What is Energy Psychology?
What is Energy psychology (EP)? It 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, as these tools and skills can be taken out of the treatment room and used 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 will help you understand EP.
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. And it’s not just about wars and car accidents. 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.
In my facilitated support groups for women with 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.
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.
Biofield Therapy for Breast Cancer Survivors: Reducing Stress and Inflammation
My recent blog about Reiki for cancer patients sparked a lot of interest. Today, we’re diving deeper into the research to understand how biofield therapy for breast cancer can reduce stress and inflammation. One landmark study, a dissertation by Shamini Jain published in 2009, compared biofield therapy to mock healing in breast cancer survivors, examining both psychological and physiological outcomes. The results were remarkable: participants receiving biofield therapy experienced significant improvements in mood, fatigue, and inflammation markers compared to the mock healing group.
Study background
Breast cancer affects millions of women worldwide. Even after treatment ends, the stress of a cancer diagnosis can linger, increasing the risk of depression, fatigue, and even disease recurrence. Jain’s study helps us understand the stress → inflammation → disease cycle and offers evidence that biofield therapies—popular among breast cancer patients—may do more than just promote relaxation.
How inflammation leads to disease: a microscopic story
To appreciate the study’s significance, it helps to understand how chronic stress affects the body:
HPA axis:
The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is our stress response system. Stress triggers the hypothalamus to signal the pituitary, which releases ACTH. ACTH prompts the adrenal glands to release cortisol, preparing the body for fight-or-flight—raising heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
Inflammation:
Cortisol works with inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Normally, these molecules respond to injury or infection, then decrease once the threat passes. But chronic stress can disrupt this balance.
Chronic inflammation and cellular dysfunction:
Long-term stress can alter gene expression, RNA synthesis, and protein production, contributing to diseases including cancer. Depression, fatigue, and chronic stress accelerate these processes. Biofield therapies may help interrupt this cycle by reducing stress, improving mood, and potentially influencing inflammation at a molecular level.
The study design
Participants
29 breast cancer survivors (stage 1–3a), at least one month post-treatment, completed the study—16 in the energy healing (EH) group and 13 in the mock healing group.
Healing protocol:
EH was similar to Reiki, Healing Touch, or Therapeutic Touch. Practitioners with years of experience used a sequence of hand positions across the body, each session lasting 45–60 minutes. Mock healers were unaware or skeptical of energy healing.
Measures:
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Psychological: fatigue, depression, mood, quality of life, sleep
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Physiological: inflammatory markers (IL-6, sIL-6R, IL-1Ra, IL-4, TNFRII) and cortisol levels
Study results
Psychological Outcomes:
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Fatigue: EH group experienced greater reduction than mock group.
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Depression: Decreased in EH group; increased in mock group.
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Mood: Chemotherapy survivors had higher baseline disturbance; EH reduced mood issues more effectively.
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Quality of Life: Improved in both groups, with EH participants showing greater benefit.
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Sleep: No significant change in either group.
Physiological Outcomes:
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Most inflammatory markers decreased in the EH group while increasing in the mock group.
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Cortisol levels dropped more significantly in EH participants, indicating reduced stress response.
Why this study matters
This study demonstrates that biofield therapy for breast cancer survivors can:
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Reduce psychological distress (fatigue, depression, mood disturbance)
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Decrease inflammatory markers associated with disease progression
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Complement traditional medical treatments as an evidence-based mind-body intervention
While this research is just one piece of the puzzle, it supports the growing recognition that biofield therapies are more than feel-good practices—they may influence physical wellbeing at a molecular level.
Looking ahead
Nearly 3.8 million American women live with a history of breast cancer. As mind-body research grows, integrative therapies like energy healing are increasingly recognized as valuable adjuvants. Combining conventional care with techniques that reduce stress and inflammation can help improve both emotional and physiological outcomes.
The hope is that, in the near future, energy healing and other mind-body approaches will be offered alongside medical treatment, prioritizing not just survival, but emotional and physical wellbeing.
If you enjoyed this blog, you may also like:
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Mindfulness and Meditation for Cancer Patients – How meditation supports emotional and physical wellbeing during cancer recovery.
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Releasing Emotional Stress with Simple Acupoint Tapping – A practical mind-body technique to reduce stress and fatigue.
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Meditation and Gut Health: What Do You Know? – How meditation may influence physical health beyond the mind.
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Mindfulness for Sleep: Simple Techniques for Restful Nights – Techniques to help regulate stress and improve sleep quality.
Signs That Point Us Along Our Way
I had been thinking of going to graduate school but I was afraid. It would cost money and time that I was not sure I had to invest. It seemed like I already had a lot on my plate as a single mom of three young kids. And it had been a while since I’d done the school thing. I graduated from college thirteen years earlier, and had taken some more undergraduate classes since then, but it had been years since I was in a classroom. Formal graduate education was daunting.
However, I didn’t have another plan. I was teaching yoga and had been studying Reiki. I had considered learning massage and trying to earn a living as a massage therapist/Reiki practitioner/yoga teacher. But I had another thought—that maybe I should get a master’s degree in counseling and become a therapist.
I was on the mailing list of Immaculata University, which is a beautiful school close to where I live. Earlier in the summer, I had attended a yoga teacher training, and one afternoon I decided to dedicate my practice to getting clarity on the grad-school issue. At the end of class, I had my answer: go to grad school. I stood in front of dozens of my fellow students and shared what I had received. But then I went home and chickened out. Instead of registering for classes, I continued spinning in fear and doubt.
At the end of the summer, I went to the beach for a vacation. Early in the week, I headed to the water’s edge to do a surf-side meditation to get clarity on this issue (again!). I sat down, closed my eyes, and asked for a sign. I heard one of those advertising airplanes overhead, and thought “No, I’m not going to look—I’m doing meditation.” But I couldn’t help it. My eyes opened up and I saw the banner: Immaculata University. No kidding, though I did laugh. I packed up my chair, went back to the house, went online, and signed up for a class right away.
My story was a legend at school. I heard that they’d only flown the banner once or twice that summer, and we laughed that clearly, it was for me and that with my tuition fees, it did indeed pay for itself! One of my teachers wondered how many people in the same situation would have not looked up, or not noticed, or not heeded the “coincidence”.
Sixteen later I can say without a doubt: I’m glad I did. And I am certain that, even if they are not always literal signs, we DO receive signs that point us along our way. Once we accept that these signs exist, staying calm and centered to the best of our ability helps us begin to notice them. And they carry the constant reminder: We are never alone.
What signs have pointed you along your way? Post in the comment section.
How to Commit to a Daily Meditation Practice
We all know the benefits of meditation—lower blood pressure, improved mental focus, reduced stress, and even better outcomes for medical treatments. Yet, despite knowing these benefits, many of us struggle to make meditation a daily habit.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Why can’t I stick with it?”, here’s a breakdown of common obstacles our egos create—and practical ways to work around them.
1. “I’m too busy.”
The ego loves this excuse. But even five to ten minutes of meditation can have a powerful impact. Start small. Give your ego a win by agreeing to a short, achievable practice.
2. “I don’t know how to meditate.”
Maybe your inner voice says:
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“I can’t stop thinking!”
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“Meditation has to involve a mantra!”
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“I need to sit cross-legged!”
Meditation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Explore different styles—mindfulness, guided meditations, breathwork—and find what feels right for you.
3. “I can’t stop thinking.”
Sometimes meditation starts with thinking. Let your mind process errands, chores, or ideas before moving into stillness. This “thinking time” can clear your mind and even spark insights you wouldn’t have otherwise.
4. “I always fall asleep.”
If meditation makes you drowsy, keep sessions short and posture upright. Think of it as training your mind with patience—like teaching toddlers self-control. Persistence pays off.
5. “I’m not a morning person.”
While mornings are ideal, meditation can happen anytime. Adjust to your schedule. Some mornings, some evenings—the key is consistency.
Make it enjoyable
Meditation should feel refreshing, energizing, and fun. As you notice the benefits, that positive feeling itself will encourage you to keep going.
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A Resolution to Be Happier
As you set goals for the New Year, have you thought about putting “be happy” at the top of your list? Happiness isn’t just a fleeting feeling—it’s linked to better health, stronger relationships, greater job satisfaction, and even success. Mindset shifts for happiness make a difference.
Research shows that pursuing superficial pleasures rarely leads to lasting happiness. True happiness comes from combining a positive outlook with meaning and purpose. Here are five mindset shifts that can help you cultivate more happiness in everyday life:
1. Adopt a “Glass-Is-Half-Full” Attitude
Life isn’t perfect, and challenges are inevitable. But focusing too much on negatives fuels discontent. Instead, shift your attention to what’s going well—acknowledge it, celebrate it, and watch it grow.
2. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
It’s easy to measure yourself against others—whether it’s a fancy car, a beautiful home, or a fit body—but comparison steals joy. Your journey is unique, and everyone faces struggles you may not see. Focus on your growth and your path.
3. Be Mindful of Your Words
Words carry power. Avoid gossip, harsh criticism, or hurtful speech—especially during conflicts. Instead, choose words that uplift, clarify, and connect. Mindful communication strengthens relationships and reduces stress.
4. Let Others In
Trusting others can feel risky, but it’s also deeply rewarding. Humans thrive in connection and community, so spend time with friends, allow yourself to love and be loved, and engage socially. Remember: no one succeeds in isolation.
5. Give Back
Giving back to others, to animals, to the environment, or to causes you care about is one of the most powerful ways to boost lasting happiness. Whether through volunteer work, small acts of kindness, or contributing to a larger cause, helping others enhances meaning and joy in life.
Happiness in Action
Start small. Pick one of these strategies to focus on this week. Over time, these practices compound, creating a more positive, fulfilling, and joyful life.
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Camping in the Rain: Three Rules for Living
Summer 1977. Somewhere outside Winston-Salem, NC.
The car was hot, its white vinyl seats slick with sweat. My parents sang along to John Denver, Kenny Rogers, and Willie Nelson whenever we could catch a radio station. My Irish-twin sister, Kathleen Rachel, and I groaned. (Jayne, you missed it!)
At a traffic light, a group of long-haired, bearded men on motorcycles pulled up. Mom gasped. “Oh! Joe! I’m scared! It’s a motorcycle gang!”
Dad calmly encouraged her to roll down the window. The men had noticed a loose wheel on our camper—it looked like it could fall off. They were stopping to help.
Rule 1: People who seem scary can be kind and helpful.
Mom and Dad decided to ditch the camper and invest in a tent. Thanks to Rand McNally and Mom’s amazing map skills, we found a mall to buy supplies. For Kathy and me, the day dragged. At the mall’s radio station, the DJ asked if we wanted to go on air. Kathy said yes; I hesitated. Later, she returned furious. When asked where she was from, the DJ had called her “son.”
Rule 2: Sometimes, it pays to be shy—or maybe good luck and bad luck are impossible to distinguish.
By nightfall, we reached the campground. Setting up the 1970s-style tent was a full-on adventure: heavy canvas, rigid poles, and stakes that wouldn’t budge. We sweated under the plastic tarp covering the tent in 98-degree, 99%-humidity heat.
Then the giggles started. “Heeheehee…heeheehee…” Mom’s laughter was contagious. Soon we were all in tears, laughing until we collapsed into our sleeping bags.
Rule 3: If you don’t know whether to laugh or cry, laugh.
That camping trip was far from perfect. The day had been long, uncomfortable, and chaotic—but it’s the one I remember most. Our most challenging moments often become our most cherished memories.
So, if you ever find yourself wrestling with a broken camper, a frustrated child, and a complicated tent in the rain—laugh.
How Facial Expressions Affect Mood: Smile Your Way to Happiness
Your face reflects the emotions you feel, and research shows how facial expressions affect mood in powerful ways. When we are sad, we frown; when we are angry, our eyes narrow and our faces tense. When we are happy, our eyes light up and we smile. Most of us can instantly tell a real smile from a fake one—but have you ever wondered what actually makes a smile genuine?
In a real smile, tiny muscles around the bottom eyelid lift in a crescent. Before I learned this, I could only sense it intuitively. This ability to read facial expressions is part of our empathy and connection to others—key aspects of human social life.
But it’s not just that our faces reflect our emotions—they can also influence how we feel. Since the 1980s, studies have shown that smiling can actually make us happier. Sales trainers have long recommended smiling before picking up the phone to sound more likable—and the effect isn’t just on others; it changes our own mood, too.
More recently, researchers at the University of Tokyo (Mori & Mori, 2009) used rubber bands and latex bandages to force participants’ cheeks into a smile or frown. Those in the smile group reported feeling happier, while those in the frown group felt sadder. A follow-up study in 2013 also found that participants who smiled tended to have a more positive opinion of others. In other words, even a “fake” smile can lift your mood and make social interactions feel better.
Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, explores similar ideas about body language and facial expressions. Her popular TED Talk highlights how posture and facial expression shape our feelings. One of her fun suggestions? Place a pencil between your teeth to mimic a smile—it can make you feel happier instantly.
I loved sharing these experiments with my students at the local community college. Sometimes we’d put pencils or pens between our teeth just to see who would start laughing—and, inevitably, we did. Beyond the laughs, it’s a powerful reminder: our facial expressions can be used as tools to shift our emotions.
Whenever I feel my mood dip, I consciously plaster a smile on my face. It almost always brings me back to a sense of calm and happiness. You can try this, too—test it out for yourself and notice the difference.
If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes—leave a comment below!
Letting Go of “The Shoulds” to Live a More Authentic Life
I recently worked with a client who had a severe case of “the shoulds.” She was caught in a counterproductive mindset, constantly thinking, “I should do this” or “I should be that.” She was so focused on what she thought she needed to be and do that she couldn’t appreciate where she actually was in her life—or see clearly where she wanted to go. Fun, spontaneity, and self-acceptance were off the table.
This pattern is incredibly common. Looking back, I recognize times in my own life when I was trapped by the “shoulds” as well. When we get stuck in thoughts about what we should be doing, how things should go, or what kind of person we should be, we disconnect from our authentic self. We operate at the ego level—overthinking, overanalyzing, and losing touch with presence. This mindset drains energy, clouds perception, and makes it difficult to live an effective, happy, and meaningful life.
Why letting go of “the shoulds” matters
When we release the “shoulds,” we free ourselves from unrealistic expectations—both from others and ourselves. Stepping out of ego-based thinking and into the heart center allows us to:
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Feel at peace: Let go of tension and constant self-judgment.
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Reconnect with authenticity: Align actions with true values rather than obligations.
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Trust life’s flow: Develop confidence in your path and in yourself.
Sometimes, if I could share only one thing with my clients, it would be: forget the “shoulds” and allow life to unfold naturally. Let go of external agendas and even your internal pressure. Shift awareness from the ego to your heart, and trust in the natural order of things.
How to start letting go
If you feel trapped by “the shoulds,” here’s a simple practice:
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Pause and breathe: Take a few deep breaths and bring attention to your heart center.
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Connect to your higher self: Ask yourself to release the expectations you carry—both those you impose on yourself and those imposed by others.
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Set an intention: With repeated practice, you’ll cultivate presence, clarity, and authenticity in daily life.
Over time, living without the weight of “shoulds” allows you to experience life with more joy, confidence, and grace. You can be fully present with what is—and from that place, weave a life of purpose, fulfillment, and authenticity.
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Memory Reconsolidation and Energy Psychology: Healing Traumatic Memories
Memory reconsolidation and energy psychology work together to help people transform traumatic memories into experiences that no longer trigger distress. When clients vividly recall difficult events while practicing tapping on meridian points, the emotional charge of those memories can dissolve, allowing lasting healing and calm. This process shows how the mind-body connection in energy psychology can create profound change.
One of the most rewarding aspects of being an energy psychology practitioner is witnessing that look of wonder in clients’ eyes when their traumatic memories no longer feel traumatic.
“I remember it, but I don’t feel upset about it,” they often say.
It’s moments like these that make the work so fulfilling.
A Powerful Example
I recall a client working through a childhood trauma. Tears streamed before we even began. When asked to rate his distress on a scale from 0–10, he said 100—and it felt genuine.
We began tapping, using meridian-based techniques like Thought Field Therapy (TFT) or Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Gradually, his rating dropped: 10 → 6 → 3 → 0. By the end of the session, he looked wide-eyed and amazed:
"I remember, but I don’t feel upset. It’s a ZERO!"
How Does This Happen? Memory Reconsolidation
Memory reconsolidation explains why energy psychology can produce rapid, lasting change.
For decades, scientists believed long-term memories were permanent, including the emotions tied to them. But research from the late 1990s revealed that memories are changeable.
When a memory is activated, it becomes labile—open to change. Through reconsolidation, the uncomfortable emotions associated with a memory can be reduced or erased.
Bruce Ecker popularized the concept, highlighting the role of disrupted expectations in transforming emotional memories. Unlike traditional extinction-based therapies, which often see emotions return, memory reconsolidation can eliminate the anxiety tied to a disturbing memory.
Why Energy Psychology Works
Energy psychology, particularly tapping on acupoints, appears to help memory reconsolidation by shifting physiology. Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio (2000) explains that emotions are the brain’s interpretation of the body’s state. Calm the body, and the emotion fades.
During tapping:
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The client activates the troubling memory.
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Simultaneously, tapping calms the body and nervous system.
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The memory reconsolidates with this updated, calmer information.
Key Ingredients for Memory Reconsolidation
Researchers have identified three essential steps:
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Vividly remember the memory.
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Change the internal physiology (e.g., calm the body through tapping).
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Repeat the process until the emotional charge is gone.
Scientific Support
Studies show tapping on meridian points can influence brain and body chemistry:
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fMRI research demonstrates deactivation in limbic regions after tapping.
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EEG studies show healthier brainwave patterns post-treatment.
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Cortisol levels, a marker of stress, decrease following energy psychology sessions.
Energy psychology provides a structured way to activate troubling memories while simultaneously calming the body, making memory reconsolidation possible.
Healing Old Wounds
Energy psychology helps clients process traumatic memories safely, reduce emotional charge, and feel more at peace. Memory reconsolidation offers a scientific explanation for these powerful results. By combining mind and body, energy psychology facilitates deep, lasting healing.