Book Review: Treating Trauma with Energy Psychology
Are you interested in energy psychology and want to learn more about non-tapping approaches? Check out the new book, Treating Trauma with Energy Psychology, edited by Catherine Folkers. It contains case studies from Folkers and eight other mental health professionals, detailing their use of Advanced Integrative Therapy, a chakra- and language-based technique, along with other energy psychology techniques to help clients overcome a variety of issues. Their case stories are compelling, and the book left me wanting to learn more about this energy psychology technique!
What’s inside
The cases described in the book cover a range of issues, from borderline personality disorder, to phobia, to PTSD. The clinicians tend to have a psychodynamic orientation, looking at past traumatic events to explain current suffering. They posit that the traumatic events which affect current functioning can even predate birth, including prenatal trauma, intergenerational trauma, and possibly past-life trauma (even metaphorically). Asha Clinton founded AIT, though she stipulates that she received it. You can read a blog about her story here.
The book begins with a description of the basic AIT protocol and an explanation of muscle testing, which is a key component of AIT. Some of the most interesting case studies for me dealt with psychogenic illnesses. AIT conceptualizes some illnesses as messages from the body, where unresolved trauma has led to physical problems. In one case, Crohn’s disease cleared up; in another, kidney function improved, allowing the client to avoid dialysis.
Other interesting cases involved histories of intense childhood abuse, leading to complex PTSD. People with intense childhood trauma and insecure attachment have difficulty in their adult relationships. They are often diagnosed as having borderline personality disorder. These cases are notoriously difficult. However, the stories in this book detailed convincing progress and improved functioning as old trauma patterns cleared. The results were certainly exciting.
Bottom line: the takeaway from "Treating Trauma with Energy Psychology"
Treating Trauma with Energy Psychology is an interesting read. It is worthwhile for clinicians as well as laypeople who are interested in mental health. It offers hope for the many people who are living with the aftermath of trauma, particularly with complex childhood trauma. Left unresolved, these traumas create patterns that are difficult to overcome using conventional means. However, they seemed to respond remarkably well to AIT.
It is my earnest hope that effective tools like AIT and other energy psychology techniques will become more mainstream, so that more people can heal. This book adds to the likelihood of that happening!
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