The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is based on the idea that imbalances in the body's energy system have an effect on an individual's psychology. The technique aims to correct the energy imbalances by tapping at the ends of the body's energy meridians, thereby correcting the negative effect on a person's mental well-being. Energy meridians are also central to the practices of acupuncture and acupressure. The technique involves the recall of a traumatic memory paired with the repetition of a self-acceptance statement while an individual taps on a sequence of points on the body. Within a single session, the tapping and statement repetition are continued until the individual's self-rated subjective units of distress (SUDs) reach a zero, which indicates that there is no longer any emotional intensity associated with that particular traumatic memory at that time. The author of the EFT manual suggests that the technique can be used to alleviate a range of conditions including pain, phobias, performance anxiety, addiction, generalized anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individuals can learn to perform the technique on themselves or it can be administered by a trained provider. The EFT may be considered an alternative to standard care, such as pharmaceutical therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, or an alternative to other treatments such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Research questions: 1. What is the clinical effectiveness of the emotional freedom technique for the treatment of adults with post-traumatic stress disorder? 2. What is the clinical effectiveness of the emotional freedom technique for the treatment of adults with depression? 3. What is the clinical effectiveness of the emotional freedom technique for the treatment of adults with anxiety?
- Pages
- 12
- Published in
- Ottawa, Ontario
