Two controversial and closely related therapies, TFT and EFT are scorned and revered equally by professionals in the mental health field. Lacking few if any valid studies, these therapies are at times seen as “fringe” therapies with no sound scientific basis.
So why do we use these treatments here at RCHL? Simple . . . they work. Years of using them on a regular basis have removed any doubts in our minds as to their effectiveness. While not helping all people, for a majority of people they are part of an overall approach to changing long-term emotional based patterns of negative responses to people, events, or situations.
With TFT and EFT there is a similarity to EMDR: the therapist and client selectively target negative and distressing emotional based responses that underlie a person’s suffering, anxiety, or depression. That is where the similarity ends . . . the therapist then leads the client through a sequence of tapping on various acupuncture points while trying to hold onto the negative feelings. If all works well, the intensity of the feeling starts decreasing with every pass of the sequence. As the intensity of the negative emotion subsides, the individual starts thinking and feeling in a much more logical manner: situations become less threatening, self-esteem improves, and a new, more adaptive response is possible.
TFT and EFT can be used to quickly treat (1 to 3 sessions typical) a variety of nagging or acute problems, including conditions such as PTSD, fear of flying, phobias, test anxiety, and habits such as nail-biting and smoking. For longer-standing and more ingrained problems we use it as less of a stand-alone therapy, and use it as more a complement or adjunct with other therapies.
