Excessive Pain Following Past Life Regression Session: Release or Resistance

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kim Robert English, CHt on March 7, 2011 at 5:26pm

Hi Lorraine... thanks for your courage in sharing your experiences.

Many questions need to be answered in order to even begin to respond to your questions effectively.

Hearing about experiences like yours makes my blood boil having spent so many years "undoing" damage that others have done through ignorance, incompetence and general stupidity applying various modalities. There is one axiom that holds: if you don't know how to handle/process an abreaction, don't go there.

I am reminded that It even finally became clear as the EFT demonstrations and gatherings began to grow larger in the late 90's, that a certain number of people are going to abreact to whatever is going on and practitioners need to be on hand to step in and address those issues with those people immediately--on the spot.

Past life regression and the like can truly tap into the deepest emotions (and those emotions don't necessarily seem to stay in the past life but certainly can and often do bleed through into the current moment with all kinds of unexpected consequences)... but when those emotions overwhelm, they need to be channeled in a way that leads to resolution... although you give no information about who or what the circumstances were in which you experienced your past life regression, it does not sound like those in charge helped you channel the emotions or the experience very well. This is really unforgivable.

 

As for your question, even though no mental malpractice may have occurred, the perception certainly has been given that something was not right. And that is what leads to law suits. To use a recent unrelated metaphor, Law of Attraction Guru James Arthur Ray may not have actually murdered his followers by packing them like sardines into a stifling, sweat lodge demanding they purge themselves of god knows what until they passed beyond endurance, but there certain is the perception that a sane and reasonable person would not have conducted such a frightening, intentional, self-serving barbecue.

 

Can't speak for the Theta Healing... but also sounds like the  "oh well, fid-dle-dee-dee" attitude of the instructor and his/her inability to help you resolve those issues (isn't it amazing how easy it is to just point to another person's "resistance" and not have to help them do anything about it), points more toward ignorance and I hope not just plain callous indifference.

 

So you've  learned some lessons from this. Unfortunately doesn't sound like your instructors have learned anything except how to promote themselves. I wouldn't want to work with people that couldn't help me if I had an abreaction... why would anyone go to someone like that for help? Obviously, when the spit hits the fan, they don't know what to do... what kind of help is that?

 

I have to say, having been in metaphysics since the late 60's, long before the New Age became the thing of the Law of Attraction, I've seen so many things go wrong with modalities that were supposed to work--- even with some of those that we now think of as the big names of the era... they, too, have had some pretty awful disasters with people abreacting.  The one thing that is true is you have to always be responsible for your own work and if something goes wrong, you can't take it for granted that you will get the help you need at the moment. Truly buyer beware. Having seen as much so-called past life regression work, breath work, birthing, breathing, re-breathing, even more of those clever names for hyperventilating... and seeing what gets "vented," I'm not sure the term would actually be "released," it's sobering.

 

In the workshops that I've attended over the years that have been ethical and well-designed, contingencies are always made for that unexpected abreaction... anyone whose ever conducted small/large groups knows that the whole thing grinds to a halt if the leader has to suddenly stop in mid-sentence and go help the person who's now out of control over in the corner... safety must be a part of what we offer... saying "oh, you're just abreating... you've got some resistence" is about as useful as poking your eye with stick.

 

Because you've been through this and you know how unsettling, frustrating, bewildering it is... if you are going to offer past regression to people, then you need to have an experience of true and total competence in handling the stuff that can come up from the past  whether from this life or somewhere else... Get yourself to Utah and work with Randy Shaw... Check out Matt Sison... working with them, you will never fear past life experiences/abreations again... and you'll get real help, real resolution if an abreaction occurs...and you'll learn for yourself how to truly process what comes up--- they use EFT in their hypnosis work... you can relate to what they do... because they have gone through this stuff themselves... and they know the value of an abreaction... there's only value from one, if you get to the bottom of it...  and if you want to NOT be like those who have failed you thus far, you'll walk away from Shaw or Sison TRULY able to help yourself and others. There are some people who are competent, trained, skilled, caring... seek them out... you have to turn over a lot of rocks, but when you find a hypnotist that's really congruent, ethical and there for you, they make all the others fade into the background.

That's my 2-cents! Good luck to you!

Permalink Reply by Justin James on March 7, 2011 at 5:52pm

Dear Lorraine, in response to your post I am going to play devils advocate for part of it.

So someone sues you for experiencing pain in a past life???? Bring that to a judge and I am sure the laughter will be heard all across whatever city you live in.

So did you experience pain from a past life or did you vividly imagine something that caused you to feel imagined pain?

Now first if you are going to sessions like these and coming out in pain then QUIT! literally if you stuck your finger in the light socket once why do it again???

 

There are many potential explanations for why you have felt pain and not knowing you or been involved in the programs you participated in, one can only guess.

 

Although many can argue about what Hypnosis is and is not, what people do not argue is that there is a segment of the population that is naturally highly suggestible.

The term for this type of person is Somnambulist. This person is extremely suggestible naturally.

Now mix in the fact that some people believe that they were not a prince or princess in a past life and possibly you have someone who may think that they came to an untimely end.

Mix the two and you could have a problem on your hands if you as the hypnotist did not set the stage correctly.

 

Avoiding abreactions in a therapy setting is not always desired, however in any sort of group situation a instructor needs to know how to deal with them, avoid them, or head them off.

 

If you are going to practice Hypnosis you need to know how to deal with them as well.

 

As a consumer you have to understand a couple of things.

 

1. All Hypnosis is self Hypnosis.
2. Imagination is stronger then willpower.

If you imagine yourself in pain then you will experience pain.

 

Now as for lawsuits. People sue for all sorts of things every day... Proving it in a court would be the challenge and bluntly only the attorneys would win which is why if you practice you should maintain insurance to cover your practice.

 

As an individual if the issue that you are so intent upon is vital to your health, peace, prosperity, and growth. Then finding someone with experience who can assist you in private to overcome it, is probably in your best interests.

 

Attempting to solve major life issues in a classroom setting is not recommended.

 

Sincerely,

 

Justin James

 

www.thehypnosiscompany.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Lorraine Beattie on March 7, 2011 at 6:11pm

Thanks you so much, Kim, and thank you for the names that you provided.  

As you mentioned, there are varying degrees of capability within the hypnosis/healing community even among those who are associated with the Guild and who are acknowledged as competent trainers and experts. 

 

The abreaction in the past life regression class practice session was very memorable, however, it was the pain after the class that concerned me and I was pretty sure that it was the result of not properly processing the emotions that resulted.

We have heard of healing crisis but I thought the aches and pains were too extreme to be considered a healing crisis. 

I have been considering taking the Alchemical training from David Quigley but I will also investigate the other names you provided.  

 

 

 

 

Kim Robert English, CHt said:

Hi Lorraine... thanks for your courage in sharing your experiences.

Many questions need to be answered in order to even begin to respond to your questions effectively.

Hearing about experiences like yours makes my blood boil having spent so many years "undoing" damage that others have done through ignorance, incompetence and general stupidity applying various modalities. There is one axiom that holds: if you don't know how to handle/process an abreaction, don't go there.

I am reminded that It even finally became clear as the EFT demonstrations and gatherings began to grow larger in the late 90's, that a certain number of people are going to abreact to whatever is going on and practitioners need to be on hand to step in and address those issues with those people immediately--on the spot.

Past life regression and the like can truly tap into the deepest emotions (and those emotions don't necessarily seem to stay in the past life but certainly can and often do bleed through into the current moment with all kinds of unexpected consequences)... but when those emotions overwhelm, they need to be channeled in a way that leads to resolution... although you give no information about who or what the circumstances were in which you experienced your past life regression, it does not sound like those in charge helped you channel the emotions or the experience very well. This is really unforgivable.

 

As for your question, even though no mental malpractice may have occurred, the perception certainly has been given that something was not right. And that is what leads to law suits. To use a recent unrelated metaphor, Law of Attraction Guru James Arthur Ray may not have actually murdered his followers by packing them like sardines into a stifling, sweat lodge demanding they purge themselves of god knows what until they passed beyond endurance, but there certain is the perception that a sane and reasonable person would not have conducted such a frightening, intentional, self-serving barbecue.

 

Can't speak for the Theta Healing... but also sounds like the  "oh well, fid-dle-dee-dee" attitude of the instructor and his/her inability to help you resolve those issues (isn't it amazing how easy it is to just point to another person's "resistance" and not have to help them do anything about it), points more toward ignorance and I hope not just plain callous indifference.

 

So you've  learned some lessons from this. Unfortunately doesn't sound like your instructors have learned anything except how to promote themselves. I wouldn't want to work with people that couldn't help me if I had an abreaction... why would anyone go to someone like that for help? Obviously, when the spit hits the fan, they don't know what to do... what kind of help is that?

 

I have to say, having been in metaphysics since the late 60's, long before the New Age became the thing of the Law of Attraction, I've seen so many things go wrong with modalities that were supposed to work--- even with some of those that we now think of as the big names of the era... they, too, have had some pretty awful disasters with people abreacting.  The one thing that is true is you have to always be responsible for your own work and if something goes wrong, you can't take it for granted that you will get the help you need at the moment. Truly buyer beware. Having seen as much so-called past life regression work, breath work, birthing, breathing, re-breathing, even more of those clever names for hyperventilating... and seeing what gets "vented," I'm not sure the term would actually be "released," it's sobering.

 

In the workshops that I've attended over the years that have been ethical and well-designed, contingencies are always made for that unexpected abreaction... anyone whose ever conducted small/large groups knows that the whole thing grinds to a halt if the leader has to suddenly stop in mid-sentence and go help the person who's now out of control over in the corner... safety must be a part of what we offer... saying "oh, you're just abreating... you've got some resistence" is about as useful as poking your eye with stick.

 

Because you've been through this and you know how unsettling, frustrating, bewildering it is... if you are going to offer past regression to people, then you need to have an experience of true and total competence in handling the stuff that can come up from the past  whether from this life or somewhere else... Get yourself to Utah and work with Randy Shaw... Check out Matt Sison... working with them, you will never fear past life experiences/abreations again... and you'll get real help, real resolution if an abreaction occurs...and you'll learn for yourself how to truly process what comes up--- they use EFT in their hypnosis work... you can relate to what they do... because they have gone through this stuff themselves... and they know the value of an abreaction... there's only value from one, if you get to the bottom of it...  and if you want to NOT be like those who have failed you thus far, you'll walk away from Shaw or Sison TRULY able to help yourself and others. There are some people who are competent, trained, skilled, caring... seek them out... you have to turn over a lot of rocks, but when you find a hypnotist that's really congruent, ethical and there for you, they make all the others fade into the background.

That's my 2-cents! Good luck to you!

Permalink Reply by Lorraine Beattie on March 7, 2011 at 6:37pm

Thanks, Justin, for your reply. 

 

I cannot provide all of the details of my experiences due to professional confidentiality so I am not going further with this. 

I was in a past life regression training class - probably about 14 participants, and as is common in classes, we had demonstrations then we were paired up in groups so we could practice.   This was not a change my life issue but part of the training and the experience of past lives.  We need to know how to handle abreactions  and how to process the emotions, however, this was not done in my case.  

As far as being sued, it may be laughable, however, nothing is impossible or improbable.  We hold ourselves to be professionals, therefore, we should be able to stand behind our training and our actions.  Many people believe that lay hypnotists do damage and this could play out in a court of law.  

 

I recently saw an interview with a university professor from one of the universities in Ontario, Canada,  discussing the credibility of past lives. He mentioned that past life regression work by hypnotherapists is now illegal in Israel due to the number of issues and problems created.  (This is a situation that needs to be investigated for authenticity).

Thanks, again.  

 

 

 

Justin James said:

Dear Lorraine, in response to your post I am going to play devils advocate for part of it.

So someone sues you for experiencing pain in a past life???? Bring that to a judge and I am sure the laughter will be heard all across whatever city you live in.

So did you experience pain from a past life or did you vividly imagine something that caused you to feel imagined pain?

Now first if you are going to sessions like these and coming out in pain then QUIT! literally if you stuck your finger in the light socket once why do it again???

 

There are many potential explanations for why you have felt pain and not knowing you or been involved in the programs you participated in, one can only guess.

 

Although many can argue about what Hypnosis is and is not, what people do not argue is that there is a segment of the population that is naturally highly suggestible.

The term for this type of person is Somnambulist. This person is extremely suggestible naturally.

Now mix in the fact that some people believe that they were not a prince or princess in a past life and possibly you have someone who may think that they came to an untimely end.

Mix the two and you could have a problem on your hands if you as the hypnotist did not set the stage correctly.

 

Avoiding abreactions in a therapy setting is not always desired, however in any sort of group situation a instructor needs to know how to deal with them, avoid them, or head them off.

 

If you are going to practice Hypnosis you need to know how to deal with them as well.

 

As a consumer you have to understand a couple of things.

 

1. All Hypnosis is self Hypnosis.
2. Imagination is stronger then willpower.

If you imagine yourself in pain then you will experience pain.

 

Now as for lawsuits. People sue for all sorts of things every day... Proving it in a court would be the challenge and bluntly only the attorneys would win which is why if you practice you should maintain insurance to cover your practice.

 

As an individual if the issue that you are so intent upon is vital to your health, peace, prosperity, and growth. Then finding someone with experience who can assist you in private to overcome it, is probably in your best interests.

 

Attempting to solve major life issues in a classroom setting is not recommended.

 

Sincerely,

 

Justin James

 

www.thehypnosiscompany.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Don Rice on March 7, 2011 at 8:31pm

Hi Lorraine, After many years in full time hypnosis practice I have the following to offer.

 

1. I would stop taking classes that caused me pain.

2.Yes you could be sued, but you could be sued for anything someone wanted to sue you for.

 

Do Good & Make Money,  Don

Permalink Reply by Justin James on March 8, 2011 at 8:30am

Lorraine, As the founder of Safe on Stage I have been privy to many lawsuits that hypnotists have been subjected to over the years and while there have been successful cases prosecuted for liability (people slipping and falling, tripping, ect)

There are no recorded cases of successful malpractice suits against unlicensed psychotherapists or hypnotherapists.

 

Licensed therapists have been sued as well however the vast majority of cases are for sexual misconduct.

I hold the position that any practicing Hypnotist / Hypnotherapist should maintain business liability / Malpractice insurance. However that is to protect the practitioner catastrophic loss  due to massive attorneys fees.

 

Now as a professional, I find it hard to believe that a class instructor is going out of his or her way to harm you or any other student in a classroom setting. No matter how well or poorly trained they are.

If you as a consumer went into a class and intentionally or unintentionally imagined a unpleasant experience that resulted in you experiencing imagined pain.  Then went to another class and did the same thing??????????

 

If you are concerned about abreactions then there are many good instructors who can teach you how to avoid them or utilize them.

 

As for past life being illegal in Israel.. I am sure that is but one of the many things that are illegal in Isreal.  You live in Edmonton.. 

 

The nice thing about North America is if you don't like someone or something you can vote with your dollars and not continue to do it.

 

As for the many people that believe Lay Hypnotists do damage... Many is a gross exaggeration... The few who do though are vocal and litigious which leads me to believe that their motivations are suspect.

 

Justin

 

 

Permalink Reply by Wally Muller on March 9, 2011 at 5:20pm

I usually do not make comments because there are far more experienced practitioners out there. 

What you said was, "No therapy had actually been done during the class".  I beg to differ.  You went to a past life Right?  You experienced an event Right?  You had an abreaction Right?  Then therapy should have been done for you to deal with this abreaction because evidently there is a problem and since you were there already someone should have completed a therapy for you. 

Insights may attempt to soften the question about the severe physical discomfort you went through after but that's subjective. 

The gate to the issue had been opened and came up again in the Theta Healing course with the same physical reactions after.  Find someone you trust that is experienced in past life THERAPY and get them to take you there and as they say in Keinian hypnosis.  Find the cause and fix it.

 

Wally Muller, CH CI    Advanced Hypnosis    Calgary Hypnosis Academy    Calgary, Alberta, CA  403-816-2671    adhypcal@telus.net   

National Guild of Hypnotists Certified Instructor and Hypnotherapist www.advancedhypnosiscalgary.com

Permalink Reply by Lorraine Beattie on March 10, 2011 at 6:54am

Thanks Wally for the comments.  Nice to know that you close to my area of the world. 

I agree with your comment about a gate being opened and further work needing to be done here to resolve the issue/issues.