Tapping is a substantial evolution of acupuncture
therapy that takes the meridian points as obvious targets for stimulation by
simply tapping them to send signals back to the control center allowing it to
rebalance. It obviously is invaluable
for psychological disturbances and surely this will be the first obvious line
of defense.
Many problems arrive because of extreme expression
and simply been able to counter that with a fully rebalanced nervous system
allows one to discover the level of any underlying problem. Better it is simple as well which explains
why it is been adopted so rapidly. It
must also be instantly rewarding for all.
This is a simple discovery and follows up the access
to acupuncture that began to be understood in the sixties in the face of much
scoffing. Both are rapidly been placed
into a valid scientific framework which facilitates rapid uptake.
Breakthroughs in
Energy Psychology: A New Way to Heal the Body and Mind
Posted: 03/17/2012 10:00 am
Yoga, meditation, massage, acupuncture, and herbal remedies; these
are just some of Eastern medicine's contributions to our decades-long search
for ways to live well with fewer pills and less-invasive health care. Toward
that end, I'm excited to report that there are promising new findings in the
field of energy psychology, specifically about a practice called Emotional
Freedom Technique (EFT), or tapping, that is taking our search for holistic
solutions to an exciting new level.
What's unique about EFT is how it combines Eastern wisdom about
acupressure, or "meridian points," in our bodies, with traditional
Western psychotherapy. The practice consists of tapping with your fingertips
on specific meridian points while talking through traumatic memories and a wide
range of emotions. "Acupoint tapping sends signals directly to the
stress centers of the mid-brain, not mediated by the frontal lobes (the
thinking part, active in talk therapy)," explains Dr. Church, Ph.D., who
has been researching and using EFT since 2002. Because EFT simultaneously
accesses stress on physical and emotional levels, he adds, "EFT gives you
the best of both worlds, body and mind, like getting a massage during a
psychotherapy session."
[ this makes sense
because we are linking to the sub brain and their automatic systems in order to
stimulate balanced responses - arclein]
In fact, it's EFT's ability to access the
amygdala, an almond-shaped part of your brain that
initiates your body's negative reaction to fear, a process we often refer to as
the "fight or flight" response, that makes it so powerful. "By
reducing stress," adds Church, "EFT helps with many problems. There's
a stress component to sports performance, business and
financial pressure, and most disease. When you reduce stress in one area of
your life, there's often a beneficial effect in other areas."
Church estimates that 10 million people worldwide have used tapping, and what's so exciting is how incredibly quickly it's alleviating issues like depression, anxiety and insomnia, as well severe PTSD, physical pain, even illness.
At this point you're probably thinking what most
intelligent and sane people are -- how is that possible? How can tapping on
"meridian points" resolve serious health issues? As an EFT
practitioner and the producer of the movie The
Tapping Solution, it's a question I've been asked repeatedly over many
years. In fact, you'll often hear me refer to EFT as "this strange tapping
thing." Fortunately, there's very real science (and results!) behind it.
In partnership with Dr. David Feinstein, Dr. Church has been able to confirm that tapping on specific
meridian points has a positive effect on cortisol levels. Cortisol, known
as the "stress hormone," is integral to our body's "fight or
flight" response. Originally designed to help us survive life in the wild,
the "fight or flight" response was essential when our ancient ancestors
were faced with sudden, brief danger like, let's say, a tiger. However useful
in short bursts, releasing cortisol too frequently, as we seem to be doing
in response to the ongoing or "chronic" stress of modern life, may
have serious, even scary, impacts on our physical, mental and emotional health.
In fact, living in this kind of biological "survival mode" may be
making us more vulnerable to everything from cancer to heart disease, and more.
In
Dr. Church's study, 83 participants were separated into three
groups. One group was guided through an hour-long EFT session, the second
group received an hour of talk therapy, while the third, the control group,
received no treatment. The group that did an hour of EFT demonstrated a 24
percent decrease in cortisol levels, while the other two groups showed no real
change. The EFT group also exhibited lower levels of psychological symptoms,
including anxiety, depression, and others, as measured by the Symptom
Assessment-45 (SA-45), a standard psychological assessment tool.
Research suggests that EFT may be so effective
because of its perceived ability to balance out the nervous system, leveling
off the activity of the parasympathetic and sympathetic regions. Responsible
for promoting cell regeneration and relaxation, the parasympathetic region
helps to slow your heartbeat, support digestion, and more. The sympathetic system,
on the other hand, prepares you for vigorous physical activity by speeding up
your heart, constricting your pupils, and so on. As
noted in Church's study, imbalance between these two regions is
associated with a long list of health issues, from high blood pressure and
heart problems (most often seen in those with an overactive sympathetic
region), to depression, fatigue, and weakened immune response (in those with
excessive parasympathetic activity).
In his study findings, Church asserts that EFT, which he refers to
as "acupoint treatments" produces "a neutral emotional
state," which, biologically speaking, is the gold standard of health and
wellness. It's also the state of well-being people have sought to achieve
for millennia through meditation, prayer, yoga, and other mindfulness
practices.
Dr. Feinstein, a clinical psychologist who uses EFT in his own
practice, adds that EFT is an "unusually precise, rapid, and direct for
shifting the neurological underpinnings of a range of psychological
problems." In fact, he adds, "the number of therapists using EFT has
been rapidly increasing over the past decade, and now peer-reviewed research is
showing that their instincts have been right. Surprisingly rapid outcomes with
a variety of disorders are being documented."
The results of that documentation can (and will!) impact millions
of lives in incredibly powerful ways, which is why I'm excited to share a host
of new studies with you here, in future posts. In the meantime, I look forward
to hearing your feedback. Are you familiar with tapping? Do you use it
yourself, or know others who do? Are there specific topics you'd like me to
focus on in future posts?
Nick Ornter is the creator and
executive producer of the hit documentary film, "The Tapping
Solution." His new book on EFT will be published by Hay House in April
2013. To get a copy of his free eBook, "Tapping Your Way to Health,
Happiness and Abundance" visit TheTappingSolution.com
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