A New Paradigm in Clearing Old Issues: Energy Psychology

We are energetic beings, lattice works of force fields. Our bodies have a profound electrical nature. Shuffle your feet across a carpet and then touch an item made of metal. We feel it! Our electrical systems are vital to our health. About 5000 years ago, the Chinese discovered a complex system of energy circuits which run throughout the body. These energy meridians are the centerpiece of Eastern health practices and form the basis for modern acupuncture, acupressure and other healing techniques. Western medicine tends to focus on the chemical nature of the body. Yet, a growing number of practitioners are finding ways to use this vital energy system to heal issues held by the body.

Energy psychology has played a significant role in my private practice as a hypnotherapist. These techniques can be called acupressure for the emotions. Though I use it with clients to help clear emotional issues as they are in the relaxed state, each client is taught the simple, efficient techniques to use on their own. Self-management is the key to emotional well being, and these are powerful self-management tools. Albert Schweitzer remarked, "We are at our best when we allow the doctor that resides within to work."

Dr. Roger Callahan, a dedicated psychologist, with over 40 years experience, made some stunning discoveries that are changing the face of psychology. Some say that these discoveries are to psychology what the Salk vaccine was to polio. They allow a rapid relief from many psychological problems, aid in overcoming addictive cravings, phobias, painful emotions, as well as promote physical well-being. These techniques are a revolutionary blend of Western psychotherapy and Chinese medicine that uses the body's meridian energy systems to treat emotional issues. These emotional freedom techniques were originally created to relieve emotional issues, but because many of our physical issues are emotionally based, these techniques are also effective on some physical problems.

Others have revised Callahan's original technique, called Thought Field Therapy, and I have studied a few of them. My two favorites are the Emotional Freedom Technique created by Gary Craig and the Root Cause Tapping created by Larry Nims. All of these techniques include a combination of breathing, affirmations, and tapping specific pressure points on the body, mainly around the face area. These techniques are based on Dr. Callahan's discovery contending that the cause of negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system. We correct the imbalances by tapping on certain meridian points, as you focus on the disturbing emotion or circumstance. This often leads to rapid recovery. Many problems vanish in minutes!

One client was so full of anxiety that I immediately labeled her a "basket case". I asked her to rate her anxiety on a scale of 1-10. She responded "25". After just a few rounds of tapping we were able to bring her stress down to a zero. I made her a tape for relaxation, and she had the tools for her own self-management!

Gary Craig, uses a forest and trees metaphor to explain how this process of emotional freedom improves our self-image. Each tree might represent our emotional baggage, standing for failures, fears, rejections, abuses, guilt, etc. There may be hundreds of trees, and they may even resemble a jungle! If you methodically cut down one tree a day, gradually the jungle thins out. It becomes a freer place to reside.

Though the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is easier to learn because it is repetitive, it is actually easier to put The Root Cause Tapping Technique in print for you. This technique uses a few different points than EFT, but is equally as effective. I believe it is very important for us to forgive ourselves for taking on particular issues; this technique assists us in doing that.