The Essential Nature of Transformation

by Tim Brunson PhD

Transformation is the act of nullifying dysfunctional or unwanted patterns and replacing them with functional and desired ones. For transformation to occur, both processes must be considered. One without the other will assure failure. For instance, the strength of neuro-physiological patterns related to smoking must first be disempowered. Then the clinician or a person doing self-treatment will quickly notice that the opportunity for success will be greatly improved when they replace them with more powerful ones having a more pronounced emotional/feeling intensity. Indeed, neurophysiologists specializing in Transcranial Magnetics (TCM) realize that the virtual lesions that they create in the brains of their virtual patients will quickly get filled in by surrounding neurons or brain functions (Walsh & Pascual-Leone, 2003). Likewise, when an unwanted neuro-physiological pattern loses its strength there is a natural tendency for it to reappear – or be replaced with another dysfunctional one such as overeating – should it not be quickly replaced with a stronger one of the subject's choosing.

This theory can be applied to a wide range of cases. In the case of addictions, success will not occur unless the dysfunctional patterns are weakened by lack of attention and replaced by a compelling new identity and set of positively compelling emotions/feelings. It is not enough to support patients' efforts to "try to quit" or to stop smoking; they must replace it with a new positive reality. It is not about quitting. It is about beginning!

Similarly, this can be extended to performance enhancement. Take for instance a situation in which a client desires to improve a golf swing. The current state of the swing represents the neuro-physiological patterns that must be replaced. Such clients often come in to the clinician's office dwelling on the details of the poor swing and why it is important make the improvement. Essentially, in many ways they are in a stuck state that reinforces the habituated pattern. As long as they continue to reinforce the pattern through continued attention, it will not change. The focus needs to be on creating an emotionally vivid alternate pattern that uses all the senses. The less attention given to the unwanted, yet habituated state and more given to the emotionally potent desired state, the quicker the transformation will be come permanent as it rapidly becomes the new habituated pattern.

When working with stroke patients, a few innovative clinicians (Walsh & Pascual-Leone, 2003) have realized that inhibited (or stroke damaged) neural substrates become quickly encroached upon by their immediate neighboring substrates, which realize an opportunity for growth. Another example of this is found with deaf patients who have improved their peripheral vision once some of the occipital lobe functions have been able to expand into auditory centers.

For some people, stretching this rationale into the somatic arena is difficult. Nevertheless, over the past several years there have been several studies involving the impact of neural processes – which they either call hypnosis, suggestion, or guided imagery – on physiological processes. Most of these studies (Ginandes, et al., 2003) have tended to confirm the perception that wounds heal faster when patients visualize accelerated healing. Even though the most enthusiastic researchers meekly claim that their findings warrant further confirmation, this proves to be another verification that focusing on a desired pattern may very well impact on somatic processes as well.

The latter issue should not be surprising. The imagination function inherent in suggestions creates a specific and measurable neuro-physiological change starting with the R-OFC. This then affects specific parts of the thalamus, which in turn communicates with the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, the master endocrine gland. This signals a cellular reaction as the parasympathetic autonomic system has been activated. In this mode cells are open to nutrition and replication, two conditions that are required for wound healing. The connection between the imagination and somatic healing is a logical one that may be measured by discrete physiological events as well as by noting statistical results. Nevertheless, the allopathic medical obsessions with surgery and pharmacology together with their overuse of the "all in their mind" mantra will continue to delay their acceptance of therapeutic suggestion as part of a healing protocol.

Tim Brunson PhD is the Executive Director of The Hypnosis Research Institute and the developer of Advanced Neuro-Noetic Hypnosis^TM.

References:

Ginandes, C. Brooks, P. Sando W., Jones C. & Aker, J. (2003 April 3). Can medical hypnosis accelerate post-surgical wound healing? Results of a clinical trial. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 45(4):333-51.

Walsh, V. & Pascual-Leone, A. (2003). Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A Neurochronemetrics of Mind. Boston: MIT Press.