Are Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) a valid complement to Eiriu-Eolas?

[gaman]

Detailed Question:
Are the EFT techniques a valid method complimentary to the Eiriu-Eolas (E-E) program for self improvement, or should they be avoided? If they are useful, is there some specific guidance you would provide regarding its usage and applicability to different types of problems?

Description:
From the main web site _http://www.emofree.com/

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is an emotional, needle free version of acupuncture that is based on new discoveries regarding the connection between your body's subtle energies, your emotions, and your health. EFT has been reported successful in thousands of cases covering a huge range of emotional, health and performance issues. It often works where nothing else will.

Reason(s) for asking the question:

1) One of the applications of this approach seems to be healing emotional wounds and issues and if it works it could be a beneficial supplement to other techniques we learn.

2) There are many positive results reported by individuals in forums, by practitioners, and then of course there are the “official” testimonials listed on sites pushing the technique. This leads me to think that there is something helpful in this.

3) It would be helpful to know if we should avoid them, sort of like knowing that there is bad Reiki and good Reiki. This is especially helpful for those of us who aren't very familiar with the world of "alternative" therapies.

4) The claims of fraud that I have found don't seem to be backed up with anything substantial in the way of facts, although this doesn't necessarily discount them. There are, however, some arguments that seem to be good common sense when strong skepticism, but some of them are along unfounded FUD (Fear,Uncertainty,Doubt) lines.

5) I have a strong negative introject that I haven't overcome so I tend to believe to many things like this because I don't trust my own judgment. When it gets into the “alternative” realm where things like energy blockages, meridians, etc. are concerned I particularly don't have any understanding upon which to base a judgment even if I had the self-confidence. I disclose that I feel selfish for asking this question -- maybe because it is something I got excited about and wanted an answer to when there doesn't seem to be any interest noted in these forums on the topic and I can't seem to discern for myself.

6) The instructions are free and there are numerous on-line videos as well (although you can buy training DVD's etc. of course) so it doesn't seem to be an obvious bait-and-switch thing.

Background/Research:
I have searched for studies done on EFT, as well as reports of fraud, bad or no results, etc. and have found that there are people that report deriving no benefit, that there seems to be many more people reporting benefit, and there are the detractors most of which blast in a quackwatch style or worse. I also searched the forms for the keyword “EFT” and found both endorsement and an accusation of pseudoscience. I won't reproduce the forums links here unless requested because they come up easily in the search function.

First of all, here is a site that summarizes some current research done on EFT:

_http://www.thrivingnow.com/for/Health/summary-of-eft-research/

The above site generally gives a positive impression of the results of EFT research. I found the full text of one of the studies referenced (Assessment of the Emotional Freedom Technique: An Alternative Treatment for Fear) online at _http://www.srmhp.org/0201/emotional-freedom-technique.html and went through it in detail to find that the thrivingnow.com summary page slightly biases the “positiveness” of the results from that research in that it doesn't report that the people conducting the study think that tapping on the meridians vs tapping anywhere makes any difference.

As a side note, the author of the thrivingnow.com article states that it is a summary of the content of _http://www.eftupdate.com/ResearchonEFT.html but the wierdness comes that I can access other pages on the eftupdate site just fine, but when I try to pull that particular page it just repeatedly times out.

Also the following page also lists some research done on EFT in which the results appear positive:

_http://www.energypsych.com/Content/readings-num7.htm

Now on the opposing side of the argument, it seems very suspicious that it reports to help alleviate so many different types of issues from emotional to physical maladies. This page holds a discussion asking the question of whether or not it is a scam, and the overall interaction and loyalties seem to represent what I've seen on a couple of other sites with the same question:

_http://eftcommunity.emofree.com/forums/t/2351.aspx

On this page (_http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoiM2sVsmd714LngjXBmI19IzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20071006051951AAZpcmf) there is a strong skeptic posting which I'll reproduce here because it does make clear points about why this seems like another new agey gimick of fancy words and juju energy:

Oh, lord. That site is so full of the obvious signs of shallow pseudoscience that no remotely critical thinker could miss them. From the site:
---------------------------
"Based on impressive new discoveries regarding the body's subtle energies, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has proven successful in thousands of clinical cases. It applies to just about every emotional, health and performance issue you can name and it often works where nothing else will.

For proof, here is a sampling of our actual cases. They are written for you by everyday citizens, physicians and therapists".
---------------------------
Strike one: "Based on impressive new discoveries"
Um, impressive new undocumented discoveries, huh?

Strike two: "regarding the body's subtle energies"
"Energies" typically means "we claim you can't measure this, which gets us off the hook with respect to testing".

Strike three: "Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)"
Fancy title, acronym = sales pitch, not science.

Strike four: "has proven successful in thousands of clinical cases"
That means "we're aiming this at people who think that 'clinical cases' trump actual testing". The plural of anecdote is not data.

Strike five: "It applies to just about every emotional, health and performance issue you can name"
This claim is a sure sign of BS.

Strike six: "and it often works where nothing else will".
In short, we're targeting people who are desperate enough to believe anything.

Strike seven: "For proof, here is a sampling of our actual cases"
...and we're too stupid to realize that testimonials don't mean anything.

Strike eight: "They are written for you by everyday citizens,"
Appeal to the common man.

Strike nine: "physicians and therapists".
Appeal to authority.

They've already struck out the side, and I'm only through three sentences.

Finally, the following site, in the spirit of quackwatch, also makes a decent case against:

_http://www.skepdic.com/eft.html

I wasn't sure if I should post the contents of the pages above or just the links so I opted for links unless requested otherwise. If it would be better if I post the content along with the links, then I will be happy to edit this post and do so.

Thanks.

 

[gaman]

Laura, thank you for posing this question to the C's. Here is the relevant follow-up from the Session 5 Aug 2009 thread. Cross-posting it here so it will be in context with the question.

Thanks for the session!

What is said about EFT is interesting, I found that when I used it, for example using the choices method:

"Even though this happend/I feel (insert memory/emotion here......) I choose to feel calm in control (or whatever state you think is appropriate)"

If I repeated this enough often 3 times was enough any time that emotion resurfaced I was reminded to feel calm and in control. So I guess from my experience it does seem to hold focus. It sounds like it's a form of self-hypnosis moving you futher away from yourself hence it been counter to the purposes of the breathing program. Just my thoughts.

I wondered about EFT (didn't even know it was a formulated question to ask the Cs) and I wondered whether it should be used while doing the breathing program. Good to get a solid "no" on that one!

Yes, I agree. It is especially good that we can avoid this detriment to the E-E/meditation program!

 

[Jones]

So if one has already had significant therapy involving EFT, what sort of 'damage' for want of a better word would need to be undone? Would the EE program be enough?

 

[henry]

I don't know what kind of therapy you were getting using the EFT or what you were trying to treat, but I suspect that all you will need to do is the EE breathing exercises. That and the diet changes outlined elsewhere on the forum.

 

[Laura]

I wouldn't say that "damage" is the right word; rather, I would say that it is trying to mix apples with oranges.

 

[KTC]

EFT World Summit

I thought some of you may be interested in this.

http://www.2011tappingworldsummit.com

My experience with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) was when I had a severe reaction to mangoes and my whole forearm was covered in a blistering, oozing hot red rash. It was so itchy and painful. The rash was getting worse and was spreading so I went to the quack and he wanted to give me cortisone cream which I was very much opposed to, so I walked out on him and came home, looking for less aggressive alternative.

My Mum had been raving about EFT since she had done a course on it to help with the emotional recovery of breaking up with my Dad.

Anyways, I figured I had nothing to lose, so I started taping away as she instructed. I couldn't believe it when, 1 hour post tapping the itchiness was subsiding... and within 2 days the rash had completely disappeared. It was a miracle before my eyes.

This happened 12 months ago. Since then I have eaten mangoes with gusto during the season, with no ill affects. EFT helped me, maybe you can give it a go too.

 

[Vulcan59]

Re: EFT World Summit

Hi batty76,

You may want check this topic out. I'll merge this post to it. :)

 

[KTC]

Thanks Vulcan. Quite interesting. Like I said, the EFT worked for my mango case. I haven't used it since, but my Mum taps for just about everything, from a headache to trying to find a car park at the supermarket. I am really enjoying the EE and the benefits for me have been immediate. Now I know I'm on the right path.

 

[Jones]

I wouldn't say that "damage" is the right word; rather, I would say that it is trying to mix apples with oranges.

I think I get why now.

It seems that unless you are truly observing the objective reality then EFT with the 'Choices' method may just mean that one is programming themselves to deal a certain way with what may be just another illusion.

So in the end, you may just end up self calming and sleeping in a different way, but still being asleep nevertheless.

 

[forge]

Ortal Pelleg connects music with EFT therapy. He is an excellent Didgeridoo player.

Overtone/Throat singing from central Asia (Tuva,Altai) is magical to me, so for some years i have been practicing and enjoying that as well

.. he tells on his site, which is his name plus .com.

From the video below:

The connection is stress in your past, events in your life that create the disease. It can be only one event..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=gqTSx-hcUQE
If you don't like the music, fast forward to 03:50 for a description of different therapeutic discoveries during travel around the world: diving, contact dance and playing Hang music Swarup does with just a notch above the middle-rate skill. Lot of the Hang players don't get the instrument, Swarup does somewhat, more on this later.

Ortal mentions Max Planck and quantum physics at 23:10 in the video above. Another publicly funded research institute in Germany is the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (wikipedia mentions). Interestingly, Hang, a musical instrument in the idiophone class created by PANArt in Switzerland is based on the Helmholtz resonance.

Watching a lot of videos and collecting performances of players with the best skill in the field, Hang seems to be a surprisingly apt instrument for measuring emotional disturbances, baggage from the past in the players, although i might be totally wrong. Same is with all music instruments. Only with Hang it's somehow more palpable more direct.

Thanks for asking the C's. Stumbled on this EFT connection indirectly, pursuing Hang music as possible PD. More on Hang after doing a length of tests.