Customer Reviews

Imprints: The Lifelong Effects of the Birth Experience

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I read this book back in the eighties when it came out. Since then, I've probably read it three more times. Janov has written many books on primal therapy and early childhood trauma. Obviously, this book is more specific to birth and its life-long effects. We owe Janov a lot of thanks for his research into early trauma.

Most people are skeptical. After all - if we can't remember something - how could it affect us?

But it does. Most people go through life never understanding their symptoms. Their symptoms always seem to be some mysterious "it" they can never explain. That mysterious "it" is early trauma that has yet to be resolved. Too bad mainstream psychology has never accepted what Janov has discovered, even though it is well documented.

That being said, there are a couple of mistakes Janov has made in his conclusions about the resolution of early trauam. (1) Only a trained therapist (read expensive) is capable of safely helping people access & resolve their earliest traumas. (2) You must eventually be able to feel the full emotional intensity of the original trauma.

This has been proven wrong with Redirecting Self-Therapy (RST) as discovered by retired neuroscientist Ellie Van Winkle. Her therapy is producing the same results as Primal Therapy - but as a free self-therapy. Ellie has proven that anger - and only anger - must be discharged to completely resolve past traumas. Ellie's therapy offers a unique way of doing this. One does NOT have to experience/feel the other emotions of the original trauma - like fear or catastrophic loneliness. It is only suppressed anger that need be expressed. RST has been called "primaling made easy" by some. It is much faster and easier than Primal Therapy. Can't provide a link here, but you can do your own search later for Redirecting Self-Therapy.

this book i read in '80s after 3 years of Primal sceam therapy at home with family & friends into self-healing. It helped me learn how birth effects all humans, tho few truely believe it with feeling compassion for newborn or remember birthing with mother. Only one other book explains lifelong birthing patterns into adulthood relationships by 2 Rebirthers, that Janov always rejects as spiritual illusions of bias defences. I disagree for me, but maybe true for others? The midwives & homebirthers also know some patterns of imprints, tho its so deep & forgotten,most deny birth-trama lasts long now. However PTSD is now considered normal for hospital-born babies, grown up & sleep-walking thru life unconscious of most causeffects patterns & cycles. Real crying & screaming are natural instincts of babies & children, that adults have lost & forgotten how good it feels afterwords, even realizing the causes of pain & lettingo into flowing, growing & glowing love!