years old, sitting on the stairs in her home and looking down into the living room. Her father had just died and was lying in the living room. She was called down and instructed to kiss her father goodbye, which she did.”

A favorite aunt, wanting to spare her feelings, and trying to help Cathy understand that her father wouldn’t come back, explained that when her father went through the door, he would be gone forever,and never return.”

“Without realizing what they had done, they created an association between death and doors that remained locked in her subconscious mind. To her three year old mind, there was no understanding, only the statement from her aunt that going out the door meant never coming back”.

By experiencing Non Directive Hypnotherapy Cathy’s problem was solved in just two sessions. Understanding the cause, and bringing an adult perspective to a child memory made the difference for Cathy. She no longer feels any emotion around doors or friends leaving her home. The connection has been broken.

"More and more people are using hypnosis and self-hypnosis to enable themselves to be the best they can be” explains Dr. Georgina Cannon. “Once you’ve learned self-hypnosis, it can stay with you for the rest of your life and help you achieve any goal you set your mind to.”

When choosing a hypnotherapist, it is important that they have complete and thorough training, preferably by an international body such as the National Guild of Hypnotists, which insists on a minimum of 100 hours of training before certification and that their members keep up training every year for re-certification.