EFT and HYPNOTHERAPY. A COMPLIMENTARY DUO OF THERAPIES
Developed as a therapy in the mid 1990s, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a form of tapping acupressure, based on the same energy meridians used in traditional acupuncture to address physical and emotional symptoms, but without the use of needles. Instead, EFT uses a simple tapping procedure with the fingertips onto specific meridians on the head and chest while the client thinks about and voices the issue as they tap – whether it is a stressful event, negative behaviour or pattern, or physical issue.
This combination of tapping the energy meridians and voicing the problem is often the solution to clearing the “short-circuit” – the emotional charge or block — from your body’s bioenergy system.
It can be taught quickly within a hypnotherapy session or as a session on its own and utilised as a homework protocol to give a client , to do any time, to help with a treatment in progress. Because it is easy to learn it is empowering as the client can practice without the therapist’s support at home.
Hypnotherapists utilize their pre-talk or consultation to question and pick up on certain words or phrases that the client uses in relation to their particular issue and personal information like names of loved ones etc. When the therapist gives a client their own words and personal information back during a hypnotherapy session it is very powerful and has a very powerful effect on the subconscious and permanent change. In the same way, EFT relies entirely and totally on what the user or client says - the tapping routine is always the same, every time but the words are the client’s own. Even when there is a trained practitioner present, all they will do is ask the client how they feel, and maybe draw out an opening statement as to their issue to then reveal the person's words and feelings within the session.
Whilst hypnotherapy changes habits and behaviours that do not serve the client it does this in the form of suggestions to the subconscious using words and information personal to the client, EFT can be used as an effective pattern interruption which works on a number of levels, the most basic of which that it distracts. During EFT sessions, clients sometimes find going through the sequence of tapping and statement making, that can include very personal statements and informal language (even swearing if they want!), to be very funny and amusing which is often very powerful in breaking through blockages and negative patterns. This is similar to the use of theatre and ridiculous images to break phobias in hypnotherapy (imagine a spider with a red nose and big clown feet on doing a tap dance and your phobia will reduce…)
Normally I employ EFT only after I have used other assessment techniques with a client to fully explore their issues via talking therapy and hypnotherapy. I will usually have already have carried out some regression and emotional release/healing work so EFT is likely to figure towards the middle or end of the therapy cycle or half way through as an autonomous intervention they can do at home. EFT, for me, is often best used as an intervention once rapport and trust is formed and any difficult emotional issues from the present or past is explored and worked through.
I think that EFT has a very important place in hypnotherapy. It is a tool that clients can use themselves and be quickly taught to be completely successful in achieving rapid positive changes and be fully integrated into any therapy practice.
