The first time I heard about Past Life Regression Therapy, or PLRT, a member of my family had just had two pretty intense sessions. PLRT is a form of hypnosis that its advocates say is a way to guide people to tap into potential past lives. I was intrigued, if a bit skeptical. The highly specialized field of PLRT hypnosis is rooted in the belief that our souls traverse multiple lifetimes, and this therapy helps uncover memories and experiences that may help resolve issues in our current life. By tapping into moments from past lives, people often gain a better understanding of their emotional patterns, fears, and themselves as a whole soul.

So what does this have to do with being an author? For creatives, particularly writers, PLRT can be an interesting tool, whether it is utilized from your own experiences or in talking to someone else about theirs. Imagine accessing extremely clear details of other times, spaces, and experiences. The depth of feeling and specificity uncovered during PLRT is often described as so visceral that those under hypnosis have physical reactions. Regression might show someone a bustling market in ancient Persia or a quiet monastery in medieval Europe. Beyond the physical settings, the emotions tied to these experiences—exhilaration, sorrow, awe—usually flood back. Now imagine being so intrinsically linked to those moments and being able to use it on the page from first-hand experience.

Surprisingly, some outcomes of PLRT go beyond the human experience. My family member described herself as a healer; powerful and not entirely human. A session may also reveal a past life as an animal or even a non-terrestrial being. In the context of writing, these regressions can be particularly fascinating for speculative fiction writers. What does it feel like to soar as a bird, to communicate telepathically, or to have a fever recede in real time under your palm?

It would be irresponsible of me not to stress that, if PLRT is new to you, it’s essential to approach it with great respect and caution. This therapy goes so deeply into aspects of the subconscious that only trained, experienced, and thoroughly vetted professionals should be sought out to make sure the experience is structured, safe, and purposeful. Furthermore, PLRT is a deeply personal experience, and not all memories or impressions will be suitable—or even appropriate—for any form of creative adaptation.

For writers who have already undergone PLRT and feel secure in using the experience in their work, it is another wonderful tool for the growing kit. Another avenue for those who haven't undergone this form of hypnosis is to speak openly and compassionately to someone who has. Just as it stands with a conversation we have with anyone about their life, a lot of people who use PLRT are willing to talk about what they saw, felt, and experienced. Past Life Regression Therapy is a supremely niche hypnosis skill and has its advocates and its detractors, as any alternative therapy does. However, those who are in the believer camp and who also happen to be writers can open up a story exponentially.