Energy Psychology
Introduction to Energy Psychology
'Energy Psychology' is a broad term which encompasses various treatment approaches, such as: Thought Field Therapy (TFT) www.tftrx.com developed 30 years ago by Dr. Roger Callahan, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) http://www.emofree.com developed by Gary Craig (which arose out of TFT), and Donna Eden's work. All of these methods address emotional and psychological health through working with the body's energy system. The energy that is accessed by these approaches is the same flow of energy that acupuncturists have used for healing for over two thousand years by adjusting and altering the body's energy flow into healthier patterns through accessing main energy pathways called Meridians. All Energy Psychology approaches and techniques, unlike Acupuncture, are 100% non-invasive, and instead of needles, other techniques such as client-applied acupressure are utilized.
Energy Psychology treatments integrate easily with traditional counseling and psychotherapy approaches. In addition to addressing the patterns of thought and behavior which contribute to a given problem, correcting the specific energetic disturbances connected with the issue, often provides deep and quick healing by bypassing the conscious mind through use of 'neuromuscular feedback' (i.e. muscle testing), which involves a slight downward pressure on the client's wrist, to determine where the imbalance lies, and assisting the body towards healthier energetic patterns. Neuromuscular Feedback is an extremely effective way to communicate with the body's deep inner wisdom as the subconscious controls muscle tone and movement, among many other complex functions outside of our concsious awareness. Our bodies immediately register when we are experiencing mental and/or emotional distress. The impact on our body is complex and effects many systems, including our body's energy system. When we feel upset, unhappy, angry, anxious, depressed, fearful, etc., our natural energy, resilience and strength are negatively impacted.
Symptoms are the tip of the iceberg. Energy Psychology quickly, safely and easily taps into the body's deep inner wisdom while talk therapy honors the emotional experience and addresses the more visible conscious level, which is that of the conscious thinking mind. Addressing the problem at both the more visible top layers, as well as, the deep energetic layers, results in a holistic healing approach which provides increased effectiveness and recognizes the complex interplay between body, mind, and spirit for enhanced healing and transformation. To learn more about Energy Psychology, you may visit Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP).
In 1980, Dr. Callahan was a successful and experienced Clinical Psychologist, having been in practice for 30 years, and specializing in the treatment of phobias, among other issues, utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He was increasingly becoming dissatisfied with the results of traditional therapy techniques in addressing and treating phobias and other issues and was searching for more effective, efficient and medication-free ways of helping clients with their emotional distress. In studying Neuromuscular Feedback (i.e. muscle testing) and Eastern healing approaches, he began experimenting with using acupressure, in combination with traditional talk therapy, in his work with clients.
Mary was the first client treated with what is now called Thought Field Therapy (TFT). TFT is a process utilizing muscle testing to quickly determine where the energetic disturbance lies and makes use of client-applied acupressure on various acupuncture points while the client is feeling and/or thinking about a particular stress in order to clear blocked or congested energetic pathways. Dr. Callahan was treating Mary for her severe, debilitating, life-long fear of water. Her fear and panic were extreme whenever she was confronted with any type of water, whether in puddles, baths, showers or heavy rain. At the time, Dr. Callahan utilized the usual Cognitive Behavioral and Desensitization Techniques in treating her, which was a slow, gradual and painful process. After a year and a half of treatment, she was eventually able to sit near a swimming pool with tolerable discomfort.
One day, Mary mentioned that when she looked at the water she felt sick to her stomach. Dr. Callahan knew that the first point on the Stomach Meridian (in Acupuncture) is directly underneath the eyes. While she was experiencing this sensation, he asked Mary to tap firmly under both eyes in order to introduce vibration into the meridian and, to the complete astonishment and shock of both Mary and Dr. Callahan, her fear of the water rapidly disappeared in minutes! Mary’s fear of water was totally gone after this treatment and, by her own self-report, her fears and nightmares of water have not returned to this day, more than 25 years later! Both Mary and Dr. Callahan were expecting nothing from this intervention and both were completely amazed at the results! After a long course of treatment in using every therapy procedure with which Dr. Callahan was familiar, Mary did not fully and successfully respond until after the acupressure treatment of TFT. Many people (clients and therapists alike) are skeptical of these treatments as they challenge our long-held beliefs, and regardless of whether or not the client (or the therapist) believes the treatments will work, the high success rate of TFT remains unaltered.
After the unexpected, successful treatment of Mary's phobia with TFT, Dr. Callahan was determined to understand why this had happened and how to replicate this incredible result with others, in addition to, discovering how it may apply to other kinds of emotional and psychological distress. Through further extensive experimentation and research, additional developments in TFT since then have increased the success rates of treating a wide variety of psychological and emotional issues, such as trauma, depression, anxiety and fears. For a single issue like Mary's, a positive shift may be experienced within 1-5 sessions and for most issues, which are complex and multi-layered, a longer series of sessions may be needed. All treatment approaches, including TFT, do not work for everyone or work 100% of the time. Despite this fact, the reported clinical success rates of TFT by the thousands who have been treated using this approach since Mary are often 80% or higher, which is well beyond placebo effect and unheard of in outcomes of traditional talk therapy. It was found to be so successful in treating those with severe trauma in war-torn Kosovo that they made it their official national therapy http://www.rogercallahan.com/kosovo.php.
This approach is very different from all Western-based therapeutic approaches that have come before, and depending on your familiarity with the body as an energy system, you may be feeling skeptical. This was my experience when I was first introduced to Energy Psychology, including TFT, and only after experiencing repeated success for myself and others has this changed. It is a relatively new treatment method and much is unknown about why it works. If you would rather not incorporate Energy Psychology into your treatment with me, this is absolutely ok. I honor what feels right for you and there are other successful routes we can take together to reach your goals.
"(TFT is) one of the most effective and most powerful methods for quick clinical relief and the idea of psychological reversal is one of the major discoveries in psychology" ~ Gary Emery, Ph.D., co-author, "Anxiety Disorders and Phobias: A Cognitive Perspective.
"For 25 years I have treated American war veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have witnessed gallant efforts to keep a job, be members of a family, overcome homelessness and resist the temptation of suicide...I am very grateful to Dr. Callahan for his discovery of Thought Field Therapy... In my opinion, this gentle action technique is easily the best approach to thorough and enduring relief from this crippling psychological disorder." ~ Carl Johnson, PhD, Diplomate in Clinical Psychology, Program for Homeless Veterans, West Virginia