Gestalt Theory

The picture below represents what is called a gestalt: A chain of events linked to a specific emotion (E.g. anger).

Negative Emotions

Imagine the gestalt as a string of pearls. The first pearl on the left represents the very first time you experienced anger. When we learn from an experience with negative emotion present, that negative emotion is linked to that experience and not released. The charge of negative emotion is retained and carried over to the next time you experience anger. Each time you experience anger, the charge of negative emotion becomes greater and has more influence over your behaviour. We sometimes find ourselves getting disproportionally angry over small things because the charge has built up over the years and the anger is reinforced by all the Significant Emotional Events that link back to the first event.

The negative emotion accumulates over time and it has two modes: dormant and active. A negative emotion may be dormant for 90% of the time although anything can trigger it, particularly if it resonates with a pain pattern from your past. E.g children sometimes get angry if they don’t get what they want. This simple pattern of getting angry when you don’t get what you want gets repeated into adulthood, however in adulthood, the anger is reinforced by the charge of accumulated anger from all previous emotional events which often results in a disproportionate level of anger 😡🤬💥. Even a thought or innocent remark from somebody can activate it.

Fortunately, Time Line Therapy allows us to notice the first event, observe it without negative emotion being present, and learn what we need to let go of the emotion easily and effortlessly. Gestalt theory states that when we release the charge of negative emotion from the first event, it disappears, having a knock-on effect to all subsequent events in that chain. Imagine a string of pearls having the first pearl removed and then all the other pearls sliding off because there is nothing to hold them in place.

This does not mean that you will never experience the negative emotion again – after all, we are only human! However, it will remove the charge that has built up over the years and give you the answers you need to respond better to negative emotions in future.

Limiting Decisions

The foundation of who we are begins during the first 7 years of our lives, the Imprint Period. You may or may not have heard the expression “children are like sponges” because they absorb and accept the information around them. The next stage of development is between age 7 – 14, the Modelling Period. This is when children model those around them, especially those they look up to and admire. These years of our lives have proven to be extremely influential around the type of person we become.

Limiting Decisions are decisions that we make unconsciously, and often while we are in a negative emotional state. Limiting Decisions that we may make about ourselves at a young age can often stay with us for the rest of our lives. Imagine a 6-year old child sitting in a classroom and not understanding something the teacher just explained. The rest of the class understands it, but for whatever the reason, this child did not. The child feels upset and emotional, then unconsciously decides that he is not as clever as everyone else, and that he “can’t do it”. Unconscious decisions like this, driven by negative emotions, can happen in a variety of situations and can have a negative impact on us for years to come.

There is no fault or blame in decisions like this, only responsibility to learn from our past and change limiting beliefs in future. Since the negative emotions are what influenced us to make such Limiting Decisions, can you imagine the difference we can make when we use TimeLine Therapy to go back and learn from these experiences without the emotions?

Contact us so we can listen to your requirements.