Eft???

[intothelight]

I won't bother discussing any further on this thread as I'm not interested in this kind of interaction

As a member of this Forum, I really am sorry when someone who has a viewpoint that may be different from someone else's walks away. Helliepig, the articles on this site's Wiki were put together using the latest research that could be found.

Just because someone doesn't agree with your viewpoint or summary does not make it invalid. It makes it their opinion based upon their own research and experience. If there is research supporting your summation, please share it. I, for one, would be interested in reading it.

Quite honestly though, I am one who does question research articles. I look at the sample population, how the sample was gathered, potential bias, threats to validity, peer review, replication, etc. Also, I am not a medical doctor, therapist, or psychologist. I am just a person that has PTSD and wants to get better.

So, please share your knowledge and don't be offended if someone else doesn't agree. This site is a place for people to learn.

 

[jmhl1980]

EFT has remarkable results when working with veterans with PTSD from all kinds of wars. Some EFT masters went to veteran homes and worked with the people there.

I myself had great relief with EFT. But I would highly recommend working with an EFT trained therapist as they learned to ask the right questions as well as they help you with what ever comes up during the tapping and trust me, things will come up. Just as well as in hypnosis which also helped me a great deal with my anxiety attacks.

But EFT is not some sort of magic. It is something that is a process especially on complex issues.

< Promotional part of this post removed as it is against forum rules.>

 

[anthony]

Hypnosis is the one treatment that near every trauma expert in the world agrees upon to steer clear from. That in itself says a lot to the validity of the nonsense posted above.

 

[Chadderbox]

Hypnosis is the one treatment that near every trauma expert in the world agrees upon to steer clear from. That in itself says a lot to the validity of the nonsense posted above.

Interesting! it was one of the first things I tried, and I agree it did not work. I tried it mainly because there was nothing located near me that I could find to help. It gave me a positive attitude for about three days, and emptied my wallet. Overall weeks later I felt like it was a gimmick, when I first showed up for my session I was given a box of crayons, and told to draw a forest picture. Then after an hr session I was told to draw the same picture again. The second drawing was always better than the first. The therapist would use that as proof of healing. The drawing should be improved, after all I just had a relaxing session, of listening to positivity, and I am not as keyed up as when I walked in the door. Unfortunately nothing was resolved internally.

 

[lisamarie]

I am in EFT treatment right now (also doing EMDR with a separate counselor). I have done three EFT sessions so far, and, placebo or not, I have found them to be very helpful. There is definitely a cognitive basis....my EFT counselor has me say my fears aloud and then I realize how ridiculous they sound. I have DEFINITELY felt a decrease in my anxiety after the sessions, sometimes lasting several days.

I had read about EFT before and didn't try it because it does sound like psuedoscience, etc. But I finally caved in because 1) I got a deeply discounted rate from the counselor 2) I was DESPERATE.

 

[anthony]

sometimes lasting several days.

This is the issue though... in that it has no longevity effect that other traumatic processing techniques provide. The tools are for the now, not for the long haul. That is the problem with the majority of techniques which actually have no proven cognitive bias in the correct areas of the brain.

It will work for a small minority... but it has no longevity or substance to it.

 

[Deleted member 14228]

Hypnosis is the one treatment that near every trauma expert in the world agrees upon to steer clear from. That in itself says a lot to the validity of the nonsense posted above.

I'm confused as I was under the impression that guided imagery was a form of hypnosis. That's what I was told when I did guided imagery and this sentiment has been echoed elsewhere as well. And, guided imagery is often used in trauma treatment.

 

[Sheer Force of Will]

I was shocked to see someone had posted that tapping does nothing to the brain. That is not the case, and I was about to go all into it, when I decided to look up tapping + PTSD. I actually laughed out loud when I saw that it was about literally tapping the trauma away. Tapping for energy, and the like. Are these the things that you guys are discussing? Because I agree that that is total bunk.

The kind of tapping I was thinking of is part of a very effective treatment program for patients with brocas aphasia, called Melodic Intonation Therapy. That in no way pertains to PTSD.

That said, I have a very useful, published, peer reviewed article from a scientific journal, the journal of speech, language and hearing, on how to tell real, valid, empirically based treatments from pseudoscience and hocum. Does anyone know if I am allowed to post that here, or if I have to post it some place else? Is that an appropriate thing to post?

 

[anthony]

I'm confused as I was under the impression that guided imagery was a form of hypnosis.

No... guided imagery is "considered" a form of hypnotherapy by those who deliver it. It is not hypnotherapy though. Guided imagery is still classified as a naturopathic option, being placebo effect, and little to no real evidence of success with traumatic memories and the correct parts of the brain being stimulated that pass said memories and emotion.

There are a lot of placebo based therapies. They work for a minority as a complete solution. They are often good when combined with an empirically valid trauma therapy, ie. massage, relaxation, etc.

If you want to believe the Internet... then there are people stating massage alone will cure PTSD. Just like people claiming hypnotherapy cures PTSD. All complete nonsense.

 

[lisamarie]

I was shocked to see someone had posted that tapping does nothing to the brain. That is not the case, and I was about to go all into it, when I decided to look up tapping + PTSD. I actually laughed out loud when I saw that it was about literally tapping the trauma away. Tapping for energy, and the like. Are these the things that you guys are discussing? Because I agree that that is total bunk.

There is a lot more to the EFT treatment *I* do. There is a lot of cognitive behavioral stuff going on, motivational interviewing.....and positive affirmations. Its not just tapping. If it was just tapping I would probably not get as much out of it. Its the combination of the tapping and the actually therapy. I know that it sounds like a load of crap and I am by NO MEANS cured, but I do personally think that it has been helpful.

 

[anthony]

There is a lot of cognitive behavioral stuff going on, motivational interviewing.....and positive affirmations.

This is where lines become blurred in these popup therapies. People are constantly trying to make a name for themselves by creating some therapy type, that usually uses lots of existing types, then label it, market it and see how it fly's.

Those components in any type of therapy are not EFT, they are cognitive behavioural therapy, in components within a broader therapy. Positive affirmations are not EFT, they're CBT.

This is actually not the therapy, but the therapist who mixes therapy types into the equation to meet what is going on. It's like a therapist telling you that all they use is CBT. Ok... complete nonsense. The moment they sit there and calm you or try to get you to relax, they're using Person Centered Therapy and Stress Inoculation Therapy (Relaxation / Mindfulness).

It is extremely difficult to actually use one type of therapy on a person. Those who attempt it are also those who fail 99.99% of the time with clients, as they're trying to brainwash them with some nonsense where they simply will not move outside the scope of x or y to meet what is happening with the client.

 

[Philippa]

Though it does not clear the issues for me it does release some level of discomfort.

And this is the basic description of what EFT is supposed to do. It isn't stated that it 'cures' PTSD or anything else. It is a Technique to gain Emotional Freedom...E.F.T!

It helps release uncomfortable and built up emotional gunk that sits in our bodies, in the cellular memory of the body. That's what it does.