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We’re taking a closer look at Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, an alternative medicine technique developed by Gary Craig in 1993 that’s proving increasingly popular.

EFT aims to remove or reprogram established negative emotions. Here’s a closer look at this short-term therapy with Jean-Michel Gurret, French psychotherapist, EFT specialist and EFT trainer.

What is EFT?

“Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, is a mind-body therapy that seeks to help patients overcome emotional blocks linked to past, present or future events, by stimulating specific acupuncture meridians with the fingertips. Whether for relaxation, or stress or anxiety management, this technique acts on the autonomic nervous system and can be used alone in the event of anxiety attacks or more minor grievances.”

Why see an EFT therapist?

“EFT is a complement to the treatment techniques used by psychotherapists, notably for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. To this end, the discipline is recognized as a first-line treatment in the United States. It is also helpful for dealing with self-confidence issues (public speaking, self-esteem issues, excessive jealousy), phobias, eating disorders, addictions (drugs, smoking, alcohol), irritable bowel syndrome, fertility problems, sleep problems, or to improve athletic performances. For children, EFT can help treat learning difficulties, dyslexia, bed-wetting, night terrors and school phobia.”

What happens during EFT sessions? How many sessions will be needed?

“During the first session, the therapist will establish the objectives to be attained, identify the changes desired, establish the patient’s history and identify the origin of their problem. Next, the therapist will guide the patient to fix their attention on whatever is bothering them, while at the same time tapping specific meridians, or energy points, on the body. During several sequences, the patient will repeat a positive affirmation relating to the problem being treated. After this first session, the patient will be given instructions allowing them to continue the work at home. In general, one to five sessions is enough for simple problems. For more complex cases, several sessions may be necessary, with varying regularity, for example, every two to three weeks or once a month.”

How do you choose an EFT therapist?

“Since EFT therapists aren’t regulated, I would recommend taking a good look at the practitioner’s website before making an appointment to find information about their training, school certification or accreditation, their therapy experience and their specialist fields. Don’t hesitate to ask the therapist as many questions you like before the first meeting. Similarly, if you don’t feel at ease with the person (if you don’t find them kind towards you or understanding) trust your intuition and look elsewhere.” JB