Some schools of hypnotherapy believe that change requires getting to the root of the problem. They therefore seek to regress clients until an abreaction occurs, that is a spontaneous, strong emotional response from the past.

I think abreaction has its place - or at least its person. Some of my former teachers come to mind, especially the ones from elementary school. "Come and sit down and let me help you feel the pain that you don't know that you have" - really!

Someone once said to me that the problem was a deep one. I said, "No, it isn't! It's right on the surface, as you know all too well." It's really interesting, the brain's capacity to forget, and for a good reason too. The brain says --- "Urrrggggg, I don't like the way that felt - I will forget it."

I was doing a training when two of the participants came up to me with a concern. They were doing an exercise when one of them experienced this less than enjoyable feeling. They asked me, "What should we do with it?" I said, "Nothing - just forget it, it was probably something you ate for lunch." And they did forget it.

In the right hands this little feeling could have turned out to be bigger than life itself. As far as I can tell, what's done is done - that's why they call it the past. There is no such thing as unfinished business. The business is finished, they just don't like the way it turned out.

So what to do? Gee, since you didn't like it so much - let's go back and do it again and again and again. This way you can get a lot of practice doing what it is you don't want to do. It's kinda like getting the anger out thing. Here -- beat up this tree with this stick and you will feel better. Hell of a pattern. Feel bad, beat something up, and feel better. A training course for domestic violence! Come here honey...

I see it on the freeway from time to time. Some well intentioned person misses an exit. And in the heat of traffic puts the car in reverse. It didn't occur to them - go to the next exit! They might even find something new, something not noticed before.

Plain and simple, the brain does not need to go backwards as a means of moving forward. And most certainly, the person who has experienced some painful situation does not need to be convinced to go through it again. Sounds really sadistic to me. How about some surgery! You don't need an anesthetic -- it won't hurt me a bit! Burn any witches lately?

Absurd!

Carmine