A Spotless Mind
by Randi Botnick, CHT

I recently saw the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. The plot involved Joel (Carrey), a man who had been in a rocky relationship with Clementine, (Winslet), which ended badly. He is devastated when he visits her to apologize, and finds that she no longer recognizes him. He comes to find out that she has undergone a brain-altering procedure to have him completely erased from her mind. In a fit of anger, he decides to do the same.

The story follows Joel through the procedure, during which, in a dream state, he begins to recognize that his memories are being erased, and he, well, changes his mind about it. So begins a long journey into his subconscious memories and the farthest reaches of his mind. In the end, she is completely erased, and yet, for both of them, there is something terribly missing in their lives — an irrepressible longing. They meet a second time, drawn to each other, and begin again.

The moral is we don’t choose who we love. While we may be able to erase our thoughts, we can’t change our hearts.

As a hypnotherapist, I was intrigued by this movie. In hypnotherapy, the goal is to create positive change in the client’s subconscious mind by overriding negative impulses. However, hypnotherapy is completely safe. I could never “get” you to do anything you do not want or are not ready to do. I cannot erase your memories. And I do not delete anything that is part of who you are.

Two of the many ways hypnotherapy is performed are: direct suggestion and regression. Suggestions are new ideas that are offered to the subconscious mind. Once an idea has been accepted by the subconscious mind, it remains in tact until it is replaced by another idea. Opposing ideas cannot be held at the same time. Suggestions are intended to remove, alter or amend old images that no longer serve an individual. They are stated in a positive, present tense, and specific way. Clients may look for this type of hypnotherapy approach when trying to break a habit, change a pattern or invoke new ways of thinking and acting into his or her life.

Regression is the act of guiding a client back to situations that occurred earlier in the individual’s lifetime, usually in childhood, that have lead to subconscious traumas. The session continues with contact of the client’s inner child along with other participants of this event. The primary feelings that came up are identified, and followed by movement toward a place of understanding of the situation, forgiveness, and, ultimately, healing. Clients may need regression work if they are experiencing phobias, persistent fears, or disruptive negative emotions or behaviors.

The result is a happier you, all memories intact, but with a slightly new outlook on life.

May 2004