Reviewing the Past

There are times when I need to review something from the past with a client.

This might be because an event or events that took place in the client’s history had such a strong impact that they are still affected by it at an unconscious level in the present. Usually such a happening is causing some kind of restriction or fear in the person’s life.

For example, it is not uncommon for someone’s fear of giving a presentation to stem from some event in childhood. It is not uncommon for some kind of humiliating event to have taken place at school and as a result, the young child recoiled from being in such a situation again, a decision which persists into adulthood.

If you feel your attitude to something is unreasonable and unhelpful or out of alignment with who you are as an adult, it is likely that something from your past is still holding sway.

Revisiting the past in this way is known as age regression. One way of approaching an old, upsetting event is through what we call the “helping hand” technique or “inner child” work.

As a child, you had limited resources and experience with which to deal with life. As an adult, you have much more. In the session, when we have identified the event or events that are still causing emotional upset at the unconscious level, I will often ask the client to go back to that younger self with all their adult resources so that they can clear up the past. The adult self acts like a compassionate and understanding parent, listens to the younger self’s concerns and offers comfort and guidance. Sometimes, there is other work to do as well.

This kind of work can be very powerful, freeing up the stuck energy to be used more productively.