The TIPI method
Anxiety, sadness, anger are all negative emotions that can be difficult to manage and can impact our personal and professional lives. However, there are simple and quick methods that allow you to accept and deal with your emotions, so that they no longer impact our daily lives. Among them, the TIPI method.
Key takeaways
- The TIPI method (Technique for the Identification of Unconscious Fears) was created by Luc Nicon in the 2000s.
- It aims to identify and eliminate fears and anxieties by working on their precise emotional origin.
- The protocol takes place in four stages: definition of the emotion, return to the situation, rest phase, then verification.
- Usable by any type of patient, without specific training, in just a few minutes.
- Can be combined with virtual reality during exposure sessions to reduce their number.
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1. WHAT IS THE TIPI METHOD?
The TIPI method is a recent method, developed by Luc Nicon in the 2000s. TIPI is an acronym for Technique for the Identification of Unconscious Fears. It is a method which aims to identify and remove the fears and anxieties which will impact daily life. This is a method also called “emotional reliving”.
This method is based on the principle that an unpleasant emotion such as anxiety has a precise origin, with clearly identifiable episodes. The goal is to welcome the emotions and physical sensations linked to this event in order to be able to detach yourself from it and find a more pleasant feeling of well-being.
2. IN WHAT CONTEXT TO USE IT?
The TIPI method will allow work on negative emotions so it can be used by any type of patient presenting negative emotions, whether anxiety, depression, chronic stress, post-traumatic stress, etc.
According to M Nicon, the unpleasant sensations that we can feel (e.g. anxiety) are linked to negative physical sensations felt at a specific moment. Thus, according to him, to get rid of negative emotions you have to work on their origins.
This is why, during sessions using the TIPI method, we will relive the physical sensations that we felt when the fear or negative emotion emerged.
3. HOW DOES IT WORK?
Different steps allow you to achieve the desired result, that is to say the extinction of negative emotions in certain situations.
The first step consists of firstly defining the negative emotion present (fear, sadness, anger, etc.) and observing the results that this emotion causes.
The second step consists of finding a specific situation which represents these difficulties for the person. Then the therapist leads the patient to return to this specific memory and to immerse themselves in the physical sensations felt during this event. Thus the person will again feel the same physical sensations such as a tight throat, sweaty hands, stomach ache, accelerated heart rate... To be able to feel these sensations again it is important to let go, that is to say, to not resist your sensations. It is important for the patient to listen to their body and allow themselves to be completely immersed in this memory.
This second step can also be in the present moment and not in “reliving” it. Indeed, if the person has, for example, to give an oral presentation in front of an audience and begins to feel negative emotions such as anxiety, the objective will be not to fight against this emotion but to let it come.
During the third stage, we will enter a sort of modified state of consciousness like in hypnosis, in order to let the sensations evolve as they wish. This is called the rest phase. This is what allows us to let sensations and emotions transform without trying to control them, until we feel appeasement.
The fourth and final step consists of returning to the unpleasant situation again and observing these new feelings in this situation. If there is no longer any negative emotion when we recall this memory, the objective of the method is achieved. If this is not the case, we repeat the previous steps again until the negative symptoms disappear.
So the objective of this method is not to no longer have negative emotions but to feel them in a more serene way. The TIPI method is a method which allows the patient to be autonomous in their implementation of the tool. Indeed, once seen with the therapist, the patient can put it into place regularly in the different situations that lead him to have a negative emotion.
The time required to use this method is only a few minutes.
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4. TIPI METHOD AND VIRTUAL REALITY
The TIPI method is a simple and quick method to implement, particularly when negative, unpleasant emotions appear.
So during exposure in virtual reality, when the person feels anxiety or another negative emotion, the therapist can use this method. Using this method during exposure situations would reduce the number of exposure sessions.
5. THE ADVANTAGES OF THE TIPI METHOD
The TIPI method has the advantage of being able to be used by any type of person. In fact, no specific knowledge or training is necessary. In addition, as seen previously, it works on a large number of negative emotions and in a short time, that is to say in 2 to 3 minutes in order to have an effect of this method.
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FAQ on the TIPI method and virtual reality
Who created the TIPI method?
The TIPI method was developed by Luc Nicon in the 2000s. Its name means Technique for the Identification of Unconscious Fears. It aims to identify and then eliminate the fears and anxieties that affect daily life; it is also called the emotional reliving method.
How long does it take to practice the TIPI method?
The TIPI method only requires a few minutes of application. An effect can be felt within 2 to 3 minutes, making it easy to incorporate during a virtual reality exposure session.
Is specific training required to use the TIPI method?
No training or specific knowledge is necessary to benefit from the TIPI method. The practitioner accompanies the patient during the first sessions, then the patient can use it alone, independently, in situations that trigger a negative emotion.
What disorders does the TIPI method help to work on?
The TIPI method is aimed at any patient presenting negative emotions: anxiety, depression, chronic stress or post-traumatic stress. It aims to identify the precise origin of the unpleasant sensation in order to get rid of it.
How is the TIPI method used during a virtual reality exposure?
When a negative emotion arises during virtual reality exposure, the practitioner can apply the TIPI method directly in the scene. This combination would reduce the number of exposure sessions required, according to C2Care.
Can the patient use the TIPI method alone outside of sessions?
Yes. Once the method has been seen with the practitioner, the patient can apply it independently in everyday situations that trigger a negative emotion, without additional support.
Is the objective of the TIPI method to eliminate all negative emotions?
No. The objective is not to eliminate negative emotions but to feel them in a more serene way. The method aims for a gradual detachment from the unpleasant sensation, rather than a total disappearance of the emotion.
Author
C2Care
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