Regression with Children

Question
I am working with a 7-year old girl who needs to have some regression work done concerning an issue. She has even given some suggestion that previous existences may be involved. At the first session, she was very active and never allowed herself to drift down. Her main issues are distrust and she fears people. She is always looking over her shoulder, literally and figuratively. The child is almost constantly in motion, talks incessantly and doesn't really let go. I see her again, soon, and was hoping that you would be willing to share with me a few inductions and scripts that I might use with her. Any ideas?

Answer
With a child like this, I don't bother with word-oriented scripts. Instead, I might try several of the following: Preparing for Hypnotic work (possible ways of doing inductions) 1. Play a game of "picturing." Have the child close her eyes and picture different things: Can she see what a beautiful apple looks like? What's its color? Does it have any other colors on it, i.e. green? What's it smell like? Taste it, what's it taste like? What's it feel like? Same with a lemon, a cute puppy or rabbit, etc. 2. Have the child pick out a puppet or soft animal or doll (I have scattered around the room-perhaps you can borrow from friends for the sessions with her), and then allow her to talk through the item she selects. First, "hypnotize" the doll/animal/puppet, and then ask if she would like to hypnotize him. Then ask her if she wants to have the doll/animal/puppet do the same with her. Then let "it" do the job by merely having her close her eyes. 3. If she won't "cooperate" by closing her eyes, or by listening, then try having the child use a pendulum, telling her she'll discover how powerful her mind really is. Have her make it (just with her mind) swing back and forth, and then in a circle. This is an excellent convincer. Also, it can be used to take her into further trance by encouraging her arm (and eyelids) to get heavier and heaver as the pendulum pulls her arm down into her lap. Most children love this, even if they don′t seem to go into trance with it. At the very least, it helps build trust in the experience, and in you. 4. Another possibility is to color a picture, or, better yet, a concentric design. Sometimes, with a very antsy and young child, I give them a page from my book of designs. I ask the child to color from the outside into the inside, as I give suggestions. Regression Work 1. Compliment the child on what a good memory she probably has. Encourage her to remember back to times that have been fun in her life. Ask her, first, to go to a time where she's experienced something especially wonderful. (More than one happy memory might be needed before you can go further.) Then, take it from there with her, in terms of regressing her further back to the causation of the problem. In terms of possible regression work into previous lives, you could talk about her "pretending" that she used to live a long time ago before she even knew her mother and father right now. Have her close her eyes and "see" what she can remember of a life like that. What would it have been like, etc. It doesn't matter whether she "pretends" if it helps her get to the heart of the matter. On the whole, children usually respond quickly, requiring less time and effort to go into an altered state. Usually children are in a partial altered state a good part of the time anyway. Also, they don't have as strong a division between the "real' and "unreal", or "reality" and "pretend' as we have. Sometimes we don't recognize this because we're expecting them to respond like adults do, and therefore, are watching for the wrong "signs." Make it simple and fun, and you'll do fine.