Regression causing false memories?

[Angie Brown]

I remember back in the 1980's, there was a spate of people who went for regression in their current lives (it had become fashionable), and created false memories - not all were unhappy, some were of good things that their parents, siblings and other relatives knew hadn't happened. Sadly, some created terrible false memories of abuse by parents or others. A friends daughter was among those in the latter group, and the young woman was convinced she had been abused. The distress was deep and lasting for all, and obviously caused a rift. Over time, that friend and I lost contact as my life changed, so I don't know if they ever resolved the problem.
It was eventually shown that many such regressions to current life childhoods had created false memories. In other words, hallucinations and delusions.

Isn't there a great danger that children regressed to past lives might do likewise? That is apart from great distress or longings connected to pl's.

By no means am I saying that all pl regressions create false memories. There is too much circumstantial evidence in memories which prove that many are very real recalls of events and people. Added to which I have my own natural pl memories, one of which was when I was the wife of a very well known man, so when I was old enough to read well I was able to 'verify' (and knew more than is written). So I am absolutely not trying to debunk pl's.

I just think that maybe regression is safer for fully grown adults who are at least in their latter twenties, when our minds are usually good and strong and are less likely to imagine things whilst regressed.

I know there are those who have safely regressed as young adults, so of course there are those who would disagree with me.

I just wonder though if anyone reading this has had a false memory 'implanted' when regressed or know anyone who has, and who have later realise the memory wasn't of real events and people? And if others may feel uncomfortable with the idea of regressing children or youngsters?

Best wishes,

Angie

 

[SeaAndSky]

Hi Angie,

You're definitely correct about false memories. I think they can crop up even when you have a skilled regressionist who doesn't force answers or ask leading questions. The biggest element of proof that such memories can be true that I can recall was given by Weiss. He observed that real healings could be accomplished by dealing with and treating the PL trauma revealed. Thus, he concluded that in such cases it was a real event/trauma that was being dealt with, not merely a fantasy or imaginative construct of some type. Then, of course, we hope that adults are able to make some type of reasoned adult judgment in terms of the reality of what comes out (though this is often wishful thinking as your example above proves). OTOH, I don't have any doubt that false memories can be implanted, or subconsciously created by the person being regressed when real memory is blocked. I also have often read posts by people expressing doubts about what came out and whether they just "made it up" somehow.

In any case, with adults, doing or not doing a regression and how to deal with it is there own business. However, I have great reservations in regard to children. If it is a problem that needs to be treated, and the person treating it is a qualified mental health practitioner who knows his/her stuff (e.g., a Dr. Weiss) that is one thing. If there is no problem that requires such treatment, I think they should be left until they are old enough to make such decisions for themselves. In other words, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Kids are wonderful and marvelous little beings. I never forced my little ones to confront the evils and ugliness of the world before they were ready, and then only gradually. Doing a regression without a real reason to do so, may result in a child having to deal with "adult" memories that are extremely disturbing and/or horrible. It is just my two cents, but I don't think this is something that should be done without reason any more than I would subject my child to surgery without a good reason.

I know there are those that seek to limit the regression to a "happy" lifetime. I suppose that is a bit better, but I still can't help but be concerned. Once again, this is just my personal opinion.

Cordially,
S&S

 

[Angie Brown]

Hi Angie,

You're definitely correct about false memories. I think they can crop up even when you have a skilled regressionist who doesn't force answers or ask leading questions. The biggest element of proof that such memories can be true that I can recall was given by Weiss. He observed that real healings could be accomplished by dealing with and treating the PL trauma revealed. Thus, he concluded that in such cases it was a real event/trauma that was being dealt with, not merely a fantasy or imaginative construct of some type. Then, of course, we hope that adults are able to make some type of reasoned adult judgment in terms of the reality of what comes out (though this is often wishful thinking as your example above proves). OTOH, I don't have any doubt that false memories can be implanted, or subconsciously created by the person being regressed when real memory is blocked. I also have often read posts by people expressing doubts about what came out and whether they just "made it up" somehow.

In any case, with adults, doing or not doing a regression and how to deal with it is there own business. However, I have great reservations in regard to children. If it is a problem that needs to be treated, and the person treating it is a qualified mental health practitioner who knows his/her stuff (e.g., a Dr. Weiss) that is one thing. If there is no problem that requires such treatment, I think they should be left until they are old enough to make such decisions for themselves. In other words, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Kids are wonderful and marvelous little beings. I never forced my little ones to confront the evils and ugliness of the world before they were ready, and then only gradually. Doing a regression without a real reason to do so, may result in a child having to deal with "adult" memories that are extremely disturbing and/or horrible. It is just my two cents, but I don't think this is something that should be done without reason any more than I would subject my child to surgery without a good reason.

I know there are those that seek to limit the regression to a "happy" lifetime. I suppose that is a bit better, but I still can't help but be concerned. Once again, this is just my personal opinion.

Cordially,
S&S

Hi SeaAndSky,
Does anyone know if Dr Weiss is a qualified, experienced Psychiatrist? And how he would know if memories are real or are a symptom of the onset of a disease such as schizophrenia or Bi-polar? Or if regressing young minds could cause the stress chemicals which when in overload can trigger the physiological changes to the brain that grow to result in such a distressing disease? I am extremely dubious of regression for youngsters, and myself I believe it is best to find other ways to help them. E.G. Much re-assurance. They can decide for themselves when adult. My opinion anyway, but interesting to know your own thoughts which are only slightly different

I wonder if there are any adults here who were regressed when young?

Best wishes,

Angie

 

[SeaAndSky]

Hi Angie,

I quoted Dr. Brian Weiss on the subject of the validity and use of PL memories for adults. I really don't know what he would say about children, but you may wish to research this issue. I assume that he would go that way if the case seemed to warrant/require it just like he does in other cases where he is looking for underlying causes and treatment modalities. He's an M.D. and a Psychiatrist, so he thinks and speaks generally in a therapeutic sense, though he certainly considers PL memory to be proof of survival and a variety of other things as well.

I think your question was a good deal more general--i.e., having kids do this for a reason other than treatment of mental or physical health issues when recommended by a qualified professional. I'm very leery of PL fishing expeditions with children; however, in the hands of a skilled physician like Dr. Weiss in the treatment of a problem, I would certainly see it as a possible avenue of treatment.

BTW--His background would certainly make him fully aware of any of the problems you bring up. Dr. Weiss has extremely impressive (some might say impeccable) credentials:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Weiss

Cordially,
S&S

 

[Angie Brown]

Hi Angie,

I quoted Dr. Brian Weiss on the subject of the validity and use of PL memories for adults. I really don't know what he would say about children, but you may wish to research this issue. I assume that he would go that way if the case seemed to warrant/require it just like he does in other cases where he is looking for underlying causes and treatment modalities. He's an M.D. and a Psychiatrist, so he thinks and speaks generally in a therapeutic sense, though he certainly considers PL memory to be proof of survival and a variety of other things as well.

I think your question was a good deal more general--i.e., having kids do this for a reason other than treatment of mental or physical health issues when recommended by a qualified professional. I'm very leery of PL fishing expeditions with children; however, in the hands of a skilled physician like Dr. Weiss in the treatment of a problem, I would certainly see it as a possible avenue of treatment.

BTW--His background would certainly make him fully aware of any of the problems you bring up. Dr. Weiss has extremely impressive (some might say impeccable) credentials:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Weiss

Cordially,
S&S

Hi S&S,

My apologies. I had thought you meant Dr Weiss in respect of regressing children. As you said, it's for adults to decide for themselves and I wouldn't be adverse to it for myself at my old age, if it were for a specific purpose.

I have only been on the forum since Friday and haven't been on any other at any time before. I read a lot at first to ensure that everyone seems genuine (which they do). So this isn't something I have any knowledge of where Regression Therapists are concerned. Thank you for the link, which I shall read with interest after dinner

Best wishes

Angie

 

[Angie Brown]

Hi Angie,

I quoted Dr. Brian Weiss on the subject of the validity and use of PL memories for adults. I really don't know what he would say about children, but you may wish to research this issue. I assume that he would go that way if the case seemed to warrant/require it just like he does in other cases where he is looking for underlying causes and treatment modalities. He's an M.D. and a Psychiatrist, so he thinks and speaks generally in a therapeutic sense, though he certainly considers PL memory to be proof of survival and a variety of other things as well.

I think your question was a good deal more general--i.e., having kids do this for a reason other than treatment of mental or physical health issues when recommended by a qualified professional. I'm very leery of PL fishing expeditions with children; however, in the hands of a skilled physician like Dr. Weiss in the treatment of a problem, I would certainly see it as a possible avenue of treatment.

BTW--His background would certainly make him fully aware of any of the problems you bring up. Dr. Weiss has extremely impressive (some might say impeccable) credentials:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Weiss

Cordially,
S&S

Ah, I see at a quick glance he is in the USA. There is a far greater number of population there than in Britain, where I am. So naturally society is a bit different. Perhaps the famous British reserve accounts for my caution at least to an extent. Lol

Best wishes

Angie

 

[fireflydancing]

Hi Angie,
Somewhere in another topic I already wrote about the regression of my son at a young age. In this session, he had three memories of a past life. One in some kind of prehistoric time, one as an old farmer and one as a young boy in the midst of a battlefield. He died three times. Dying is usually the biggest emotion that pops up first. I think that just this fact of immediately going back to the last minutes before dying is the indication of a real memory.
My son didn't care. He didn't identify himself with the emotions and the therapist didn't dig in. Just let him talk with a few questions here and there.
To give an example. He started seeing a man going on a hunt. At some point, he wounded an animal (a boar or so) and the animal took revenge and killed the hunter. And later some wolves started to eat from the dead hunter's body. He was talking in the third person. Then the therapist asked to concentrate on the hunter, who was the hunter? And my son started to fall into some kind of disbelieve and confusion, saying: It's me, it's me...
I can still recall this moment, the moment he shifted and realized.
Later the therapist said that this happens a lot. When people go back to a traumatic experience (dying) they dissociate and look at the scene from a distant perspective. The therapist was also a shaman and in her system, it was important that the client should become aware of his/her own death. Like: your dead now, and it's over and you can let go. I don't remember the exact little ritual.
My son was very comfortable the whole time. No stress, no pressure.
The next story was him being an old man, who fell accidentally, rolled over and then decided not to stop himself from falling down a hillside. He bumped up and down over rocks, was concerned about the people he left behind on the farm but at the same time, he already had decided it was time to go. Not a big story, but convincing in its simplicity.
The third story was most therapeutical for him and for me. The story with the most details. I wrote this down in the unbeatable boy soldier.
And the follow up in the boy soldiers mother.
Despite all the drama, my son was not depressed or shocked or traumatized at all. We felt very close when we left the place, because of our mutual recognition. We had fun and were happy. A good memory.
And about false memories: this is not an issue. It was an experience and it feels out of place to frame it in logic. At this moment this son is not interested in reincarnation and thinks I was silly to take him there. But he remembers it with a big smile.

 

[Angie Brown]

Hi Angie,
Somewhere in another topic I already wrote about the regression of my son at a young age. In this session, he had three memories of a past life. One in some kind of prehistoric time, one as an old farmer and one as a young boy in the midst of a battlefield. He died three times. Dying is usually the biggest emotion that pops up first. I think that just this fact of immediately going back to the last minutes before dying is the indication of a real memory.
My son didn't care. He didn't identify himself with the emotions and the therapist didn't dig in. Just let him talk with a few questions here and there.
To give an example. He started seeing a man going on a hunt. At some point, he wounded an animal (a boar or so) and the animal took revenge and killed the hunter. And later some wolves started to eat from the dead hunter's body. He was talking in the third person. Then the therapist asked to concentrate on the hunter, who was the hunter? And my son started to fall into some kind of disbelieve and confusion, saying: It's me, it's me...
I can still recall this moment, the moment he shifted and realized.
Later the therapist said that this happens a lot. When people go back to a traumatic experience (dying) they dissociate and look at the scene from a distant perspective. The therapist was also a shaman and in her system, it was important that the client should become aware of his/her own death. Like: your dead now, and it's over and you can let go. I don't remember the exact little ritual.
My son was very comfortable the whole time. No stress, no pressure.
The next story was him being an old man, who fell accidentally, rolled over and then decided not to stop himself from falling down a hillside. He bumped up and down over rocks, was concerned about the people he left behind on the farm but at the same time, he already had decided it was time to go. Not a big story, but convincing in its simplicity.
The third story was most therapeutical for him and for me. The story with the most details. I wrote this down in the unbeatable boy soldier.
And the follow up in the boy soldiers mother.
Despite all the drama, my son was not depressed or shocked or traumatized at all. We felt very close when we left the place, because of our mutual recognition. We had fun and were happy. A good memory.
And about false memories: this is not an issue. It was an experience and it feels out of place to frame it in logic. At this moment this son is not interested in reincarnation and thinks I was silly to take him there. But he remembers it with a big smile.

Hi Firely Dancing

Interesting. It's always good to learn the perspectives of other people, or we become narrow and ignorant so i'm glad you replied. Thank you for taking the time.

Can I ask if there was a particular reason you decided to have him regressed?

I read that it's the lives where we died unnaturally that we spontaneously remember. I've read a couple here where that wasn't so, but strangely the lives I remember are those where my passing wasn't natural.

I'm glad your son was at peace then and remains so

Best wishes

Angela

 

[baro-san]

An observation, from the books I read, and the regression sessions I watched, is that about all the subjects have experiences in line with the views of the facilitator, although you can't detect any voluntary influencing during those sessions. If the facilitator subscribes to Michael Newton's afterlife model, his subjects will have that kind of experiences. If the facilitator subscribes to the alien control, his subjects' experiences will confirm that model. If the facilitator subscribes to a model with archangels, that's what the subject will experience. I think most of those people, facilitators and subjects are honest people, and they truly experience whatever they describe.

My explanation is, currently, that unconsciously the facilitator influences his subject's experience. There might be what some people call morphic fields.

 

[fireflydancing]

Interesting, Baro-san!

My first and spontaneous reaction is: important to find a therapist you feel very comfortable with because you'll experience within her or his field.

Second, it's also a kind of mirroring I guess. A therapist (well, I have only experienced one) is responsible for all the external conditions, but once the client starts speaking they just listen until they 'recognize' a certain clue of which they are trained to recognize. So in this way, they guide within their own formation and believes.
I've got a handful of reincarnationtherapists among my friends (just friends, no therapy) and when I think about them I can predict the paths they are not reluctant to enter, although of course, I don't know for sure. Some people are open to angels, others are more earthbound and more interested in resolving trauma. I guess it's all about their personal mission.
So yes, it sounds plausible that a session is influenced by the facilitator.

 

[fireflydancing]

Hi Angie,

My son was (is) a complex package. He has always been hyperactive. I guess the reason for therapy was his depressions. He was seriously diagnosed with depression, had a lot of strange extra symptoms: eating problems, feeling inferior, stealing, hallucinations. First I went to a sacro-cranial therapist who happened to be a shaman, but I didn't know. She tried to rebalance his energies through a non-touch massage. Apart from this, she did a lot of other things with him. She didn't tell him her motives each week, but to me she said: I worked on anger this week, or on sadness. That was a warning because it always came out of his system very soon, so I was prepared. One day she said there was nothing more she could do, although she knew 'it was not finished'. She suggested someone she knew, a reincarnation-therapist. So it was not my own idea to go there but I was open to the idea.
I made contact to this person and she was cautious because of his age. She said she first wanted me to come alone without the child. In her view, the bond between mother and child was still strong enough to reach his soul through me. So the first time it was me being regressed but... seeing his memories...
It also gave me the confidence it was safe for him to do the same. The regression is a deep relaxation and not the kind of hypnosis you see on television.
This lady also came to the conclusion that she accepted him for one time. And so we did.

 

[Angie Brown]

Hi Angie,

My son was (is) a complex package. He has always been hyperactive. I guess the reason for therapy was his depressions. He was seriously diagnosed with depression, had a lot of strange extra symptoms: eating problems, feeling inferior, stealing, hallucinations. First I went to a sacro-cranial therapist who happened to be a shaman, but I didn't know. She tried to rebalance his energies through a non-touch massage. Apart from this, she did a lot of other things with him. She didn't tell him her motives each week, but to me she said: I worked on anger this week, or on sadness. That was a warning because it always came out of his system very soon, so I was prepared. One day she said there was nothing more she could do, although she knew 'it was not finished'. She suggested someone she knew, a reincarnation-therapist. So it was not my own idea to go there but I was open to the idea.
I made contact to this person and she was cautious because of his age. She said she first wanted me to come alone without the child. In her view, the bond between mother and child was still strong enough to reach his soul through me. So the first time it was me being regressed but... seeing his memories...
It also gave me the confidence it was safe for him to do the same. The regression is a deep relaxation and not the kind of hypnosis you see on television.
This lady also came to the conclusion that she accepted him for one time. And so we did.

Hi fireflydancing

Thank you for going into more. I don't want to pry but after reading of children being regessed, I wondered about the different motives. It is such a serious thing to do with a child that I doubt many if any parents would unless they truly believed it would help. Of course there would always be a few who might do so from plain curiosity, but obviously most wouldn't for flimsy reasons. Despite my own dubious position as to children being regressed, I can understand how some may do so as a last resort when all else seems to fail.

Did you and your son find it resolved any of his difficulties? I don't want to pry so just a yes or no will be fine if you don't want to go into detail. After all, it is your son's business too and even though we don't know each others identities for it to seem to matter what and who we discuss, I respect that you may not feel happy about going into more detail that involves a family member. So really, whether it helped him to resolve his experiences or not? I must say, it's good that you didn't pump him full of pharma (I was offered that for our eldest almost forty years ago. I refused. He still can't keep still. Lol).

Best wishes,

Angie

 

[fireflydancing]

Hi Angie,

Actually, we did use medication for some time. I am a very practical person. I've tried anything, anything I could with my two sons. They were both not easy to handle. The other one was even worse to guide. I am absolutely not against medication. It helped us a lot from time to time but just medication is not enough. The rest and peace it provides gives you the space for going further to find the root problems. The eldest son was open to therapy of this kind, but the other one was not and I never pressed.
It is not easy to pinpoint the exact results but I am absolutely convinced the whole package was beneficial for him. The regression was only one time and I suppose it worked on his subconscious or on a soul level. The story of him being a boy soldier was a real revelation. He was in real life so obsessed by the military and shooting. In some other place (a kind of childcare organization where I also had sought help) they had concluded it had been his father's fault because he had been a soldier in real life. Their assumption was that our child subconsciously acted out his fathers past, but I didn't buy that explanation. My husband wanted his sons to get a good education and stay away from troubles and warfare. So, after this session, this fascination had become his own story and faded out soon. While he was a toddler he already talked about former lives, also being a soldier but more recent times.

Last week I talked with him (he still suffers from depression from time to time and he wanted to tell how he tried to cope with it now) and he gave me the biggest compliment I could get. He said that looking back it had been me who had saved the three of them (father and two sons) by staying strong in times the three of them were suffering depressions and anger modes. Physical violence against each other had always been a no-go area, one of my biggest rules in the house. Today the depressions are just at the background and the three of them can live their life in some form.

I don't care to talk about it, because nobody knows who I am. English is not my native language, so it is good for me to talk about the strange things that have happened in my life with some distance. My own therapy *smile* .

 

[Angie Brown]

Hi Angie,

Actually, we did use medication for some time. I am a very practical person. I've tried anything, anything I could with my two sons. They were both not easy to handle. The other one was even worse to guide. I am absolutely not against medication. It helped us a lot from time to time but just medication is not enough. The rest and peace it provides gives you the space for going further to find the root problems. The eldest son was open to therapy of this kind, but the other one was not and I never pressed.
It is not easy to pinpoint the exact results but I am absolutely convinced the whole package was beneficial for him. The regression was only one time and I suppose it worked on his subconscious or on a soul level. The story of him being a boy soldier was a real revelation. He was in real life so obsessed by the military and shooting. In some other place (a kind of childcare organization where I also had sought help) they had concluded it had been his father's fault because he had been a soldier in real life. Their assumption was that our child subconsciously acted out his fathers past, but I didn't buy that explanation. My husband wanted his sons to get a good education and stay away from troubles and warfare. So, after this session, this fascination had become his own story and faded out soon. While he was a toddler he already talked about former lives, also being a soldier but more recent times.

Last week I talked with him (he still suffers from depression from time to time and he wanted to tell how he tried to cope with it now) and he gave me the biggest compliment I could get. He said that looking back it had been me who had saved the three of them (father and two sons) by staying strong in times the three of them were suffering depressions and anger modes. Physical violence against each other had always been a no-go area, one of my biggest rules in the house. Today the depressions are just at the background and the three of them can live their life in some form.

I don't care to talk about it, because nobody knows who I am. English is not my native language, so it is good for me to talk about the strange things that have happened in my life with some distance. My own therapy *smile* .

Hi fireflydancing,

We only had one who was hyper. If we had two I might have accepted pharma and would probably needed lots for myself. The next two boys were much calmer.

Due to some recent problems sleeping I tried a yt hypnosis video earlier as I was so exhausted. It worked 85-90% which is good for a first ever try. Michael Sealey done the video, which lasts maybe half an hour. No groggy feeling when I woke, either. I looked on his channel and he has made various others incl. one for pain I shall try some time soon but I remember seeing one for depression. It's aimed at adults, but it all depends on the listener liking the voice enough and other people may like other voices. Just a thought, although if your son's native language isn't English it may not suit him.

It does sound as if he brought pl memories back in spirit which played upon his subconscious but of course no parent could suggest that to a teacher or the school would question the parenting and would raise alarm bells. I suppose that the teacher could only think of linking your son's over interest in such things with his dad being in the army as teachers are trained to think in a certain way. They wouldn't think to suspect any explanation that was outside of their mainstream paradigm.

Best wishes,

Angela

 

[MD14]

My personal belief is that all memories from regression are false. I've never been to a therapist but I've done various online regressions and afterwards I just knew that the memories were made up, or sometimes during the regressions I would see things from this life, like my office at work or my old apartment.

 

[Angie Brown]

My personal belief is that all memories from regression are false. I've never been to a therapist but I've done various online regressions and afterwards I just knew that the memories were made up, or sometimes during the regressions I would see things from this life, like my office at work or my old apartment.

Hmm. I can't agree there. I'm not an expert on regressions and although I am wary, and couldn't even guess a percentage that aren't false i'm certain some are real memories. Too many people have remembered real pl historic details, including old languages, that they couldn't possibly otherwise have known.

I think it's a case of being careful. Perhaps not undergoing regression for fun or idle curiosity, or if suffering a mental condition.

Some people have an instance of needing to remember more clearly the things they have partly sponaneously remembered anyway, and need to recall more so they can resolve in themselves, let go and move on.

My opinion, anyway.

 

[Speedwell]

My personal belief is that all memories from regression are false. I've never been to a therapist but I've done various online regressions and afterwards I just knew that the memories were made up, or sometimes during the regressions I would see things from this life, like my office at work or my old apartment.

Personal beliefs are a matter for the individual. I too am pretty wary of such things, having mostly avoided regression myself.

However one might add that Robert Snow (former Police Captain) also believed exactly the same as you. He was certain that it was all made up. But then he visited a professional therapist who used hypnotic regression, not because he particularly wanted to, but because he'd made a rather brash promise that he would do so, and found it difficult to get out of without losing face. What he found was another matter.

I have recently accomplished something that would make even the most seasoned detective nod with approval. I have uncovered evidence that proves beyond a doubt the existence of a past life. The evidence I uncovered in this two-year investigation is so overwhelming that if it had been a criminal case there would be no plea bargaining. A conviction would be assured. My claim, of course, is a bold and radical one for a police captain to make. Police work remains one of the most conservative, old-school professions in the world, and ...

Snow, Robert L.. Portrait of a Past-Life Skeptic: The True Story of a Police Detective's Reincarnation (p. 5). Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD..