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Allergy to Cats By Georgina Cannon Presenting Problem: Brian has over the years developed a couple of allergies, of which cats is one. In addition, he said "he really doesn't like them." However, his new wife does, and wants one or two in their home. I met Brian and his wife at a dinner party and he jokingly asked if I could help. "Of course," I said, and gave him a card. The following day he called to set up an appointment. Intervention: Brian completed the intake form, and we discussed the length of time he had an allergic reaction to cats. On thinking about it, he was surprised to remember that when much younger, he liked them and in fact, played with the neighbor's cat and "it often came in our house and sat on my lap". He said he must have been about 4 years old at the time. I asked him to relax, close his eyes, and pretend to go back to the time of the cat on his lap. (I chose this wording because Brian is proud of his 'no nonsense' attitude, and wasn't sure that "this hypnosis stuff would work" and I felt that 'pretending' wording would allow him an out to save face if necessary.) He readily went back, smile on the face, and while 'pretending' his color changed, body relaxed, hands moved slightly, and I anchored the "very warm and friendly feeling" he felt. Broke state and asked if he liked that. "Yes, it was neat." Then I asked, did you notice that you had no reaction at all imagining the cat on your lap? He said that was because it was imagined and not real. I asked him to close his eyes again. I fired the anchor and he smile…."That's weird!" We ascertained his time line direction, he is a through time person. He closed his eyes and surprisingly quickly found the root cause of his cat allergy - "a big ugly white cat that started coming around my house and scared my cat friend away. He was ratty looking and always hissing and snarling." His language pattern became childlike. We reframed, and changed the memory through to the present day, did future pacing, anchored it in. We then did the Fast Phobia Release in the cinema with absolutely no phobic or allergy response. Did future pacing, going to the Humane Society, choosing one or two kittens, bringing them home, having fun with them, have them on his lap, etc. Fired anchors. Took him to his 'safe place' for relaxation techniques. (He is a management consultant and perpetually stressed.) On coming back into "the here and now" he was surprised that he went into hypnosis. He was also very surprised about the whole cat scenario. He had forgotten that a) he ever liked cats, and b) all about the white cat. Which as he said, at his age, seemed huge and ferocious. He couldn't wait to tell Shelley (his wife.) Follow-up: The following weekend they went to dinner with friends who had cats. Brian had no reaction whatsoever, either physically or emotionally.
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