Reply To: Possession New Patient

[Yvonne Farrell]

Ok then. Let me begin by saying that yes I have treated patients like this and it is pretty tricky. Not the ghosts, they are not tricky. It’s the ethics of the situation that are tricky. So, let’s start with that first then we can discuss treatment options.

First and foremost you really need to be clear on what that patient wants from you and whether or not you can provide it. “What is it that you would like me to help you with and what are your expectations for treatment?”

Second you need to know if they are still on medication and if they are in the care of a psychiatrist. I usually frame that as “What are you taking or doing right now to help yourself?” This can always be framed as necessary information for you to determine the appropriate diagnosis and also what you need to do so you do not interfere with other treatment. With her history, you really should not be the person solely responsible for her mental health.

Next, you will need to determine if she needs an advocate. Is her mental state lucid enough that she can give informed consent? Does she need someone else to be with her when she comes for treatment? You can frame this as the need to make sure she can get home safely after a treatment. As part of that, you will need to know what resources are available to her after treatment to helo her process.

It is important to find a way in your communication to make her feel safe without buying into the story. She needs to feel like you understand her perspective, you accept her version of the truth but not necessarily that you agree with it. When patients like this ask, “What do you think?” I find myself saying things like: I don’t really know. This is not my experience, it’s yours so I am just going to focus on finding the imbalances in your body and try to correct them. You might also say things like: I can see this is causing you great suffering or I can see how you would want this situation to change.

If after you get this information, you still feel like you want to try to help this patient then I would think about the following.

1. A Gu treatment. I beleive the points for this are in your workbook but if not they are, in this order: St-43, LI-4, Ki-2, Sp-8, Ki-10 and SI-5. This could be an option for you if her tongue coat is greasy or her pusle is slippery.

2. The first triad of the ghost points. This is the earliest stage of possession but it is useful when there are other voices. In order: Du-26, Lu-11 and Sp-1. Should you decide this is the appropriate treatment, then contact me first and I will tell you how to take care of yourself during the treatment.

3. This history of premeable boundaries associated with empathy is an inconsolidated Dai Mai. So consolidating the Dai might help ground her and establish a sort of protective barrier against psychic influence.

4. If there is any sense at all that she is “out of her body”, fragmented or disconnected, then you may need to begin with a Kidney Trauma Treatment: Ki-26, Ki-16 and Ki-6 bilaterally.

5. You might also find after speaking with her that she can be better contain with a Ren Mai treatment or even a combo of Ren and Dai.

6. Jeffrey has a treatment for Gu & Gui using the Yin Qiao: ´Moxa on Ki-2 & Ki-6

Needle: Ki-11,
St-12 & UB-1

Let me know if you need further clarity on any of these.

Y xx