Integrating Energy Psychology and the
Energy
Psychology (EP) is a relatively new discipline within the field of
Psychology. First coined by Fred Gallo
in the late 1990’s EP is where East meets West in a remarkable collaboration of
teachings, beliefs and practices. At its heart is the understanding that we are
energetic beings with a “complex network of interwoven energy fields that
operate within and around the body” (Diepold, Gallo
p23). 5000 years ago Ancient Traditional
Chinese Medicine developed a complicated system for treating medical and
psychological problems based on this belief.
Five Millennia later Einstein concluded that all of nature was made up
of energy and that matter is nothing more than condensed energy. In the Mid
1900’s John Goodheart (a chiropractor) and John
Diamond (a psychiatrist) developed Applied & Behavioral Kinesiology,
a system of working with the energies of the body to get information from the
body as well as to find relief from various maladies. In the 1990’s Candace Pert (a medical
researcher), discovered ways to map out the physiology of emotions. And by the turn of the 20th
Century a variety of techniques were
developed that integrate both ancient traditions and more modern technological
discoveries including the laws of quantum physics with contemporary psychology
to treat many of the persistent & recalcitrant problems people face. Pert
states that “Energy Psychology has rapidly become one of the hottest areas of
what I call ‘New Paradigm Medicine’.
Research is accumulating which suggests that healing the emotions is not
only a gateway to a happier and more fulfilling life it is a gateway to healing
the body of virtually any physical illness” (Feinstein
p xv).
What is
this energy so widely talked about? With
instruments such as the MRI, ECG, EKG, PET & SPECT Scans the
electromagnetic, electrochemical & biofield
energy spectrum can be measured. But
our energy field also includes a more “subtle energy” known as the Life Force
and the Thought Field which isn’t so easily measured directly but is recognized
by its effects. For instance when a
person has a difficult experience a disturbance is created within the energy field
that causes alterations within the person’s system. Biochemical changes take place on the
cellular level that affects them physically, psychologically, emotionally and
spiritually (Pert, 1997). There is an
innate mind/ body connection at the heart of every experience we have. Whatever is happening in the mind is also
happening in the body and vice versa.
An overwhelming experience affects the neurological system which sets up
a series of biochemical changes that create an intense anxiety reaction. That
experience leads to thoughts/ beliefs that lead to anticipatory phobias which
set up the cascade of biochemical changes that lead to a panic attack. But what is the cause of the panic? Is it the traumatic experience or the
underlying thoughts and beliefs? And
what are these thoughts that can so dramatically affect our systems both for
the positive as well as the negative?
From an Energy Psychology point of view it is believed that our thoughts
are “subtle energies” that have powerful effects on our systems. One of the
most dramatic studies of the effects of these forces is the study done by
Japanese researcher Masaru Emoto. He photographed pictures of frozen water
molecules after they had been exposed to various forms of energy, including
music, pollution and different kinds of thought. Those molecules exposed to negative
influences (pollution, hate, heavy metal music) became deformed and
disfigured. When exposed to love,
classical music and meditation they developed into beautiful, symmetrical patterns.
(http://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/research_emoto.htm)
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Given that
our bodies are 70% water and our brains 90% water these findings can have a
powerful effect on how we view the effect our thoughts ultimately have on our
bodies. Other controlled studies show
the impact of visualization, directed thought and prayer on people, plants and
animals including decreasing complications for cardiac patients and increasing
the growth of flowers. (Benor, 2001; Dossey, 1993; Harris et al., 1999)
The
Meridian Therapies are a group of Energy Psychology modalities that bring about
change on a psychological, emotional, physiological and spiritual level by
stimulating the energy system of the body in particular ways. Based on ancient Chinese Medicine,
Acupuncture, Chakras and Yoga these modalities utilize some form of stimulation
of the acupoints either by tapping, massaging or holding. An acupoint is a concentrated point of energy
along a meridian which is an energy channel that follows a particular path
through the body. There are 14 meridians
corresponding to the organs of the body and connected to a set of emotions and
behavioral themes. An example is the Kidney Meridian which is associated with
anxiety, fear, trauma and calm and has 27 acupoints that begin at the bottom of
the foot and end just below the collar bone on either side of the sternum. In a study where an acupoint in the toe was
stimulated a corresponding affect in blood flow occurred in the brain although
no vascular, nerve or other physical connection was known to exist.(Cho, 1998) In other words when an acupuncture point is
stimulated it sends a signal to a corresponding part of the brain that then has
a reaction. Hui, et al. at
In the
1990’s a pilot study was done in
These meridian
based techniques are invaluable in the treatment of trauma and
dissociation. They help to alleviate
strong negative charges and affect in a very short amount of time, sometimes
within minutes. They are less
complicated than other forms of therapy including other forms of Energy
Psychotherapy. They are generally
self-administered and can be utilized in between sessions to help manage
flashbacks, sleeping difficulties, strong emotional reactions and self-defeating
behaviors. It is not unusual for the
person using these techniques to reduce their need for medication or if they
are medication resistant for their bodies to find a way to accept and utilize
medications. Furthermore, there appears
to be little or no negative side effects including no strong abreactions to
previous experiences of trauma. They include:
1. The Tapas
Acupressure Technique (TAT): one of the
self administered modalities where a person holds some acupoints around the
eyes and the back of the head while putting their attention on a 9 part
cognitive structure. Developed by Tapas
Fleming, an acupuncturist, it quickly relieves the body of stress, including
traumatic stress and takes the body to a state of relaxation. In a recent study
done by Kaiser Permanente it was found that TAT was significantly helpful in
aiding participants to maintain weight loss as compared to CBT and ChiQong (www.tatlife.com)
2. Thought Field Therapy(TFT)
utilizes a series of tapping or holding of different acupoints on the meridians
of the face, chest, and hands in different order depending on the problem being
addressed. It was originally developed
by Roger J. Callahan and has since been adjusted by a number of Professionals
including Fred Gallo and John Diepold. (www.tftrx.com)
3. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is an
offshoot of TFT and utilizes tapping on the acupoints in a particular order for
all problems. It was created by Gary
Craig (www.emofree.com)
4. REMAP (Reed Eye movement acupressure
psychotherapy)
utilizes the acupoints on all the meridians. The meridian and
order is determined by the problem and the person doing the work. (www.remap.net)
These
techniques can easily be interwoven into existing conventional therapy or can
be utilized as a treatment modality alone.
While there are thousands of anecdotal reports of treatment success from
a variety of emotional, psychological and behavioral problems there are a
number of clinical trials that point to the efficacy of EP techniques. In one such preliminary clinical trial
involving 31,400 subjects over 14years seen at 11 treatment centers in South
America it was determined that anxiety related disorders were most helped by
the meridian based psychotherapies. This
included ptsd, generalized
anxiety, acute stress disorders, separation anxiety, and phobias as well as
other emotional problems related to fear, shame, rejection, grief, guilt,
anger, jealousy, love pain, frustration, loneliness, painful memories, impulse
control and procrastination. The more
complicated problems including dissociation, personality disorders, depressive
disorders, addictions and eating disorders are better served when energy based techniques
are used as an adjunct.(Feinstein, 2004) But, current
clinical reports are rapidly expanding and even these complicated disorders are
being treated with energy-based psychotherapies. See the work of
As with
any psychotherapy protocol the energy psychotherapies require training, some
more than others and ongoing consultation regarding their use in psychotherapy.
The Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP), the professional
organization for Energy Psychology, has just developed a comprehensive training
program for people interested in becoming certified in energy
psychotherapy. They offer two
conferences a year, one in
Written
by Patricia Thatcher, LICSW
March 11, 2007
Contact:
patthatch@comcast.net 617-661-1277
References
& Resources:
Benor, D.
2001 Spiritual Healing: Scientific validation
of a healing revolution. Vision Publications
Cho,
Z.H. 1998 New Findings
of the correlation between acupoints and corresponding brain cortices using
functional MRI. Proceedings of
Diamond,
Diepold, Britt, and Bender, 2004
Evolving Thought Field Ttherapy:
The Clinician's Handbook of Diagnoses, Treatment, and Theory
, W.W. Norton Professional Books Energy Psychology series
Dossey, L. 1993 Healing Words: The power of
prayer and the practice of medicine. Harper
Feinstein, Davis, PhD. 2004 Energy Psychology Interactive:Rapid
Interventions for Lasting Change, Innersource,
Fleming, Tapas, L.Ac.
1999 You
Can Heal Now, TAT International,
Fleming, Tapas, L.Ac. 2006 TAT Professionals Manual, TAT
International,
web
site www.tatlife.com phone 877-828-4685
Gallo, Fred. 2002 Energy Psychology in Psychotherapy, Norton & Co
Harris, WS. Et al. 1999 A randomized,
controlled trial of the effects of remote, intercessory prayer on outcomes in
patients admitted to the coronary care unit.
Archives of Internal Medicine
Hui, K.K.S., Liu, J, Makris, N., Gollub, R.W., Chen,
A.J.W., Moore, C.I., Kennedy, D.N., Rosen, B.R. and kwong,
K.K. 2000 Acupuncture modulates the limbic system and subcortical
gray structures of the human brain:
Evidence from fMRI studies in normal
subjects. Human Brain Mapping, 9(1): 13-25
Pert, Candace, PhD. 1997 Molecules of Emotion. Simon & Shuster,
WEB SITES: TAT: www.tatlife.com, 1-877-828-4685
www.thelifeworkscenter.com
617-661-1277
& EFT: www.emofree.com local contact 781-643-7762
phone numbers TFT trainingjdiepold@uscom.com 1-856-906-0339
REMAP: www.remap.net
ACEP; www.energypsych.com
Emoto images: (http://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/research_emoto.htm)