My Journey with Clean Language Therapy
In 1993, I had the privilege of learning “Clean Language” from David Grove, a New Zealand therapist. This innovative modality, known as “Clean Language Therapy,” proved to be highly effective in helping clients heal their traumatic memories. My confidence in this approach grew as I witnessed its transformative impact.
At that time, I was collaborating with four other therapists in the Galleria Area of Houston, Texas. Eager to share this powerful technique, I decided to demonstrate it to my colleagues and other local therapists. I asked my coworkers if they had a volunteer for the demonstration. Bob, one of my coworkers, suggested a 40-year-old female client he had been seeing for over a decade.
On the day of the demonstration, I introduced myself to Linda, the volunteer, and explained that we would start the session in about thirty minutes. I assured her that if she didn’t want to answer a question, she could simply say, “pass,” and I would ask a different one.
About twenty therapists attended the demonstration. I began the “Clean Language” session by asking Linda, who was seated next to me, the initial question: “What would you like to have happen today?” Linda responded, “I don’t want to do this!”
Taken aback, I said, “Okay!” It was somewhat embarrassing, as I felt I had wasted the time of over twenty people.
That night, her therapist Bob called me and said that Linda wanted to have a session with me as soon as possible. I agreed to see her at my home office the following day, and Bob offered to drive her from our main office to my house.
A few minutes after they arrived, I asked Linda again, “What would you like to have happen today?” Linda replied, “I don’t want to do this.” This time, I realized she was frozen in time! I responded, “And when you don’t want to do this, what happens next?” Linda said, “I can’t move!” I then asked, “And when you can’t move, can legs move?”
Ten minutes later, Linda had gone from being frozen in her trauma to moving in time to becoming free of her past. Through these two sessions, I came to realize that the question, “And what would you like to have happen?” is a very powerful question that tends to “flip” obstacles into outcomes. It moves from the negative to the positive, quickly identifying the outcome that might be hiding behind the obstacle (figuratively speaking). This question often reveals the deep-seated answers that mark the beginning of the end of their trauma or issue.