Regression therapy is an intervention that focuses on uncovering subconscious memories or traumas from your past.
Have you ever struggled with something you just couldn’t find the words for? Or notice that you have behaviors that you can’t rationalize? If so, you are not the only one.
It’s possible to have fears or phobias that you don’t know the cause of, or feelings of guilt or shame that you can’t understand. If these unexplained scenarios are causing you discomfort, affecting your health or your relationships, it can be helpful to try to access the cause of your reactions and work on creating a plan to heal from it.
Regression therapy aims to discover the root cause of your current thoughts and reactions. Therapists who use this practice can use techniques like hypnosis to unlock the subconscious memories that direct your current behavior.
Regression therapy remains controversial, as there is little research to support its use and some experts believe it could lead to false memories.
Regression therapy is a form of therapy that combines hypnotherapy and psychoanalytic techniques to identify past events, memories, and traumas that may be negatively impacting you in the present.
According to “The Art of Hypnotic Regression Therapy: A Clinical Guide“, practitioners of regression therapy believe that the subconscious mind can repress trauma inflicted at an age when the mind was unable to process it appropriately.
In regression therapy, the therapist uses hypnosis to bring memories to the surface – often childhood memories in particular.
“The therapy is based on fundamental psychological principles of the conscious and subconscious and studies the effects of stored memories on the psyche,” shares Bryan Bruno, MD, medical director at Midtown TMS At New York.
Hypnotherapy and psychoanalysis – the basic techniques used in regression therapy – rose to prominence in the 1950s, while regression therapy developed in the late 1970s and early 1970s. 80.
Regression therapy is primarily used to help you better understand past experiences that might be affecting your emotional reactions in the present. In many cases, “regression therapy is used to help those who have had traumatic childhood experiences determine how those memories are affecting their behavior now,” says Bruno.
When asked who practices this type of therapy, Bruno said that “therapists who practice regression therapy typically specialize in trauma recovery, particularly in resolving early childhood trauma or determining causes of current phobias or feelings of guilt and shame that have no recognized cause. ”
There are three main types of regression therapy:
Hypnotic regression therapy
This is the best known type of regression therapy practice. He uses hypnosis to help you access your subconscious mind – and any trauma memories that may be stored there.
Age regression therapy
“This style of regression therapy aims to bring you back to a childlike state of mind using breathing exercises and pointed questions,” says Bruno. Like hypnotic regression therapy, this style of treatment aims to unlock any forgotten trauma.
Past life regression therapy
This version of regression therapy is practiced by those who believe that trauma from past lives affects the mind in the present. Due to its controversial (and unprovable) nature, it is not recognized by most hypnotherapists.
There can be many benefits to unlocking your subconscious through memory regression, including resolving past traumas and uncovering the origin of certain (previously unexplainable) behaviors.
“By understanding how and why a patient reacts in a certain way to trauma, it improves the patient’s relationship with themselves and gives them a clearer picture of how to improve,” says Bruno.
“Regression therapy also helps therapists get to the heart of their patient’s issues so they can more quickly develop individualized treatment for the patient.”
Regression therapy can help individuals understand:
- fears or phobias that seem to have no explanation
- feelings of guilt, shame, and self-consciousness without a known cause
- recurring relationship challenges
- common intimacy issues
It is important to note that while it is possible to achieve positive results with regression therapy, the benefits are not yet supported by scientific evidence.
Although many support this therapeutic practice, certain risks and controversies surround regression therapy. On the one hand, “it is difficult to determine whether the regression itself improves a patient’s state of mind or whether the growth is due to other factors, such as a placebo,” says Bruno.
While more research still needs to be done on regression therapy, a
One of the most well-known controversies surrounding the practice is the risk of false memories, and it’s one of the reasons why the American Psychological Association considers age regression therapy controversial.
“It is possible that the guided questions of a therapist or a hypnotherapist lead to the implantation of false memories that respond to the diagnosis desired by the therapist or the patient”, explains Bruno, who also identifies another risk: practitioners unqualified.
“There are many people who claim to be trained hypnotists but have no medical or therapeutic training – therefore they are not trained or certified to diagnose and treat alleged mental health issues,” says Bruno.
Controversies aside, it’s up to you to weigh the risks and benefits of life regression therapy. You choose what is ultimately most helpful to your healing, and that may sound like what you need – even alternative therapy.
There are many ideas and answers that could be found in your memories, and regression therapy could be a way to explore this.
If you’re curious and considering trying this type of therapy, consider seeking out an equally licensed hypnotherapist to avoid some potential risks. And remember, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to try an alternative approach, as long as you educate yourself about it.
You deserve to get to the bottom of what negatively affects you, and you don’t have to keep going around in circles trying to find an explanation. There is a chance that this explanation is in your subconscious, and once you discover it, you can finally heal from it.
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