Hypnotic Regression
In hypnotherapy, regression which is going back in time and reliving or remembering earlier times is very useful for both discovering causes of and solutions to current issues.
When we return to an earlier time we can see events through our own eyes as though we were actually there, seeing what we saw, hearing what we heard and seeing what we saw. This is called being associated or being associated into a memory.
We can also see ourselves from an objective point of view as though on a movie screen. This is viewing the memory from a dissociated point of view.
Being associated produces much stronger feelings than being dissociated Thus we want to be associated into positive happy memories while viewing negative traumatic memories from a dissociated point of view.
Regression is an important part of hypnosis. In fact any elicitation of memory will cause a regression which itself will induce a light trance or deepen trance. Often Milton H. Erickson starts his sessions with a very simple regression: "Remember a very happy time from your childhood.... Something you have not remembered for a long time...."
Whenever I use this regression I notice a wonderful smile on my clients face. This regression may be used very successfully in sales and persuasion. Suppose you are a car sales person you may ask, "Remember when you bought a car that you were very happy with..."