People ask me: “What is the difference was between Matrix Reimprinting and Identity Healing (because they seem to be identical)?”
At first glance the two approaches seem to be quite similar. Tapping in our imagination with our younger selves to ease the emotional problems of the adult.
But, beneath the apparent similarities there are significant differences in the techniques, the underlying model and their applications.
I took an introductory Matrix Reimprinting training in 2014 and have since used the process to help people heal painful memories. However, I would not call myself an expert in Matrix Reimprinting, so I apologise in advance for any errors in my explanation and description of Matrix Reimprinting.
If I get it wrong I’m sure more experienced practitioners will step in to correct my misunderstandings.
Update: The purpose of this post is to present a thumbnail sketch of Matrix Reimprinting and Identity Healing to clarify some of the differences as I see them. It is not intended to be a thorough description of either the mechanisms or the applications of both, nor a criticism of Matrix Reimprinting or the many ways it can be used.
Matrix Reimprinting in a nutshell
As far as I understand it, Matrix Reimprinting is a technique designed to resolve painful memories, changing the emotional reactions and limiting beliefs caused by those difficult experiences.
In this approach all the traumas, limiting beliefs and unhelpful emotional responses link back to those experiences and the younger selves, or ‘ECHOs’, that split off at that time. Those ‘ECHOs’ carry the trauma and its learnings, getting triggered in the present causing the client problems.
During Matrix Reimprinting the client ‘steps into the memory’ and taps on the ECHO (younger self) to relieve the distress they were feeling in that original situation.
Then the memory is ’re-written' by introducing new understandings, resources or even characters so that the distress of the memory and the original meanings of the event change into more resourceful and positive understandings.
Then the ECHO is linked, in imagination, to a safe and more useful setting to rewire the links to the old memory. The ECHO and the new, resourceful scene is integrated into the adult self.
This process frees the client from the unhelpful effects and responses learnt the original experience, replacing them with new, more positive understandings and perspectives.
The original underlying model of Matrix Reimprinting is a synthesis of quantum physics, law of attraction and other influences, it also recognises new neurological understandings of the processes of trauma and memory reconsolidation.
Identity Healing in a nutshell
Identity Healing is not a memory resolution process. It works with the younger parts of ourselves that came into being to help us cope with our early difficult experiences rather than the memories of those events. If memories arise during the session, as they sometimes do, practitioners use regular EFT or Matrix Reimprinting to neutralise them.
These younger parts of ourselves, sometimes called sub-personalities, ego states, inner children, get created at difficult times in our lives. Perhaps after traumatic experiences, over time in difficult circumstances or even by internalising aspects of others.
These emotional states, responses, beliefs and behaviours get split off from the whole and respond when triggered. So younger selves in distressed states with limited resources have to run parts of our adult lives.
In Identity Healing we aim to soothe the younger self, reducing the stress and distress that holds them trapped. Practitioners access the younger selves directly, rather than via a memory. The client visualises that younger self and taps for them. You could think of it as surrogate tapping for a younger self.
When they have been released from the stress and distress that keeps them stuck, the client can supply them with the inner resources they needed at that time but did not get. We can send them the love, acceptance, courage, power, etc … that they need to heal.
Once soothed and resourced, each part is brought back into the adult self and invited to grow and evolve taking advantage of all the wisdom and experience we have gained since.
The younger part that split off is healed and reintegrated into our adult self, so that we are less fragmented and more whole.
You can find an allegorical account of this process in the story of Seren and Tanwen in The Enfolding: A Folk Tale Of Wounding And Healing
The underlying model of Identity Healing is based on psychology. It draws its understanding of younger selves from hypnotherapy, NLP parts work, Ego State Therapy, visualisation, metaphor and other psychological approaches. The technique is a blend of tapping and trancework.
The differences between Identity Healing and Matrix Reimprinting
This is a brief summary of the main differences between Identity Healing and Matrix Reimprinting:
- Matrix Reimprinting focuses on working with the younger selves ‘trapped’ in troublesome memories. Identity Healing focuses on working with struggling younger selves however they were formed.
- Matrix Reimprinting is based on elements of quantum physics, law of attraction, and morphogenetic fields. Identity Healing is based on psychological and neurological explanations.
- Matrix Reimprinting soothes and rewrites memories. Identity Healings soothes, resources and reintegrates younger selves.
- In Matrix Reimprinting the client ‘enters’ the memory and taps on the younger self. In Identity Healing the client taps for the younger selves (and themselves).
- Matrix Reimprinting calls on internal and external resources and characters for the reworking of the memory, Identity Healing only uses (the many) resources that are internal to the client.
Advanced uses of Identity Healing
Identity Healing goes beyond working with just one sub-personality or part. It can soothe the stress and distress of the younger self it can also relieve the internal conflict between that part and our adult self or other parts.
For example: if the adult self felt that the younger self had done something that had ‘ruined’ their life, the client may have lots of hostility and resentment to that younger self. Not only is the younger self suffering but so is the adult self. Identity Healing heals both the parts and the relationships between the parts to enable a thorough and congruent re-integration.
The focus on the ‘individual’ parts and their relationships make it possible to work with warring factions within the self.
For example: if the client tells you “I hate myself” we can think of that situation as being one sub-personality “I” hating another sub-personality “myself” struggling with the adult self. Using Identity Healing approaches we can soothe and heal both ‘I’ and ‘myself’ and their difficult relationship.
These techniques also help you work with other problematic parts such as inner critics and other internal conflicts such as troublesome reciprocal roles where parts of us oscillate between opposing polarities, such as: criticised and critical, bully and bullied, victim and victimiser, abused and abuser.
Although Identity Healing and Matrix Reimprinting appear to be similar processes their underlying principles, techniques and application are very different.
If you have any comments and questions I’d love to hear them please use the comments section below.
To find out more about training in Identity Healing visit the website www.identityhealing.com
