Perspective Shift Technique: A Clinical Method for Perspective-Based Memory Updating in Hypnotherapy
Keiichi Murai
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) April 5, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19430602 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Perspective Shift Technique (PST; 人格移動 jinkaku ido) |
| Key points | Proposes the Perspective Shift Technique, in which a client within hypnotherapy experientially inhabits another person's perspective while maintaining self-observation, a dual structure the author argues destabilizes and reconsolidates fixed interpersonal memory networks. The author contends PST differs from methods like the empty chair technique in its depth of experiential access, its requirement of dual awareness, and its indicator of change, tokushin (得心), an embodied moment of conviction distinct from cognitive insight and emotional catharsis. |
Abstract
This paper introduces the Perspective Shift Technique (PST; 人格移動, jinkaku ido), a clinical method developed by the present author, in which a client experientially inhabits another person's perspective from the inside within a hypnotherapeutic context, while simultaneously maintaining a self-observing position. This dual structure facilitates the experiential destabilization and reconsolidation of fixed interpersonal memory networks — a process through which lasting change becomes possible. PST differs from existing perspective-taking methods such as the empty chair technique in three respects: the depth of experiential access afforded by an altered state of consciousness; the structural requirement of dual awareness throughout; and the primary indicator of change — tokushin (得心), an embodied moment of conviction that is distinct from both cognitive insight and emotional catharsis. Tokushin involves the arrival of unexpected understanding carried in somatic change — a felt shift, not merely a new thought or an emotional release. The paper describes the theoretical basis of PST, its five-stage procedural structure, three characteristic failure modes and their clinical management, a comparative analysis with existing methods, and the range of clinical applications. PST is proposed as a transmodal technique applicable within hypnotherapy, age regression work, somatic approaches, and grief therapy.