Emotional Freedom Therapy
Over 4000 years ago the Chinese ‘doctors’ of the day discovered that the body has an electrical system which moves ‘qi’ or life force around our bodies. They called these pathways the meridian system. The ancient Chinese theory explains that there are 12 pairs of meridians that run throughout the body, only coming close to the surface of the skin at certain points, which the Chinese call acupuncture points, or acupoints. The meridian system, according to Chinese belief, are connected to specific organs within the body. The Chinese believe that when the flow of energy to the organs becomes blocked it creates imbalance within the body.
The meridian system has, more recently, come under scientific scrutiny. In the 1960’s studies were carried out in which rabbits received injections of an isotope of phosphorus into an acupoint. It was discovered that the substance was taken up along a fine duct-like tubule, approximately 0.5-1.5 microns in diameter, which followed the path of the acupuncture meridian. When the substance was injected into a nearby area, as opposed to the acupoint, little or no substance was found in the meridian network. This would suggest that the meridian network is an independent system to the vascular network.
Since then similar experiments have taken place in humans where an injection of an isotope into a meridian point was shown to travel along the merdian pathway for a distance of 30 cm in about four to six minutes. Where the isotope was injected at random in the skin it showed no such results. Interestingly when fluid was extracted from these tubules it showed high concentrations of DNA, RNA, amino acids and hormones in quantities far different to what is found in the blood stream. For example, the concentration of adrenaline in the meridian was twice that found in the bloodstream. Further, the amount of adrenaline in a meridian tubule was measured at ten times the amount found in the blood.
But studies also show that the meridian system is much more than a system of tiny microscopic tubules that carry hormones and other substances. Measurement of electrical skin resistance in and around the acupoint (a place where the meridian comes close to the surface of the skin) shows that there is nearly a twenty per cent drop in electrical resistance at an acupoint. One has to raise an eyebrow and wonder how ancient Chinese knew this without the modern technology that we have today.
When the flow of energy is blocked it creates imbalance in the body and we may experience uncomfortable feeling such as anxiety, depression and so forth or we may become sick.
Energy Psychology we know today, including Thought Field Therapy, Emotional Freedom Therapy, and others, was born when an American psychologist, Roger Callahan, was working with a client who had an intense phobia of water. So the story goes, Roger Callahan had been working with this client for some time without any success what-so-ever. Callahan had been studying Chinese medicine and out of shear frustration told his client to ‘tap’ under her eyes at the top of the cheek bone – which is the acupoint for fear. She immediately jumped up and said the phobia was gone. She started running towards the swimming pool and splashed water on her face. From here Thought Field Therapy was developed which consisted of a pattern or sequence of tapping on acupoints. Specific patterns or algorithms where developed for different issues.
Since then Gary Craig developed a simpler version and called it Emotional Freedom Technique, which consists of a series of tapping on acupoints in a simple, user friendly way.
Today, in
As a hypnotherapist my area of expertise is, of course, with hypnosis, but no longer can I discount the energy system when assisting clients with their ‘stuff’. Sticking only to hypnosis limits my ability as a therapists and discounts the energy system of the body. So in addition to hypnosis, when clients are open and willing to give something a bit unusual a try, I will often introduce EFT early on in the therapy. Clients then get to practice at home for the duration of our time together, and longer if they like, which enables us to work faster, more easily and efficiently than if just hypnosis was utilised. One of the big problems however in using EFT is that people struggle to get their heads around the concept. I just remind them I am not a crank and many psychologist also employ these techniques. The true beauty of EFT though is the speed at which it works, rendering long explanations unnecessary.
In addition to emotional issues, EFT seems to work beautifully with cravings, often having a very profound, and in some cases instantaneous, effect on people. Further, this is a tool that clients can take away with them and use in the big wide world outside of my therapy rooms - which is a real bonus.
To find out more
about EFT the following websites are really useful
www.emofree.com – this website contains thousands of case studies, free information including an EFT manual, newsletter subscription and links to other interesting websites.
www.eftdownunder.com.au
- This is the website of David
Books
The Promise Of Energy Psychology – David Feinstein, Donna Eden and Gary Craig.
For children - Rose And The Night Monsters – Jo Weiss with Steve Wells.