Past Life on Fox - a bittersweet experience

 

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX has pulled its freshman drama "Past Life" after three airings, network sources have confirmed this morning.

 

The series drew an invisible 1.1 rating among adults 18-49 last night, where it lost 31.25% of its repeat lead-in "Bones" (1.6 rating).

 

 

Dear Fox and the wonderful writers, directors, and cast of Past Life:

 

I watched all three Past Life episodes on Fox.  What a bittersweet experience.  As a professional Regression Therapist (CCHt, PLRT, BLSRT) who specializes in this type of important, powerful work, I have some concerns with the show.

 

Pro’s

First of all, I am delighted that the notion of reincarnation and its subsequent issues are being brought to mainstream American TV.  That's fantastic!  It’s only new in the States, but we need to start reality building somewhere.  Further, you are working hard to build a scientific case around a few events and trying to use modern detective research - nothing too new-agey - to support facts and insights.  Yes, there are a few leaps of faith, but that somewhat goes with the territory.  There are many strong pluses to the show.

 

I recognize that you have to create “Good TV” drama to keep people engaged, and the flashbacks in first person format certainly do that.  However, I can tell you from firsthand experience, there is NO need to go over the top with this work.  It is a huge roller coaster ride doing a Past Life Regression and deeply educational.  I am truly moved and humbled each time I do this work with my amazing clients.

 

Needs Improvement

Please do not use the word “Regression” as if it were an active seismic event.  “Oh, he’s having a ‘Regression’” does not really work.  “Flashback”, “Past Life Memory”, “Re-experience”, “Recall”, even the generic “Event” are much better choices.  Or make up your own new word like “Mindflash”, “Restim” or something.  Please don’t make a walking “Regression” an event that one should be afraid of.  It’s akin to Jaws making the ocean unsafe because sharks swim in it.  That’s just plain baloney.

 

A Clinical Regression is done with the following parameters:

1.    FIRST: Establish a Safe, Happy, Resource State for the client. 

     a.    We do this by anchoring a series of very positive, life-affirming events that create a sense of well being in the mind of the client.

      b.    We then anchor the emotional state to something physical like pressing the left first knuckle of the hand, turning a ring, or making an OK sign.

      c.    When done correctly, firing the anchor (pressing the knuckle or ring or making an OK sign) creates a change of state which allows us to get out of a painful or even dangerous memory or experience.  Some call this a “bail-out”. 

      d.    A well anchored Resource State is as important as the ejection seat in a jet fighter.  By the way, creating this state would make “Good TV”.

 

2.    SECOND:  There is NO need to re-stimulate the client by taking them to the scene of the crime “for real”.  Taking the client out into “the wild” creates a totally out of control scenario that provides no safety net for anyone.  Does it make “Good TV”? Well, perhaps, but you could do the same thing by simply doing a first-person view while they are safe in a chair in the Regression Hypnotherapist’s office.  This was done a number of times in the show, particularly during the 3^rd show.  Do more of that!

 

3.    THIRD:  Do the Work!  Each of the clients had NO real therapy performed!  Resolution was simply that some past life unfinished business was brought into present time and dealt with on some level.  There was no reframe, no releasing, no forgiveness work, no gestalt work, no parts therapy, and if any positive insights came of it, no one knew about it.  EACH of those clients (assuming it was real) still needs some strong therapy just to deal with what happened!  Perhaps even a gentle aside about your “standard practice” of referring the client to a follow-up team of PL specialists to fully integrate the insights that they received would be powerful and create a correct mindset for the audience.

 

4.    FOURTH: There is no difference to the subconscious mind between a totally re-experienced event through Hypnotic Regression and firsthand experience.  Think about the many dreams and nightmares that you might have had that were TOTALLY real in the moment.  It’s just like that when doing a Clinical Regression.   But I have to ask why you need to put the client through so much pain?  It is not necessary for a client to experience it and not necessary for “Good TV”.

      Each of the clients on the show had very vivid memories of their flashbacks.  Once the client was properly taken into in a deep level of hypnosis, a skilled Hypnotherapist could readily take them back in time via a process called a “Bridge” and they will skip right back to the Initial Traumatizing Event with full recall and full first-hand experiencing - yes, guns a-blazing! All the drama and emotion any writer could want!  The difference is that a skilled therapist can handle any trauma that comes up and help them properly deal with it.  They can have their client view it from a distance, or in a third person state, or in black and white, high speed, slow speed, and a myriad of other ways so the pain threshold is not exceeded.  Since their body is resting in a safe chair, in a safe place, with a therapist they trust, the fact is the client will have better access to all those ancient memories.  The subconscious will let them come forth.  Any time that it gets to be too much, the therapist can pendulate them to their Resource State and back out of the event.

 

5.    FIFTH: Forensic Hypnotherapy is a small but powerful branch of Hypnosis.  “Past Life” or its successor should take a few notes from their book.  It has been used in high profile cases such as Ted Bundy, The Boston Strangler, Scott Peterson, Sam Sheppard, the Chowchilla case, Rock vs. Arkansas, and others.  It is very exacting.  Forensic hypnosis must be conducted by a trained professional who knows how to get information without leading a witness or accidentally implanting a suggestion or memory.  Secondly, very detailed protocols must be met during the hypnosis session.  Last, when the case goes to court the jury must consider the four dangers of hypnosis in deciding the case. The four dangers are:

     (1) Suggestibility – a hypnotist could "suggest" a race, height, eye color, etcetera which the subject accepts as truth;

     (2) Loss of critical judgment – under hypnosis personal beliefs and prejudices may influence how an event is interpreted during recall;

     (3) Confabulation or lies – a person who has a reason to lie may create lies while under hypnosis or gaps in the memory may be filled in with false material that supports a self-interest;

    (4) Memory cementing – a false memory seems so real to the witness that he develops false confidence in it.

      If all of the above conditions are met, then hypnosis testimony may be used in court and has in many cases been used successfully.  But it takes due diligence and serious work.

Bottom Line – will I watch the other 4 episodes once they air?  Yes, holding out hope that they will include the truly exciting and interesting aspects of this work. 

 

Please improve, Past Life, so that we all can love you more for what you are trying to do.

 

Thanks!

Bud

Bud James, CCHt, MNLP, PLRT, BLSRT

Bud@DeepMemoryRecovery.com

http://www.DeepMemoryRecovery.com

 

775.544.7894

1005 Terminal Way

Suite 264

Reno, NV  89502

 

  

 

 

 

Significant Links:

Fox's Official Page
http://www.fox.com/pastlife/

Can Reincarnation be Proven?
http://www.beliefnet.com/Holistic-Living/2003/02/Can-Reincarnation-Be-Proven.aspx