Susanne Bifano and colleagues investigated the use of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to treat stress experienced by pediatric emergency staff during the covid-19 pandemic. The staff were invited to ten-minute EFT tapping group sessions targeting psychological stress and negative responses to trauma exposure. The results were significant, showing that just ten minutes of tapping can make a difference. The study was published in Medical Acupuncture in April 2024.

Professor Chris Roe, Dr. Elizabeth Roxburgh and Ms. Charmaine Sonnex at the University of Northampton conducted two meta-analyses of research studies on non-contact healing published in the journal Explore . This study is not new but is worth a new look. It recently came to our attention through the Confederation of Healing Organizations .

The journal Psychology recently published a randomized control study comparing Advanced Integrative Therapy and Emotional Freedom Techniques.

Research on energy psychology tool HMR found patients’ symptoms decreased after just four 90-minute HMR sessions.

Frontiers In Psychology published a systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrating that EFT is an effective treatment for PTSD.

An overview of the research from around the world shows that energy psychology tools help with the emotional effects of cancer.

A trove of EFT research around the world adds to the evidence base for meridian tapping demonstrating the effectiveness of EFT tapping.

Dawson Church, Peta Stapleton, Anitha Vasudevan and Tom O'Keefe published an updated review in the online journal Frontiers. The review, Clinical EFT as an evidence-based practice for the treatment of psychological and physiological conditions: A systematic review , is an update on all the research on EFT. It shows – again! – that EFT is evidence-based.

A study by Terri Crudup and her colleagues was published by the online Journal of Oncology in January of 2022. The study examined the relationship between patient survival and the treating hospitals’ use of integrative therapies. While some studies have looked at the subjective wellbeing of patients using some of these therapies, this study is the first to look at institutional endorsement of integrative therapies and patient survivorship.  In this study, patients in hospitals that had low- to mid-level use of integrative therapies had triple the 5-year survivorship of those treated at institutions that had low level use of integrative therapies. Significantly, patients treated in hospitals with high levels of integrative therapies had a 48% increase in 5-year survivorship.

A pilot study by Gregory Brown and colleagues and published in the journal Energy Psychology looked at using Advanced Integrative Therapy, or AIT, to clear negative emotions related to past trauma. This is the first formal academic research on AIT! The study, Therapists’ Observations in Reduction of Unpleasant Emotions Following Advanced Integrative Therapy Interventions, found that the subjective units of distress (SUD) decreased from an average of 8.3 out of ten down to a zero or one, in just one session of AIT. The theory of AIT Research on energy psychology techniques has grown over the past decades, with most studies focused on meridian tapping treatments like Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) or Thought Field Therapy (TFT). AIT is a chakra- and language-based technique. This pilot study is the first to explore the effectiveness of AIT. In AIT, the theory is that when we have longstanding patterns of negative emotions, they usually stem from an originating event, probably during childhood. Then the negative pattern is entrenched by some reinforcing events. All that leads up to present-day suffering. In order to clear these patterns and the suffering they cause, clinicians guide clients in creating statements about the problem. Then, they repeat the problem statement while placing their hands on various points that correspond to the major chakras, down the midline of the body. By going through this process, the problem becomes deactivated, and the subjective distress is resolved. The study setup The pilot study was a cross-sectional survey design using clinician data and observation. All participating clinicians were experienced or expert in using AIT. These clinicians, from all around the world, completed a 17-question web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed SUDs, somatic sensation, and emotion. Results of this research There were 76 completed surveys included in the study. Participating clinicians were physicians and licensed mental health providers. They used their charts to complete the survey questions. Emotions addressed included anxiety, sadness, fear, anger, shame, and helplessness. Seventy-seven percent of cases worked on patterns rather than single events. Seventy-five percent of the issues addressed were chronic. Because of the nature of the study, it is not possible to determine causation. However, the clinicians reported a drop in SUDs from 8.3 to 0 or 1 in 92% of cases. Why this study matters This study does not allow us to draw big conclusions about cause-and-effect. However, clinicians reported an impressive drop in the SUD rating after just one “round” or treatment with AIT. The results seem to warrant further investigation. The results are an auspicious beginning to research on AIT. We can consider this a “win” for AIT and for energy psychology! Want to learn more? You can keep tabs on research about energy psychology by following our research page . Interested in taking a deeper dive into energy psychology? We will launch our Comprehensive Energy Psychology course next summer! Or you can sign up for our Emotional Freedom Techniques Professional Skills training now. Author Sarah Murphy, NCC, LPC, serves on ACEP’s board and as the chair of ACEP’s communications committee. She has a private practice . Sarah also works as staff counselor for Unite for HER , where she provides counseling for clients who have cancer. Photo by Ashley Batz on Unsplash

A study by Shamini Jain that was published in the journal Cancer in 2012 looked at biofield therapy to address fatigue in cancer patients. They found biofield therapy significantly reduced fatigue (p<.0005; that means there is less than a 5 in 10,000 chance that the difference was not because of the therapy). The theory Jain and her team noted that fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating complaints of people with cancer. Additionally, they noted that biofield therapy (treatments like Reiki and Healing Touch) are popular among cancer patients, but there is little research about the effectiveness of these therapies. They wondered if biofield therapy could be helpful for fatigue in cancer patients. This study was a follow-up to Jain’s published dissertation, which we blogged about in March 2022. The study setup The study was a blinded, randomized, controlled study. Participants were adult, female breast cancer survivors. Participants used RAND 36-Question Health Survey. Those scoring below 50 on the assessment qualified for participation. Study conditions were biofield therapy, mock therapy, and a waitlist control group. Researchers offered participants in the mock and waitlist groups five biofield therapy sessions. Over the course of four weeks, patients received eight hourlong treatments of biofield therapy or mock healing. Measures Fatigue: The primary outcome researchers assessed was fatigue, measured by the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory – Short Form. Cortisol variability: Researchers also examined diurnal cortisol variability, assessed by cortisol slope. Salivary cortisol levels were measured. Participants took saliva samples in the morning, at noon, at 5:00 and at 9:00. Other psychological outcomes: The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale-revised measured depression. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) measured quality of life. Researchers also assessed patients’ belief in the therapy to see how much belief affected results. Study results Belief: Patients in the real and mock healing groups were not good at guessing what treatment they received: in both groups, 75% of patients thought they were receiving the real healing. Fatigue: The biofield healing group received a tremendous reduction in fatigue, as mentioned. The mock healing group also received a statistically significant reduction in healing (p<.02). Cortisol: The biofield group had a significant change in cortisol variability compared to both the mock healing and control groups (p<.04). Quality of life: While belief did not predict fatigue or cortisol variability, it did predict quality of life. Patients who believed they were receiving healing experienced a greater quality of life; belief itself was more a predictor than treatment (p=.004). Depression: There was no difference in depression scores after treatment in either treatment group (biofield or mock therapy). How much of the reduction was because of rest? Both biofield and mock healing groups experienced reduced fatigue, which indicates that part of the benefit may come from factors outside the biofield therapy itself. Both groups had a chance to rest twice a week for an hour at a time during the study. It is possible that basic human touch and clinical interaction also contributed to the fatigue reduction. However, the difference between the biofield and the mock group was large. The biofield group received a larger effect size in reduction of total fatigue, as well as on the physical and mental fatigue subsets. Why this study matters Biofield therapies are increasingly popular and have gained traction in the cancer community. However, the research supporting these therapies has not grown as quickly as their popularity warrants. This study adds to the research supporting biofield therapy as an adjuvant therapy for cancer. If you like reading about research in the field of energy psychology, follow our blog and check out the research section of our web site. If you want to contribute to the research, please do! ACEP has partnered with Peta Stapleton of Bond University to collect data on various energy psychology modalities. You can read more about it here . Shamini Jain is a clinical psychologist, scientist, and founder and CEO of the Consciousness and Healing Initiative (CHI) , a nonprofit connecting scientists, health practitioners, innovators, and social entrepreneurs to advance the science and practice of healing. She is a leader in the field of consciousness, biofield therapy, and healing. Jain is the author of Healing Ourselves: Biofield Science and the Future of Health . Author Sarah Murphy, LPC, NCC is a clinician in private practice. She also serves as staff therapist for Unite for HER. Sarah serves on the board and chairs the communications committee of ACEP. She loves blogging about research. Photo by Mel Elías on Unsplash

As of January 2022, over 307 research studies have been published on energy psychology (EP) methods in peer-reviewed journals. This includes 70 randomized controlled trials and 55 clinical outcome studies. All except one of these 125 studies document EP’s effectiveness. Why is this important if you are a clinician in the field and how can it enhance your own practice? The importance of research Evidence-based practice is based on critically appraised research results combined with clinical expertise and the client’s lived experience. Research generally is of high value to society and typically provides important information about disease trends and risk factors, outcomes of health interventions, health costs and use. Clinical trials can provide important information about the efficacy and adverse effects of interventions by controlling the variables that could impact the results of the study. This can then lead to the development of guidelines for best practice (e.g., Clinical Guidelines for EFT for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder exist due to the research in this area). Research can also lead to the development of new therapies! An example is how Francine Shapiro developed eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) by walking in the park and moving her eyes, which appeared to decrease her own distress (read more about her story here .) Integrating research in clinical practice Research tells us what works, but that does not always translate into clinical practice. Typically, two problems exist: New treatments take a long time to make their way into clinical practice. Practitioners are resistant to withdrawing established treatments from practice – even after research disproves their utility – and use the new ones. There is also the translational gap. It can take a long time before any new therapies become standard care. The American Institute of Medicine says this takes about 17 years. Furthermore, only 20% of new therapies ever make it into mainstream practice. This is the first reason I encourage clinicians to stay connected with the research – to learn what is no longer recommended and what is! An example from the cognitive field is that clinicians used to recommend that clients wear rubber bands on their wrist and snap it against the skin to stop a negative thought. For many decades this was standard practice. However, research and client feedback has indicated this can become a self-harm behavior. It is no longer recommended AT ALL. Unfortunately, many clinicians still use the approach. Why? They either have not read the research, have not attended new trainings with updated information, or they simply have not updated their own clinical training skills. When this occurs, the client is the one who is disadvantaged. Trauma research: A case in point Research into trauma-informed approaches has also changed in recent decades. Standard cognitive talk therapies used to be the standard of care for PTSD. However, trauma-focused psychological interventions are the gold standard today. The World Health Organization and other bodies recommend these approaches, like trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and EMDR. They also suggest not using medication as a routine first-line treatment. Instead, they recommend trauma-focused psychological therapy. Yet you will find therapists using standard cognitive therapies or even other exposure processes for PTSD as routine intervention. I cannot stress enough the importance of staying up to date with clinical training through conference or workshop attendance. This is usually the easiest way to hear the latest and cutting-edge research being done (and better than reading a journal article!). This then brings us to the question of how can we disseminate the research in the field? Getting the research out Academics such as I usually publish in peer-reviewed journals. However, there is a vast number of journals and a relatively small number of clinically important energy psychology studies. Therefore, just finding the relevant studies can be overwhelming. Moreover, the studies you want may be hiding behind a paywall. Because of this, we have been targeting open access journals (where the academic has to pay to publish) so that clinicians in the field can read the articles free of charge. Here are some ways you can find the research more easily, and therefore share among your own networks. The most important part is to share it. You may want to share with clients, colleagues, or a wider social network (e.g., I showcase outcomes of EFT research trials on my Instagram account, and then others share them far and wide). Finding the research The Cochrane Collaboration has pledged to summarise all randomised controlled trials of healthcare interventions, and is available, updated quarterly. If you search studies on EFT, you will find them. Cochrane is a British international charitable organisation. It organises medical research findings to facilitate evidence-based choices about health interventions involving health professionals, patients and policy makers. It is trusted evidence, so sharing energy psychology research from there will be associated with a rigorous approach. Many of the EP organisations maintain research pages and these can be the easiest way to read about a study (often with a lay summary included) and share through your own communities too. A list is included below – join their mailing lists or follow them on social media. ACEP has a robust research section on this web site that lists energy psychology studies, including TFT and EFT. It is updated once a year . You can access it here. Research on EFT EFT research with lay summaries It probably goes without saying, but also be diligent in what you read and where. Many websites are not reputable (e.g., skeptics regularly change Wikipedia’s page on EFT so it does not reflect the actual published research). I recommend that you encourage your skeptical colleagues to cast their search net wider than Wikipedia! Lastly – Can you do your own research? Research does not need to be relegated to academics alone, as integrating clinical research within private practice can be intellectually stimulating and rewarding on many levels. As research funding and grants become increasingly scarce, there may be an increasing need for private practitioners to participate in clinical research, both in cohort studies and in the further testing and development of new therapies. The patient pool available to clinicians is different (e.g., you may see someone at an earlier stage of illness; or with a subclinical diagnosis). Including these patients in research will add valuable information that may ultimately improve delivery of care to patients. Critics often claim that academic research does not reflect the common issues that ordinary clinicians face. They also charge that academic studies have overly strict inclusion/exclusion criteria. Participating in / conducting clinical trials can build up your practice in two ways: It may bring new patients to your practice because of research you advertise, and increase community awareness of your practice. The clinical research conducted in the private setting can potentially strengthen the clinical skills of any clinician. Data from private practices could help us argue for increased funding from medical insurance companies as well, ultimately leading to better patient care. You can approach academics at universities to auspice research through their ethics processes, or you can just design informed consent processes yourself and collect data anyway. There are a range of outcome measures available free of charge you can use (like the ones here ). Remember to publish it too! This could be as simply as in your blog, or a specific journal. You do not need to be an academic to publish in a journal and many exists for patient care (e.g., The Journal of Patient Experience ). A last note, there are documents available to guide practitioners in the field to conduct research –like this one . If you want to learn more about practitioner research, check out P ractice-oriented research: What it takes to do collaborative research in private practice Join in energy psychology research! Currently ACEP has partnered with Bond University and is conducting field research into many energy psychology modalities. This could be a way to engage and see what research is like. Both practitioner and their clients are included in this research – you can read more here . Final thoughts In sum, there are three important points to take away: It is important to stay up to date with research outcomes as they are designed to impact clinical practice. If you need to update or change your practice approach, schedule that new training! When you read or hear of new research outcomes (especially in EP), share this news with people outside your EP circles. Translational gaps will close this way. And everyone will win. Finally, join the research movement and contribute to the published outcomes! Stay open and curious in your journey and I hope to see you at a conference soon. Author Dr. Peta Stapleton is a registered clinical and health psychologist and associate at Bond University (Queensland, Australia). She embraces evidence-based practice and is passionate about new and innovative techniques to support behavior change. Peta is a world leading researcher in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or Tapping). She has won many awards, including 2019 ’s Psychologist of the Year by the Australian Allied Health Awards. She has authored the award winning The Science Behind Tapping: A Proven Stress Management Technique for the Mind and Body (Hay House). petastapleton.com Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash

A study by Fernando Vicente Barraza-Alvarez from the University of Cordoba in Colombia was published in the World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences in late 2021. It examined psychological measures of 14 women working in a childcare center in Texcoco, Mexico and found that Thought Field Therapy (TFT) reduced subjective distress (SUDs) from a high of eight, nine or ten on a ten-point scale, all the way to zero – Z E R O. Callahan’s thought field therapy in the management of emotions associated with stress is a small study, but, with its graphics and clear procedural explanations, it provides a compelling story of how TFT can reduce distress rapidly and effectively. The theory Texcoco, Mexico’s Universidad Autónoma Chapingo is internationally renowned for its defense of, and research into, complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies. These modalities, including TFT, fill an important need for cultural openness and sensitivity as well as patient/client choice. TFT is appealing because it is rapid, noninvasive, economical, easy to learn, and can be used both therapeutically and as a self-help tool. In the present study, researchers wondered if TFT could help women address a variety of mental health issues. The study setup Fourteen women were recruited for the study. They were childcare workers at a nearby center, aged 19 to 47. They reported distress because of anxiety, fear, obsession, or rejection. The data were self-report, using a 10-point scale. This was a simple pre-post study, with measures taken before and after treatment with TFT. The women also wrote about their experiences, adding qualitative data to the results. The women used specific tapping sequences for their various complaints, as well as the 9-gamut and “brain gymnastics” (brain gymnastics is tapping accompanied by slow, vertical eye movement) sequences. The tapping sequences were as follows: For the three who had obsession: collar bone, under eye, collar bone For the four who experienced fear: under arm, under eye, collar bone For the five who experienced anxiety: under eye, under arm, collar bone For the two who experienced rejection: eyebrow, under eye, under arm, collar bone Study results Quantitative data All women experienced relief from their distress, down to a zero out of ten using the self-rating SUD scale. Researchers also questioned the women about three features of TFT: Was it rapid? Was it effective? Was it believable? All variables were near the maximum score of five (out of five) for all features, using the Likert-type scale created for these measures. Qualitative data Some of the comments the women wrote regarding their TFT experience: “Now I have a lot of courage.” (Obsession) “I felt relaxed and in a better state of health.” (Fear) “I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I needed it.” (Anxiety) “I no longer care about some people’s criticisms and attacks towards me. This was so sudden, and I already feel free.” (Rejection) Cultural sensitivity Barraza-Alvarez notes that medical systems are “enriched by the ethnic and cultural diversity of communities.” Complementary approaches seek health by balancing the mind, body, and soul, yet these approaches have often been rejected by mainstream Western practitioners. Today, increasing cultural sensitivity and sharing information lead people increasingly to seek CAM approaches. These approaches can be used alongside mainstream methods. Indeed, the two models – Western and CAM – can be complementary, rather than antagonistic. Why this study matters The present study builds on the research base supporting TFT, the “father” of all of today’s tapping techniques. Roger Callahan, with TFT, was the first to use acupoint tapping in Western psychological treatment. We all can share a moment of gratitude to him, and to all those who have worked to further the field through research and practice. Together, we are healing the world. Want to learn more about TFT? Check out this online TFT course, taught by Suzanne Connolly , ACEP member and former Board member .  Author Sarah Murphy, LPC , is a licensed professional counselor and coach with more than 12 years of clinical experience. She specializes in energy psychology, including EFT, as well as mindfulness and hypnotherapy. In her therapy practice, she works with individuals seeking to find peace within themselves, people who have serious medical diagnoses, and couples who want to resolve conflict and live in harmony. Sarah's personal motto is that we are here to create a more peaceful world, one more-peaceful person at a time. She is an ACEP Board member and chair of the Communications Committee. Learn more at www.transformative-therapy.com . Photo by Jay Castor on Unsplash

(by Sarah Murphy, LPC) I like to throw in a teeny bit of “well, the research says …” when I introduce my clients to energy psychology. I find it helps clients believe what I’m talking about, feel comfortable doing what I’m asking them to do, and trust that I know what I’m doing. I am a bit of a research geek. Every month when I write my research blogs for ACEP, I have to go back and review what the research says. It forces me to take a deeper dive than I have since I was in graduate school. I like the dive. However, just a snorkel can give us enough information to use when we talk to our clients about the research on energy psychology . A sentence or two can make a big difference when we are introducing our clients to energy psychology protocols.

(by Sarah Murphy, LPC) Many practitioners understand that energy psychology works, but find that they are hesitant to introduce it to neophytes, or stumble when defending it to skeptics and critics. If you have used energy psychology, you have likely experienced its effectiveness; if you are a member of ACEP, there is little doubt that you have witnessed its powerful effects, personally and professionally. And it’s not just “in your head”.