A framework for using EFT Please use EFT within an integrated help or therapy approach, especially when a serious or complex issues arise. EFT is a toolbox, a set of techniques and not a unified, holistic therapeutic approach. One could use this alone, for dealing quickly with a simple problem or an emotional distress and it is true that dramatic results may be achieved, even when used by a beginner in a very elementary way. However: EFT is much more effective (that is, in more than 80% of the cases applied) when used by someone with experience, within a holistic healing or personal development approach. Even the founder of EFT, Gary Craig, who always applies it in an artistic way, stands on his extensive experience (of more than 20 years) in therapeutic techniques and additional special knowledge, such as NLP and counseling. It is not a coincidence that all the important contributors to EFT and its most famous practitioners worldwide are experienced and acknowledged professionals in the fields of mental health (psychologists, psychiatrists, etc.) and personal development. Don't just stand there and talk about it. Try it! An important advise given by the founder of EFT, in his articles and seminars, is: Try it on everything. We couldn't agree more! You have nothing to lose if you try EFT, even in cases where you are not sure it is effective, such as physical pains "caused" by observed physical causes, for example back pain occurring in people with physical damage on their spine. However, you should always work according to common sense and not go to places where you don't belong. Please do not try to treat with EFT (or with any other method) cases outside your educational and work experience. Also, this applies to cases that is against the law to treat if you are not a licensed professional (such as a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist, depending on you local legislation). We are systems and we live within systems - Every change intervention always has side effects EFT, like any other method intervening the operation of a human being, especially a quick one, should be used with great caution! Every person is a complex system having closely coupled mental, emotional and physical functions. In addition, every human being lives and acts within larger systems called family, work environment, circle of friends, society. So, every intervention on a human being can have significant side effects, not only on the person itself by also on the surrounding systems. It should be noted that, very often, a personal dysfunction has important positive side effects to the person and its environment. There are cases where removing a personal problem can seriously disturb some balance within its environment. Example #1: Healing a person from migraines can make it feel better and do things not possible under the pain condition, however it can simultaneously take away from the person important "privileges", such as the ability to avoid unpleasant situations by presenting the pain excuse, the sympathy and special care exhibited by other people due to this suffering, etc. Example #2: A person that suddenly achieves (with the help of EFT) a very strong self-confidence, may start to act totally differently and cause "surprises" or even serious problems to his family, friends and work colleagues. All these people used to "handle" this person in a certain way and now they find that they have to change their attitude. It is not a coincidence that every person, due to the human brain structure and operation, has a natural disposition to resisting change, thus blocking many healing or developmental interventions. It's just the person's own organism trying to protect the person from the negative consequences of change! Sometimes this is negative, however there are times when the person benefits from preserving balance with the self and the environment... We urge you to demonstrate extreme caution when trying to induce change on yourself and other people with EFT, especially if you are not a professional counselor, coach or therapist. It is possible that the overall effect in a person's life proves to be a negative one, even though the target problem vanished for good and all (so EFT was "successful")! Spread the word to other people, but with caution and awareness It is because EFT, in its basic form, is extremely simple that you will probably want to teach it to other people, either close to you or your clients, to provide them with help and relief. All the people involved in the development of EFT and all its keen advocates always encourage its continuous spread and growth, aiming at establishing EFT as elementary knowledge for all human beings. That's why tons of information are given for free (like in the pages you are now reading), or with a very low cost (like our seminars and the seminars and
educational videos of Gary Craig). However, in order for this astounding tool to continue to gain a place in people's hearts and minds and be used effectively by an ever increasing number of people, we ask you to always communicate these techniques within the framework presented here. Please do not exaggerate on the effectiveness of EFT, so that you do not create excessive expectations that can lead someone to great disappointment, in case of not having the results expected (especially if the person is desperate or the problem is serious, chronic or a usually incurable disease). EFT has demonstrated good or even impressive results to many kinds of personal problems and barriers to personal development, however it is still in an experimental stage and has not yet been scientifically validated and documented. This should be taken into account by all practitioners, especially the professionals and be appropriately communicated to the receivers of EFT applications. Teach EFT only if you have a deep knowledge of it and you are successful on more than 80% of the cases Because of its simplicity, EFT can tempt you to teach it to others, even for professional use, without your having an advanced and reliable knowledge about it. Some would even teach this without having applied it to themselves or to others! DON'T DO IT! We urge you to exercise the appropriate responsibility and seriousness, so that EFT will not degenerate into quack's practice and receive fire from scientists and "traditional" minded professionals. It is not one of the numerous "alternative" practices which are not based on science and cannot demonstrate the impressive, hard-fact results of EFT. A safe way to self-assessment regarding your deep knowledge of EFT is the "80% criterion": this should be your minimum success ratio in all cases you treat with EFT, if these fall within its scope of applications. If any of your acquaintances or clients needs to learn EFT, we urge you to direct them to an appropriate book,
training workshop or even better to the
training videos offered by EFT Founder Gary Craig. |