We've all heard of hypnotherapy, acupuncture and Reiki, and we all know they are alternative therapies that can help ease and cure both mental and physical problems, but have you heard of EFT, or 'emotional freedom technique'? Its basic premise is that if you cure or treat the mind, then the body will be healed in turn. As an alternative therapy it has, of course, been slammed by critics in mainstream medicine, yet its popularity increases day by day and it is becoming a household name.

While EFT maintains that curing the mind in turn cures the body, it does go a lot deeper than that. Physical and mental problems are thought, by EFT specialists to be caused by negative thinking or responses to a distressing or unhappy experience. These thoughts disrupt the way that the body works and therefore cause ailments and illnesses. In order to cure these imbalances in the body's energy systems, they must be put back into equilibrium. The methods for balancing the energy involve both the body and mind, in thinking about a traumatic experience or the root of a problem, whilst tapping on specific points on the body (which relate significantly to acupuncture).

EFT was founded in the 90s by a man named Gary Craig, who had taken Roger Callahan's Thought Field Therapy (which used a specific sequence of tapping) and simplified it to simply tapping the relevant acupuncture point. Craig maintained that it is not enough to simply try and deal with negative emotions on their own to cure a problem, but that it is necessary to work with the energy systems by tapping at the same time. Today you can purchase EFT DVDs online and in shops, as well as books, audio tapes and even attend classes where experts practice the technique. Many therapists are trained in EFT and it has been shown to be incredibly helpful to people suffering from anxiety, depression and other mental disorders.

Whether EFT truly works and can be proven to work is still very much under dispute. Of course people have held clinical trials, yet some have shown little proof that EFT itself is any different to a sufferer tapping on acupuncture points on a doll. Others show a marked improvement over a long period of time, but EFT has been said to be almost impossible to measure scientifically, as the areas on the body which require tapping differ from sufferer to sufferer. Also, since the technique relies on thoughts, emotions and a belief that it works, placebo controlled studies are useless.

Emotional Freedom Technique has been around for over ten years and since it was first developed it has helped thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people to overcome phobias, chronic illnesses, mood disorders and stress. Of course, it doesn't work for everyone, but if you are suffering from an illness or emotional distress and are reluctant to begin medication then it's worth researching EFT and finding your local EFT trained therapist. One of the most positive things about this therapy is that it can be taught to anyone, for use at home, so ask your therapist to teach you the basics for long term use and ultimately, relief.

Stan Tian

Copyrighted material; do not reprint without permission.

 

View all articles by Stan Tian