Energy psychology.

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What do acupuncture meridians and muscle testing have to do withpsychology? They are tools for
accessing and manipulatingpsychoemotional material in the energetic field, according
topractitioners of energy psychology. The most popular forms of energypsychology at this time
include eye movement desensitization andreprocessing (EMDR), Thought Field Therapy (TFT), and
its offshootEmotional Freedom Technique (EFT). All, particularly EMDR, have showndocumented
effects in clinical studies.
In EMDR, patients rapidly move their eyes from side to side, mimicking the movement of REM
(rapid eye movement) sleep. The movement tends to bring up painful memories and facilitate a
resolution involving an emotional release and, sometimes, a shift in perspective. The technique has
proved helpful for the treatment of anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A
2009 Cochrane review, conducted by Jonathan Bisson and Martin Andrew, reports that EMDR
and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy are more effective than stress management or
non-trauma-focused psychological treatments for PTSD. "One drawback," according to Phil Mollon,
PhD, "is that EMDR can plunge the person into a vivid reliving of trauma, or might open the
floodgates of multiple traumas; [which] is why careful and thorough training is required."
Behavioral psychologist Allan L. Botkin, PsyD, inadvertently discovered a variation of EMDR while
working with combat veterans at the Chicago Veterans Administration Hospital. Botkin asked
patients to close their eyes for a while immediately after experiencing their "core sadness." To his
surprise, some of his patients reported having a vision that plagued them of a person who had died
during the combat trauma. For instance, a veteran who was tortured by the memories of holding a
dead child believed that she had appeared to him as a happy, healthy adult and given him a hug.
Initially, Botkin viewed these reports as hallucinations brought on by grief. Most patients did
not experience positive visions during that silent period. What caught Botkin's attention was the
profound and persistent healing effect of these visions in the patients who experienced them.
Instead of ignoring these anomalies, Botkin began recording the case histories and asked
colleagues for help in investigating the technique.
In his book, Induced After Death Communication: A New Therapy forHealing Grief and Trauma,
Botkin "asks that [this technique's]clinical usefulness take precedence, and that therapists be willing
toset aside their skepticism in orderto explore a technique that is ofsuch great benefit. The
combination of grief work using EMDR and theinduction of 'visions' is a powerful intervention. He
saysthat at this point it does not matter where the visions originate if thetherapeutic work can free
people from real suffering," writes CeliaCoates, MSW. Coates reviewed the book for Bridges, the
quarterlymagazine for the International Society for the Study of Subtle Energiesand Energy
Medicine.
Another form of energy psychology is Thought Field Therapy, developed by psychologist Dr. Roger
Callahan. TFT eliminates anxiety and other uncomfortable emotions by tapping specific acupuncture
meridians. TFT is based on applied kinesiology developed by George Goodheart, DC. In working
with Goodheart's system, John Diamond, MD, "discovered that different meridians are involved in
different emotions - and that holding particular meridian points whilst saying specific affirmations
could rapidly shift a person out of a negative emotional state," according to Mollon. Callahan
became intrigued by the possibilities of working with acupuncture meridians when a patient's
sudden water phobia disappeared, never to return, after she tapped the end of the stomach
meridian at Callahan's instruction. TFT uses muscle testing (applied kinesiology) to

identify meridian points tied to psychoemotional problems and to determine the order in which to
tap them in order to release the problem.
Callahan discovered that some people, for a variety of reasons, do not benefit from TFT. These
people muscle test weak when repeating the statements "I want to be over this problem" or "I want
to be well." Instead, these patients give a strong response (indicating benefit or truth) when they
focus on "I want to keep this problem." Callahan found that tapping on the small intestine meridian
on the side of the hand, making a positive statement of self-acceptance, and using Bach Rescue
Remedy can override the resistance. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), a simplified and
very popular derivation of TFT, begins each session by tapping the side of the hand while making
statements of self-acceptance.
Despite the growing popularity of techniques like EFT, Mollon points out that energy psychology is
not for everyone. It is a new field whose underpinnings are not yet understood. For more
information about energy psychology techniques, see Motion's website (www.philmollon.co.uk) and
the website for the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (www.energypsych.org).
Bisson J, Andrew M. Psychological treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The Cochrane
Collaboration. 2009. Available at www.escriber.com/userfiles/ccoch/file/CD003388.pdf. Accessed
August 5, 2011.
Coates C. Comments from the guest editor. Bridges. Fall 2005:16(3); 3.
--. Induced. Induced After Death Communication: A New Therapy (or Healing grief and Trauma
[book review]. Bridges. Fall 2005:16(3);9-10.
Mollon P. Note of caution [web page]. Psychoanalytic Energy Psychotherapy,
www.philmollon.co.uk/Note-of-Caution.html.
--. Psychoanalytic Energy Psychotherapy: a marriage of Thought Field Therapy and psychodynamics
[preprint version]. Therapy Today. September 2007. Available at
www.philmollon.co.uk/Articles.html. Accessed August 6, 2011.
briefed by Jule Klotter
jule@townsendletter.com