T
he Rewind Technique was originally created by the originators of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, who called it the Visual-Kinaesthetic Dissociation Technique or ‘Fast Phobia Cure’. Dr David Muss developed the technique so that it could be effectively used in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and called it ‘the Rewind technique’. It was further refined by Joseph Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell of the Human Givens Institute and is a startlingly effective method for treating PTSD, panic attacks and phobias.
The Rewind Technique is a non-intrusive, safe and highly effective psychological method for detraumatising people. This technique can bring relief to parents who are traumatised after a difficult birth experience.
I know from working with many couples that sometimes, births leave people emotionally scarred. Symptoms of trauma can include panic attacks, nightmares, flashbacks, anger and irritability, numbness, tearfulness, avoidance of all reminders of the trauma, problems in relationships, feelings of failure and more. Although people who meet the formal diagnostic criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to their birth is only about 5%, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more who experience symptoms of trauma which are distressing and significantly affecting their lives and their transition into parenthood. Trauma can also present itself during pregnancy (pregnancy trauma) or breastfeeding (breastfeeding trauma) and fathers or other people in the birthing room can be affected too.
Some of these traumatised men and women make it to my Hypnobirthing classes or hire me as a Doula and then go on to experience a healing and empowering birthing experience. Others are so traumatised that their daily lives are effected and they cannot envisage a time when they would be able to face pregnancy and birth again. If this is you, the rewind technique is a useful and safe tool for unlocking the memories stored in your subconscious mind and enabling you to fully process those memories I’m a way that can return you to a state of calm.
