Journey Therapy (also called The Journey) was pioneered by Brandon Bays, who claims it helped her rid herself of a massive tumour in her stomach. Through her book, entitled The Journey, she explains how she achieved this and at the back gives ‘Journey Scripts’ so that readers might go on their own ‘Journeys’ and rid themselves of any emotional or physical problems they have. I have read the book, and listened to the tapes, and I am not sure how this method differs from a guided regression meditation or a standard hypnotic regression.
“Journey Therapy. Journey therapy is a regression meditation/hypnosis technique which is best used to find the event(s) that are at the root of the anxiety. The original method, thought up by the charismatic American Brandon Bays, is practiced by therapists in many countries. There are also books and CDs which allow you to undertake what can be a complicated process yourself.”
Brandon Bays markets Journey Therapy as a breakthrough technique, in truth I didn’t see anything new. I have not attended the weekend intensive courses, they cost £250 and involve a fair amount of video learning. I may be wrong, but this therapy seems to re-invent the wheel of regression, which was of only limited use to the anxiety, panic, or phobia suffer in the first place.
Journey Therapy revolves around the idea of “Source”. Defining source is hard, but apparently it is the very fundamental part of you which is a fountain of peace and your own essence. The therapist or tape takes you back, ‘dropping through’ difficult memories until you reach ‘Source’. I found reaching ‘Source’ impossible.
Practitioners may rave about it, but I have not met anyone who has first-hand experience of its success. When I went to an introductory talk on Journey Therapy at my local university there were people in the audience who were obviously seeking help for cancer and other severe mental or physical conditions. Maybe they were all cured within weeks and went on to live happy lives but I have my doubts.
