What is the Rewind Technique?

It is not therapy or counselling.

It is a way of reducing the symptoms of trauma in 3 steps

The fight, flight or freeze response it’s one of our most basic primitive survival systems and is designed to allow us to act in the face of life-threatening danger. When this response has been activated, and we can’t fight or escape, these feelings can remain, and be reactivated if anything reminds us of the traumatising event. Our emotions of fear or helplessness during the trauma become linked to the memory of the event.

Although the traumatic event is over and we survived, we can re-experience these traumatic symptoms in our everyday lives which can be really distressing. Symptoms like the constant replaying, avoiding the memory, hyper vigilance, anxiety and anger can be exhausting.

The rational, thinking part of our brain (the prefrontal cortex) tries to reassure us that nothing is wrong in the present moment, but it can’t override the stress signals that we are experiencing. Consequently, we may feel that we are experiencing the feelings associated with what happened again and again.

Friends and family may not fully understand that we cannot control these feelings because our brain has formed pathways between the memory and the feelings of what happened. The rewind technique can help unhook the feelings from the memories. Your memories of the event will remain unchanged but the connection to the associated feelings should diminish. Although the traumatic event is over and we survived, we can re-experience these traumatic symptoms in our everyday lives which can be really distressing. Symptoms like the constant replaying, avoiding the memory, hyper vigilance, anxiety and anger can be exhausting.

The rational, thinking part of our brain (the prefrontal cortex) tries to reassure us that nothing is wrong in the present moment, but it can’t override the stress signals that we are experiencing. Consequently, we may feel that we are experiencing the feelings associated with what happened again and again.

Friends and family may not fully understand that we cannot control these feelings because our brain has formed pathways between the memory and the feelings of what happened. The rewind technique can help unhook the feelings from the memories. Your memories of the event will remain unchanged but the connection to the associated feelings should diminish.

What does it involve?

This gentle technique involves 3 stages:

In the first session I listen to your story if you want to share it. It is fine if you don’t want to tell your story, if it would be too upsetting for you. This technique works just as well content free which means but you do not have to talk about this specific details of the trauma. I will ask what changes you would like to see once your symptoms have resolved and then I will guide you in a gentle relaxation.

In the second session I will ask you how you have been since our first meeting, and guide you in a deep relaxation where you can observe your traumatic experience from a safe distance, as if it were playing on a TV screen. Throughout the process I will check that you are comfortable to continue

By session 3 most people have found significant relief of their symptoms and feel able to imagine a future where they are not bothered by intrusive thoughts and feelings. If you have not had a significant improvement we can repeat the rewind technique once more in this session.

Sessions can be conducted face to face in your home, if you live within a 20 mile radius of Glastonbury, in my Glastonbury office, Or by zoom.

Each session lasts approximately 1 hour and costs £70 per session. Often only two sessions are required, but some people need to repeat the rewind in a third session.

Benefits of the 3 step rewind technique can include

  • A relief of trauma symptoms after two or three sessions.
  • This technique is useful in reducing or eliminating symptoms or distressing feelings that would otherwise persist for months or even years after a traumatic event.
  • If talking about your traumatic experience would feel too difficult you do not have to. This process works just as well content free.
  • Many people report a significant diminishing of or complete eradication of distressing symptoms and feelings.

Cost £200 for 3 sessions or £140 for 2 sessions

Please also seek the help of your GP or talking therapies if your symptoms are at a level that impacts your normal daily activities or have have lasted many months.

MIND charity have information about feelings after birth and where to get help.

The Birth Trauma Association has a helpline as well as useful information.

You can self-refer to Somerset talking therapies or look for similar services in your area on this website.

I also offer birth-story listening and birth timeline investigation services £70 per hour.

Email me: joy@birthjoy.co.uk or phone 07939247462 to arrange an appointment.