My name is Clinton Matheny. You can call me “Clint” or “Clinton”. Welcome to my blog, where I share insights and strategies for emotional well-being. Research indicates that positive emotions play a crucial role in enhancing well-being, improving health, and extending longevity. Emotions such as joy, gratitude, and contentment not …
In 1985, thirteen year old Lucinda changed my beliefs on what is possible in a therapy session. I had been doing therapy for less than a year. Are your expectations affecting your clients expectations? This video is 12 minutes long. It is partly features the 1985 session and the followup …
Matthew Perry, a famous actor who starred in the TV sitcom “Friends”, had a history of drug and alcohol abuse. He spent over nine (9) million dollars and half of his life in and out of treatment or sober-living centers, had 14 stays in rehab, and detoxed 65 times beginning …
Note: All postings with a # symbol are “Clean Language” therapy interventions. Clean language therapy is a type of psychotherapy that utilizes specifically worded questions and open-ended responses, which allow clients to access the subconscious and explore their narratives, thoughts, and feelings, in a nonjudgmental and safe way. It relies …
A trauma is not an experience. It is an emotional response to an experience. A trauma is something that happens to you and that makes you so upset that it overwhelms you. A trauma can also caused depression. What is a trauma to you, might not be a trauma to …
Envision navigating life with a nail embedded in your foot. Each step brings a piercing reminder of the discomfort, yet, rather than tackling the fundamental problem—the nail—many of us opt to maneuver gingerly around it. I include myself. We alter our gait, shorten our steps, and sidestep certain routes, all …
WARNING: This Is About Sexual Abuse In 1996, while watching the film ‘A Time to Kill,’ based on John Grisham’s novel, with my 16-year-old son, a scene depicting a young girl being assaulted caused me to have a psychotic experience. We had to leave the cinema. I …
There are several common reasons why individuals may hesitate to seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Let’s explore a few of these reasons and address them: The Media Says It Cannot Be Cured: However, the past 30 years there have been some major therapeutic breakthroughs to cure PTSD – …
I observed a devastating aviation accident on May 30, 1972, at Greater Southwest Airport. As an air traffic controller and private pilot, I had spent over three hours flying with the three pilots the day before as they prepared for their FAA captain’s certification. Post-flight, I arranged to have dinner …
The 13th century poet Rumi wrote, “the cure for pain is in the pain”. Amidst the myriad of complex therapies and interventions, a revolutionary technique stands out for its simplicity and profound impact: FreeSpotting. This method is not just another band-aid for emotional turmoil; it is a transformative practice that …
For over five years, I have been a strong advocate of “FreeSpotting.” Here are some other proponents of this remarkable emotional reset technique: Mike Mandel and Chris Thompson, outstanding hypnosis instructors, have shared their experiences with this powerful change technique. You can learn more about their insights and methods: This …
This is the most commented post on my blog. Many people tell me that they start their mornings using “ Box Breathing”, do it a few times during the day, and do it at night just before going to sleep. This has been proven to be an excellent coping mechanism …
This article discusses a highly successful method for treating PTSD, in existence since 1980. It has only recently received funding for research to assess its efficacy and potentially recognize it as an “Evidence-Based Practice.” Over the past 44 years, this technique has been known by various names, including the VK …
This hour and fifteen minute 2020, documentary concedes that psychiatric medications can provide relief for some patients. Nonetheless, it’s believed that among the 20% of Americans on these drugs, approximately one-third experience severe adverse effects from the treatments intended to aid them. “Medicating Normal” sheds light on the struggles of …
James Davies, PhD has been vocal about his concerns regarding psychiatry and its relationship with the pharmaceutical industry. In this lecture he has exposed several issues: Medicalization of Normality: Davies argues that psychiatry has medicalized normal human suffering, expanding the number of mental disorders without solid scientific justification. DSM Critique: …
Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring has over a decade of experience as a board-certified psychiatrist. This is a very important video to watch before seeing a Psychiatrist or your family medicine doctor with a mental issue. This interesting YouTube video is 57 minutes long:
Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring has over a decade of experience as a board-certified psychiatrist and has previously served as a medical officer for the FDA. His expertise lies in a niche area of psychiatry, focusing on the side effects of psychiatric medications and strategies for their safe tapering. This is a …
The “chicken or the egg dilemma” is a classic question that explores the problem of causality and origins. It asks whether the chicken or the egg came first, highlighting the cyclical nature of cause and effect. Is major depression, and other labeled disorders, caused by abnormal blood chemistry, or is …
First watch this 39 second video by psychiatrist, Dr Josef Witt-Doerring if you are going to see a family physician for depression: In 1993, a thirty-three year old woman embarked on a significant journey to overcome her “Major Depression,” which led to a reflective interview nearly three decades later. The …
This is my second posting with follow ups on healing “Depression” with “Clean Language”. The first posting was using Clean Language on Metaphors to heal depression (see the link at bottom of page) will give you a better understanding of the intervention. Could it be that 99 % of our …
https://clintmatheny.cdn-pi.com/how-to-get-what-you-want-in-2023-and-beyond-the-blame-frame-vs-the-outcome-frame/
In 1999, I revisited Jay’s remarkable recovery journey in a follow-up video. Jay had suffered a severe car accident on August 1, 1995, which resulted in the loss of vision in his left eye. His eye was not only bloodshot and locked in position, but he also grappled with intense …
I have been using “Clean Language” interventions that were developed by David Grove and co-developer Cei Davies Linn for over thirty- one years. Unfortunately, this very eloquent modality has not received the attention it deserves in the therapy community. This might be helpful: what-is-clean-language-therapy/ In 1994, Nancy was my first …
My Journey with Clean Language Therapy In 1993, I had the privilege of learning “Clean Language” from David Grove, a New Zealand therapist. This innovative modality, known as “Clean Language Therapy,” proved to be highly effective in helping clients heal their traumatic memories. My confidence in this approach grew as …
“Clean Language” is a distinctive approach in therapy that empowers the client by placing their own words and metaphors at the heart of the conversation. The power of Clean Language lies in its client-centered methodology. Therapists practicing Clean Language have to be meticulously attentive to the client’s language, using it as …
“Wait a minute, Doc. Are you telling me you built a time machine?” Imagine if we could trace the roots of our emotions as easily as we recall our favorite movie lines. It’s a little-known fact that the vast majority of our emotional landscape is formed by the tender age …
To better understand this client session with a three year old, see the Part 1 post on this subject. Both clients had their younger selves “frozen in time”. What does that mean? Our psyche protects us by stopping the worst moments of a traumatic event from happening to protect our …
This session on depression took place in 1985. There are two other post on this blog dealing with depression: https://clintmatheny.cdn-pi.com/healing-major-depression/ & healing-depression-disassociation-using-clean-language-16-year-follow-up/ A 28 year old man I will call “Bill” came to see me for depression. Bill told me that he had been depressed since age 5. I asked …
This intervention shows the power of “Clean Language Therapy” by healing a middle-aged woman’s panic attacks in a single 25-minute recorded therapy session. https://clintmatheny.cdn-pi.com/what-is-clean-language-therapy/ Stress may trigger asthma or exacerbate the condition. Asthma is a serious condition that can be fatal. Often, doctors misdiagnose panic attacks as asthma attacks (see …
This video has two follow up interviews on Deborah’s two “Clean Language metaphor”sessions with me. https://clintmatheny.com/what-is-clean-language-therapy/ During the first session in 1995, Deborah’s Esophagitis, Spastic Colon (IBS), and Gastritis were healed. I wasn’t aware of her medical conditions at the time of the session and the session was not directed …
Melissa Tiers is an excellent hypnotherapist and has a unique way of interrupting a client that is reinforcing their limiting pattern by repeating their story over and over again. This is a 4 minute video: Clint77090(at)Gmail.Com
Most therapists have worked with adult clients that were amnesic to certain parts of their past that were caused by childhood traumas. Have you ever worked with a person that was totally amnesic to their identity? In the 1990s the father of a twenty year old male phoned. On the …
“The Havening Technique” was developed in 2013, by the two Ruben brothers, Ronald and Steven . This technique is great for relaxing and the healing of painful emotions (to include PTSD). This 18 minute YouTube video by Tam Johnston gives an outstanding biological explanation of the science behind this Mindbody …
British Psychologist, Justin Havensis is the creator of the, “Dream Completion Technique” (DCT) for healing PTSD nightmares. Justin has recently taught over 1,000 Ukrainian therapists his technique. Worldwide he has taught over 3,000 therapists this very effective technique. This procedure can be self -administered; however, some people may need the …
Recently, I’ve been contemplating my thirty-nine years as a therapist, pondering the true impact of my work. Reflecting on the past, I recall numerous clients who considered suicide, whom I’ve supported through their darkest times. Did my intervention truly matter? One particular memory resurfaces, convincing me of the life-saving difference …
This posting is to create a Yardstick (or Meter stick) to measure the effectiveness of your therapy. For over thirty-three years I’ve had my clients fill out the enclosed PDF attachment with the instructions to select their 5-7 most common emotions that they experience weekly. I also emphasized emotions not …
Sigmund’s Psychoanalytic Couch Sigmund Freud got two things right: almost all adult psychological problems are rooted in childhood and he allowed his clients to avoid making eye to eye contact during the therapy session by placing himself behind the client. When you require the client to maintain the western social norm …
In 2017, psychotherapist and EMDR trainer Philip Manfield developed a new trauma procedure that he calls, “The Flash Technique” (FT). This procedure can be easily learned and does not require a person to consciously engage with the traumatic memory. This allows a person to process traumatic memories without feeling distress. …
Thomas Zimmerman For more information on “Flash” see: https://clintmatheny.cdn-pi.com/using-flash-to-heal-traumatic-memories/
“If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.” — Confucius Have you given personal advice by starting your sentence with, “If I were you?” “If I were you”, I would have your emotions, the same body, and the same personal history. In other …
“Sorting for Self” vs. “Sorting for Others” has offered me valuable insights into how individuals process information, make decisions, or and relate to the world around them. After reading this post, you will become more aware of your own sorting style and gain a deeper understanding of others. We also …
“Mad in America” examines how drug companies in the 1980s and 1990s skewed their studies to prove that new antipsychotic drugs were more effective than the old, while keeping patients in the dark about dangerous side effects. “Transforming Your Self – To become who you want to be” by Steve …
For over thirty-eight years I have worked with hundreds of people to eliminate their fear of flying. If you can not imagine being relaxed in a seat on an airliner you are not alone and you are putting yourself under unnecessary stress. When you are imagining a threat, it activates …
I have had numerous hobbies in my 78 years. I recently reflected on one of these (aviation). In just 40 years aviation was greatly transformed in this short period of time: In 1903, the Wright Brothers flew a powered airplane an incredible 120 feet. Forty years later in 1943, the …
After my previous post, I had many request for more air traffic controller emergency stories. This somewhat violates my purpose for the blog, so these are my last posts on this subject. Maybe someday I might make a separate website for my other FAA experiences. I am also a licensed …
This story describes how a repressed traumatic memory was triggered and resurfaced three decades after the event, and it explores the impact of this repressed memory on friendships I’ve cherished: DC-8 On …
I am assuming you have read and watch the two previous placebo videos from my posts I don’t believe a placebo actually heals – rather it enhances a person’s own healing potential. In 1990, I had an accident that shattered my right ankle. I used an abbreviated healing procedure that …
I received this email below in December 2023, on a client’s use of the “Placebo Procedure”. It only takes a few minutes to do this procedure. Watch the other 3 posts on the power of placebos to heal the MindBody. “I had a pretty bad case of eczema all …
Hypnosis has been used in a few hospitals for over sixty years to help patients heal burns. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8712163/ Doctors still give sugar pills (placebos) to their patients. What is new is we know how to make the structure of a placebo (belief). In 1992, I did a “placebo procedure” with …
Doctors, in their unique role, possess the ability to cast spells—not with wands, but with words. Their dialogue, delivered in the clinical sanctity of examination rooms, wields immense power. Patients, in their most vulnerable state, hang on every word. The white coat transforms into a cloak of authority, and the …
For over thirty-six years I have been facilitating what some would call as, “ miracles”. I have always taken exception to that word, because it infers that these healings are unusual or magical. Most of my clients were at first afraid to tell others (to include their doctors) of their …
Around 1978, I watched the TV BBC Program Series “7 Up” on the PBS. It was a video documentary based on a group of 7 year old kids from different social/economic backgrounds in the UK. Thereafter, the producers did video followups with these interviewed kids every 7 years. The latest …
“In a healing journey, pain and emotions are like transient whispers of the heart; once mended, they often fade into the silent archives of our being.” Clint Matheny Since beginning my “Fear of Flying” practice in 1985, and mainly using the Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories (RTM) procedure, I’ve made it …
Three and a half decades ago, a client approached me with a question: could she retrieve memories of her mother from before she was four years old? She had lost her mother to pneumonia at that tender age and retained no conscious recollection of her, save for the funeral. She …
I am going to teach you a few techniques to interrupt a panic attack. First you should get a diagnosis that you were actually experiencing an emotional panic attack. First see your primary care provider to determine if you are having panic attacks, panic disorder or another condition, such as …
This recording should only be played only in a safe place where you can use your complete focus of attention. After listening to the recording the first time you can use progressive relaxation from memory to go to sleep, or just relax, and I’m sure you will find other uses. Make sure …
A perfect backdrop for a lazy day in bed.
Recently I have read that most people hold their stress in their pelvic floor muscles and if you learn how to relax these muscles, you can interrupt the stress response. These tight muscles can cause not only psychological issues such as feelings of anxiety, they can cause physiological issues such …
You can at will return to your most beautiful place in nature or your safe place by breathing in your favorite color that is available at your wonderful place. The audio is four minutes long. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate time to make this audio. Enjoy!
Over 13 % of women in the United States will get breast cancer in their lifetimes. In May 2021, my wife Laurie, found she had a cancerous tumor in her left breast. While radiation therapy does play a crucial role in treating breast cancer, it can cause incidental damage to …
Are you a belly breather or chest breather? Put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your belly. Notice what hand rises when you inhale. Babies and relaxed individuals are belly breathers. Chest breathers may have had a trauma or traumas in their past that caused them …
“People like people like themselves or people they would like to be like.” Author unknown In 1985, I attended a twenty day communications and therapy workshop in Houston . The course was spread over ten weekends and on the first day we spent a few hours on “Rapport”.The definition of …
DeGrasse Tyson On Life And Death. 9 minutes
In 1988, I attended a five-day advanced Ericksonian hypnosis workshop in New Orleans. One morning we were asked to get into groups of three and to use both hands on the body of the client to push up and down to synchronize with the client’s breathing. I ended up with a …
What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? Robert Waldinger is the director of 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, …
In 1991, Voyager 1 had completed its primary mission and was leaving the Solar System when, Carl Sagan (1934-1996) asked NASA to turn Voyager’s camera around to take it’s last pictures of Earth across a great expanse of space. The attached video’s accompanying words spoken by Segan and written six …
I purposely posted Ulf (Gustaf) Sandström‘s website below the “ Pale Blue Dot” post because Gustaf codeveloped the, “The Peaceful Heart Network” . The network is a non-profit international organization dedicated to providing practical First Aid tools to help individuals resolve psychological trauma in all languages. Their approach is designed …
This 22 minute YouTube video by Forrest Knutson will enlighten you. Be sure to read the user comments after watching his YouTube video. I have used timeline therapy in my practice for over thirty-four years. I do not recommend this procedure for use on intensive emotional states by non therapists …
We humans have an unconscious way of storing time. I’m sure you have heard these statements: “ Put that behind you and get on with the future”, or “I’m looking forward to seeing you”. After reading this post you will have a better understanding of how you store time on …
The Obsolete Misunderstood Grief Model Back in the 1960s the Kubler-Ross’s studies on the dying took place and are still falsely believed to be about those who are grieving. After examining the research, it turns out that Kubler-Ross’s work is widely misunderstood. Kubler-Ross developed the five stages of DYING, not …
Whitney Houston’s song, “The Greatest Love of All” was a big hit during the 1980s. The song basically said that to love yourself was the greatest love of all. Unfortunately Whitney was never able to feel this love for herself and died from an overdose of drugs trying to escape …
Catherine Pearson of The NY Times, asked nearly a dozen experts in sex and intimacy for the advice they repeat again and again. For starters, they said, don’t get so hung up on how often you have, or want, sex. More: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/21/well/sex-therapy-questions.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb
Have you ever asked yourself that question? Most people have not and the answer to that question has a great impact upon relationships. My wife, Laurie, introduced me to a best selling book called “The 5 Languages of Love” by Gary Chapman. This book opened my eyes to the evidences that …
I am going to show you how to change a habit or a behavior with a powerful pattern called the “Swish Pattern”. The behavioral change will take place at your identity level – Do you smoke (behavior) are you a smoker (identity)? Do you want to change a habit or …
You have core beliefs that guide the decisions you make. They affect how you interpret the events in your life and they influence the way you think, behave, and feel. This post is about changing a core limiting belief (imprint) you made up before you were eight (8) years old. …
Tamsin Hartley published a best seller book a few years ago titled, “The Listening Space – A New Path to Personal Discovery”. Her book is about not only about how to listen to others, it is also how you can change ways to listen to yourself with the use of …
Tom Stone started using this very effective therapy modality that he calls, “ The In Technique ” over twenty years ago on painful emotions (PTSD, grief, anxiety, etc). I have used it for over ten years. Tom and I both believe that when we were infants we learned to avoid …
This procedure when used can desensitized almost any emotional feeling. EMDR was discovered by Francine Shapiro over thirty years ago. Read all of the post before continuing with the procedure! I believe EMDR can be self administered on mild traumatic events and problems. There are hundreds of thousands of therapists …
