Past lives were originally recovered out of curiosity and interest, but accidentally it was discovered that it has therapeutic value. In the early development of the past-life regression technique therapists have found it difficult to explain how the intervention brought about changes in the patient's life. Today, our understanding of the process has progressed.

In psychotherapy, the process assists the patient in bringing his energy field into a state of harmony and balance. Past life regression differs from psychotherapy in that the former is conducted in an altered state of consciousness, or in other words, a trance state. In this altered state, the patient retrieves the experience of another personality in a different life time. It is an autonomous personality that has its own history and makes its own decisions. All the patient needs to do to watch the drama of this personality unfold, but he cannot determine what the script will be. However, since he himself is in someways part of this autonomous personality, he is often drawn into its strivings and sufferings. Simply living out a regression with its physical and emotional aspects has been noted to lead to remission of the presenting symptom or problem. Examples of problems being treated include phobias, compulsions, allergies, headaches, fears, and emotional and mental problems of all kinds, just to name a few.

The principle of past life regression therapy by which patient changes are implemented is the same as that of psychotherapy or psychoanalysis. It is to make the unconscious conscious. The idea is to restore choice to the patient. However the technique does it with the patient in a trance state and involves viewing a sequence of lifetimes to bring about an understanding of problems. The process of viewing and participating in the past life story augments self-acceptance and facilitates the alleviation of the symptom.

The object of past life therapy is to unravel distortions and guide the patient to a clear perception and experiential understanding of the truth of what actually happened in a past life trauma. This brings about healing because knowing the truth leads to freedom.