Comments for Your Therapist

Comment on A Critique of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) by Tomer

Tomer — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:07:26 +0000

What about using the full affirmation EFT version ?
“Even though I have this part that is afraid of water I deeply and completely love myself and the part that is afraid of water as well.”
isn’t solve the “problem” ? that way ALL parts are welcome !
I must say that improvisation is a very useful part of the EFT art of healing too, meaning no one know for sure how it actualy works so using your intuition when choosing the affirmations is important…

Comment on A Critique of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) by Alex

Alex — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 05:59:49 +0000

I agree. I think it’s important not to discredit the fact that long-term success has been seen with the use of EFT techniques. However, I also agree that EFT can be put into perspective when seen in the context of the Internal Family System. The goal of EFT is to trigger an emotion, memory, belief, etc. and then access the neurological pathways or energy fields in which this emotion, memory or belief was recorded in order to replace the negative emotions with the neutral emotions of the present moment. When we choose an issue to work on using EFT, inevitably we are triggering a part. Often times EFT encourages being “flooded” by the part, or feeling any emotions that come up and then tapping on the meridian points as you are feeling the emotions. The reason EFT has such inconsistent results, is that’s it’s shooting in the dark. You never know if the system is on board, or if the part triggered is open to healing, etc. If, however, a part is open to healing, and you tap on the meridian points while the part is flooded with you, then the negative emotions of the part may be permanently replaced with the neutral emotions of the present moment. It’s almost the same process as the part giving up it’s burden to fire, wind, or water. There are many therapeutic techniques that all use the same tools, just in a different way. The beauty of IFS therapy is that it takes the guessing out of it all, and is therefore much more effective and efficient.

Comment on A Critique of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) by Marc

Marc — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:06:04 +0000

Research shows that attachment facilitates affect regulation. In working with exiles, the presence of Self and exiles’ attachment to Self is a pre-requisite for experiencing otherwise intolerable affects (i.e., unburdening). In short, it’s within the context of this loving, positive, attachment-related affect that difficult emotions can be tolerated.

Perhaps what’s happening with EFT is that the affirmation temporarily generates enough attachment/Self energy such that intolerable affects can be tolerated, experienced and released. It’s an “addition model” (Dick S. wouldn’t like), but one that sometimes works, though only if the affirmation is coming from Self and not a part.

Also seems to resemble EMDR and exposure based techniques in CBT.

Comment on A Critique of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) by Gerald Rubin

Gerald Rubin — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 08:28:35 +0000

Your analysis is very sensible. EFT seems to be another highly marketed quick fix. Affirmations are very shallow, if they worked our world would be sane. And I don’t think that meridians have anything to do with anything when it comes to psychology. What commenter 1. is implying that EFT is allowing access to exiles and without manager permission. From an IFS perspective this is the worst possible scenario. If she is correct EFT would result in a large increase of the symptoms that one is trying to rid themselves of.

Comment on A Critique of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) by Antti

Antti — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 07:54:16 +0000

I have tried both IFS and EFT. This totally makes sense to me. I wasn’t been able to get rid of exiles or their burdens either.

I still use acupressure to relief my body of physical ailments or residue from fight-flight-freeze reactions. But open and accepting internal communication is what really helps and leads to progress in my therapy. That’s IFS.

Thanks for the article, keep up the good work!

Comment on A Critique of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) by Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:42 +0000

I’m curious how you reconcile the dismissive language of EFT with the space it provides for the exiled parts to show up. The language does not promote a widening circle of acceptance. It’s all about “overcoming blocks” “getting rid of____” and generally holding out the promise that you can finally become the ideal the controllers want you to be.
My experience with EFT has been just how Derek describes it here, which has been some relief initially, but with a return in equal intensity later. And I’ve worked with reversals, the part that doesn’t want to give up the (addiction, feeling, etc), and again, the language has a sub-current of dishonoring. Here I am tapping on my body to get rid of this feeling. No curiousity about why it’s so insistent or what it’s wanting me to know. In fact, the EFT practitioners I’ve worked with simply assume it’s one of few scripted “negative, limiting beliefs”. Maybe it is, but how do we really know without checking it out? I’ve made some allowances for the language and created more inclusive phrases like “I love and accept all of my experience, including this difficult (feeling, memory, etc.)and this is intriguing, but I am then not doing EFT as classically defined. If my intent is to be inclusive, what I’m then doing is becoming curious about and listening to those difficult places, not “tapping them away” Everything about the culture, marketing, and language of EFT (especially it’s strong association with the law of attraction) smacks of catering to the controller. For those with little or no awareness of the multiplicity of selves, it seems a dis-service.
I am intrigued about the space you’ve experienced is created with EFT. Can you tell me more?

Comment on A Critique of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) by Lynn

Lynn — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 21:58:36 +0000

Hi! Interesting discussion!

I’m a psychotherapist who utilizes a wide variety of wholistic/meditative/progressive modalities. EFT is one of the techniques that I use with clients and with myself. In my experience, I have noticed that EFT does not subdue the Exiled Parts at all. Rather, I have found that it assists in the discharge of the “freeze” response inherent in trauma- and that, subsequently, there is more space for the exiled parts to show up- to express themselves more fully after the freeze/dissociation has been reduced.

Again, this is just my own personal experience with the EFT technique. Also, I don’t use EFT alone- but in the context of many other dimensions of a therapeutic alliance/process.

Thanks for posting these thought provoking articles!