What Is Thought Field Therapy ™?
Thought Field Therapy, and its related techniques such as EFT, are often referred to as “the tapping cure.” All use the same energy meridians as are used in acupuncture and acupressure. These energy meridians treat (without needles) and relieve emotional and psychological distress, sometimes in a matter of minutes.
This may sound incredible, but there is rapid relief with at least 80 to 90% of the people who experience TFT.
I have been utilizing energy work, breath, bodywork, Reiki, and healing sound, for many years. I learned in my earliest training in Bioenergetic Analysis that talk therapy alone can take a very long time and be frustrating to many clients, so I have used energy work to help my clients become grounded, to better experience themselves in the moment, and to help them to achieve the surrender necessary for growth and change. I believe in the power of energy and bodywork.
I was unprepared, however, for the power of Thought Field Therapy. These techniques can actually relieve, even remove, emotional distresses such as shame, guilt, anxiety, panic, anger, and stress. They can reduce and relieve behaviors like compulsive overeating and the addictive use of alcohol or nicotine. The client can stop trying to figure out the why of the distress because the distress is alleviated. Attention can be fully on growth and change without the “static” caused by excessive and heavy emotional states.
How Was TFT Discovered?
Dr. Roger Callahan, a clinical psychologist, developed TFT more than 18 years ago. He was a well-established psychologist specializing in, among other things, the treatment of phobias. At the time he was treating a woman named Mary for her severe fear of water. This fear was so debilitating that Mary was flooded with fear and panic whenever she was confronted with any type of water. She had severe fearful reactions to puddles, baths, showers, even rain. Dr. Callahan treated her at his home, where he had a swimming pool, in the hope of acclimatizing her to water gradually, using the usual Cognitive Behavioral and Desensitization Techniques. It was very slow and very painful work for Mary.
Dr. Callahan became dissatisfied with the poor results traditional therapy was yielding and searched for a faster, more painless, more effective way for Mary and his other phobic clients to be relieved of their symptoms. Among the theories he explored were Acupuncture and Acupressure which are part of Oriental medicine.
One day Mary mentioned that when she looked at the water, she felt sick to her stomach. Dr. Callahan knew that a major acupuncture point for the stomach meridian is under the eye. On a hunch, he asked Mary to tap firmly under both her eyes. To the total amazement of both Mary and Dr. Callahan, Mary’s fear of the water rapidly disappeared. In minutes, Mary’s fear of the water was totally gone and has not returned to this day.
Mary’s experience was just the beginning. Dr. Callahan was fascinated. He devoted himself to the work of discovering why and how this cure had happened and how to make it happen again and again with other clients. He has been developing these revolutionary techniques throughout the last two decades and has developed a complex and very effective system for rapidly diagnosing and treating many forms of emotional distress, and sometimes their accompanying physical symptoms as well. Now these techniques are available to all.
How Does TFT Work?
This kind of therapy treats a wide range of psychological problems by addressing the bioenergy system directly using the same energy meridians as acupuncture and acupressure. The therapist or client taps on a specific sequence of meridian points while focusing on a specific issue, such as anxiety, panic, anger, fear, flash-back, etc.
By directly addressing the energy fields created by thought patterns by tapping on the meridians, the client is able to bring an end to long-standing and overwhelmingly afflictive responses to these thought fields. Treatment does not involve prolonged re-living of a problem. Suffering can often be relieved in a matter of minutes.
The nature of this treatment is wonderfully self-empowering. I can easily teach a client the tapping sequences so treatment can continue away from the office. At times the TFT may be used for very short-term therapy to treat a specific panic or stress and at other times it becomes a tool in the on-going therapy process.
There is nothing adverse or contra-indicated in treating a person with Thought Field Therapy. It will only help. It cannot hurt.
What Kind of Problems Are Helped By TFT?
TFT can help you:
- deal with difficult people
- Improve your self esteem
- handle the stress of financial issues
- overcome procrastination
- become more assertive
- overcome fear or avoidance of conflict
- let go of anxiety and worry
- have the courage to pursue your dreams
- improve negative or volatile relationships
- change old patterns in relationships
- overcome fear of the dentist, MRI, or other medical procedures
- deal with chronic pain or illness
- overcome test or interview anxiety
- be a better parent by controlling anger at your child or children