Words to Tap By: the Use of Language in Energy Psychology Protocols David Feinstein, Ashland, Oregon
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CLINICAL REPORTS Words to Tap By: The Use of Language in Energy Psychology Protocols David Feinstein, Ashland, Oregon Abstract Most Energy Psychology protocols include a resulted in the practitioner becoming better component in which the client is guided in the attuned to the client’s intentions for and experi- use of personally tailored wording related to a ence with the therapy, (b) it explored the issues target problem or goal. These phrases are stated relevant to the client’s needs and goals in order simultaneously with the stimulation of selected to deepen both the client’s and the practitioner’s acupuncture points (acupoints) via tapping. understanding of them, and/or (c) it led the cli- Thought Field Therapy (TFT) and its popular de- ent toward more effective ways of addressing rivative, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), pertinent issues. These three categories—attune, are the most well-known variations of the acu- explore, lead—were derived from the 62 thera- point tapping approaches. These therapies have peutic functions of language that were identified been validated for their efficacy and unusual as the videotaped wording was being coded. The speed in resolving psychological and physical list is only an initial formulation, based on one conditions in more than 100 clinical trials and clinician’s sessions as analyzed by that clinician. several meta-analyses. Clinicians and life coach- It is intended as a first step toward a more com- es wanting to incorporate acupoint tapping into prehensive investigation of the use of language their practices can readily learn the basic proto- in Energy Psychology sessions, its impact on cols but are often unsure about how to formulate client outcomes, and its implications for practi- the most effective wording to accompany the cli- tioner training. ent’s self-tapping. This paper presents a qualita- tive analysis of videotaped statements that were Keywords: Emotional Freedom Techniques, judged to move the treatment forward in relation- Energy Psychology, language, therapeutic alli- ship to three process outcomes: (a) the statement ance, Thought Field Therapy, wording David Feinstein, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who has often feel uncertain and ask for help is with the received nine national awards for his books on consciousness words to suggest as the client taps. Aware of this and healing, including the U.S. Book News Best Psychology/ challenge, EFT educator and researcher Dawson Mental Health Book of 2007. Correspondence: David Feinstein, PhD, 777 East Main Street, Ashland, OR 97520; Church and I created a weekend training for prac- email: [email protected]. Disclosure: The author con- titioners, which we presented in February 2017. ducts trainings, provides clinical services, and has written It was well received, and Dr. Church has incorpo- books related to the approach examined in this paper. rated and expanded upon elements from that event Acknowledgments: The author wishes to thank Philip into his EFT Universe Certification Program and Friedman, Shoshana Garfield, Philippe Isler, Phil Mollon, and Craig Weiner for their astute suggestions while the manuscript other intensive trainings. was being developed. At the same time, I have become very inter- ested in the therapeutic functions of the phras- ings used within Energy Psychology protocols. The mind is its own opiate. And the ultimate While many tapping practitioners and approaches drug is the word. use only minimal or formulized wording, this is an area where the art of communication can —Thomas Szasz, MD interact with and potentially enhance the already sychotherapists, counselors, and life coaches empirically validated manualized protocols. More can easily learn a basic Energy Psychology/ than 100 peer-reviewed clinical trials demon- Pacupoint tapping protocol. Where they most strating efficacy and unusual speed are listed Language Use in EP Protocols Energy Psychology 11:1 • May 2019 1 on websites such as www.energypsych.org and electroencephalography (EEG) studies at the www.EFTUniverse.com. Meta-analyses have University of Göttingen (2019) have shown that shown unusually large effect sizes with depres- the brain can determine whether a word has posi- sion (Nelms & Castel, 2016), anxiety (Clond, tive or negative connotations within the lightning 2016), and PTSD (Sebastian & Nelms, 2017). speed of 200 to 300 milliseconds. Since the limbic The majority of these studies follow the proto- system responds more quickly to language than col detailed in The EFT Manual (Church, 2018), does the prefrontal cortex (Davidson, 2004), our which, like any manualized form of psychother- emotional reactions to words occur more quickly apy, limits the practitioner’s creative options. Yet than our conscious minds can control. even within this limitation, protocols that utilize Another classic study, Making Contact: Uses acupoint tapping have been shown to be effective of Language in Psychotherapy by Harvard psychi- with a wide range of conditions and to be sig- atrist Leston Havens (1986), was called “a basic nificantly more effective than otherwise identical grammar of empathy” in a Boston Globe review. protocols that substitute acupoint tapping with an The cleverly titled Escape from Babel: Toward a alternative activity such as diaphragmatic breath- Unifying Language for Psychotherapy Practice ing or tapping on “sham” points (Church, Staple- (Miller, Hubble, & Duncan, 1996), without men- ton, Yang, & Gallo, 2018). In brief, tapping itself tioning Havens directly, nonetheless provides a has been shown to be a potent therapeutic compo- thoughtful response to Havens once having char- nent of the approach. acterized psychiatry as a “Tower of Babel.” The Energy Psychology protocols that do not Tower of Babel was of course built, as described combine verbal statements with the acupoint in Genesis, in an attempt to reach heaven. God was tapping—relying instead on having the client not pleased with such hubris and, since the people attune to a pertinent emotion or a “felt sense” all spoke a common language, God confounded about the target problem—actually have certain speech so that different peoples could no longer empirically supported advantages. For instance, collaborate on blasphemous activities. Analogous such protocols have been readily taught to local language barriers are, as portrayed by these care workers in post-disaster situations who authors, the situation among the different schools have then produced strong positive outcomes of psychotherapy. with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Escape from Babel encourages therapists to acute stress disorders (Connolly, Roe-Sepowitz, prioritize language that addresses core require- Sakai, & Edwards, 2013; Stapleton, Sandstrom, & ments for successful psychotherapy, such as Hamne, 2018), and they have also been success- conveying respect and understanding about the fully applied in circumstances where multiple lan- client’s point of view, encouraging hope, and envi- guages were involved (Connolly, 2019). Acupoint sioning a promising plan for the future. By focus- tapping protocols that use minimal verbalization ing on these fundamentals, a unifying language are conveniently portable and may be particularly emerges that transcends the contentious psycho- useful for swiftly countering the effects of trauma babble of competing schools of psychotherapy. and other emotional wounds. The adroit use of Meanwhile, certain legendary therapists—such as language, however, can add power, precision, and Milton Erickson, Virginia Satir, and Fritz Perls— nuance for changing the internal models that fuel used language so creatively and effectively that maladaptive perceptions, feelings, and behavior. their students have written tomes trying to discern While no research has been conducted to date on the secrets of their verbal prowess. the relative contributions of the acupoint tapping While most Energy Psychology instruction and of the words that accompany the tapping, manuals do offer guidance on the use of language bringing increased attention to the way language (e.g., Church, 2018; Freedom, 2013), this is to is used by tapping practitioners will presumably my knowledge the first peer-reviewed attempt be a constructive step toward enhancing the effec- to systematically analyze the wording that was tiveness of tapping protocols. used during actual acupoint tapping sessions. The Nearly all forms of psychotherapy are, in analysis focuses on the functions of the wording fact, conducted in the coin of the spoken word, used. What were the phrases intended to accom- as explored in the classic anthology Spoken Inter- plish? What types of phrases are most beneficial? action in Psychotherapy (Russell, 1982). Recent While simple curiosity set me onto this line of 2 Energy Psychology 11:1 • May 2019 Language Use in EP Protocols inquiry, I soon realized that the answers to these membership) identified the following as targeted questions could hold value for practitioner train- outcomes when using acupoint tapping procedures ing. Even experienced practitioners have not nec- (Feinstein, 2016). A round of tapping is most often essarily had instruction in the flexibility and preci- intended to further one or more of the following sion by which language can be used within Energy objectives: Psychology protocols to achieve desired clinical • Eliminating an unwanted physiological/ ends. Training events could, for instance, start by emotional response to a specified trigger presenting a framework for the