# BWRT Treatment



## kittenamos (Jun 23, 2011)

Everyone here should really look into this. I have tried many things in the past to try and help with my anxiety; therapy, visualization, medication, etc and nothing has worked like this. The best part, you only have to go in for a few treatments and your done.

I had my first appointment just a couple days ago where we focused on my issues with making phone calls. I have made several calls since this treatment and have had little to no anxiety. :boogie I'm planning to go back to deal with my issues with face-to-face conversations in a few weeks.

Please check out the site below and let me know if you have questions about what goes on during the appointments. :yay

https://www.bwrt.org/?fbclid=IwAR27iRcLqLF7KlYIX-tUkJ1wwKVxRkk_mP-7-yaBL6IGaHYw9Vbfa1ESZS0


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## Anon1212 (May 23, 2019)

What is different about it? This is my first post here.


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## Catechumen (Aug 21, 2018)

Psychoeducation
Prior to starting the treatment protocol, the client is introduced briefly to the basic premise of how BWRT is thought to work. Verbal explanations are accompanied with visual illustrations of the brain and the contained neural networks.
Stage 1
The client is asked to identify their preferred/ hoped for response when confronted with their trigger situation. The preferred response needs to be plausible and fair, meet the needs of the client, and not involve harm to another.
Stage 2
The therapist ensures that the client can recall the troublesome memory or a memory of a time when they experienced the worst symptomatic response pertaining to their presenting difficulty. They do not have to feel the response, only remember that they felt it. This must be an actual memory, not a thought or a feeling, and the client is not required to share this in detail.
Stage 3
The therapist ascertains from the client their Perceived Arousal Level (PAL) on a 1 - 10 basis with 10 high, when recalling their chosen memory. If 8 or lower, it is advisable for the client to identify an alternative memory with higher associated arousal.
Stage 4
Create the Wait State. The client is invited to close their eyes, access the memory, 'zoom in' to the very worst moment of that memory and 'freeze it' as a static image.
Stage 5
The client is asked to visualise 'dragging' their preferred response in front of their existing frozen memory. The preferred response will ideally be accompanied by visual imagery and the preferred emotional content. At this stage, the client is encouraged to think vividly of what they preferred to happen.
Stage 6
Create intensity for the 'moment of now'. The treating therapist reads a scripted narrative in quick succession encouraging clients to adopt a 'here and now' focus and to visualise the new feeling generated by their preferred response entering their neural pathways and physical boundaries (i.e. skin and 'aura'). Such imagery is prompted by illustrations of neural networks shown at the start of the session during psychoeducation provision.
Stage 7
Create the 'future memory'. The treating therapist reads a short script with intensity, directing the client to visualise a time in the future where they are looking back at their BWRT session and realising what a success it has been.
Stage 8
Recursive looping. This involves the therapist reading a scripted narrative for a minimum of 6 times with increasing speed (230 words per minute) the content of which directs the client to shift their attention from memories of the past, present and future. The speed of reading is considered essential to sufficiently overwhelm the central nervous system and prevent other extraneous information from being processed that could interrupt the installation of the new neural route representing the 'preferred response'.
Stage 9
The resting phase. The client is encouraged to relax in silence for up to two minutes.
Stage 10
The consolidation phase. The therapist engages the client in ordinary conversation avoiding any discussion of the session to allow the brain to process the new data without interruption.

Stage 11
The debriefing phase. To ensure the clients preferred response meets the three-criterion outlined in stage 1, the client is encouraged to share in sufficient detail what their preferred response looks like.

Stage 12
PAL re-rated. The therapist will ascertain the clients PAL rating when recalling the target memory. If the PAL is >3 then further recursive looping is required.
Stage 13
The client is asked to try and 'fire up' their original response to their target memory. If any unwanted physiological or emotional responding remains further processing/ looping is required.
Stage 14
Maintenance of treatment gains. If the client is revisited by any of the unwanted responses associated with their target memory, they are encouraged to visualise their preferred response and boundaries (i.e. skin and aura) which is thought to reactivate the preferred neural route.

http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/33216/1/Hayley Rose - Thesis Final.pdf


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

Seems like the kind of thing that would be quite easy to study, it's a brief intervention, quite standardised by the looks of it, needs studies. That doesn't mean it doesn't work, it just means its a bit odd there don't seem to be any psych studies at all on it. Doesn't even appear to have a wikipedia page. So yeh.


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## Catechumen (Aug 21, 2018)

SplendidBob said:


> Seems like the kind of thing that would be quite easy to study, it's a brief intervention, quite standardised by the looks of it, needs studies. That doesn't mean it doesn't work, it just means its a bit odd there don't seem to be any psych studies at all on it. Doesn't even appear to have a wikipedia page. So yeh.


There are a few positive testimonials from supposed 'clients' but it's a relatively new thing. Seems to be a few therapists wanting to climb on board, typical training requirements i.e must be trained by the founding institute, multi-levels of training, high fees etc. Details not given out publicly (except the ones I found above, which they won't like).

The image rescripting part of BWRT is not completley original as I've seen similar methods elsewhere eg. Guided Affected Imagery.
Well, if it helps people, it's another tool peolpe can use I suppose.:frown2:


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## Catechumen (Aug 21, 2018)

From someone in USA who tried it:

''I had my first BWRT session today. I understand the science behind it a little.
It was a little like hypnosis where I see myself having becoming very panicky in some social situations. Then I see myself in the future looking back shortly before where I have no panic attacks. I see myself as unable to have a panic attack in that situation because I am the "old but new" ME.
I don't know if it's a 100% cure-all ,but my therapist didn't sell it to me like this. He said it is many therapies together which can help. It was the future after knowing I was panic-free. It gave me more confidence. We shall see.''
https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?209740-Brain-working-recursive-Therapy/page2&

Someone else who tried it without success:

''I have received it myself from 3 different practitioners (over skype) and it didn't do a thing. A moment in time is frozen and then the therapist attempts (with you) to put a new, positive memory in place where a negative/fearful reaction was. 
I have written for The Psychologist before (BPS) and approached the editor about writing a piece on new therapies such as this one with regards to a lack of peer reviewed studies, just anecdotal accounts that are evangelical and seem false (if you read what people write to Terrence on the facebook page, it is sycophancy gone mad!). But the editor of the magazine (who is happy to have an article) said that sometimes it is best to be relaxed about new therapies! I argued with him, but gave up (they need a new editor, with a degree in psychology at least would help).''
https://www.clinpsy.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21339

Only time will tell I suppose....


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## Catechumen (Aug 21, 2018)

Another person wrote:

''What happens in a session? They ask you to imagine yourself in the problematic situation, and to get a really clear picture of it in your mind. Then they say 'freeze that picture.' Then they have you imagine how you would prefer to act or feel, they they talk really fast while they guide you between the two images in your mind. (I can't remember exactly what she was saying). Then they ask you to try and recall that initial image of yourself having the problem. The weird thing was - I couldn't hang on to the image. You know that feeling when you've had a dream and you try to remember it, but it keeps slipping just out of reach? Anyway, as I said, I didn't believe that would change anything in real life. When I got home, I told my husband "I think I've just wasted £80.

But I was wrong. I am no longer the person who drinks wine every night and guzzles chocolate. I just don't want them anymore. I've lost 2 pounds this week. We'll see if it continues - but there's definitely more to this than you might think''
https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?209740-Brain-working-recursive-Therapy/page2&


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

If the OP is genuine, then I don't wish to nocebo them so spoiloring this. Don't read OP if you are legit (you have enough posts so will assume you aren't a shill).


* *




 @Catechumen I am extremely doubtful now, tbh. From what I know about psychology, which, having basically finished my psychology degree ultimately isn't much lol, but reading through the website, it's based ultimately on a single study, the one which shows there is a lag in what we consider to be our decision making process (the "no free will one"). That really, really isn't enough. It's been around since 2011, enough time to sling together a simple experiment. Psych experiments aren't like drug experiments. A very small scale preliminary study could be done relatively cheaply. The website also makes extrordinary claims. Sounds insanely fishy to me.

It's hard to find information on it (yet, aparrently "the NHS are using it", which I highly doubt, since getting anything other than 6 sessions of arse standard CBT is pretty much impossible, and really the NHS just throws SSRI's at people and follows NICE standards like a weird little NICE vending machine).

If the OP is genuine, then I don't wish to nocebo them though, and I hope it works. I just think there has been enough time since 2011 to get some trials done.

From what you typed:

"to visualise the new feeling generated by their preferred response entering their neural pathways and physical boundaries (i.e. skin and 'aura'). Such imagery is prompted by illustrations of neural networks shown at the start of the session during psychoeducation provision."

and

This involves the therapist reading a scripted narrative for a minimum of 6 times with increasing speed (230 words per minute) the content of which directs the client to shift their attention from memories of the past, present and future. The speed of reading is considered essential to sufficiently overwhelm the central nervous system and prevent other extraneous information from being processed that could interrupt the installation of the new neural route representing the 'preferred response'.

Sound fairly ridiculous, tbh. No reason why visualising "neural pathways" would do anything. Sounds like they just came up with something sciency. Overwhelming the central nervous system, just no. Neural route? No.

Dont buy it.


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## Catechumen (Aug 21, 2018)

SplendidBob said:


> If the OP is genuine, then I don't wish to nocebo them so spoiloring this. Don't read OP if you are legit (you have enough posts so will assume you aren't a shill).
> 
> 
> * *
> ...


*B.W.R.T - Brain Washing Relieving-them-of-their-money Treatment ???*:O


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## Catechumen (Aug 21, 2018)

I would not want to put anybody off trying BWRT as it may help some people, and anything which helps is better than nothing at all.

However, I would urge caution as _*some*_ of the details in the tek which the client may be led to think are original, are in fact a blend of older techniques by others:

*BWRT created by Terence Watts in 2011*






'.....radically different from all other therapies.....'
'I don't steal other peoples work....' @37 min 25 sec into video

http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/33216/1/Hayley Rose - Thesis Final.pdf
Stage 2
...*recall the troublesome memory* or a memory of a time when they experienced the worst symptomatic response pertaining to their presenting difficulty....

Stage 4
....The client is invited to close their eyes, access the memory,
*'zoom in' to the very worst moment of that memory* and 'freeze it' as a static image.

The facts about the amygdala / brain stem / *reptilian brain* effecting *pre-consciousness* are not new and have been around for years.

If we compare this to an earlier therapy:
*Past Reality Integration developed in 2000 by Ingeborg Bosch*

@ 10 min 50 sec in video

''close your eyes ......*situation*.... *most unpleasant*...... then *zoom in*...''






So where a part of BWRT may be new, most of it is not! :O


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