The “Send It Away” Technique

Phoenix Notes 6:

 

"Send it away"  by Philip Davis - Phoenix EFT

This is a NLP method of taking away the worst part of an event or trauma.

The technique reduces the SUDS level of a high intensity event before moving on to use the Movie Technique, or Matrix Re-imprinting etc.

When the situation arises that a client has a memory of an event in their life and you, as the therapist, think this would be a good time to use the Movie Technique, or Matrix Re-imprinting you often need to reduce the emotional sting of the event before going into the detail of the event.

This is because clients will often express great fear to even think of thinking about the event. Sometimes what might appear to be a simple, very small trauma can develop into something life-threatening as more memories are recovered.

For these reasons it is often better to start very gently and slowly work closer and closer to the event.

This technique has several advantages:

• It is easy to use
• It seems to be long lasting
• It is dissociative
• It is very gentle.
• It doesn't require the client to divulge anything about the event other than perhaps to give it a title. 

NOTE: At the time of writing, I have not tried this technique with BIG traumas.  By that I mean, traumas that are life threatening - for example those who have been in a war zone or those who have been diagnosed with PTSD.  I have no reason to suppose that this technique will not work equally well, but the usual cautions apply when working with clients who are deeply traumatised. 

Starting off.

When a client recalls a memory, the first thing to do is to ask the client the following question...

"If you were to tell me what happened in that event, on a scale of 0 to 10, how much emotion do you think you would have?"  (This is the "Tearless Trauma Technique")

If the client says anything above 5, then it is wise to use the "Send it away" technique before moving on to the Movie/Matrix way of working.

Sometimes, also, when there is not enough time to use the full blown Movie/Matrix technique then the Send it Away technique can be very useful as it is quick, gentle and doesn't require the client to divulge anything about the event.

The Process:

Part 1 - Getting a picture

Ask your client to get a frozen picture - a frozen moment in time from that event.  Say something like..

"When you have thought about that event in the past, what is the picture or frozen moment in time that immediately comes to mind?"

Note that it is important to use the words "picture" and "frozen" because you don't want the client to start re-living the event.

If the client comes up with 2 pictures or moments, then ask the client to choose one and say that you can look at the other one later.

To check that its a real image and not part of a movie, ask them something like...

"In this picture, where are you standing/sitting/lying?" 

The clients answer will tell you if they really have a picture or several pictures, movie etc.  If they do have several pictures or a movie you should ask them again to get just one frozen moment. 

Part 2 - Get a title for the picture.

Ask your client to give the picture a title by saying something like...

"If that picture had a title, what would it be?"

Use the title in the text below where I have said <title>

If the client says something like "It doesn't have a title" or "There is no title"  Then use their exact words in the script below. 

Part 3 - Sending it away.

In the following text the three dots "..." mean pause for about a second and "... ..." means pause for 2 seconds.

Ask your client to tap on their Gamut Point or Karate Chop point.

Say to your client...

"Can you close your eyes, and I want you to imagine that <title> picture in front of you ... ... can you see it?"     (wait for confirmation)

 "Now I would like you send that <title> picture away ... imagine moving it away from you so that it gets smaller and smaller ... ... "

"Further and further away ... smaller and smaller ... ... until its hard to make out the details ..."

"Further and further away ... smaller and smaller ... ... until its like a dot in the distance ... until you can hardly see it ..."

"Further and further away ... until its gone ... ..."

"Take as long as you need and open your eyes when its gone."

When the client has opened their eyes, tell them that you are going to do this THREE times.

And repeat the process above two more times.

If the client sits there with their eyes closed for TOO long after you have finished speaking... say something like - if you are having difficulty then open your eyes.   See "Troubleshooting" below.

For the FOURTH time, say to the client "Can you bring the picture up in front of you now?"

Often they will report that the picture is 'hazy' or they can only see a part of the picture - That often happens and is perfectly normal.  Sometimes it's in Black and White, or they can just see the outlines.

Whilst the client can see any part of the picture, keep on sending it away. 

Sometimes you have to send it away 7, 8, or 9 times. sometimes it only takes 2 or 3 times - it all depends on the issue and the client.

Part 4 - Testing:

Test at the end by:  Getting a SUDS level  - "If you were to tell me now what happened in that event, on a scale of 0 to 10, how much emotion do you think you would have?" 

Often the SUDS level is zero.   Sometimes the client can't even remember ANY of the event, much to their surprise.

Always, the SUDS is reduced significantly in my experience, often to zero or very close to zero.  

Discuss with the client what they thought of the process or whether any new thoughts arose.

If time allows, you can now do the full Movie/Matrix technique on the event.  When I have done this in the past, clients can't remember parts of the movie and find it difficult to raise any SUDS levels above 1 or 2 when telling the story of the event.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Sometimes the client will report that they cannot get the picture to move any further away than a certain point.

Solution: Tap on that.  "Even though I cant get it to move any further away than <whatever they said>  ... etc.

Problem: Sometimes, in the middle of the process, a new picture will come up - perhaps of a related event or at a different time in the same event.

Solution: Tell the client that you will get to that second image as soon as you are done with this one, and then continue with this picture until it is gone.

Problem: Sometimes some beliefs will arise that prevent the client from letting go of the picture.  EG: I don't deserve to let this go - or - If I let this go part of me will die.

Solutions: Tap on that belief.

Ask what is needed to help that part of you let go?  Tap on that.

Ask what is needed to fill that void when this has gone? Tap on that.

Summing it all up:

Practice this technique on your own events to see how this works.  The more often you practice the easier it becomes.

Good luck and happy tapping!

Philip Davis
AAMET EFT Master Trainer
Advanced EFT Practitioner
Clinical Hypnotherapist
NLP Practitioner
Developer of the Picture Tapping Technique

www.phoenixeft.co.uk
0121 246 9448