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Journal of Organizational Knowledge Management


http://www.ibimapublishing.com/journals/JOKM/jokm.html
Vol. 2011 (2011), Article ID 200974, 8 pages
DOI: 10.5171/2011.200974

The New Age Complimenting the Digital Age:


Using Hypnosis, NLP and Time Line TherapyTM
Techniques to Reduce Negative Emotions among
People Involved With Information Technology
Kamarul Zaman Ahmad
College of Business Administration, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
_________________________________________________________________________________

Abstract

Although the amount of interaction with computers is increasing in the current digital age,
humans are still facing emotional problems at work. This research looks at the effectiveness of
new age techniques such as Hypnosis, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Time Line
TherapyTM (TLT) in getting over, or reducing the intensity of negative emotions attached to
memories of stressful events in the past among people involved with information technology
(IT). This experimental research involved 20 test subjects from the IT department of various
organisations and 32 control group subjects. Statistical T-Tests revealed that with the test
group, there were significant reductions in intensity levels of negative emotions after
undergoing the procedures compared with before, with all three methods. There were no
significant changes in the control group.

Keywords: Negative emotions, information technology, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP),


Hypnosis, Time Line TherapyTM techniques
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction hypnosis. Similarly, TLT techniques require


the subject to go into a hypnotic trance as
The digital world may give someone the part of the process. TLT techniques are
impression that humans are becoming very however much more structured than the
much like computers – rational and dissociative technique in NLP and
unemotional. However, despite the hypnosis. The research question addressed
advances in technology, humans appear to in this study is: “Are techniques in
be still grappling with their emotional Hypnosis, TLT and NLP effective in
problems. The need to sift through huge reducing the intensity of negative emotions
amounts of digital information can be as a result of recalling memories of
taxing to some and work pressures can stressful events?”
cause people to behave unreasonably and
cause problems to themselves and others. Thus, the objective of this study is to
In this digital age, new age techniques such examine the outcomes of a very structured
as hypnosis, Neuro Linguistic Programming process of TLT, with a lesser structured
(NLP) and Time Line TherapyTM (TLT) are process of NLP, and a relatively
offered as a means of coping with the hectic unstructured process of progressive
pace of life. However, there appears to be muscle relaxation and mental imagery
no reported research that examined techniques in hypnosis in reducing the
hypnosis along with other techniques such intensity of negative emotions (such as
as NLP and TLT in a single study among IT anger and sadness) attached to memories
personnel. One particular technique in NLP of stressful events. Hypnosis has obtained a
usually referred to as the “dissociative lot of credibility and support through
technique”, has some similarities with experimental research which will be

Copyright © 2011 Kamarul Zaman Ahmad. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative
Commons Attribution License unported 3.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided that original work is properly cited. Contact author: Kamarul
Zaman Ahmad. e–mail: drkamphd@yahoo.com
Journal of Organizational Knowledge Management 2

described under the heading of literature surgical procedures (Astin, 2004). We have
review. NLP, on the other hand, received a a lot more control over our pain than most
lot of criticism in the 80’s especially by of us realize (Manzer, 2003). If one can use
Sharpley (1984) who attempted to debunk hypnosis to reduce the experience of pain
it by reporting the results of experiments in the present, arguably one can use
which suggest that NLP does not work. On hypnosis to remove negative emotions
the other hand, the results in those studies attached to memories from the past.
may have been due to use of flawed
methodologies, such as using researchers Time Line TherapyTM Techniques
who were not properly certified in NLP.
This research, on the contrary, will use a Although, there is abundant evidence on
certified trainer of NLP. Finally, TLT has so the value of hypnosis, there appears to be
far escaped the attention of academics and no reported studies on the effectiveness of
therefore this research will contribute to another set of techniques called Time Line
existing knowledge. TherapyTM (TLT) developed by James and
Woodsmall (1988) even though they were
Literature Review taught to thousands of people all over the
world. The main purpose of using TLT
Hypnosis and Memories of Stressful techniques is to systematically remove all
Events major negative emotions attached to all
memories from the past. It does not
A search on the Web of Science data base remove the memories themselves, just the
did not reveal any studies on hypnosis that emotions that are attached to them. It also
have focussed specifically on how to get rid does not prevent the subject from feeling
of the negative emotions attached to those emotions in the future because there
memories of stressful events although may be times when having those emotions
much has been written about the are appropriate. Usually, the first two
usefulness of hypnosis in medical and negative emotions that are attended to are
hypnosis journals. For example, hypnosis anger and sadness. Anger is the first
has been shown to reduce blood pressure because it is a stimulant that often causes
and mild hypertension (Gay, 2007), and harm to others.
improve the immune system of the body
(Neuman, 2005; Kiecolt-Glaser, Marucha, Sadness is next because it is a depressant
Atkinson and Glaser, 2001; Gruzelier, and an emotion that causes harm to self
Smith, Nagy and Henderson, 2001). Elkins, (James and Woodsmall, 1988). According
Jensen and Patterson (2007) reviewed to James and Woodsmall (1988) every
thirteen studies that investigated the use of person stores all of his/her memories
hypnosis for the treatment of chronic pain chronologically in a line (not necessarily a
and found that hypnosis interventions straight line) and this time line has a
consistently produce significant decreases particular location and orientation in
in pain. In an experiment that involved relation to his/her body. Briefly stated, TLT
having normal subjects submerge their techniques requires the subjects to first of
hands in hot, circulating water, brain scans all elicit the location and orientation of
showed that the pain signals changed their time line, float above it, and remove
dramatically depending on what type of all the negative emotions (for example
hypnotic suggestion they were given – even anger), attached to all memories from the
though the stimulus stayed the same past, starting from the first experience the
(Manzer, 2003). When one is using subject felt that emotion.
hypnosis to reduce pain, one is actually
acting on networks of brain areas that are Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)
involved in the experience of pain (Smith,
2003). An array of mind-body therapies Another technique examined in this
(e.g. imagery, hypnosis and relaxation) research is that in Neuro Linguistic
when employed pre-surgically can improve Programming (NLP). NLP was developed in
recovery time and reduce pain following 1975 by Richard Bandler, a mathematician
3 Journal of Organizational Knowledge Management

and John Grinder, a linguist. According to Thus, this is the first and main objective of
them, NLP has been clinically this research. The results of the test groups
demonstrated as a powerful technology for were compared with a control group. The
engineering change (Bandler and Grinder, second objective of this study is to address
1979; Grinder and Bandler, 1981). the issues raised in Einspruch and Forman
However, Sharpley (1984) reports that the (1985) - namely about the lack of
amount of published data supporting NLP qualification and experience of researchers
as a viable model for therapeutic change is conducting experiments. The
minimal. A search in the Web of Science researcher/author in the current study is a
database revealed no reported studies on certified trainer of hypnosis, TLT and NLP.
NLP from 1985 until today.
It is worthwhile to point out that while
One of the objectives of the research is also Einspruch and Forman (1985) defended
to provide empirical support for Einspruch NLP, they themselves failed to conduct
and Forman (1985). There have been many experiments to show the contrary. As
previous research (cited in Einspruch and mentioned earlier, a search on the Web of
Forman, 1985), that have attempted to Science database failed to reveal any
debunk NLP. However, these studies are reported studies on NLP after 1985 and
rather dated. Einspruch and Forman this justifies this research to be done. The
(1985) also defended NLP and instead, researcher/author is not only a
attacked previous research stating that Practitioner and Master Practitioner, but
such “failed” research used flawed also a certified trainer of hypnosis, TLT and
methodologies such as using researchers NLP attached with the American Board of
who are not properly certified in NLP. As Hypnosis, the TLT Association and the
such, the aforementioned criticised American Board of NLP respectively. The
research had experiments that resulted in researcher/author has over two years of
the outcomes of the test groups not proven related experience since graduating as a
to be any different from that of the control Trainer. He also holds a PhD in work
groups. psychology and has over nine years of post-
doctoral experience.
Einspruch and Forman (1985) revealed
that all of the 39 empirical studies Method
reviewed failed to provide adequate
investigator training. For example, in Dowd Participants
and Hingst’s (1983) study, students who
had no experience as therapists were Respondents in the test group were twenty
trained in four 90-minute sessions (i.e. a participants of the seminar/workshop
total of 6 hours, in contrast to a conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
Practitioner CertiLication course that is 130 entitled “Empower yourself through NLP,
hours!). This does not provide enough time TLT and Hypnosis”. The sessions were
to develop mastery of the NLP framework. identical and were conducted personally by
the researcher. All the respondents
Objectives selected for analyses in this study were
predominantly involved with computers
Although fairly recent research such as and information technology at work.
Ashok and Santhakumar (2002) have Although the researcher played the role of
reported the benefits of using NLP at work, both facilitator and researcher, objective
there is no such experimental research that scoring was used so as to minimise
simultaneously investigated, in a single researcher bias - respondents filled out the
study, the effectiveness of using hypnosis, questionnaires themselves and their scores
TLT and NLP as a means of reducing the were directly entered into the SPSS
intensity of negative emotions attached to (Statistical Package for Social Sciences)
memories of stressful events among people program without any transformation
whose work predominantly involved IT. whatsoever by the researcher. The
Journal of Organizational Knowledge Management 4

participants also verbally consented to Procedure


participating in this research and
subsequently filled out all the The session started on the morning of the
questionnaires. first day with hypnosis. Participants were
required to recall past stressful events and
The control group comprised entirely of then indicate the intensity of the negative
thirty-two part-time post-graduate emotions (from one to ten) prior to the
students at a University who were all activity. Then, progressive muscle
working people (mostly executives) and of relaxation (PMR) techniques were taught
roughly the same mean age as the test to the participants along with mental
group, i.e. 38 years. The age range in the imagery of pleasant surroundings.
control group was 28 to 47 years, but the Participants were invited to imagine
age range in the test group was wider, i.e. themselves floating on a cool stream in a
22 to 61 years. pleasant forest and finally landing on a
beautiful beach by the sea. The process was
Coincidentally, the test groups also had accompanied by the relevant sounds of
some students from the same course at the nature played on a sound system.
same university. They are also similar in
terms of gender composition (i.e. 17 males During this time the participants were
and 15 females in the test groups and also asked to gauge their level of intensity of
17 males and 15 females in the control negative emotions. Then, the participants
group). In terms of number of test groups were gradually brought back to full
and control groups, this research is consciousness. Immediately thereafter, the
superior to others (1 test person and no participants were again asked to indicate
control group in Ewin, 2004; 8 female their scores on the questionnaire.
patients and no control group in Keefer and Participants were told to record one score
Keshavarzian, 2007; and 22 test groups for how intense they felt during the
and 22 control groups in Shakibaei, hypnotic procedure, one during, and
Harandi, Gholamrezaei, Samoei and Salehi, another after they were brought back to
2008). full consciousness.

Materials The NLP session was conducted during the


afternoon of the first day. The participants
The intensity of negative emotions as a were asked to remember an event that they
result of recollection of stressful events still felt upset about. They were asked to
were measured using a single numerical remember it vividly and associate
scale from 1 to 10 – 10 being the most themselves into the memory i.e. see
intense and 1 being the total absence of through the first person view by looking
such feelings. Similar scales were used for through their own eyes and not seeing
hypnosis, NLP and TLT procedures. These their body in the picture. They were asked
scales were adapted from the study by to indicate the level of intensity of negative
Shakibaei et al (2008) where they used to emotions when associating into the
measure pain using a one-item self-report memory. Then, they were taught the
numeric rating scale ranging from 0 to 5 (0 dissociative technique i.e. see through the
for no pain, and 5 for worst possible pain). third person view. Then, they were asked
to change the “submodalities” of the mental
However, the scale in the current research picture by changing it from colour to black-
ranged from 1 to 10 in order to increase and-white, reducing the clarity and size and
the sensitivity of the scale. Instructions and gradually pushing the picture further and
explanations were given to the participants further away from them. After that, the
on how to indicate their scores on the scale. participants were told to record their score
Participants were also told to be as honest i.e. how intense they felt about the stressful
as possible when indicating their scores. event.
5 Journal of Organizational Knowledge Management

The TLT session was conducted during Results


most of the second day. During the
morning, the researcher explained the For the test groups, paired sample t-tests
theory, basis and techniques in TLT. Then, were performed using SPSS to assess the
the procedures were done during the changes in intensity levels of negative
afternoon as follows: participants were emotions before and after participating in
required to first of all recall one stressful the techniques in hypnosis, TLT and NLP.
event in which they felt the most anger. There were significant reductions in
Participants were asked to record the intensity levels for all three techniques. No
intensity level of anger. Subsequently they such change was recorded among the
were taught the process of TLT and a group control group. The average score for the
induction was performed on them to participants in the test group before being
release the anger on all events from the taught the hypnotic techniques was 5.70
past including the most significant event. (see Table 2). The average score during
Respondents were then asked to record the was 3.90. T-test showed that the
level of emotional intensity of anger after differences were signiLicant at the 0.01
the TLT process. The same was repeated level. Participants reported being very
for the negative emotion of sadness. relaxed during the progressive relaxation
and mental imagery exercises. The average
Respondents in the control group recorded score of the participants after hypnosis was
the intensity of negative emotions as a 3.15. T-tests showed that there were no
result of recalling stressful events in the significant differences in the scores during,
past once, then a second time twenty compared with after the hypnotic
minutes later. They were not taught any of induction, indicating that the relaxing
the techniques aforesaid but listened to a effects of hypnotism continued to work
talk on the topic of leadership. The talk was even after the participants came out of
conducted by the researcher who did his trance.
best to ensure that the talk was as neutral
as possible i.e. neither stressful nor
relaxing.

Table 1: Gender of Test Group

Frequency Percent
Male 15 75
Female 5 25
Total 20 100

Table 2: Test Group Mean Scores

First Measurement taken during Measurement Sig


measurement the procedure taken within 5
taken before minutes after the
the procedure procedure
Hypnosis 5.70 3.90 3.15 .000
NLP 7.35 No measurement taken 3.05 .000
TLT - Anger 6.15 No measurement taken 1.15 .000
TLT - Sadness 6.85 No measurement taken 1.80 .000

The average score for the participants in probably because the participants were
the test group before being taught the NLP told to not only recall, but to also associate
techniques was 7.35 (see Table 2). The into the memory (i.e. see from a first
reason why this score was high was person view) and give a score for the
Journal of Organizational Knowledge Management 6

intensity of the negative emotions. techniques, it can be observed that the


Subsequently, they were taught the average score of the participants after the
dissociative technique (i.e. see from a third procedure, were lower for TLT compared
person view) and also make the picture with hypnosis and NLP. In fact, James and
small, blurred, far away and black and Woodsmall (1988) prescribes that in TLT,
white. The average score in terms of negative emotions are to be completely
intensity of negative emotions after doing removed from the past. In their world view,
the NLP techniques was 3.05. T-tests there is nothing ecological about holding on
showed that the differences were to negative emotions from the past.
signiLicant at the 0.01 level.
The same view is adopted in this research
In relation to TLT, the average score of the with respect to TLT, as well as NLP and
participants for anger before being taught Hypnotherapy. As mentioned earlier, many
the technique was 6.15 (see Table 2). The of the participants were able to remove
average score after TLT was 1.15. T-tests their anger and sadness completely from
showed that the differences were the past. For the rest, they were not able to
signiLicant at the 0.01 level. do so. A follow-up group interview was
done on these people and the common
In relation to TLT, the average score of the reason cited was that they preferred a one-
participants for sadness before being on-one session rather than a group
taught the technique was 6.85. The average induction and that there was one major
score after was 1.80. T-tests showed that event that they were not able to resolve
the differences were signiLicant at the 0.01 completely.
level.
No significant changes in the scores of the
Although it is acknowledged that there are control group were recorded. The average
some differences in the applications of the scores for the control group were reported
in Table 3.

Table 3: Control Group Scores

First measurement Second measurement taken


20 minutes later
Hypnosis 5.47 5.47
NLP 5.56 5.56
TLT - Anger 5.53 5.53
TLT - Sadness 6.28 6.28

Conclusion are effective and are responsible for these


changes. TLT techniques resulted in the
This study examined the effectiveness of greatest reduction in intensity levels,
hypnosis, TLT and NLP in reducing the followed by NLP, then Hypnosis.
intensity of negative emotions such as
anger and sadness when recalling a However, some finer distinctions can be
memory of a stressful event. The sample made here. For instance, hypnosis has been
consisted of 20 individuals in the test shown in this study to be useful to get
groups and 32 individuals in the control people to relax their mind and body and to
group. Measurements were taken before simply provide a distraction or change of
and after each of the procedures. The focus (but not really releasing the
absence of changes in the control group in emotion). On the other hand, TLT is
this study and the fact that there were effective in removing specific negative
significant reduction in the intensity levels emotions such as anger, attached to all
in the test groups suggest that it is the memories from the past. Although
techniques in hypnosis, TLT and NLP that forgiveness can sometimes happen prior to
7 Journal of Organizational Knowledge Management

letting go of the negative emotion, the more rise of the digital age has been matched
important pre-requisite is the positive with the rise of new age techniques in
learning / lessons gained from the event managing the mind and body and the two
(James and Woodsmall, 1988). The NLP apparently different worlds can
dissociative technique is useful to take the complement one another. In future,
“sting” caused by memories of stressful managers can incorporate Hypnosis, NLP
events from the past simply by changing and TLT in the trainings they have for
the submodalities or the characteristics of themselves and their staff.
the mental picture. Thus, although each of
these techniques can be used to reduce the The limitation of this study is the lack of
intensity of the negative emotions in randomization of the test groups – most of
memories generally, the way in which each them were self-selected as most of them
of these techniques operates is different. chose to attend the seminar wherein the
Additionally, TLT and NLP can also be research was conducted. These were
viewed as complimentary rather than probably the most hypnotizable. Another
competing models with hypnosis. limitation is that there is no way of
knowing whether the reductions in the
Another interesting issue raised in this intensity of emotions as a result of recalling
research is that some participants have stressful events are permanent or
reported preference for one-to-one temporary. In fact, according to James and
sessions rather than group sessions. This Woodsmall (1988) if the entire gestalt of a
was certainly true for TLT and hypnosis. negative emotion (for example anger) is
Some participants commented that both not gone, then, the results may indeed be
processes took too long and their mind temporary. Future research should take the
wandered. Others said that they wanted to form of a longitudinal study spread over a
take a longer time. Thus, the group sessions year and measurements can be taken in
could not accommodate the different one, three, six months, and one year into
preferences of individuals. In fact, one of the future. Also, for the purposes of this
the participants who was not able to paper, only those people whose work
remove sadness at all during the procedure involved IT were chosen. More research
was subsequently able to remove them should be conducted with test subjects
entirely when she signed up for the with different occupations. Lastly, data
practitioner certification course and were obtained through self-report
repeated the procedure, but on a one-on- instruments. The limitations that apply to
one basis with the researcher. However, self-report questionnaires, such as
due to time constraints, TLT procedure was compliance bias, have the potential to be
done on a group rather than on a one-on- present in this research, just as it has the
one basis. The view taken in this research potential to be present in all other research
is that TLT can be done is groups, as the using self-report measures.
creators of TLT have done so in their
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