Hypnotherapy used in The Prodigy Movie | Hypnotherapy in London and Surrey

The Prodigy Horror Movie and hypnotherapy

The 2019 horror film, The Prodigy, has had quite mixed reviews.

However, we were interested to see hypnotherapy appear in the film.

It's great to see hypnotherapy becoming a mainstream treatment. It should be.

The Prodigy focused on an eight year old boy, called Miles (played by Jackson Robert Scott), whose mind and body was thought to have been taken over by Edward Scarka, a Hungarian serial killer who was killed by the police on the same day that Miles was born. Miles was heard speaking Hungarian, even though he'd never been taught it.

Science is very skeptical about reincarnation, however multiple personality type disorders are certainly well recognised in psychology. The actual neurological cause of these disorders is still less clear. Science still has a lot to learn about the brain.

Ironically, these types of disorders are often contra-indicated (not recommended) for hypnotherapy, given that deeper states of hypnosis can be used to create both positive (things appear) and negative (things vanish) hallucinations. This creates a risk, if the client's sense of reality is already confused.

But the overall approach is certainly still interesting.

Past life regression hypnotherapy

In the Prodigy film, we see Arthur Jacobson (played by Colm Feore), the "therapy specialist" performing a form of past life regression hypnotherapy on Miles.

Arthur tells Miles' mum (Taylor Schilling) "Regression won't work if you're in the room", which is a little strange. Hypnotherapy can work perfectly well when other people are around. In fact, if we're working with minors, we always request an approved person is present. That approach would have also made Arther's life a lot easier, as "Edward" started to threaten him. The regulations, and codes of conduct and ethics we operate under (including CHNC, NCH, BAThH and NSPsy) are there for a good reason!

Arthur then uses a metronome to induce the hypnotic state, which is perhaps a little old school. Hypnotherapy induction and deepers have become much more advanced since the days everyone had a pocket watch. But, the approach can work and perhaps sits more easily with expectations of the typical member of the audience.

The overall concept, of allowing the client to drift into a relaxed state of awareness (a hypnotic trance) before traversing their timeline, is certainly one that can work well for clients. It can help to uncover important memories that may have been lost from the conscious mind.

Past life regression isn't something we specifically do, however, the subconscious mind often works with metaphors. So, if the mind goes to thoughts of being another person, as it might also do in a dream, that is something that tells a useful story and can be used in hypnotherapy.

A similar approach is often used for increasing positive feelings. For example, imagining a person who is totally confident, then imagining becoming that person. Used with hypnosis, it can help the client to let their subconscious mind know that they want to be more like that confident person. A great way to create positive change.

Hypnotherapy in The Prodigy movie

The Prodigy Horror Movie and hypnotherapy

Past life regression hypnotherapy

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