Emotional Freedom Techniques

Emotional Freedom Techniques

Alternative medicine
Claims	Tapping on meridian points on the body, derived from acupuncture, can release energy blockages that cause negative emotions
Related fields	Acupuncture, Acupressure, Energy medicine
Year proposed	1993
Original proponents	Gary Craig
Subsequent proponents	Silvia Hartmann
See also	Thought Field Therapy, Tapas Acupressure Technique

EFT-tapping points

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a form of counseling intervention that draws on various theories of alternative medicine including acupuncture, neuro-linguistic programming, energy medicine, and Thought Field Therapy. During an EFT session, the client will focus on a specific issue while tapping on "end points of the body's energy meridians".

Process

According to the EFT manual, the procedure consists of the participant rating the emotional intensity of their reaction on a Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) (a Likert scale for subjective measures of distress, calibrated 0-10) then repeating an orienting affirmation while rubbing or tapping specific points on the body. Some practitioners incorporate eye movements or other tasks. The emotional intensity is then rescored and repeated until no changes are noted in the emotional intensity.

Research

Rapid Treatment of PTSD: Why Psychological Exposure with Acupoint Tapping May Be Effective Feinstein, D. (in press). Rapid Treatment of PTSD: Why Psychological Exposure with Acupoint Tapping May Be Effective. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training. Two randomized controlled trials and six outcome studies using standardized pre- and post-treatment measures with military veterans, disaster survivors, and other traumatized individuals corroborate anecdotal reports and systematic clinical observation in suggesting that (a) tapping on selected acupoints (b) during imaginal exposure (c) quickly and permanently reduces maladaptive fear responses to traumatic memories and related cues. The approach has been controversial. This is in part because the mechanisms by which stimulating acupoints can contribute to the treatment of serious or longstanding psychological disorders have not been established. Speculating on such mechanisms, the current paper suggests that adding acupoint stimulation to psychological exposure is unusually effective in its speed and power because deactivating signals are sent directly to the amygdala, resulting in reciprocal inhibition and the rapid attenuation of maladaptive fear. This formulation and the preliminary evidence supporting it could, if confirmed, lead to more powerful exposure protocols for treating PTSD.

Pilot Study of EFT, WHEE and CBT for Treatment of Test Anxiety in University Students Benor, D. J., Ledger, K., Toussaint, L., Hett, G., & Zaccaro, D. (2008). Pilot study of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Wholistic Hybrid derived from EMDR and EFT (WHEE) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for treatment of test anxiety in university students. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. In press. Conclusions: WHEE and EFT show promise as effective treatments for test anxiety.

Energy Psychology: a review of the preliminary evidence Feinstein, D. (2008a). Energy psychology: a review of the preliminary evidence. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training. 45(2), 199-213. Although the evidence is still preliminary, energy psychology has reached the minimum threshold for being designated as an evidence-based treatment, with one form having met the APA Division 12 criteria as a “probably efficacious treatment” for specific phobias; another for maintaining weight loss. The limited scientific evidence, combined with extensive clinical reports, suggests that energy psychology holds promise as a rapid and potent treatment for a range of psychological conditions.

Neurophysiological Indicators of EFT Treatment Of Post-Traumatic Stress Swingle, P., Pulos, L., & Swingle, M. K. (2005). Neurophysiological Indicators of EFT Treatment Of Post-Traumatic Stress. Journal of Subtle Energies & Energy Medicine. 15, 75-86 These researchers found that three months after they had learned EFT (in two sessions) those auto accident victims who reported continued significant symptom relief also showed significant positive changes in their brain waves. It was assumed that the clients showing the continued positive benefits were those who continued with home practice of self-administered EFT.

Preliminary Report of the First Large-Scale Study of Energy Psychology By Joaquin Andrade, MD and David Feinstein, PhD In preliminary clinical trials involving more than 29,000 patients from 11 allied treatment centers in South America during a 14-year period, a variety of randomized, double-blind pilot studies were conducted. In one of these, approximately 5,000 patients diagnosed at intake with an anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to an experimental group (tapping) or a control group (Cognitive Behavior Therapy/medication) using standard randomization tables and, later, computerized software. Ratings were given by independent clinicians who interviewed each patient at the close of therapy, at 1 month, at 3 months, at 6 months, and at 12 months. The raters made a determination of complete remission of symptoms, partial remission of symptoms, or no clinical response. The raters did not know if the patient received CBT/medication or tapping. They knew only the initial diagnosis, the symptoms, and the severity, as judged by the intake staff. At the close of therapy: 63% of the control group were judged as having improved. 90% of the experimental group (tapping) were judged as having improved. 51% of the control group were judged as being symptom free. 76% of the experimental group (tapping) were judged as symptom free.

At one-year follow-up, the patients receiving tapping treatments were less prone to relapse or partial relapse than those receiving CBT/medication, as indicated by the independent raters assessments and corroborated by brain imaging and neurotransmitter profiles. In a related pilot study by the same team, the length of treatment was substantially shorter with energy therapy and related methods than with CBT/medication (mean = 3 sessions vs. mean = 15 sessions).

Although EFT and other energy techniques are new to western thinking the mounting research confirms the effectiveness that practitioners of EFT and their clients experience on a daily basis. Others may be skeptical but have not shown any evidence that they have learned and applied EFT properly in order to give a believable opinion about EFT or any other energy technique. It should also be noted that using energy therapy can not do any harm nor does it proclaim miraculous cures. Energy therapy and energy psychology release energy within the body and the subsequent emotional and physical benefits are the subject of this research.

Psychologists and researchers should be encouraged to learn the basics of EFT to experience for themselves the benefits of energy therapy.

A review found that claims about efficacy of EFT may be attributable to the well known techniques used with EFT rather than manipulation of energy and encouraged psychologists to be wary of such energy techniques. Writing in The Skeptical Inquirer, Brandon Gaudiano and James Herbert argued that there is no plausible mechanism to explain how the specifics of EFT could add to its effectiveness and they have been described as unfalsifiable and therefore pseudoscientific. EFT is widely dismissed by skeptics, along with its predecessor, Thought Field Therapy and has been described in the mainstream press as "probably nonsense." Evidence has not been found for the existence of acupuncture points, meridians or other concepts involved in traditional Chinese medicine.

Additionally, a 2009 review found "methodological flaws" in some research studies that had reported "small successes" for EFT and the related Tapas Acupressure Technique. The review concluded that positive results may be "attributable to well-known cognitive and behavioral techniques that are included with the energy manipulation. Psychologists and researchers should be wary of using such techniques, and make efforts to inform the public about the ill effects of therapies that advertise miraculous claims."

There is no evidence that acupuncture points, meridians or the other concepts of traditional Chinese medicine exist. An article on EFT published in Skeptical Inquirer described the evidence supporting the theory as anecdotal and because the number of points at which the body's meridians can allegedly be manipulated are so numerous, it is impossible to falsify the theory of EFT, thus rendering it pseudoscientific.