On The Apex Problem

This is a well known phenomena to hypnosis practitioners, and it's something every Meridian Therapy practitioner will soon become familiar with. A client comes in with a problem. They spend half an hour telling you how much they suffer, how they have tried everything to overcome it, and how it has destroyed the quality of their lives for the past umpteen years. You apply any one of the meridian therapies to the problem, and it is no longer there. At this point, the client says, "Well, it wasn't so bad anyway, I guess, and ... (now insert any of these:) - it would have gone away by itself eventually; - it went away because (I sneezed; the therapy I engaged in 4 years ago; you made me laugh; I took a painkiller before I came here; you hypnotised me etc etc) - although the problem is gone right now, I'm convinced it will soon be back. This has a very demoralising effect on the practitioner, who seeks to share their excitement of the process, and who is applying the techniques with a view to making transformational changes in a person's life, and to help them be happier. It also makes it difficult to motivate the client to continue using the meridian therapies for their many other problems; and this is probably the most depressing aspect of the Apex problem by far. Here's what Ian Graham, Director of the Thought Field Therapy Association, has to say on this vexed problem (re-posted with permission from meridiantherapy@egroups.com ): As the apex problem seems to be a compulsive tendency to explain something which, at the time, is beyond the peak of a person's ability to understand, it is always difficult to deal with. It is almost certainly a left-brain thing as similar observations were made by Michael Gazzagina ("The Social Brain", Basic Books, 1985) in experiments on split brain subjects (a treatment for severe epilepsy - the link between right and left hemispheres is severed). He discovered that the language aspect of the left-brain will invent or create explanations for phenomena it observes (visually or aurally) that are introduced to the non-verbal right-brain (by left hand touch) and therefore not known to the left. It was found that the explanation spoken by the subject had no factual basis and was irrelevant invention. However, it was compulsively given and believed by the subject. As we know, the speed and efficacy of MPT is very confusing for some so this compulsive tendency emerges. I feel this is reflected in other rapid challenges to the emotions such as trauma - a number of those I have treated in the past had created explanations to explain why it happened to them, often centring on a compulsion to say "it was my fault" when all the evidence says it wasn't - they just don't believe it. Anyway, here's stuff that I have found to be helpful: Always take a SUD score at the start and write it down so the client can see it - or better still, get them to write it down. This avoids the "well I didn't feel to bad, anyway" problem as you can show them their start score after treatment. However, some will even compulsively explain this away! Emphasise the time frame for the SUD - "How do you feel NOW - not how it has been or how you think it will be, but right now as you're talking to me". This limits the argument that the patient "doesn't feel bad until they are in the situation". Explain the possibility and nature of the apex problem to the patient before treatment. As the apex problem is compulsive this explanation is easily "forgotten" of course. Tape / video record the session and give the client a copy. Or simply forget it and tap yourself to accept that it happens and there isn't anything you can do about it! As with other revolutionary treatments (e.g. anaesthesia a hundred years ago) the public will eventually become familiar with the nature of the treatments and the apex problem should disappear.