Regression therapy is an intervention that focuses on uncovering subconscious memories and traumas from the past.
Have you ever struggled to find the words? Or found yourself engaging in behavior that you just can’t rationalize? If so, you’re not alone.
You may have fears or phobias that you don’t know the cause of, or feelings of guilt or shame that you don’t understand. If these unexplained situations are causing you discomfort and affecting your health or relationships, it may be helpful to identify the cause of your reaction and develop a plan to heal it.
Regression therapy aims to get to the root causes of your current thoughts and reactions. Therapists using this method may use techniques such as hypnosis to unlock the subconscious memories that are guiding your current behavior.
Regression therapy remains controversial because there is limited research supporting its use and some experts believe it can lead to false memories.
Regression therapy is a form of treatment that combines hypnotherapy and psychoanalytic techniques to identify past events, memories, and traumas that may be negatively affecting the present.
According to “The Technique of Hypnotic Regression Therapy: A Clinical Guide,” practitioners of regression therapy believe that the subconscious mind can repress trauma experienced at an age when the mind was not able to process it properly.
In regression therapy, therapists use hypnosis to bring memories to the surface, especially childhood memories.
“The therapy is based on core psychological principles of the conscious and subconscious mind and how stored memories affect the mind,” says Brian Bruno, MD, medical director of Mid City TMS in New York City.
The core techniques used in regression therapy, hypnotherapy and psychoanalysis, came to prominence in the 1950s, and regression therapy developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Regression therapy is primarily used to better understand past experiences that may be influencing current emotional responses. Often, “regression therapy helps someone who experienced a traumatic childhood to determine how that memory is influencing their current behavior,” explains Bruno.
When asked who practices this type of therapy, Bruno replied, “Therapists who practice regression therapy usually specialize in trauma recovery, particularly resolving childhood trauma, and identifying the source of current unidentified fears or feelings of guilt or shame.”
There are three main types of regression therapy.
Hypnotic Regression Therapy
This is the best known type of regression therapy: it uses hypnosis to access the subconscious mind and explore traumatic memories that may be stored there.
Age Regression Therapy
“This type of regression therapy aims to bring you back to a child-like state of mind, using breathing techniques and penetrating questioning,” explains Bruno. Similar to hypnotic regression, this therapy aims to release forgotten trauma.
Past-life regression therapy
This type of regression therapy is practiced by people who believe that past-life trauma affects the present mind. This therapy is controversial and unprovable, and is therefore not accepted by most hypnotherapists.
Unlocking the subconscious mind through memory regression has many benefits, including resolving past trauma and uncovering the causes of certain (previously inexplicable) behaviors.
“Understanding why and how patients react a certain way to trauma can improve your relationship with them and give you a clearer picture of how to improve,” Bruno says.
“Regression therapy also helps therapists get to the heart of a patient’s issues and develop individualized treatment for the patient more quickly.”
Regression therapy can help individuals get to the root of:
- Unexplained fears and phobias
- Unexplained guilt, shame, and self-consciousness
- Recurring relationship challenges
- Common Intimacy Problems
It is important to note that while regression therapy may produce positive results, its benefits are not yet backed by scientific evidence.
Although the treatment has many advocates, regression therapy comes with several risks and controversies. For one, it’s difficult to tell whether the regression itself improved a patient’s mental health, or whether the improvements were due to other factors, like a placebo, Bruno said.
Although more research is needed on regression therapy,
One of the most well-known controversies surrounding the treatment is the risk of false memories, which is one of the reasons the American Psychological Association considers age regression therapy controversial.
“Therapists and hypnotists can use leading questions to implant false memories that fulfill their or their patient’s desired diagnosis,” Bruno explains, but he also points out another risk from unlicensed practitioners.
“There are many people who claim to be trained hypnotists but have no medical or therapeutic training, meaning they are not trained or qualified to diagnose or treat mental illness,” Bruno says.
Debates aside, it is up to you to weigh the risks and benefits of life regression therapy and ultimately choose what will best help you heal, whether that be alternative therapies or whatever you need.
Many insights and answers can be found in your memories, and regression therapy may be one way to explore them.
If you’re interested in this type of therapy and are thinking about trying it, consider finding a licensed hypnotherapist to avoid any potential risks. Also, remember that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to try an alternative approach, as long as you educate yourself about it.
You have a right to find out what is affecting you negatively. There is no need to keep going around in circles looking for an explanation. The explanation may be in your subconscious and once you discover it, you may finally be able to heal.
