Eye patching – sometimes referred to as “Pirate Therapy” has been in the RET therapist’s bag of therapeutic tools for some time. And as a whole therapy model, it is fantastic – and easy. To do eye patching, simply purchase a good eye patch – one that allows one to keep the eye open while it is patched, and use the patch as often as you can.

In this article, I want to delve a little deeper into the mysteries of eye patching – and show you a simple, yet powerful technique you can use on yourself and others to jump start change – assisting you and them in achieving therapeutic goals quicker and with a whole lot less effort. RET is already nearly effortless for the client – the following technique will put the RET into overdrive right off the bat. You can do this process on yourself, too – although I recommend doing it with someone else.

“Pirate Therapy”

1. Choose a therapeutic goal – what life will be like when you have what you want and are being the way you want to be – or you have solved your problems – maybe what you will be like when you are completely healed and whole.

2. Sitting or standing, facing straight in front of you, get a sense of where the image of you in your “clear” state would be – maybe it’s off a little to the right or left – just get a sense of where in front of you that image feels “right.” Point to it while remaining in a squared body stance looking straight ahead of you. If the image insists on being directly in front of you, choose to put it to one side or the other – it doesn’t matter which side, so long as you move the image to one side – then point to it while remaining body squared to the front. Call this image your compelling image – the way you WANT to be.

3. Imagine putting the image of you in your current condition to the other side off center as far as you did with the other image. Call this your resource image – the way you are NOW.

4. Keeping your head and body squared to the front – looking straight ahead – move your eyes to the resource image and look directly in that direction while holding the head still facing directly forward. Your eyes should now be off center in the direction of your resource image.

5. Cover one eye with your hand or place an eye patch over one eye – either eye. Continue looking in the direction of your resource image while keeping both eyes open with one covered. NOTICE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ANY AND ALL SENSATIONS IN YOUR BODY – maybe by stating it out loud, “I can feel some tenseness in my shoulders” for example.

6. Cover the other eye and repeat the previous step.

7. Now direct the eyes in the directions of the compelling image – the image of what and who you want to become. Remember to keep the head and body squared to the front – move only the eyes.

8. Cover one eye with your hand or place an eye patch over one eye – either eye. Continue looking in the direction of your compelling image while keeping both eyes open with one covered. AGAIN, NOTICE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ANY AND ALL SENSATIONS IN YOUR BODY.

9. Cover the other eye and repeat the previous step.

10. Cast your eyes back and forth several times between the two images.

11. Now imagine merging the two images right in the middle – directly in front of you. Just wait until this feels complete. This is the merged image – in which compelling and resource become THE SAME IMAGE.

12. Cover one eye with your hand or place an eye patch over one eye – either eye. Continue looking in the direction of your merged image while keeping both eyes open with one covered. NOTICE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ANY AND ALL SENSATIONS IN YOUR BODY.

13. Cover the other eye and repeat the previous step.

For many people, this little exercise opens internal resources that will now be available during sessions. Even if you are doing this for yourself, the resources suddenly available may be enough to solve presenting issues right in the moment. I’ve seen this work wonders for writer’s block, computer programming block, relationship communication block, problem solving, etc. Even as a way to break up session blocks, it can work wonders.