EFT uses techniques similar to Cognitive Therapy and Exposure Therapy. A client assesses how they feel about a certain situation and where in their body they feel it. The level of the sensation is then assessed by a measurement scale. Then a phase is devised which expresses as exactly as possible what the issue is. The client repeats the phrase whilst simultaneously tapping on points which are said to correspond with certain acupuncture points.
EFT practitioners have noted that after taking part in sessions with clients they felt energised rather than tired. It was noted that their issues also started to resolve even though they weren’t working directly on their self. This was termed ‘Borrowing Benefits”.
In certain clinical trials it was found EFT is effective for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, and other problems.
Classic EFT uses a SUDS scale 0 to 10 (Subjective Units of Distress Scale). The scale helps determine where the client is with a certain situation.
It works with negative “set ups” .. For example the set up: “Even though I feel so upset I…” If, for instance a client starts at 10 (the worse feeling) we work with the client until they get to a lower number. Then we might say: “Even though I still have some of this upset…” until the client gets to a zero where they no longer feel the negative emotion.
Positive EFT is an updated version…. It works with any present state from -10 to zero and then up to 10+ ; so the new scale extends either way from zero down the negative end and from zero up to the positive end.
Using the new method the practitioner might ask questions such as: “What do you need to overcome this problem?" rather than “When did the problem start” or the instruction: “think of the problem then tap on these points along with me”
It is usually stated that the new positive method is better because it avoids ‘psychotherapy’ or reliving past negative experiences. It is also stated that feeling more positive emotions is in itself healing.
I take issue with the negative inferences often given to counselling and psychotherapy by some practitioners of “Modern Energy” treatments. It is not always the case that reviewing the past and discovering connections is negative, or painful. Is it negative to suddenly be enlightened as to how you feel or behave in a certain way? And might that not give you better insight as to what is the best “Set-up” phase to use (i.e. If the psychotherapy is to be combined with EFT). It should be acknowledged that some people are not at all able to get in touch with their emotions, and may even not face certain thoughts. Emotions and thoughts a person finds difficult to handle might be pushed into the background. The person might even try to stop the thoughts and emotions or dull them with alcohol, drugs, compulsive buying, or unhelpful relationships.
My personal feeling is that there is often an attempt to undermine and diminish psychotherapy in order to “big up” and promote a newer therapy. As a counsellor and psychotherapist I would not have continued studying or using these methods if I felt it was an unhelpful or damaging discipline. I would have stopped using the methods and instead concentrated only on using EFT. I think it is a more helpful and positive approach to keep an open mind and to utilise and integrate different disciplines according to the particular needs of any individual client.
It is said that EFT is helpful for some clients who want to solve an issue but do not want to tell the practitioner what the issue actually is. It is said that with guidance from the practitioner the client can work on an issue in “private mode”. However, I take issue with this. Some people in distress cannot always be objective about a situation; if they are not an experienced EFT practitioner they might not necessarily use the best ‘set-up’ phrases, or the client might leave out certain important “by products’ of the distress that need addressing in order to properly get rid of the issue.
There are many articles about EFT; not all of them are correct, or provide the complete information one learns on practitioner training.
(1) Borrowing Benefits: Group Treatment With Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques Is Associated With Simultaneous Reductions in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, and Depression Symptoms. Church D. and House D. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2018 Jan-Dec; 23:2156587218756510. doi: 10.1177/2156587218756510. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871035 (2) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00668993 (3)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5499602/ (4)https://www.researchgate.net/…/276001959_Clinical_EFT_as_an… (5) https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/search…
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