FAQ for Those Interesting in Receiving TIR & Related Techniques

 

Q:  I have heard the terms facilitator and viewer.  What do they mean and why don’t you use therapist and client or patient?

 

A:  We have chosen the neutral term, facilitator rather than “therapist” or “counselor” for the reason that “therapy” can imply that there is something wrong with the person who is coming for help, and “to counsel” means “to advise”.  Neither of these fits well with the concept of person-centered work.  In addition to this, some TIR practitioners are if fact licensed therapists while others are come from different backgrounds. 

 

We use the word viewer because it is the client, the viewer, who is doing the most important work in the session, that of viewing his or her own mental world.  The facilitator assists in this process.

 

Within the documents on this website you at times see practitioner, therapist, and facilitator being used interchangeably depending on the viewpoint of the speaker/writer.  Likewise you will see client and viewer used interchangeably.  We do avoid the use of the word patient and the medical model in general as we do not find it empowering for the people who come to us.

 

Q:  I know that I’ve had traumatic incidents in my life.  How do I know that TIR will be useful for me?

 

A:  The best way to find that out is to work with a trained practitioner.  Probably you will have at least a few sessions before starting into TIR depending on the issues you want to work on and the judgment of your facilitator. TIR addresses one specific incident or one specific feeling at a time, and that incident or feeling is taken to an End Point.

 

Q:  Do I need to qualify for a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in order to benefit from TIR?

 

A:  Not at all.  While almost everyone has some traumatic experiences that can be relieved and resolved with TIR, not everyone has PTSD. 

 

Q:  What should I do to prepare myself for this work in order to get the best results?

 

A:  First of all you need to be getting good food and adequate rest.  This may be difficult when traumatic incidents are in restimulation and are claiming attention.  If this is the case, do the best you can and consult with your facilitator about it. 

 

Sometimes life can be too chaotic to allow a person to do the work of viewing (whether using TIR or other techniques) effectively.  If that is the case, your facilitator can work with you to devise a plan to get life flowing more smoothly before embarking upon viewing sessions.

 

Some drugs and medicines interfere with viewing.  Antidepressants (SSRI’s) and mild pain killers are fine.  Drugs that inhibit consciousness such as tranquilizers and heavier pain killers do interfere.  Consult with your facilitator about this.

 

Q:  How can I find someone who delivers TIR?

 

A:  A list of certified facilitators can be found in the practitioners section of this web site.  There are also many more trained facilitators who are delivering TIR but who are not yet certified.

 

Q:  How long does TIR take? 

 

A:  Resolution of an unwanted condition can sometimes be achieved in as short as one or two sessions.  However a condition that has been in existence for a while or that has many aspects usually takes longer to completely resolve.  A single incident such as a car accident, operation, loss of a loved one, etc., is commonly complete for the viewer in a matter of a few hours.  Larger issues such as a lack of self-esteem or self-confidence, or on-going relationship problems, which may have a number of roots, can take several sessions to resolve.   Life Stress Reduction, which consists of a case plan tailored for the individual client’s goals and which usually makes use of a number of techniques besides TIR, typically takes 15 – 20 hours.

 

Q:  What if I’m not ready for TIR because it’s too challenging for me to look directly at my traumas?

 

A:  Often people find it easier to face the memory of these events in the safe time and space of a TIR session than it is to haul the weight of the traumatic memories around with them while trying to keep those memories from resurfacing.  Some people are not ready for TIR right away.  The larger subject of Applied Metapsychology contains a large array of techniques useful of reducing stress (see Life Stress Reduction, below) and building confidence.  These other techniques are not just to prepare a client to be able to do TIR, but are productive of significant progress in themselves.

 

Q:  How much does TIR cost?

 

A:  Fees vary in different parts of the world.  They are set by the facilitator in private practice or by organizations employing TIR facilitators.

 

Q:  I understand that TIR is not done in a “50 minute hour”.  How long does a TIR session last?

 

A:  Both the facilitator and the viewer need to schedule sufficient time for TIR to be taken to an end point.  One and half to two hours is about average, though the sessions can be much longer or shorter than that.  After you have some experience, you and your facilitator will often have a better idea what is a normal session length for you. Session length also depends upon the severity or complexity of what is being addressed.

 

Q:  Will I be able to have my TIR session billed to my insurance provider?

                                                                                          

A:  Contact your nearest facilitator to find out.  Practitioners who are licensed therapists and already accept insurance for other services may work with your insurance company.  The open-ended session length required by TIR does not fit the standard model, but some therapists have worked out arrangements with insurance companies in their areas.  Facilitators who are not licensed therapists have no provision for accepting insurance.

 

Q:  How does TIR work?  How is it similar to something like EMDR (Eye Motion Desensitization & Reprocessing?)

 

A:  Both are direct “exposure” techniques, meaning that they get results by having trainer practitioners help the client resolve the negative effects of past experiences by looking at them, being “exposed” to them.  Besides the differences in how each is done, one main difference is that while EMDR can leave a client in a state of restimulation at the end of a session due to many traumatic incidents having been touched upon, TIR has the client focus on one incident or series of closely related incidents in one session.  In the great majority of cases a TIR session ends with the client feeling complete and satisfied that what has been opened up in that session is complete.

 

Q:  I’ve hardly had any traumatic events in my life and I am not sure that they are having any bad effect on me.  Does that mean that I am “in denial”?  What do you have for people like me?

 

A:  If you have areas of your life that you would like to improve of develop, there is a great adventure waiting for you in Life Stress Reduction (see above) and the Metapsychology Viewing Curriculum.  Traumatic experiences are not the only thing that make people feel limited or less able than they’d like to be.  There are also things like upsets, worries, confusions, uncertainty, and just plain not feeling that they are living up to their potential.

 

One of the many nice things about person-centered work is that you will never be accused of being in denial.  If you show up with issues, concerns or goals, a well-trained facilitator will be able to make up a case plan tailored specifically for you, a sort of road map from where you are to where you’d like to be.

 

This also applies to the person who comes in very interested in relieving the pain of past traumas but who one day wakes up and realizes that those events are no longer casting a shadow over life.  New goals are possible.

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