Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT, Meridian Energy Therapy, Energy Psychology, Thought Field Therapy, Tapping Therapy
I heard it called by so many names. In essence this is what it is:-
You tap on particular acupressure points on the face, body and hands whilst thinking about about a problem. The tapping sends vibrations along the meridians to the Amydala (the part of the brain responsible for anxiety, fear and emotions) and actually turns the response down at that level a bit like a dimmer switch. (Harvard University found this when they did CAT scans on people whilst tapping).
The founder of EFT Gary Craig says this... "the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system."
He likens EFT to a form of emotional acupuncture but without the needles.Check out his website to learn the original version www.emofree.com
My thoughts on EFT
I'm trained in Meridian Energy Therapy which is basically a mixture of tapping and meridian therapies. I used to use it as a stand alone therapy but now find it works really well alongside other therapies. While I have found it useful I also found, you can't get away from the fact that you do look completely nuts when you're tapping away on yourself! I think it can put people off from the outset. However in 14 years of working in psychiarty I still think it's one of the most effective tools for anxiety.
Useful resources on EFT
There are a lot of people out there practicing EFT thanks to the generosity of Gary Craig who made it very accessible for the world. However EFT is still unregulated and there are a lot of 'cowboys' out there, so be careful. If you want to see a decent EFT practitioner, either come and see me or check outone of these credible lists.
The AAMET - Practitioners list
Gary Craig's new and improved list of practitioners
Research
There is a fair amount of research on EFT and it's effectiveness it's well worth a read. But there's still a lot more to be done. In terms of valid research 'double blind randomised controlled trials' are needed in order for EFT to be taken seriously in the health industry. The main problem with that is that it costs money. In the UK drug companies fund these kinds of studies, but I suspect that proving the effectiveness of something like EFT could potentially put them out of business.
While EFT has produced remarkable clinical results, it must still be considered to be in the experimental stage and thus practitioners and the public must take complete responsibility for their use of it. I offer this information for general guidance only. Please consult qualified health practitioners regarding your use of EFT.