What is an abreaction?

An abreaction is an extremely rare event that can occur during a therapy session, when the client is in trance. The client re-lives a past traumatic experience, as if it was actually occurring. This can be quite frightening for both the client and the therapist.

It can happen spontaneously for no apparent reason. It may also occur when the client actually feels safe with the therapist. Their subconscious mind may feel it is the right time to look at this past trauma to address it now. Some therapists may actually induce an abreaction, although ethically I don’t agree with this.

How likely is an abreaction likely to occur?

A spontaneous abreaction will happen very rarely. You may actually never experience one. I have never had one and the principal of the Hypnotherapy school I learned at, only had two in his whole career.

Having said that it is important to consider what might happen if one does occur early in your hypnotherapy career.

Before the therapy

Before an abreaction occurs, anticipate the abreaction happening. Allow time in between clients just in case. The last thing you want is to be rushing a client who is abreacting, because you have another client waiting.

If you charge by the session, not the hour, you can allow for 2 hours just in case an abreaction occurs.

Global Abreaction Reframe

Keep the following script handy. It is a global reframe script designed to resolve whatever caused the abreaction in the first place. Feel free to copy this one. You could print off and laminate. If a client abreacts, you don’t need to think about what to say. Just read the script.

“Whatever just happened there is just your imagination and is totally safe. Your subconscious mind simply took this opportunity to release a highly charged emotion from your past. I am now going to give you a direct suggestion that your subconscious will fully and completely understand. I am now instructing your subconscious to deal with what just happened there  in a safe and natural way. When you have done that, in your own time, nod you head so that I know.”

Ignore  the fluff

Ignore  the narrative of the client during the first five-minutes of the session. If you don’t, you may add your own subjective interpretation and come up with the wrong conclusion. What they say might not be right.

The sensitising incident might not be what they say it is. This means that whatever they came to you for, may not actually be what sets off the abreaction. You have no idea what the traumatic event was so don’t guess.

During the abreaction

1. The Start

Reassure them say “Its ok, just stay with me and listen to my voice”

2. The Peak

This is where the reaction is at its most strong. It is important for you to carry on reassuring the client and don’t panic yourself. It will pass.

3. The abreaction will start to subside

The reactions may still be strong and seem to come in waves, but they are dissipating.

4. The abreaction has subsided

Now reframe what happened, using the Global Reframe Script above or something similar.

So an abreaction probably may never occur to you in your career but just remember the following.

Don’t panic it is perfectly natural. Nothing bad will happen.

There will be tears and it may get emotional, but it is something that the subconscious mind is now ready to throw out. Always trust that the client’s subconscious mind is doing exactly what it needs to help the client to move forward in their life.