Emotional Release Therapy©

by Paul I. Mostman, Ph.D.

Since 1993 I have been using and teaching a new technique which I call Emotional Release Therapy©. This technique is a most effective method for assisting clients to remove old negative emotions and feelings without the necessity of the client having to remember or re-live any or all of the events which caused the negativity. I believe that It is probably one of the best techniques a hypnotist can use in his repertoire.

I had a client, whom I will refer to as Kathy P. who came to me because she was severely depressed, an alcoholic, going through a divorce from her alcoholic husband, and had just been warned by her employer that she was in jeopardy of losing her job due to poor performance.

I did an ERT session with her, getting rid of the usual negative emotions, depression as well as any craving for alcohol. During the part of the session where I send the person "back to the not so nice side" to get rid of any other books that have caused her problems in her lifetime, I noticed that after a reasonable time, she had not told me that she was through throwing away books. Wondering if she might have fallen asleep, I asked her "Are you through yet?" "NO!" came a loud reply. I waited again, and after almost an hour asked her again. This time she replied "Not Yet. I'll let you know."

She spent over an hour "throwing away" the books of things in her lifetime which had caused her problems. I was sorry that I hadn't brought a book to read while she did this.

Three months later I got a phone call, but did not recognize the voice on the phone, although I am usually very good at remembering voices. It was Kathy P. She said, "I just wanted to call you and bring you up to date. After our last session, I joined AA, got my husband to join also. We've been going to counseling, and neither of us has had a drink in eighty-seven days. In addition, my boss just informed me that I was employee of the month, and I wanted to thank you.

I usually spend time with the client in the pre-talk telling them how their mind is like a library, storing everything that they see, everything that they hear, and everything that they feel. I tell them all of their emotions, feelings and reactions are stored in their library-like, computer-like mind. I want their subconscious mind to accept the fact that it is similar to a library. That emotions and feelings are stored there similar to books in a library. Some clients may not respond to books, (non-visuals) so in that case I recommend that they be CD's or video tapes or even DVD's.

After they are under hypnosis, I tell them that they are in an area not far from what looks like a library. There are many many rows of bookshelves filled with very many books. Then I direct them to go over to one of the rows of bookshelves, and stand at the end of the aisle, looking down the row of books. I request that they nod when they are there. Getting responses throughout the technique helps the sub-conscious mind accept that we are accomplishing something.

I then inform them that "All of these books are about you. These books contain everything that you have done in your lifetimes. All of your feelings, all of your emotions and all of your dreams.

The books on the right side contain all the nice things you've done. All of your pleasant emotions and feelings and all of your pleasant dreams. The books on the other side contain those that weren't so nice.

The books closest to you contain your recent feelings and emotions. The things you did today, yesterday, and the day before. The books further down the aisle contain your emotions, feelings and dreams when you were younger. And the books way down at the end of the aisle contain the things you did when you were just a baby. All of the pleasant things you did as a child. And these books are full of pictures. Nice pictures of the things that you did. I inform them that I am not going to ask them what is in any of their books as I don't need to know. I then have them go about halfway down the aisle and take a book off the right side, and open it to a picture of them doing something nice when they were younger. After they acknowledge seeing the picture, I tell then to put the book back on the right side and continue down the aisle to the end of the aisle, and then take a small step backward.

Now I ask them to take down a book from the right side, open it and see a picture of them when they were only a baby. In actuality, at this point we have accomplished a disguised regression to their infancy. A time before many of their negative emotions and feelings were developed. I instruct them to now look at the books on the other side of the aisle. These books don't look so good. These are your problem books. All of the problems you ever had are contained in these books. All of your problem books have a title. You can see them. They are right there. At this point their subconscious mind has accepted everything including a regression to early childhood, before most if not all the negative feelings and emotions occurred. It is ready to get rid of "the problems." I lead them in getting rid of the books in equal order, ie: stimulant, depressant, stimulant, depressant, etc. Anger, shame, fear, and guilt are the first ones suggested. I suggest that they remove all negative feelings that I believe may apply from their history, and then suggest that they go back and remove any other books that may have caused them problems, including divorce, abuse, "I'm not worthy", depression, etc. I name as many things that I can think of that might have left negative feelings. A stress book or bad eating habits book can also be removed. This is the time for them to get rid of anything and everything that has caused them a problem. I then have them tear up the books and throw them into a large trash container in the aisle. It is my experience that if the client is a teacher or librarian that they not want to tear them up, but rather just put them in the container for disposal.

As they now remove the negative books and place them into the container, their subconscious mind is acknowledging that they are being removed. To the subconscious mind, these "books" containing the negative emotions and feelings are being removed from the subconscious mind, and therefore can no longer bother or obstruct the client. What the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve. Then I send them back for two more books. The "Excuses" book and the "I Can't" book. I have them sit on the floor next to the container each book in their lap, and tear out the first page and throw it into the container. Then tear out all the other pages and tear them into small pieces and throw them into the container. For as they now tear up all their excuses this frees their subconscious mind of all the inhibitions and restrictions and allows them to take back control of the things they do and the things they think about and how they act. I instruct them that they no longer need the excuses they created or used. They no longer need the I Can'ts. Now they are in control of what they do and how they feel. Now they are able to do whatever they want too.

Then, I have them view the trash container go through a door at the end of the library and dump its contents into a furnace with a large burning fire, and I inform them "The books are gone forever now, and when the books are gone, the door will close and nod your head to let me know that the books are gone forever. When they nod their head, I know that their subconscious mind has now accepted that all the old negativity is gone.

Nature abhors a vacuum, so we must replace those books with new other books. I instruct them to return to the "nice" side of the aisle and notice some books wrapped in paper under the shelves which they didn't notice before. These are new books which replaced the books they got rid of.

Now I have them unwrap the books one at a time. I name the title of the books corresponding with positive things that they need. Success, happiness, the "I can" book. Whatever positive affirmations they can use.

Then I direct them out of the library to the area outside where there is a comfortable chair, and have them sit in the chair. I reiterate what they have done in getting rid of their old problems, and congratulate them for recognizing their problems and getting rid of them forever. At that time I give them positive hypnotic suggestions to get on with their life.

In fourteen years of using and teaching this technique, I have received numerous positive comments from other hypnotists, and NO negative feedback whatsoever. I believe it is an essential tool for all hypnotherapists.

Paul I. Mostman Ph.D. is a practicing hypnotist, who has been in the field since 1947 when he was trained by Ralph Slater, a stage hypnotist. He retired from the practice of law in 1994 and has focused on hypnotherapy full time ever since. He is the developer of Emotional Release Therapy©.