Information about reincarnation can be found in shamanic rites, in Indian philosophy, in ancient Greece philosophy and ancient Egyptian papyrus. For understanding this phenomenon, we can pay attention to those works, which deal with psychotherapeutic practices. The given review is not comprehensive. Some famous researchers promoting the development of this direction nowadays will be mentioned here.  

Edgar Cayce (1877-1945) was a famous American prophet and healer.  Researcher Pol Johnson, who was studying the phenomenon of Cayce, called him “the main figure in spiritual history of the 20th century”. The philosophical perception of the spiritual part of a human being and his interaction with the Universe is reflected in Cayce’s books: “Akashic Records”, “On Atlantice”, “No Death. God’s Other Door”, “Modern Prophet”.         

Ian Stevenson (1918-2007) was an American psychiatrist. The object of his research was the existence of information in children about people’s lives having lived before them. Stevenson supposed, that the concept of reincarnation could help modern medicine to understand different aspects of their human beings development and his behavior, supplementing information about heredity in an external environment.  He had been travelled for 40 years and researched 3000 cases of the existence of information in children about people’s lives having lived earlier; it assured him about the reality of past lives. He wrote the book: “European Cases of the Reincarnation type”, containing thoughts about Soul‘s eternity. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Dianetics and Scientology, described the therapy of past lives in 1958.  Hubbard developed non-hypnotic regression techniques, specifically aimed at improving mental health. His influence, however, was limited because his techniques were applied exclusively within rigid organizational frames of his church. 

Raymond A. Moody was an American psychologist and doctor. He is best known for his books about life after death and “near-death experiences”. This term was proposed by him in 1975. His most popular book is “Life after life”. He also wrote books: “Life after death”, “The last laughter”, “Coming back”, “Glimpses of eternity”.  Moody was one of the first researchers of near-death experiences. He described the experiences of about 150 people, who had experienced clinical death. The idea of the possibility of life after death asserts itself in Moody’s books. However, cases are reviewed with those patients, who returned to their bodies after temporarily leaving. As a result, the awareness of the presence of a Higher Force, watching over a person, and a responsibility for moral and ethical choice, comes. 

Since the late 1970s the research of the phenomenon of regression and reincarnation have received significant development. The real beginning of psychotherapy of past lives (regression therapy) can be considered in 1978, when classic works of American psychotherapists Morris Netherton and Edith Fiore were published. Morris Netherton had more than 30 years of clinical practice in the field of alternative therapy. His book “Past lives therapy” was published in 1978 and was the first in the field of regression therapy. Cases, methods of work and descriptions of inductions (mainly visualization) were presented in the books by Morris Netherton and Edith Fiore. 

Such a famous researcher as Carol Bowman, the author of “Children’s past lives”, took part in the active study of this type of therapy. She made a statement that children can spontaneously recall their previous incarnations. 

The world-famous works of Michael Newton, an American Dr. of   Philosophy and hypnotherapist, became renowned in the field of regression therapy. He founded the Institute of Hypnotherapy “Life between lives” named Michael Newton. From 2002 to 2005 Michael Newton was the first president of the society of Spiritual Regression. Developing his own age regression technique, Dr. Newton found out that patients could be placed in intermediate periods between their past lives. The real existence of immortal soul between physical incarnation on the Earth was confirmed and demonstrated by practical examples by him.   

Dolores Cannon is an American writer, the author of 19 books, translated into 20 languages, a self-taught hypnotherapist, specializing in past lives regression.     

In 1983 in Holland, Hans TenDam began to teach regression therapy (in Dutch) at Tasso Institute, which was founded by him. In 1989 the first edition of his outstanding manual “Deep Healing and Transformation” was published.  In 1991 training Transpersonal Regression Therapy began in English. 

Roger Woolger, a famous British psychoanalyst and psychotherapist, wrote one of the best books on past life therapy in 1987. Among other things, he wrote that regression itself is only the beginning of therapy. Prerequisites for working with the body as a keeper of information about the traumas of both this life and the past one are extremely important. In the book “The Secret History of Reincarnation” R. Woolger noticed that this technique is one of the most concentrated and powerful tools available in psychotherapy. 

Since the mid 80s the term “regression therapy” has become widely known among practical specialists, such as Brian Weiss, Robert A. Monroe, Stanislav Grof and others. 

Stanislav Grof, co-founder of Transpersonal psychology, the creator of holotropic breathing, explored the memory of past lives through psychedelics and special breathing methods. He has written several important works on the theory of the transpersonal approach to regression therapy technique. 

At the end of 1981 the first formal organization, uniting psychotherapists and psychologists, working in regression therapy, was created in the USA. First it was called Association for Past-Life Research and Therapies (APRT), but later it was renamed International Board of Regression Therapy IBRT. Its appearance is closely connected with the emergence of a new school – transpersonal psychology. 

In 2010 in Holland Dr. Marion Boon, one of the best teachers of regression therapy in the world, founded International Professional Association of Regression Therapy, which has chosen, as its goal, the development and spreading the most focused and effective method of transpersonal regression therapy. This is in the form of applied solutions for therapist, working in this paradigm. 

In 1994 Dr. Patricia Ann Caetano, a famous psychologist a gestalt-therapist and a student of Carl Rogers, began teaching her outstanding Integration of Inner Child course. Many of her techniques are actively used in Transpersonal Regression Therapy by Tasso Method. 

In 2002 in England Andy Tomlinson founded the Regression Therapy Academy, combining European and American therapeutic approaches in his methodology. In 2005 his book “Healing the Internal Soul” was published.   

In the mid 80s – International Organizations for research and study of past lives – IARRT, IBRT, IPARRT practice and EARTh   were created. These organizations present European Association of Regression Therapists.  Nowadays EARTh has been transformed into the World Association of Regression Therapists.           

Currently active participants and researchers in the field of regression therapy are Hans TenDam, Marion Boon, Janine Booij, Maarten Weigmans, Rifa Hodgson, David Graham, Rich Stamler, Willemijn Luendijk, Saskia Bergink, Laura Daggers-de Koning, Dolores Kennon and many others.

Since 2003, every 3 years World Congresses of regression therapists – WCRT 1 (Netherlands), WCRT 2 (India, New Delhi), WCRT 3 (Brazil), WCRT 4 (Turkey), WCRT 5 (Portugal), WCRT 6 (India, GOA), WCRT 7 (online, Netherland) are held. 

Since the 1990s regression therapy has been developed in Russia. M. Volchenko, V. Chupyatova, P. Gyngazov, M. Dreschmanis were at its origins. 

In 2015 in Russia an organization for the promotion and study of regression therapy “Association of Specialists and researchers in the field of deep memory and regressions” was created by E. Ratnichkina and A. Kinyakina. This organization unites many regressologists of the country. International conferences, “Round Tables” and training seminars are held under its aegis. 

Since 2018 the Centre of regression researches “Awakening” has operated in Moscow.          

In 2020 a branch of the International Institute of Transpersonal Regression Therapy “TASSO International Rus” was created by G. Dolganov and O. Chatckaya in Moscow.