Past life regression, what is it and how does it help?

I've been regressed twice and both times helped me immensely, these are my thoughts on it.
I was regressed as i thought it might help me understand myself and it did. Whether i've actually lived those 2 lives or because i'm human and my brain has tried to make sense in a way i would understand i really don't know. 
I do know from regression i understood myself more than i did before, and in some ways helped with my mediumship as i understood myself, for example, i could understand the reasons behind my thinking, see why illnesses appear, understand why i am how i am and who i am. 
It did release a lot of emotions and the first time i was regressed i did cry throughout the experience but felt better afterwards.
You should never go through a passing in regression and to me, whether thats an actual past life passing or again, my brain making sense of a traumatic experience without me actually remembering that experience i don't know. 
The 2 people that regressed me were for me amazing and i could definately say there was no planting seeds in my mind or suggestive thoughts that might have led me to think or feel the way i did, they asked questions like "what year is it" "what clothes was i wearing" , "did i work" and "did i recognise the area" etc and questions along those lines, so nothing that could lead me. In the first regression i was a male in Kentucky in the mid 1800's (I've never been to Kentucky or America), in the second regression again i was a male in London's east end in the late 1800's (i've been to London once, for 2 days to windsor castle and the millenium dome, so definately not the east end of London)
It does involve a hypnosis, which not everyone can be hypnotised, but if you are going to be regressed look into it carefully as there are a lot of people that say it takes hours and many times, but in my opinion it doesn't, it takes approx 20/30 mins as you can't stay "under" for too long, and don't let anyone feed you seeds of suggestions let your own thoughts come through.