June 2023 – Allison Biel

James Leininger

I wrote recently about the Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS). This is a research unit of the Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences of the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine in the United States that researches accounts of past lives. One notable case is that of James Leininger, a young boy who had verifiable past-life memories of being a WWII pilot.

James was born in 1998. When he was 22 months old his father took him to a flight museum in Dallas, Texas. He was fascinated by the planes and took particular interest in the World War two exhibits. This trip seems to have unearthed memories of a past life as a wartime pilot. While playing with toy planes he would frequently say, “Airplane crash on fire”. At this time he also started to have nightmares in which he seemed to be reliving a plane crash.

His parents asked him about the dreams and James said they were memories of a past life. They continued to ask about these memories and over time they were able to establish that he flew from a ship called Natoma and that he was killed when he was shot down by the Japanese while flying a Corsair aircraft.

His father did some research and was able to find an escort aircraft carrier called USS Natoma Bay that operated in the later part of World War Two in the pacific. His parents asked him his name and his said he was called James. They also asked if he remembered the names of anyone else, and he said he knew Jack Larson. Later while his father looked through a book called ‘The battle of Iwo Jima’, James said, “That’s where my plane was shot down”. It was a picture of Mount Suribachi, a prominent feature on the southern tip of the island of Iwo Jima.

Armed with this information, James’s father attended a reunion of the Natoma Bay crew. He was able to verify that there was a Jack Larson on the ship and that he was still alive. Crucially he was also told that a James M Huston Jr was the only pilot from the crew shot down at Iwo Jima and it was exactly as his son had described. Interestingly, his son would sign his drawings ‘James 3’ (even when he was not three years old) and this now made sense as James Huston, the pilot, was a James Jr.

It was at this stage that the Division of Perceptual Studies was asked to investigate. Dr Jim Tucker investigated and concluded that that there was a very good chance that these recollections were memories from a past live. There is a full report, written by Dr Tucker. In this report he concludes, “The documentation in James’s case provides evidence that he had a connection with a life from the past. On the face of it, the most obvious explanation for this connection is that he experienced a life as James Huston, Jr. before having his current one”.

Also James’s parents, Bruce and Andrea Leininger, wrote a book about the family’s experience and their sons memories called ‘Soul Survivor: The Reincarnation of a World War II Fighter Pilot’. The Psi Encyclopedia, created by the Society for Psychical Research also has an account of James’s experience.

If you are interested in exploring your past lives then contact me.

Rapid Induction Technique

As I have written before, I am a member of a Growth Club specifically for Hypnotherapists run by Sheila Granger. She is a practising hypnotherapist who is also dedicated to helping other hypnotherapists to develop themselves and their businesses. I recently attended a Growth Club training day Arden Hotel, near the airport in Birmingham, UK.

A key part of the day was training in what’s called Rapid Induction Technique. When you think of hypnosis it’s probably this sort of technique you imagine. It’s often associated with stage hypnosis shows and this technique is shrouded in mystery and misconceptions. However, it’s no trick and has practical applications in clinical hypnotherapy.

The Rapid Induction Technique is a method used by hypnotherapists to induce a state of hypnosis quickly. Contrary to popular belief, this technique goes far beyond the realm of entertainment and has practical uses in therapy and personal development. This rapid induction method has proven effective in treating issues like anxiety, phobias, and even chronic pain.

It’s understandable that concerns may arise when associating the Rapid Induction Technique with stage hypnosis. Scepticism arises due to the perception that stage hypnosis is nothing more than an act, an illusion crafted solely for entertainment purposes. However, it is crucial to distinguish between stage hypnosis, which focuses on entertainment value, and clinical hypnotherapy, which aims to facilitate therapeutic change. The Rapid Induction Technique is used responsibly and ethically in therapeutic settings, guiding individuals toward positive transformation and personal growth.

While this technique has gained its popularity through stage hypnosis, it is important to recognise its legitimate applications in clinical hypnotherapy. By debunking the myth that it is merely ‘stage hypnosis nonsense’, we can appreciate the genuine value it holds for therapeutic purposes.

Suitably armed with our newly trained technique we hit the hotel bar and gate-crashed a baby shower to practise on willing members of the public.

There are several different styles of hypnosis and they all have their place. As Keith Barry (Irish Hypnotist and Entertainer) said, “There’s a lot of different styles of hypnosis. There’s conversational hypnosis, which, even though we joke about it, politicians use conversational hypnosis. I’ve been hired back at home in Ireland by certain politicians to assist them in specific language patterns that will just tip people over into their, you know, into their zone”.

Whether you’re seeking relief from a specific issue or simply curious about the power of hypnosis, hypnotherapy offers an efficient and effective approach to explore the depths of your subconscious mind, paving the way for personal transformation and growth. Contact me to find out more.

Society for Psychical Research

The latter half of the nineteenth century was a period of intense intellectual research and debate, as science-based explanations increasingly challenged the old, often religious based, worldview.

Also at this time, the new religion of Spiritualism gained a foothold and increased the popularity of, and interest in, psychic phenomena. This sparked fierce debate as some wondered if these could be fully accounted for in naturalistic terms, or did they point to aspects of consciousness as yet undocumented by science?

So, in January 1882, a conference was held in London to discuss the viability of setting up an organisation to carry out formal scientific research into the subject. Shortly afterwards the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) was formed. It’s leaders quickly created a methodological and administrative framework, including a scholarly journal in which psychical research could be reported and debated worldwide.

Their initial work was across a number of areas of research with each having a committee charged with collecting historical and current evidence. These included investigating thought-reading (soon to be renamed telepathy), mesmerism (hypnotism), clairvoyance, physical phenomena of the séance room, as well as apparitions and hauntings.

In America, a similar society formed under the leadership of William James, leading to collaboration between researchers on both sides of the Atlantic. During the 1930s, the centre of this activity increasingly shifted to America, with the establishment of JB Rhine’s Parapsychology Laboratory at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

Today the SPR is still going strong and has an impressive Past Research Catalogue, which contains brief summaries of almost every item published by them up until 2011. They also maintain the Psi Encyclopedia, which offers descriptive articles on a variety of topics. And it’s this repository that interests me specifically. Within the Psi Encyclopaedia are a large number of fully researched and documented case of past lives, especially in young children.

The Society for Psychical Research along with other academics such as the Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) within the Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences unit of the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine are setting out to scientifically prove the existence of this previously taboo phenomena.

While I don’t believe in all paranormal phenomena, I think it’s important to keep an open mind about things we don’t entirely understand. As Hillary Duffy (American Actress) put it. “I have always been interested in the paranormal and afterlife, everything from ghosts to angels. I think that everyone has that curiosity of the great unknown”.

If you are interested in exploring your past lives then contact me.

I won!

A few months ago I wrote to tell you that I had been nominated for a Global Health & Pharma Mental Health Award. Well, I am thrilled to tell you I won! I am the best UK Past Life Regression Specialist for 2023. A big thank you to all that help out at Paladin Hypnotherapy and to those who have supported me on my journey so far. I know there are bigger and even better things to come.

I was very surprised to win and it’s a great feeling to be recognised and rewarded. Now I don’t want to appear ungrateful but in themselves awards mean very little. Kevin Chamberlin (American actor) said, “Awards do not pay the mortgage”. While Pitbull (American rapper) said, “My kids can’t eat awards”. So the hard work continues.

The GHP Mental Health Awards are designed to showcase businesses and professionals who place our mental health and well-being at the centre of their work. Nominees typically work in psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social work or support mental health.

The GHP Mental Health Awards are hosted by Global Health & Pharma magazine, a publication devoted to the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. It has a global circulation of more than 110,000 and works to highlight the work of those that are setting the pace and looking to change their respective sectors for the better.

Winning this award has inspired me to write a comprehensive guide to Past Life Regression to help to spread the word about this tremendously powerful and beneficial technique. I hope to be able to publish it in the next few weeks.

Inevitably being a Hypnotherapist you often come into contact with clients who have some form of mental health challenge. Be it dealing with an addiction, anxiety, chronic pain, bereavement or more serious examples such as depression. Regression therapy and Past Life regression can often be the key that unlocks these conditions.

If you think Hypnotherapy or past life regression can help you improve your life then contact me.

PTSD Awareness Month

June is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) awareness month. PTSD is not something that only the armed forces suffer from. Anyone can suffer with it following a traumatic event. Research suggests that around 8% of the population will experience PTSD in their lifetimes. It’s not a new thing, but the term is relatively modern. In the first half of the 20th century PTSD is known as ‘Shell Shock’ or ‘Battle Fatigue’.

So what sort of trauma can cause PTSD? Well, virtually any form of trauma can cause it. It’s not just life-threatening situations like wars, natural disasters or physical assault. Non-life-threatening events such as divorce, abrupt relocation and financial problems can also cause it.

Typical symptoms include flash backs, depression, anxiety, nightmares, insomnia, and disturbing thoughts. In extreme cases the sufferer may have episodes where they are not fully aware or conscious of what’s really happening. For some these symptoms may last a few days or weeks. But for others the effects can last much, much longer and may require treatment.

Other symptoms of trauma can have a massive impact on our lives. These symptoms can include adverse physical reactions if reminded of the event such as heart racing, increased breathing and sweating. Others reactions can include increased safe keeping behaviours such as avoidance or hypervigilance, becoming detached from life, being demotivated, angry outbursts and feeling vulnerable. I think Jane Leavy (American biographer and author) put it quite well when she said, “Trauma fractures comprehension as a pebble shatters a windshield. The wound at the site of impact spreads across the field of vision, obscuring reality and challenging belief”.

Luckily, PTSD is highly treatable, but as with many mental disorders there can be a stigma attached to it. So, seeking help is the first and most important step on the road to recovery. There is no shame in doing so. Being open and talking about PTSD will increase awareness and mean that more people will seek treatment for it.

The goal of therapy is for the sufferer to be able to remember the trauma without reliving it or it effecting their behaviour. We are all different and so process trauma differently. Asking for help is not a weakness.

So, if you or someone you know might have PTSD, there are ways to get help. PTSD UK is a charity in the UK dedicated to raising awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder. Their website has some useful advice and resources.

There are specific techniques that can be used in Hypnotherapy to help you process and healthily work through past traumas and overcome PTSD. If you would like to discuss these further, please get in touch.