Glancing into past lives

[Carol]

Housatonic woman offers unique therapy


GREAT BARRINGTON ? Author Jack London believed he had been reborn "incalculable times."
Mahatma Gandhi wrote of the possibilities.

As a young man, Gen. George Patton wrote, "Through a glass and darkly, the age old strife I see. Where I fought in many guises, many names, but always it was me."

Carol McGlinchey believes in reincarnation, as well.

McGlinchey, 54, is a past-life regression therapist, who has been practicing in Housatonic since 1998.

Beginning Sunday, May 7, she will be leading a new Past Lives Study Group from 4 to 6 p.m. at her home on 10 Beacon Hill in Housatonic. The sessions will be $25 each. The group will be meeting the first Monday of the month.

"It's basically a study group for people to share their experiences," said McGlinchey, who was trained by Dr. Brian Weiss, a nationally known psychiatrist who now believes many of his patients can be treated by regression therapy ? whether they believe in reincarnation or not.

"(The study group will be) a way for people to meet other people who are interested in past-life regression and be comfortable talking about it," said McGlinchey.

Weiss was a 1966 graduate of Columbia University who, according to his biography, considered himself a "show me" type of person. But in 1980, while treating a woman he called "Catherine," Weiss was stunned by statements she made while under hypnosis about her activities as a woman who lived in 1863 B.C.

Further research convinced Weiss of the value of regression therapy, and he has written several books on the subject.

Weiss, in interviews, and McGlinchey, both concede that past-life regression therapy is still a treatment that hovers on the fringes of so-called "traditional therapy."

"We live in a culture that frowns on spirituality," said McGlinchey. "Yet, I've found that as people move into their 40s and beyond, they begin to think about this kind of stuff. 'What am I doing with my life?' 'Where am I going?'

"But it's very scary to think about death and what happens after death."

McGlinchey has a local one-on-one practice in which she uses regression therapy to treat patients. Those who wish to be a part of the study group do not have to be patients.

They will be asked to read books by Weiss, Dr. Michael Newton and James Van Praagh, who are also regression therapists, and discuss them. Members of the group will also have a chance to discover their past lives through guided meditation.

"The books are written for laypeople," she said. "They're very easy to read. That's why I chose them."

McGlinchey is fully aware that a significant strata of people will see the concepts of past-life regression therapy as some variation of New Age mumbo jumbo.

"But I'm not here to proselytize," she said. "I'm not trying to offend anyone. I believe in this, and I believe it helps people. My life's quest is to understand these metaphysical phenomena."

She said she is aware there are members of the community who are uncomfortable with the concept of past lives and reincarnation. But people who disagree with her, she said, "either ignore me, or cross the street when they see me coming."

Weiss, in an interview in the mid-1990s, noted that even some of his colleagues who thought his patients "were mass fantasizing" about their past lives eventually conceded that regression therapy appeared to have a positive effect on these patients.

For many therapists such as McGlinchey, the concept of past lives appears to help explain certain phenomena, such as Beethoven's musical abilities at a young age or the sudden attraction two previous strangers develop for each other in a short period of time.

But, said McGlinchey, perhaps the most positive aspect of the therapy is developing a better understanding of death, and reducing one's fear of it.

"It's a very deep field," she said. "It's not a gimmick. It's not like going to a psychic. We talk about spirituality that's not fear-based."

Source: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/headlines/ci_3729678