Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Why Checking The Baseline Is Key! Guest Article By RRT Certified Practitioner Lindy Ariff, MSW, CHt


Certified Practitioner, Rapid Resolution Therapy 

I didn't fully understand how important baseline visual metaphors were until this past week. Last week at the Level 3 training I was watching a video where Dr. Connelly was "erasing" a baseline visual and then suddenly the light went on, and I got it! The baseline isn't just for checking our work and I'm not just looking for any change; I'm looking for something major so I know I got it done.

This epiphany proved true twice this week. I had one client who has been struggling with a sugar addiction for as long as she can remember, and in 1 hour, through a variety of techniques, we went in and completely dissolved the design. I mean, just gone. When she checked back on the sugar cravings she said, "Wow, it's like I don't care at all, I'm completely indifferent, it's like, WHATEVER!" And I knew with full confidence that we'd made a major shift happen.

Even more profound was a recent session where I had with a young, non-combat Veteran. He was filled with a tremendous amount of anxiety, guilt and shame due to his role in decisions made in the military. With a combination of clearing trauma, moralistic view wedging, anxiety education application ("Right now I have a sensation in my chest, right now!"), I had him feeling great with his baseline down to "nothing, it's like a blank wall." 
Upon further discussion he admitted, that although he couldn't put a finger on it, there was just a little bit of guilt left. So I put him through another induction, this time with a pinball dropping, dam breaking, water flowing process. After we were done, I asked him to bring up the guilt, and he said he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. So for a final time, I asked about his baseline. He was literally glowing and said, "It's totally different now; It's red, white and blue."

Red, white, and blue!!! I am so excited about Rapid Resolution Therapy and the work we are all passionately doing to positively shape so many people's lives! Keep up the good work everyone! :-)
With Gratitude - Lindy


Lindy Ariff, MSW, RRT, CHt
Santa Monica, California

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Plan Your Trips! Upcoming Level I, II and III Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution Trainings!


Join Dr. Jon Connelly as he teaches fellow mental health practitioners Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution at the Level I, II or III Training. Each level builds upon the last and helps you to refine and enhance your skills with one-on-one coaching and small break-out groups.

And when you register within 30 days of the Level II training, you will receive a $50 tuition waiverPlease click here to register and for additional information.

Practitioners will earn 25 continuing education contact hours throughout each three-day intensive weekend training. 
2013 RRT Trainings

Level I Trainings:
Aug. 9 - 11, Atlanta, Georgia
Sept. 20 - 22, Orlando, Florida
Oct. 18 - 20, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Level II Trainings:

June 28 - 30, Chicago, Illinois
July 12 - 14, Denver, Colorado
Sept. 6 - 8, Atlanta, Georgia
Nov. 1 - 3, Orlando, Florida
Dec. 6 - 8, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Level III Trainings:
July 26 -28, Chicago, Illinois

Aug. 23 - 25, Tampa, Florida

Oct. 4 - 6, Atlanta, Georgia

For more information on Level I or Level II trainings, please click here.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? Guest Article by RRT Certified Practitioner Mark Chidley, LMHC, CAP


Certified Practitioner, Rapid Resolution Therapy 


As I walk this land of broken dreams, 
I have visions of many things.

Love's happiness is just an illusion, 
Filled with sadness and confusion.
What becomes of the broken hearted 
Who had love that's now departed?
I know I've got to find
,
Some kind of peace of mind
, 
Maybe.
The fruits of love grow all around,

But for me they come a tumblin' down. 
Every day heartaches grow a little stronger, 
I can't stand this pain much longer!

I hope you took time to follow this link to hear the great Jimmy Ruffin singing this timeless hit. The brokenhearted represent a very special type of client we'll see from time to time, and a special kind of frozen grief. We know that most people will progress through several relationships in life, even marriage and divorce. As painful as the endings are, they recover, move on and eventually meet someone who fits for them. But we know as therapists there are some for whom the end of relationship is a kind of trauma. They get lost and seem stuck. 

As Ruffin sings, "Always moving, and goin' nowhere." They show some of the markers of trauma: numbing and derailment of life direction, dysphoria, intrusive thoughts, repeated flooding of sensory data at triggers connected with the relationship; but unlike the avoidance we see in the wake of trauma, we see rounds of painful rumination and replay; gravitation back toward the relationship even as it remains a source of pain. A tremendous pain keeps roiling around under the surface of everyday life. I've seen the brokenhearted keep texting, calling, emailing, like songbirds throwing their call into the air for the lost mate.

Without lengthy explanation, I want to round up a list some of the main principles from RRT and hit some of the life-changing conversational tactics used in transcripts with actual participants. This will both focus and improve our practice.
  1. Ghost bust seminal events the participant's mind will bring - especially harsh endings and rejections. I recall a woman who remembered trying to rescue her alcoholic dad from a dangerous situation as a child, only to be decimated by his withering criticism when she went to her mother, the only adult in a position to act. She veered away from her dad in fear, and remained fearful, over-conciliatory and accommodating to the men in her life from that point forward. She entered new relationships in a fog and didn't get over them easily when they ended. She came wanting to break out of this pattern.
  2. Clear distorted meanings. Especially the idea that one needs someone else to complete them and can only be okay if with someone else. There are several transcripts in which Jon shows the way to be okay with someone is to be okay without them. He demonstrates the effect of clutching on the arm in a needy way. People instinctively back off from this. He points out the reaction of the other is not even a conscious choice. You can't hold the attitude that your life can't work without the other in it and not produce that effect on someone.
  3. Enroll people throughout the session in the view that transitions are a normal part of life. The amount of connection and closeness with people shifts, comes and goes like the tide. Construct a model that is at peace with this, able to go with the flow of it. It's no more personal than rain on some days or sun on others. It's not about them.
  4. Instill acceptance of the expiration date on some relationships. Here we have the story of the guy forcing down sour milk. When asked why, he pines for former times when the milk tasted so sweet. A simple fact of life is this: sometimes relationships can't work between two people, no matter how hard they try. The relationship comes apart in time. The answer is to get more milk.
  5. Get the participant to see that missing the person is a misfire. When something seems threatened or in jeopardy our inner mind attaches great value, indeed, makes it seem exceedingly valuable to get us to do something to protect it, even to the point of causing incredible anguish. Now the mind bringing something to awareness that it would be good to avoid is useful even when unpleasant - say like keying up fear when the house is on fire. But it sometimes turns on emotion when it's worse than useless and doesn't elicit any useful behavior - like the guy going into profound fear because the lady next to him in the elevator sneezes. Missing someone is the mind dysfunctioning like that. The question becomes, does all the obsessing, missing, ruminating lead to any useful behavior? If not, it's a misfire. What's more useful and positive is for the participant to be moving toward being close with someone when it's interesting; meaning, the conditions of it being beneficial and possible are both fulfilled and reciprocated.
  6. When treating the heartbroken in the context of addiction recovery, get them to look at the impracticality of getting into a romantic relationship at this time. It's sort of like white water rafting where every move needs maximum attention and commitment to navigate the course and the person paddling starts musing, "Gee, I guess right about now would be the time to fall in love." The only thing crazier would be if another person in early recovery started thinking and acting in tandem with this, as so often happens.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

There are many things in our oral and written materials that can assist in guiding the brokenhearted to being present rather than grief-stricken, tuned-up rather than needy, and enlightened rather than opening to more heartache. I hope you look through them and develop your own repertoire.

Mark

Mark A. Chidley, LMHC, CAP, a fully licensed mental health counselor and certified addictions professional, offers counseling services at his office Kelly San Carlos Executive Center in Fort Myers, Florida.He has been in private practice since 1997. He holds certifications in Rapid Trauma Resolution (2010), Imago Relationship therapy (2001), and now specializes in the treatment of couples as well as individual trauma recovery and anxiety issues. He brings rich experience from a combined 26 years of hospital work and mental health counseling.