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And Perinatal: a Phenomenological Investigation by Anne

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And Perinatal: a Phenomenological Investigation by Anne Healing Through the Remembrance of the Pre- and Perinatal: A Phenomenological Investigation By Anne Marquez A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Transpersonal Psychology Institute of Transpersonal Psychology Palo Alto, California April 15, 1999 Michael Hutton, Ph.D., Committee Chairperson Michael Smith, Ph.D., Committee Member Richard Tarnas, Ph.D., Committee Member William Braud, Ph.D., Dissertation Director Robert Schmitt, Ph.D., Academic Dean © 1999 Anne Marquez All Rights Reserved Healing Through the Remembrance of the Pre- and Perinatal: A Phenomenological Investigation byAnne Marquez Abstract This existential-phenomenological study focused on the experience of healing through pre- and perinatal recall. Interviews were conducted with 7 adults attesting to having healed conditions of: syncope, phobias, arthritis, asthma, migraines, depression, suicidality, obsessive-compulsion, side pain, and dysfunctional interpersonal patterns. The co-researchers, 3 men and 4 women, were Caucasian Westerners, educated to the Associate of Arts level and above, with a mean age of 44. Intentions were to: (a) illuminate the experience, (b) examine the healing benefits, and (c) underscore the impact of obstetric intervention. Reviewed literature depicted: transcendent, fetal, cellular, and somatic memory/consciousness within a holonomic paradigm; current repression and false memory debates; hypnosis, holotropic breathwork, psychedelic and primal therapies, and somatotropic therapy with infants and children. Hycner’s (1982) 15-step analysis of interview data revealed 7 individual, 2 unique, and 2 general themes. The general themes, A Range of Intensely Felt, Mostly Negative, Emotional, Physical, or Feeling States, and Transpersonal Experience, capture the structural underpinnings of the phenomenon. All co-researchers related pre- or perinatal trauma, and subsequent child abuse. While unprecedented in the literature, this continuity of negative circumstances and feeling states may reflect Grof’s (1985) “systems of condensed experience” (COEX). The COEX is a subset of the organizing principles used by Grof to map the human unconscious. Here, like circumstances, emotional quality, and physical sensations occur in the biographical, perinatal, and possibly the transpersonal levels. Three co-researchers related remembering deleterious effects from obstetric intervention: long-term depression and slowed labor from anesthesia, pain from forceps, and vertigo from inversion at birth. Follow-up questionnaires indicated enhanced quality of life for all participants. Results imply fetal/neonatal consciousness, and the need for research into the long- and short term effects of obstetric procedures. Full resolution of some physical and psychosomatic conditions may necessitate intervention at the pre- or perinatal levels. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to acknowledge the grace of my committee members, Michael Hutton, Ph.D. (Chair), W. Michael Smith, Ph.D., and Richard Tarnas, Ph.D., who "hung in there" with me through this Herculean task. Thanks to William Braud, Ph.D. (Dissertation Director), Ruth Carter, Ph.D. (Expert Outside Reader), and David Chamberlain, Ph.D. (Advisor) for their kindness, expertise, and inspiration. A big "thank you!" to the ITP library staff, Peter Hirose, Sharon Hamrick, Kendra Anderson, Lynndal Daniels, et al., without whose hard work, generosity of spirit, and incredible skill I could not have completed this work. Thanks also to Camille Nichols, J.D., M.A., for serving as my independent researcher, and to Brooke Brown, Ph.D. for excellent editorial guidance. Further, I would like to extend my gratitude to Genie Palmer, Ph.D. (Dissertation Coordinator), for her unwillingness to allow me to disappear. I recognize the contribution of my seven co-researchers, Karlton, Rachel, Caroline, Marisa, Douglas, Amy, and Jesse, whose courage, openness, and insight are the essence of this study. Also, thanks to people like them who gave birth to, and continue to nurture the pre- and perinatal psychology field. Loving appreciation is due my mother, Mary Basden, for her devotion to me and her willingness to look at herself. Without her consistent emotional support and financial assistance, the writing of this study might not have been possible. Furthermore, enormous gratitude is due her and my daughter, Carissa Barker, for sharing the deepest possible understanding of the nature of birth. Thanks and love to my old friend, Dave Tatousek, who holds me steadfast as I research the darkest, and the most frightening. Thanks also and love to Joseph Paul Stifel (Ali′) for his special brand of magic, his constant support, and unfailing belief in my ability to succeed. I extend heartfelt appreciation to my personal healers, Kenny Feld and Lois Johnson, for having faith in my becoming. Also, gratitude and affection is due my stepmother, Irene Basden, for helping my father and me to heal and for opening her home and heart to the writing of this dissertation. Warm regards to the Chronic Epicurians, Jayne Reano, Patricia Bode, and Janet Salese for their essential support of my efforts during this exhausting time. Thanks also to Kathleen Williams and Susan Webster for their editorial assistance, helping to keep me motivated, and extending their friendship and understanding. Blessings to my clients who have little idea of the gifts they bring. Finally, and most importantly, gratitude and devotion to the Divine One who guided me into and through this study, to persevere to its conclusion against overwhelming odds. This dissertation is dedicated to people everywhere that suffer from chronic immune dysfunction in its many manifestations, and to those helping to heal them. We are the metaphorical canaries of this coal mine. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page Certificate of Approval i Abstract iii Acknowledgements v List of Tables x Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Significance of the Study 5 Chapter 2 Literature Review 8 Introduction 8 Foundations 14 Memory, Consciousness, and a New Paradigm 17 Repression or Dissociative Amnesia 30 Hypnosis 40 The Work of Stanislav Grof 48 Grof vs. Hendricks 55 Primal Therapy 58 Benefits of Remembering 62 Psychotherapy With Infants and Children 62 Bodynamic Therapy 64 Routine Obstetric Intervention 66 Conclusion 75 Chapter 3 Research Methodology 7 Overview 77 Research Procedures 81 Selection of Co-researchers 82 Phenomenological Reduction 83 The Interviews 84 The Follow-up Question 84 Data Analysis 84 Demographics Form............................................. 85 Summary of Hycner's Guidelines........................................ 86 Limitations/Delimitations..................................................... 87 Validity........................................................................... 88 Chapter 4 Results and Discussion 90 Introduction....................................................................... 90 Excluded Data 91 Data Collection From Written Protocols 91 Bracketing 91 A Sense of the Whole 92 Transcription 92 Independent Researcher 92 General and Unique Themes 109 Summaries 111 Individual Themes in Context 111 Composite Summary 118 Follow-up Question 121 An Enhanced Quality of Life 122 Results of the Demographics Form 124 Cartography of Inner Space 127 COEX Systems 128 Negative Aspects of BPM I 129 BPM II 130 BPM III 131 BPM IV 133 Jesse’s Experience of the Transpersonal 134 Primal Therapy 136 Obstetric Intervention 137 Fetal and Transcendent Consciousness 139 A Comparison of Findings With the Literature Review 140 A Discussion of the Results 145 Implications of the Findings 149 Limitations of the Study 151 Suggestions for Further Research 153 References 154 Appendices 181 Appendix A Consent Form 181 Appendix B Questionnaire 183 Appendix C Data Analysis Guidelines 184 Appendix D Letter to Participants 186 Appendix E Second Letter to Participants 187 Appendix F Demographics Form 188 Appendix G Advertisement 189 Appendix H Letter From Karlton's Optometrist 190 Appendix I Protocols 191 Appendix J Themes and Summaries 226 Appendix K Follow-up Question 243 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 a Units of Relevant Meaning by the Researcher 94 Table 1 b Units of Relevant Meaning by the Independent Researcher 96 Table 2 Cluster Headings for Units of Relevant Meaning 98 Table 3 a Caroline’s Clusters of Relevant Meaning 101 Table 3 b Two Individual Themes 102 Table 4 Individual Themes With Cluster Heading s 103 Table 5 Individual Themes 108 Table 6 Individual, General, and Unique Themes 110 Table 7 Domestic Situations 125 Table 8 Types of Child Abuse 126 CHAPTER 1 Birth affects us in ways we can’t begin to imagine, until we take the courageous step into looking backwards to our beginnings...and then birth and the trauma that is created for us loses the control it has on our life. If we’ll face it, have the courage to face it. Caroline This study is an exploration of healing resulting from the remembrance of the pre- and perinatal period of life. Data have been collected from interviews with 7 participants who claim to have remembered some aspect(s) of the pre- and perinatal realm of their lives, and as a result of this remembering experience, attest to an alleviation or full cure of physical or psychospiritual condition(s). As a psychotherapist, I have the honor of watching my clients grow. While they share their self-exploration, the layers of sorrow and pain become seeds that render transformation. This is one of the treasures of my work. Still, it seems that most
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