Five things to say when introducing people to energy psychology

People who use energy psychology (EP) in their own healing work or in their clinical practice know how powerful it can be. But it can be tricky to introduce these Eastern-influenced tools to Westerners. With the right elevator speech, you can help people understand EP. Then, they might give it a try – and then, they will feel better. Here’s how you can introduce energy psychology to people who aren’t familiar with it.

1: First, give a general overview of what energy psychology is.

Many Americans today have heard of acupuncture and the chakras, but everyone has heard the term “the mind-body connection” or, as Deepak Chopra has turned to calling it, “the bodymind.” (Because they are so interconnected, they are really the same thing!) So, when you are introducing EP to people who don’t know about it, you can say

“Energy psychology is a set of mind-body tools that help people deal with their mental health issues.”

I like to say, “EP a set of body-based tools to help manage our difficult emotions.” You can make it your own, using the language that best suits you and your audience.

2: Then, let them know that other people are using it

People like to be part of things; it provides a sense of belonging. When we are introducing something that could seem unusual, this can be especially helpful! You can say something like

“These techniques have been around for more than 30 years and thousands of people in the US and around the world have been using them for many kinds of issues.”

You can call back the issue that people are presenting with, because EP has a strong enough track record to cover just about everything people are facing, and all get good results. So, instead of “many kinds of issues,” you can use whatever you are seeking to help with – depression, anxiety, trauma, overeating, chemo brain, the list goes on!

3: Build a bridge

EP tools are grounded in Eastern ideas. Many Westerners need to have that acknowledged; that builds the bridge to normalizing it. If you are using a meridian technique like EFT or TFT or TTT, you can say “we will be tapping on a series of acupressure points.” If you are using AIT or another chakra-based technique, you can say “we will be working with energy centers.” In any case, you can give a nod to the Eastern influence by saying

“These techniques are grounded in Eastern practices that have been around for thousands of years and are becoming increasingly understood in the West.”

You can add something about how many people signed up for Nick Ortner’s Tapping Summit (___) or how many therapists have been trained by ACEP (_____). This kind of wording helps people understand that there is a paradigm that is not a monolithic truth.

4: Explain that trauma gets locked in the body, and EP uses the body

Bessel Van der Kolk’s book The Body Keeps the Score tells the story: When we experience trauma, that trauma seems to get “locked” in our bodies. When we experience PTSD, our brains light up as if we were experiencing the trauma all over again. Our bodies go into fight-flight-freeze mode instantly. People might know that the trauma is in the past, but it feels like it’s in the present. We can’t think our way out of this. To explain this, try saying something like

We know today that trauma gets locked in the body, and in order to release trauma, we need to involve the body.

I like to cite Van der Kolk when I introduce EP because, credibility. I’d add, “according to the research from Harvard professor of psychiatry…”. You might like to add that, too.

5: Cite some research stats

There has been a lot of research over the past two decades, which has been very helpful in legitimizing EP! If you want to brush up on your EP research, check out ACEP’s research guide. When you are talking to clients, you can say something like

“More than 200 studies have demonstrated how effective EP is at treating anxiety to depression to PTSD to chemo brain.”

If you are speaking to a specific population, you can cite the research that’s relevant to them. You don’t need a ton of information, just something to pique their interest. I recently introduced EP to a group of people with breast cancer and told them about a study (embed the link to the blog about this) of 212 cancer patients who decreased their “chemo brain” after eight weeks of tapping. They were enthusiastic about giving EP a try!

6: Give a compelling example

Much as I love citing research, there’s nothing like a human story to make the case for EP. If you’ve been using EP in your practice, you probably have some good ones of your own. If not, you can share ACEP member and FREA founder Robin Trainor’s (link to her page) story which she recently shared with me. I think it’s a good one:

“A woman had been gang raped 10 years before she and Robin met. She was haunted by the trauma, couldn’t forgive, and said it was ruining her life. Robin did EFT with her. The woman was 10-out-of-10 upset at the beginning, but after 45 minutes of tapping, her distress went to zero. A year later, she was still free of the trauma.

It’s relatable, and it sure is compelling! Stories like this usually clear up any more hesitation and help paint a full picture of what EP can offer.

Try the recipe!

You can incorporate these five talking points can a brief introduction of EP. Each point builds on the previous and they create a compelling story that helps people overcome any hesitation to trying EP. We know how powerful EP is, and how much it helps people. Giving it a solid introduction honors the tradition and evidence of EP and can help us reach more people.

It’s a set of mind-body tools.
Many people use it.
It’s grounded in Eastern traditions.
Trauma gets locked in the body, and EP uses the body
It has research backing.
Here’s a compelling story of how it helped someone.
What’s your favorite EP story? Share your comments below.

by Sarah Murphy

Have insomnia? Try this.

Want to learn a great technique to help you sleep? You’re in the right place. This blog teaches you an easy tool you can use the next time you have insomnia to help you get the sleep you need.

The Balance Hook-Up, also called the Wayne Cook Posture, is a technique that helps overcome insomnia. In two to 15 minutes, you will feel your body and mind relax, and you will then be able to fall asleep. This technique comes to us from Donna Eden. Practice the technique right now by watching the video below and following along. You can also download written instructions in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Why It Works

The Balance Hook-Up is a simple technique that actually has a lot to it! Crossing our ankles, arms, and hands, we are crossing the brain's corpus callosum; this helps us feel grounded. The gentle pressure and attention to our chest area and slow breathing help activate the upper portion of the vagus nerve, which helps us calm down. Moving our tongue up and down applies gentle pressure to our meridian system. All of these ingredients combine to make a fabulous self-soothing, anti-insomnia recipe.

If you haven’t given the Balance Hook-Up a try yet, do it now. Take notice of how your body feels both before and after you use the technique. It is helpful not just for insomnia, but any time you feel upset or have racing thoughts. In fact, this technique is just one of many you can use when you need calming and balancing.

If you want to learn to use tools like this to improve your wellbeing, contact me.

Video Resources Provided by the ACEP Humanitarian Committee

The mission of the ACEP Humanitarian Committee is to develop and implement humanitarian projects that alleviate emotional distress caused by catastrophic natural and man-made events around the globe. We do this by encouraging and assisting ACEP members in developing humanitarian projects that utilize recognized energy psychology and other modalities that meet ACEP’s standards and guidelines. Learn more here.

by Sarah Murphy

3 reasons to use body-based tools in therapy

Three reasons why you need to be using body-based tools in your therapy practice

There is a growing interest in therapy tools that go beyond talk therapy. Talk therapy is great. I’m a classically trained counselor, and I love talking with my clients about how they are thinking of the issues in their lives. However, there are certain cases when talking is just not effective. In those cases, body-based tools, like EMDR, EFT, somatic experiencing, etc., are very effective. These tools are having a hay day, as they should – because they work. Here are three reasons to use body-based tools in your therapy practice:

Trauma gets locked in the body.

Bessel Van Der Kolk’s book The Body Keeps the Score paints the picture well. When we have a traumatic experience, that trauma stays in our bodies. Whenever we remember the trauma, our physiology gets activated as if we were experiencing it again. Our hearts beat faster, we have a rush of cortisol in our blood, our brains change. These experiences happen no matter how much we logically understand that the past is not happening now. No matter how we try, we can’t think our way out of this. Our bodies go into fight-flight-freeze in spite of ourselves.

We have probably all experienced something like this, but here’s a story that illustrates the point. I work with people who have cancer, and therefore trauma. One client thought her oncologist told her she had stage four cancer. The oncologist had been telling her about the grade of her tumor. She did not have stage four cancer and quickly realized her mistake. However, in terms of trauma response, that understanding didn’t matter. Whenever she thought about being in the office and mishearing that diagnosis, she started to shake and cry. That is, until we did a couple rounds of EFT tapping. Since then, her emotions are clear when she remembers the experience. Today, not only her mind but also her body understand that she’s OK.

We all have trauma.

Trauma isn’t just the cancer diagnosis or the bus accident. It’s also the time the class laughed at you in fourth grade, or the time Dad yelled at you when you were six. We all have trauma, and it affects us to a greater or lesser extent, depending largely on the amount of trauma we have. Some of us have experienced more trauma than others, and that matters. Every succeeding trauma leaves us less resilient for the next.

The ACE study shows that the more of these traumas we experienced as children, the more problems we will have as adults. These problems range from increased weight to addiction to financial complications to cancer. We need tools to effectively deal with these underlying traumatic experiences as well as the more recent ones like the cancer diagnosis and the bus accident. And as we’ve seen, talking about them does not do the job.

Trauma clears when you involve the body.

The research on standard CBT for trauma is pretty dismal. People get a little better if they manage to stick it out through all the appointments, but most don’t stick it out, and all still are suffering when it’s finished. And I don’t know about you, but for me, that’s not good enough. It’s not her fault that she got cancer, or that he got hit by a bus. They sure as hell shouldn’t be suffering for years afterwards because we can’t find a decent tool to help them. Thankfully, the research on tools like EFT and EMDR show that these tools actually work.

Let’s take, for example, some of the worst cases: war vets. People who have served in combat zones have experienced things I can only nightmare about. They often come home with PTSD. In the old days, we thought that once people were “shell shocked” they were pretty much messed up for life. Then, we thought that some CBT therapy or virtual reality would do the trick, and it moved the needle a little. Today, we know that there are tools – body-based tools – the help people heal from even the most severe trauma.

The Veterans Stress Project has achieved great results in helping veterans overcome PTSD. One case study shows how six sessions of EFT tapping helped a veteran reduce his PTSD score from 60 (clinical range is 50 or higher) to 40, and down to 22 at six months’ follow up. Furthermore, EMDR is one of the most-researched tools for PTSD. It has a strong evidence base and has been adopted by the VA.

You can learn these tools.

If you are a clinician, you can learn to use these tools in your therapy practice. Your clients deserve it. EMDR certification is available through EMDR Institute. You can get certified in EFT through ACEP, EFT International, and EFT Universe. If you are a client, you can use EFT as a self-help tool to support your growth and recovery between sessions. You can also find therapists who are trained in using these tools. ACEP has a search tool, and Psychology Today lists Energy Psychology as a treatment modality.

Now that you know the three reasons to use body-based tools in your therapy practice, I hope you will consider using them!

by Sarah Murphy

how to stay sane when the world is going crazy

How to keep your sanity when the world is losing it

The pandemic, the wars abroad, the political divide at home, inflation, commuting again – sometimes it seems the world has gone crazy. How are we to keep ourselves sane and grounded amidst all that turmoil? The question is not rhetorical. I read the research on mental health and talk about these things with my clients all the time. Here are some ideas that can help you stay sane when the world seems to be going crazy:

Get back to your cushion.

I know, the meditation cushion is almost cliché. That doesn’t mean it’s not important! In my case, it’s a futon in the spare room. Wherever you sit, go sit. Do it every day. If you haven’t started a mindfulness or meditation practice, this is a good time to do it. There’s a lot of research that shows how meditation changes our mood and even changes our brain. It’s probably the single best thing you can do to ensure a little smoother sailing when the waters are rough.

Connect to your peeps.

Your friends and family need you and you need them. Human beings exist in relationship to others, and we just can’t thrive without them. So, send a message, or dial the phone. Have a talk or plan a date. Meet for a walk or a coffee. Whatever you do with them, make your people your priority. They’ll remind you what’s important and what’s eternal, and your life will be better for it.

Stay in your body.

It’s interesting to see how often people are unaware of the signals of distress their bodies are sending. I remember being unaware of them myself, but with practice, I learned to notice and respond to them. You can, too. Things like walking, running, exercising in general can help you burn off extra energy, which we often need to do. Other things like EFT tapping or yoga practices can shift the energy in our body-mind. All of it can help us stay centered, grounded, and calm.

Laugh.

Watch a funny sitcom or stand-up show. Listen to a humorous podcast. Spend time with your funny friend. When all else fails, watch laughing babies on YouTube. Whatever tickles your fancy is fair game – but make laughing a priority. It changes our body chemistry and makes us feel better long after the giggles stop.

Appreciate nature

If you can, go outside. Appreciate the quiet of a snowfall or the din of an ocean or the soothing sound of early birds. Smell the roses! Or the salt air, the moss of the forest, the dry dust of desert sand. Feel the warmth or coolness or shock of cold on your skin. And look! The natural world is beautiful. Cultivate a beginner’s mind and take it all in with appreciation.

Slow down.

When we are in a rush, our body is filling with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Over the long haul, that’s not good for you. Even in the short term, it doesn’t feel great. When we are stressed, we feel, well, stressed. Cultivate the opposite: Take a pause before you cross the threshold of any room. Take a breath before you talk. When you transition from one activity to the next, take a moment to notice that you are shifting. This is one that I need to practice more this year.

How about you? What from this list strikes a chord with you? What did I leave out? I’d love to hear from you!

by Sarah Murphy

Reiki helps Cancer Patients

Energy psychology includes tapping therapies, which have been widely researched and which we write about frequently. However, there is more to energy psychology than meridian tapping. Some energy psychology practices focus on the chakras (Advanced Integrative Therapies, for example, is a chakra-based energy psychology method). Others focus on the biofield. Energy psychology practitioners also may use biofield therapies from other energy-based disciplines. Reiki is one example. It has gained popularity and traction in recent years, particularly in the field of palliative care for cancer patients. It is one of the modalities supported by Unite for HER. Research and patient reports confirm: Reiki helps cancer patients.

What is Reiki?

Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a noninvasive practice that uses a light touch on, or hovering just above, the body. The goal of Reiki is to direct the flow of energy through the biofield, the purported energy that surrounds and interpenetrates us, in order to promote healing. Reiki promotes a sense of wellbeing and relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety, reduces pain, and increases energy levels.

Reiki originated in Japan, where, according to legend, the monk Mikao Usui created it as a spiritual practice. The word rei means universal, and ki is life energy (like chi). It is now widely used in the West as a popular form of complementary therapy and wellness tool. It is increasingly popular in cancer centers, where it helps address the emotional and spiritual needs of cancer patients. Reiki does not address the cancer itself, but rather, promotes the wellbeing of the patient. It has no negative side effects and patients almost universally endorse it as a relaxing treatment that connects them to a sense of wellbeing.

How does Reiki work?

Reiki providers typically deliver Reiki as a hands-on, using light touch, or hands-over therapy in a series of about 30 hand positions. It is similar to Healing Touch and Therapeutic Touch. The client usually lies fully clothed on a massage table, though sometimes cancer centers have Reiki practitioners deliver Reiki to people receiving treatments in an infusion chair.

Advanced practitioners can also deliver Reiki from a distance by tuning in to the client’s energy field and delivering the treatment. Interestingly, a study in 2004 documented an equal and significant reduction in depression and anxiety among people who received distant Reiki healing. In that study, people did not know whether they were receiving Reiki or not, and there was no evidence that people felt anything during the treatment. During the covid pandemic, Reiki providers often connected to their clients via telephone or video call, and guided the client through some of the hand positions while the practitioner directed the flow of energy, sometimes using their own body as a proxy. Patients reported feeling relaxed and experiencing a greater sense of wellbeing during these sessions. In more common in-person Reiki sessions, people experience relaxation and wellbeing, and often describe being in a liminal state regarding time, place, and even self.

Many cancer patients who receive Reiki report feeling relaxed, often experiencing the first reprieve from anxiety and worry since diagnosis. It is common for people to fall asleep during Reiki treatment. After treatment, people report feeling more optimistic, less tired, and more comfortable.

What does the research say?

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine (NCCIM), there are not enough studies to make claims to Reiki’s efficacy. However, the studies we have to date show that Reiki helps with distress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain. In addition, the anecdotal evidence is strong, and many patients want to try Reiki. Researchers had to close one planned large study because not enough people would agree to be in the no-Reiki comparison group. Reiki and integrative therapies in general are more appealing to women and younger people.

Reduction in distress

A study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine collected pre-post survey data from 213 study participants. Reiki volunteers came to infusion rooms, waiting rooms before radiation or proton therapies, and inpatient hospital rooms. Sessions lasted just 10 – 30 minutes. Recipients reported statistically significant (p< .001) reductions in distress, anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue. Those who turned in their surveys also liked the session and found it helpful, said they would do it again, and most would recommend to others. In open-ended question responses, most said they found it relaxing, it helped them think positively, relieved physical and psychological symptoms, helped them feel connected to self and others, and increased their sense of spiritual wellbeing.

Improved quality of life

A randomized, controlled, double-blind study from the Centro Hospitalar de S. João in Portugal tested Reiki on patients with blood cancer. The 230 study participants received Reiki, delivered by Reiki practitioners, or sham Reiki, delivered by sham therapists not trained in Reiki. They received biweekly hour-long Reiki sessions for four weeks. Participants took the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life questionnaire before and after treatment. The data showed that pain was the biggest factor in decreasing quality of life, and that those who received Reiki experienced greater quality of life. The WHOQoL data is divided into five domains: general, physical, social, environment, and psychological. Interestingly, in this study only the psychological domain did not reach statistical significance; the other domains all achieved significant improvements (p = .05). Results were impressive enough that the hospital decided to incorporate Reiki therapy in the services available to patients.

Improves fatigue

A pilot study published in the journal Integrative Cancer Studies focused on Reiki to address fatigue among cancer patients. Researchers compared Reiki to rest among 16 participants. Participants experienced both treatment conditions, being randomized into Reiki then rest, or rest then Reiki. Reiki consisted of five consecutive days of hour-long Reiki, a week of no treatment, two more Reiki sessions, and another two weeks off. The rest condition consisted of five days of hour-long rest during the day, followed by a week of no intervention, and a final week of no intervention. During the Reiki condition, participants experienced a reduction in fatigue (p = .05); they also achieved significant improvements in tiredness, pain, and anxiety. These improvements were not found in the rest condition.

Improved wellbeing

A 2012 study published in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care investigated the effect of Reiki on pain and anxiety using a numeric rating scale by Reiki providers. The 118 study participants received between one and four, 30-minute Reiki sessions. Seventy percent of recipients said Reiki improved their wellbeing; 88% said it helped them relax; 45% said it eased pain; 34% said it helped them sleep. For those who received all four Reiki sessions, anxiety decreased dramatically (p = .000001). Pain decreased, and participants reported that receiving Reiki improved their overall wellbeing, sleep quality, relaxation, pain relief, and anxiety.

Overall improvements

A 2013 study published in the same journal investigated Reiki at a cancer infusion center. Participants received Reiki and filled out a survey, rating their improvement in pain, mood, distress, sleep, and appetite. Ninety three percent of Reiki recipients rated it a positive experience, and almost 90% said they would like to have it again. Eighty seven percent said it helped them relax, 75% said it helped ease worry, 79% said it improved their mood, 38% said it helped them sleep, 48% said it helped reduce pain, 41%said it helped with loneliness, 67% said it improved their attitude, and 30% said it helped with their appetite.

Improving pain and anxiety

A team of researchers conducted a review of randomized controlled trials of Reiki for pain and anxiety. All studies in the review included a control or treatment as usual group and a Reiki group; all were published in peer-reviewed journals since 2000. Reiki achieved small effect sizes, measured by Cohen’s d, for reducing anxiety and pain, suggesting that Reiki may be effective for addressing these concerns.

The body of evidence supporting Reiki as a complementary therapy for people with cancer is growing, but small. More, larger studies will help move the field forward. In spite of the research, many oncology centers offer Reiki to their patients. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center offer Reiki; all have participated in gathering some evidence of its efficacy.

Who gives Reiki treatments?

Reiki providers do not hold professional licenses in that method, though in some states they must carry a massage therapy license. Some professionals who use energy psychology also use Reiki in their practice.

There are three or four levels of training; each comes with an attunement given from Reiki master to student. At the first level, practitioners learn the hand positions. In the second level, they learn to do distant Reiki. At the third level, they deepen their understanding, learn symbols, and are prepared to teach Reiki to others. After giving an attunement to a trainee, they are called Reiki Masters.

Trainings, however, vary widely. Some people can become Reiki Masters in a weekend or through online courses. One study suggested that Reiki practitioners with more experience generated better results. On the other hand, studies found that practitioners untrained in Reiki giving sham Reiki actually help patients feel better. It will be interesting to see how the field of Reiki changes as the practice becomes more popular and more evidence based.

Bottom Line

Reiki is a form of energy therapy that has roots in the East and is gaining popularity and a research base in the West. It is particularly popular in cancer centers because of its ability to help with anxiety and to reduce pain.

by Sarah Murphy

Four Ideas that Explain Energy Psychology

Energy psychology (EP) is a set of somatic, holistically influenced, evidence-based tools and therapeutic interventions that help people manage their mental health issues. One of the most popular forms of EP is EFT, the Emotional Freedom Techniques. EFT and other EP methods are gaining traction because they provide therapists and clients effective alternative to traditional talk therapy. They are particularly effective in helping people heal from underlying traumas. They also empower clients: the tools and skills can be taken out of the treatment room and incorporated in regular self-care and emotion regulation practices. These practices have stood the test of time, only gaining in popularity and clinical application. Most importantly, they help people. Here are four ideas that help explain energy psychology.

Trauma gets locked in the body. EP involves the body.

EP involves the body, and we increasingly understand how important that is in addressing difficult emotional issues, particularly trauma. Bessel Van der Kolk’s book The Body Keeps the Score tells the story: When we experience trauma, that trauma seems to get “locked” in our bodies. When we experience PTSD, our brains light up as if we were experiencing the trauma all over again. Our bodies go into fight-flight-freeze mode instantly. People might know that the trauma is in the past, but it feels like it’s in the present. Talk therapy can go on, providing a lot of insight, but – to the dismay and frustration of clinicians and clients – it doesn’t move the needle on trauma responses. We can’t think our way out of trauma.

Body-based practices like most EP techniques are particularly effective at healing trauma. Trauma is a huge issue in mental health. It’s not just about wars and car accidents, horrible as those experiences can be. All kinds of life experiences can be traumatic, including loss, being diagnosed with a serious disease, and being in a dysfunctional relationship. Childhood traumas leave lasting impacts, as we now understand. The ACE study shows just how powerful the effects of childhood trauma can be. All kinds of trauma underlie many other mental health issues, including addictions. EP offers tools that help address the trauma and mitigate the damage.

EP has a strong and growing research base.

Of more than 400 therapeutic approaches, EP is in the top 10 in terms of research base. Studies show it is effective for anxiety, PTSD, depression, weight loss, and a host of other issues. I recently introduced EP to a group of people with breast cancer and told them about a study of 212 cancer patients who decreased their chemo brain after eight weeks of tapping. They were enthusiastic about giving EP a try.

That’s just one small example of EP research. To date, more than 200 articles about energy psychology published in peer-reviewed journals demonstrate its effectiveness. Among these are more than 115 studies: 99% of the studies document efficacy for energy psychology modalities. These include more than 50 pre-post studies and 65 randomized controlled studies. The body of research includes 12 systematic reviews. and five meta-analyses of energy psychology therapies. The data show EP is effective for pain, depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, and other issues.

These techniques have been around for more than 30 years.

Roger Callahan was the first known American psychologist to incorporate meridian tapping in his work, beginning in the 1990s. The results his clients achieved were impressive -- and exciting! He found long-held issues were clearing up in ways he had never experienced. Callahan began teaching other psychologists how to apply his method. He created the first manualized meridian-based therapy, Thought Field Therapy (TFT). One of his students was Gary Craig, who went on to found EFT. Other tapping protocols have been developed, studied, and used widely – as self-help tools, in clinical treatment settings, and around the world in disaster response missions.

Thousands of people in the US and around the world have been using EP methods for many kinds of issues from depression and anxiety to trauma and PTSD to weight loss and chemo brain. EFT, in particular, has become very popular in the self-help world: in 2016, half a million people participated in Nick Ortner’s free, online Tapping Summit. EP has made tremendous inroads in the clinical setting: more than 10,000 clinicians have been trained by the Association of Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP), and that is just one organization dedicated to teaching clinical EP skills.

Most importantly, EP helps people.

I have used EP in my clinical practice for the past decade and I have seen amazing things. Just like Callahan saw 3 decades ago, I have witnessed people become free from their traumatic experiences. It often happens in just one session. Moreover, the results last.

EP stories: a client feels better fast

In my facilitated support groups for women being treated for breast cancer we often incorporate EFT tapping at the start of our sessions. Recently, two of the women started crying almost immediately. The tears faded quickly. After 15 minutes of tapping, they were replaced by calm smiles. One of the crying women said that hers had been tears of relief as she was able to voice the deep emotional pain she had been suffering. The other said that she simply felt calm after tapping. They all said they felt better than they had in a long time.

EP helps: an example from the field

One of my favorite stories is from a colleague in Ohio, Robin Trainor. Robin met a woman at a retreat several years ago. The woman said she had been gang raped 10 years before. She was haunted by the trauma, couldn’t forgive, and said it was ruining her life. Robin did EFT with her. The woman was 10-out-of-10 upset at the beginning, but after 45 minutes of tapping, her distress went to zero. A year later, she was still free of the trauma.

If you chat with an EP practitioner, you will hear stories like these. People get better fast when they involve the body in their therapy, and EP tools do just that. If it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. It is what we need to be doing more of in order to help people.

by Sarah Murphy

need an energy boost? try the four thumps.

Need an energy boost? Try this.

Groggy and can't take a nap? This blog teaches you an easy tool for an energy boost.

Next time you need an energy boost, try the Four Thumps. This is a simple body-based technique that will help you get your energy flowing. The technique comes to us from Donna Eden. Practice the technique right now by watching the video below and following along. You can also download written instructions in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

How it works

Tap lightly under your eyes. Then tap or rub under your collarbones, on the middle of your chest, and on your bottom rib.

Follow along with the video above and give the Four Thumps a try! Take notice of how your body feels both before and after you use the technique. This technique is just one of many you can use to get your energy flowing again.

Why it works

When you use techniques like the Four Thumps, you are interacting with your body's energy system and increasing the flow of energy through your system. This technique turns your circuits back on and gets your energy flowing again.

This technique is also helpful if you feel discouraged, numb, shocked, or paralyzed.

More techniques for when you need an energy boost

If you found the Four Thumps helpful, here are a few more tools you can use to increase your energy: the Heel Shock Release and Thymus Thump. All of the videos and techniques in our "Try This" series were created by ACEP's Humanitarian Committee in order to help people heal by spreading the word about the powerful effects of energy psychology techniques. We invite you to help by sharing this information!

If you want to learn to use techniques like this to improve your wellbeing, contact me.

Video Resources Provided by the ACEP Humanitarian Committee

The mission of the ACEP Humanitarian Committee is to develop and implement humanitarian projects that alleviate emotional distress caused by catastrophic natural and man-made events around the globe. We do this by encouraging and assisting ACEP members in developing humanitarian projects that utilize recognized energy psychology and other modalities that meet ACEP’s standards and guidelines. Learn more here.

by Sarah Murphy

Five Takeaways from the Research on Energy Psychology

Energy Psychology is a set of body- and energy-based tools for mental and emotional issues. These tools are gaining traction among clinicians and clients. That’s because they work. Indeed, there is a substantial base of evidence supporting these tools. Here are five takeaways from the research on energy psychology:

The body of research is robust:

More than 275 articles in peer-reviewed journals discuss EP. Among these are 125+ studies, including 70+ randomized controlled trials, 55+ outcome studies, 5 meta-analyses, 5 systematic reviews, 14 comparative reviews.

In fact, among the 400 or more psychotherapeutic approaches, EP is in the top 10% in terms of research base.

It is gaining momentum:

In the 12 years between 2000 and 2012, there were 18 RCTs on EP. Then, in the four years between 2012 and 2016, that number jumped by 27 to a total of 45.

Additionally, the research includes more than 50 studies in non-English language journals. Most of these studies haven’t been translated into English; many come from Indonesia, but the list also includes Spanish language, Turkish, Iranian, Indian, and other international publications.

It’s also gaining traction:

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has created a specific category for EFT, TFT and Somatic Experiencing called Combined Somatic and Cognitive Therapies (CSACTs). They also acknowledged that these are “worthy of further research.”

On this side of the Atlantic, in 2017, the US VA stated that EFT is a “generally safe therapy.” And in Asia, the momentum continues, with South Korea’s medical system approving the use of EFT in 2019.

EP Helps – often faster and better than traditional approaches:

According to the research, EP helps with a host of issues including anxiety, depression, food cravings, pain, PTSD and trauma; several studies show EP helps boost athletic performance.

To date, eight studies compare cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and EP head-to-head. These studies show that EP is either equivalent to or more effective than CBT. Moreover, in several studies, EP achieved results in significantly less time.

In fact, studies show 86% of veterans no longer had PTSD symptoms when treated with EP. That is twice as effective and two times faster than prolonged exposure therapy.

The research also shows how EP affects our physiology

Several studies show significant drops in cortisol (a stress hormone) after EFT: One was authored by Dawson Church in 2012; another was led by Anastasia Bougea in 2013; one from Indonesia came out in 2018; the most recent was a 2019 study led by Bach.

An fMRI study led by Peta Stapleton documented neural changes after EFT. Finally, other research documents physiological & immunological changes and gene expression with EP methods. All of these studies show how EP affects us physically.

Want to add to the data?

If you are a clinician and are interested in participating in the research, you can do that easily using the online research database ep-research.com. The informed consent and various metrics are there at your fingertips; professional scholars will add your data to an ongoing study of a variety of EP methods.

by Sarah Murphy

ACEP's 2021 Spreading the Word Award Winner Maria Limardo

Activism In the Field of Energy Psychology

Dr. Maria Limardo (PhD., CMIQP, medical intuitive, CEP), has been sharing the gift of energy psychology (EP) in her home state of Florida and throughout the US and Central and South America for just four years. In that short span, she has a dedicated following, particularly among the Latinx community. In fact, in 2021, it is estimated that Maria reached as many as 100,000 people!

Besides her energy psychology work, Maria is a medical intuitive. She combines these tools in her private practice. Maria reaches many in the Latinx community via her Facebook page and using the popular WhatsApp platform. Additionally, Maria teaches EP techniques through ACEP’s Emotional First Aid training. She works via tele-therapy with individuals and groups.

Spreading the Word Award

Maria has given many talks, webcasts, and other online trainings to promote energy psychology. She is passionate about spreading the word because she has seen how powerful these tools can be. Her enthusiasm led her to a training program through the UN and television appearances on Univision and on CNN Español.
In 2021, she won the Spreading the Word award for her “outstanding efforts to garner credibility and respect for the field of energy psychology by interfacing with allied professional networks, organizations, or the public media.”

EP Tool of choice

Maria's EP tool of choice is the Trauma Tapping Technique (TTT), a nonverbal tapping tool. TTT has been used successfully in refugee and trauma situations all over the world. The Peaceful Heart Network and Dr Peta Stapleton are currently studying it. She says she has taught mothers to use it on themselves to keep calm, and to calm their children by using a kid-friendly, hands-on approach, with mothers tracing the points on their children’s faces and torso.

The people who Maria teaches often comment that TTT is “magic.” Her clients are mostly very poor mothers who need tools to center themselves and their children. The majority of people who come to her, Maria says, are referred by medical doctors.

Looking Toward the Future

When asked about her future plans, she says that sees the field of energy psychology growing. Inside the US, she believes, the increase in the evidence base as well as doctors’ increasing understanding of the powerful negative fallout of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are driving this change.

In addition to an increasing visibility of these powerful tools in the US, Maria says, there is a tremendous opportunity for ACEP to grow outside of the US. In Latin America, there is a wider acceptance of “magical realism”, making this population particularly open to energy psychology techniques. They are open to trying, see it working, and keep using it.

Background: From Conventional Doctor to EP Practitioner

Born in Boston to Venezuelan parents, Maria spent her childhood in the US and Venezuela. She earned her MD and her PhD in human genetics from the Thomas Jefferson University of Philadelphia. Maria was a renowned expert on Butterfly Syndrome Disease. Working with this rare and debilitating illness pressed Maria to look beyond the wisdom of conventional medicine and into the intuitive healing arts.

Since 2012 Maria has shared her gift with many others by teaching medical intuitive practices at spiritual centers throughout South Florida. Additionally, she was on the teaching staff at the Florida Institute of Complementary and Alternative Health (FLICAH) in Doral, Florida, where she taught a Medical Intuitive Coach Certification course. In 2018, Maria discovered ACEP, attending her first ACEP conference and becoming an active member of the humanitarian committee.

I share Maria's story here because she is inspiring!

by Sarah Murphy

Mindfulness and Energy Psychology for Cancer

24^th ACEP Conference presentation | Sarah Murphy, LPC, NCC | Compiled 4/22/2022

To see a pdf of the presentation, click here.

References:

by Sarah Murphy

Call or Text Me: 610-212-9144 | Email: [email protected]

Sarah Murphy

1: First, give a general overview of what energy psychology is.

2: Then, let them know that other people are using it

3: Build a bridge

4: Explain that trauma gets locked in the body, and EP uses the body

5: Cite some research stats

6: Give a compelling example

Try the recipe!

Want to learn a great technique to help you sleep? You’re in the right place. This blog teaches you an easy tool you can use the next time you have insomnia to help you get the sleep you need.

Why It Works

Video Resources Provided by the ACEP Humanitarian Committee

Trauma gets locked in the body.

We all have trauma.

Trauma clears when you involve the body.

You can learn these tools.

Get back to your cushion.

Connect to your peeps.

Stay in your body.

Laugh.

Appreciate nature

Slow down.

What is Reiki?

How does Reiki work?

What does the research say?

Reduction in distress

Improved quality of life

Improves fatigue

Improved wellbeing

Overall improvements

Improving pain and anxiety

Who gives Reiki treatments?

Bottom Line

Trauma gets locked in the body. EP involves the body.

EP has a strong and growing research base.

These techniques have been around for more than 30 years.

Most importantly, EP helps people.

EP stories: a client feels better fast

EP helps: an example from the field

Groggy and can't take a nap? This blog teaches you an easy tool for an energy boost.

How it works

Why it works

More techniques for when you need an energy boost

Video Resources Provided by the ACEP Humanitarian Committee

The body of research is robust:

It is gaining momentum:

It’s also gaining traction:

EP Helps – often faster and better than traditional approaches:

The research also shows how EP affects our physiology

Want to add to the data?

Activism In the Field of Energy Psychology

Spreading the Word Award

EP Tool of choice

Looking Toward the Future

Background: From Conventional Doctor to EP Practitioner