EFT Therapy: Pro or Con?

[Wildcat]

An interesting thread about EFT and CFS:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=72990583208&topic=14122&post=60739

Amongst other things it says that people who posted comments critical of some EFT Practitioners claims that EFT can cure ME/CFS have been blocked from posting further Comments on some EFT promotional youtube videos.


EFT Practitioner Karin Davidson (early founder of AAMET) on Youtube on EFT for CFS:

“I wonder what would happen if it (CFS) was a lesson?”

“What if its not my enemy but it’s a war and the war’s in me?”

“Even if its teaching me a lesson its not my friend”



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT01lJq32yk&feature=related

EFT Tapping - Tap Along for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - M.E.- using Emotional Freedom Technique
Karin Davidson Youtube:

“Chronic fatigue syndrome…. Not my enemy – what is it…. Close your eyes – open your eyes.. look right, look left – do the roundy thing, the roundy thing….. Sc** this ....... Some people say that you put yourself in a situation to learn something…. and if that's the case….. I want to learn the lesson now…. I’m open to leaning te Fr****** lesson…..I’m open to learning the Fr****** lesson already because I’m TIRED of it”

 

[salome]

EFT & moi - pro comments

i've had cfids for over 10 years with many accompanying and ongoing symptoms. became aware of EFT in 2009. downloaded free manual and started tapping. had two sessions with practitioner. bought Gary Craig's EFT course (hours and hours of videos).

i get amazing immediate results when working on specific physical symptoms. following valcyte anti-viral treatment (for over 5 mo's) i developed chronic pain up the back of my neck and into my head. EFT over period of time got rid of that.

cfids is a huge global situation it seems to me. i am working away at it. i keep finding information from various sources that gives me ideas on how to apply EFT for my particular case. seems as though our energy pathways (this is MY take on it) get rerouted during difficult, traumatic times- then we become susceptible to this, that or the other malady. a physical manifestation of sub-optimal energy pathways then occurs.

when i use EFT i can FEEL energy shifts going on. i find metaphors or images from other people's work with EFT that ring a bell for me and i incorporate into my practice. i think the important part aside from working on specific physical problems, is to get closer and closer to my inmost, core set up--what constitutes MY interface with the world. come to understand it and find ways unique for me to work on it. goal is to optimize flow of energies- get rid of blocks; that 'Z-z-z-z-t' in the system Gary Craig talks about (he's a genius- it's great watching him work with people using EFT)

it's amazing how you can feel it when energy shift happens. i've made headway. i keep studying it and working with it, and keep finding relief, and am certain i am making progress.

the watchword from EFT sources is - try it on anything. and- persistence persistence persistence.

it is a great comfort for me to have this tool. part of cfids has been feeling so helpless and hopeless.

in the meantime, i'm also interested and invested in finding out about XMRV. i'm being tested for it and other pathogens later this month. sascha

Has anyone else tried EFT* therapy? I know it sounds woo-woo in the extreme, but I'm beginning to think it may be quite powerful in possibly helping to release pent up or suppressed emotions that may be blocking one's ability to heal. A controversial topic to be sure, however I'm kicking myself (with my good leg) for dismissing it years ago...I think it was back in 2002-2003 when my doc suggested I give it a go.

The gentleman that practiced on me just kind of rubbed me the wrong way (no, not that way)...or at least I thought so at the time.

He was very cheerful, really upbeat and excited about EFT, and at the time, that just suggested to me that he knew nothing about CFIDS, so I think no matter what he had said, or we had tapped on, I wouldn't have received any benefit.

But in hindsight, was it my pent up anger, or suppressed anger, that was getting in the way? He was happy (a little too happy), and I was bitter and angry, even though it was perhaps suppressed so much I didn't realize it.

Cut to 6 years later, with Gupta, and the increasing awareness that emotional issues/traumas/stresses may play a part in our illness, I watched a few youtube videos on EFT, and to make a long story short, thanks to a friend's help, I ended up seeing Alina Frank, a highly respected practitioner/teacher here in Wa state. The appt went really well, we tapped on many issues (a lot of dysfunctional family stuff, buried anger/grudges, etc) and all of them were lessened quite remarkably in just 90 minutes.

I haven't been great about practicing the EFT exercises since then, but when I have, I've definitely noted a clear improvement. In fact, the day after my appointment was the day the Blue Angels (those insanely loud advertisements for joining the air force) started their practice sessions, flying overhead with a deafening, unbelievably ear-shattering blast/roar that in years past would make me extremely tense and agitated. Not exactly CFS-friendly...

So this time, I decided to tap on my anger/etc., regarding the BA's. I did about 3 rounds, maybe 4...and the result was really surprising.

Not only did I not tense up very much, I left the windows open for the first time in at least 8 years. Sure, there were a couple of times when I flinched, but on a scale from 1 to 10, the overall anger-agitation reaction was down to a 2 or 3, from the usual 9 or 10.

Would love to hear others experiences/reactions. I think it may be a pretty powerful tool, if done correctly, and, yes, every day.

Dan

*EFT stands for "Emotional Freedom Technique", where one taps on specific acupuncture points while addressing specific emotional or other issues.

 

[Hip]

I have not really tried EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) myself, but couldn't stop myself from wondering HOW it might work. Recently, I came across an article about a trigeminal nerve stimulation, which apparently is a powerful means to alleviate depression. The article said that by stimulating the trigeminal nerve (the 5th cranial nerve), it is possible to "send signals to key structures deep in the brain", which can alleviate even major depression.

Now, it just so happens that the trigeminal nerve runs to areas and muscles in the face (see the image here), and furthermore, these areas this nerve runs to are more or less exactly the places where you apply the light EFT finger tapping on your face, when performing the Emotional Freedom Technique.

So, could it be that the Emotional Freedom Technique works simply by stimulating the trigeminal nerve on your face, such that this nerve then signals and activates key structures deep in your brain, to help you overcome conditions such as anxiety, depression, phobias, etc?

This connection between the Emotional Freedom Technique and the trigeminal nerve is just pure speculation, but it does seem vaguely plausible, and if there is some truth in it, this might put the Emotional Freedom Technique on a firmer footing, scientifically.

 

[Christopher]

Has anyone else tried EFT* therapy? I know it sounds woo-woo in the extreme, but I'm beginning to think it may be quite powerful in possibly helping to release pent up or suppressed emotions that may be blocking one's ability to heal. A controversial topic to be sure, however I'm kicking myself (with my good leg) for dismissing it years ago...I think it was back in 2002-2003 when my doc suggested I give it a go.

The gentleman that practiced on me just kind of rubbed me the wrong way (no, not that way)...or at least I thought so at the time.

He was very cheerful, really upbeat and excited about EFT, and at the time, that just suggested to me that he knew nothing about CFIDS, so I think no matter what he had said, or we had tapped on, I wouldn't have received any benefit.

But in hindsight, was it my pent up anger, or suppressed anger, that was getting in the way? He was happy (a little too happy), and I was bitter and angry, even though it was perhaps suppressed so much I didn't realize it.

Cut to 6 years later, with Gupta, and the increasing awareness that emotional issues/traumas/stresses may play a part in our illness, I watched a few youtube videos on EFT, and to make a long story short, thanks to a friend's help, I ended up seeing Alina Frank, a highly respected practitioner/teacher here in Wa state. The appt went really well, we tapped on many issues (a lot of dysfunctional family stuff, buried anger/grudges, etc) and all of them were lessened quite remarkably in just 90 minutes.

I haven't been great about practicing the EFT exercises since then, but when I have, I've definitely noted a clear improvement. In fact, the day after my appointment was the day the Blue Angels (those insanely loud advertisements for joining the air force) started their practice sessions, flying overhead with a deafening, unbelievably ear-shattering blast/roar that in years past would make me extremely tense and agitated. Not exactly CFS-friendly...

So this time, I decided to tap on my anger/etc., regarding the BA's. I did about 3 rounds, maybe 4...and the result was really surprising.

Not only did I not tense up very much, I left the windows open for the first time in at least 8 years. Sure, there were a couple of times when I flinched, but on a scale from 1 to 10, the overall anger-agitation reaction was down to a 2 or 3, from the usual 9 or 10.

Would love to hear others experiences/reactions. I think it may be a pretty powerful tool, if done correctly, and, yes, every day.

Dan

*EFT stands for "Emotional Freedom Technique", where one taps on specific acupuncture points while addressing specific emotional or other issues.

When was the last time you tried this?

 

[Mary]

EFT was helpful for some emotional issues for me, and then I found something called "faster eft" - and, sure enough, it's faster - easier to do, fewer steps, and it's been very helpful to me on a couple of occasions. It would probably be good to do every day but I seem to just wait until something is very pressing.

It hasn't helped me with physical issues (immune problems, crashing etc.) but I highly recommend it for other things.

Here's a link to the main youtube website: https://www.youtube.com/user/HealingMagic

Thanks @dannybex for this thread!

 

[dannybex]

When was the last time you tried this?

Well, I do it from time to time, but DO regret not doing it more often. I recommended it to someone w/MCS back in 2012 -- he completely recovered. And probably during those two years I did it maybe a dozen times if that?

It's definitely not 'the cure' at all in any way, but can help with lowering negative reactions to a variety if things -- especially things like chemicals and dealing with negative friends and family.

But one needs to do it (just like anything) on a regular basis. There are hundreds of free FasterEFT videos on youtube. There are also other modalities like DNRS and the Gupta program, but of course all three are pretty controversial.