Sigmund Freud (the psychoanalyst) observed that patients who have had early trauma will often, at key moments, “regress” and not only remember early memories but briefly experience them. When the brain starts to reorganise itself, an established brain network (you, now) is blocked and an older network (you, long ago), which has been in place long before the established one, must be used.

In chiropractic some refer to this as “retracing”. An “unmasking” of old neuronal pathways as the brain attempts to reorganise itself.

This really is quite a bizarre and amazing story of retracing from an upper cervical correction. A woman who was physically abused many years ago has bruising reappear on her arm. Listen to this 6-minute story on Retracing through Upper Cervical

Regression, retracing and reorganisation may manifest somatically (in the body) in different ways. Sometimes this is viewed as a symptom, or a problem, which needs to be further suppressed into an old neuronal network by taking a drug. Sometimes symptoms are very useful in directing appropriate care but need to be viewed in context of the individual’s life experience. Sometimes it’s really important to get sick, especially when young, to develop and strengthen the nervous and immune systems instead of sanitising every object in a two metre radius of one’s personal space. Sometimes though you need to proceed straight to hospital, do not collect 200. It depends.

Regression, retracing and reorganisation doesn’t always feel good when it manifests. It may be a sign of healing; of cleansing. But in society today we’ve been led to believe through this amazing thing called marketing that we’re supposed to feel good ALL the time and that EVERY sign and symptom is bad. Remember: Context. Some symptoms are real warning signs. But sometimes reorganisation and healing has begun, like sitting beside Freud, having a breakthrough and crying your eyes out because you realise last night’s dream of running through the fields as a bunny rabbit actually meant you were supposed to be a sheep herder and not a lawyer.

It’s a lot easier to suppress than to ask the harder, more introspective question: What is this [symptom/problem/feeling] really about? Sometimes not feeling good is actually a great sign of better things to come.