Can Energy Psychology Help with Mindfulness?

John Freedom, CEHP & Sarah Murphy, LPC • August 25, 2022

The practice of mindfulness meditation is becoming very popular. However, many people find it difficult to start or stay with the practice. Energy psychology practices might help. ACEP founding member and past president Fred Gallo, with his colleagues Bhikkhu Anālayo, Christiane Steffens‑Dhaussy, and Dawn Scott recently published a paper exploring the relationship between mindfulness and the energy practices used in energy psychology. You can find their interesting and insightful article, Energy Practices and Mindfulness, in the June 2022 edition of the online open-access journal Mindfulness. They help answer the question, can energy psychology help with mindfulness.

The roots and reach of mindfulness

The practice of mindfulness is central to Buddhism. Indeed, Jon Kabat-Zinn, creator of MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction), states that MBSR was influenced by his study of vipassana. Vipassana is the traditional meditation practice of Theravada Buddhism. Recently, mindfulness has become the most common form of meditation practice in the US. Mindfulness has permeated other disciplines such as yoga, martial arts and psychotherapy.


The article begins with a discussion the Western concept of energy. It goes on to distinguish it from the Chinese idea of qi and the ancient Greek pneuma, as well as the Chinese and Tibetan concepts of wind. Then follows a discussion of the benefits of qi gong and tai chi and the impact of mindfulness practices on the body’s energy system. 


Can energy psychology help with mindfulness?

The practice of vipassana as taught by Buddhist master S. N. Goenka can lead to somatic experiences. This makes sense because this form of mindfulness stimulates the flow of qi. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), people can experience physical, emotional, and mental problems when their energy is out of balance – whether too high, too low, or even completely blocked.


Stimulating specific acupoints on the impaired meridian/s brings the bodymind back into balance, and the symptoms often clear up. Energy psychology differs from other traditional techniques because it does not use needles or massage, and because it treats primarily mental and emotional symptoms.


Meridian-oriented energy psychology methods, such as EFT, TFT, and TTT, address and reduce or eliminate symptoms of trauma, anxiety, and other mental health issues by combining Western psychology with Eastern-influenced stimulation of meridian points.

 

Buddhism’s five hindrances correspond to today’s understanding of psychology

The authors also discuss the Buddhist concept of the “five hindrances.”  This refers to a particular set of mental conditions that prevent people from feeling peaceful and thinking clearly. Clearing up or overcoming the hindrances allow practitioners to develop their meditation practices and their education in general.


These hindrances are:

  1. Sensual desire
  2. Anger or irritation
  3. Sloth, or laziness
  4. Restlessness and worry
  5. Doubt


Buddhists believe that overcoming the five hindrances is an indispensable requirement for being able to cultivate mental tranquility as well as liberating insight.


Clearing the hindrances

The authors discuss several possible meridian-based treatments to address each of the hindrances. A sampling of their suggestions include:


  1. To address overstimulation of sensual desire, stimulate the stomach meridian and kidney meridian by tapping below your eye (stomach 1 point) and below your clavicle (kidney 27 point).
     
     
  2. To address anger and irritation, you can hold your wrist, and stimulate several points on the pericardium, small intestine, and heart and lung meridians.
     
     
  3. To address laziness, use the Thymus Thump.
     
     
  4. To address restlessness and worry, you can use Frontal Occipital Holding or the ESR (Emotional Stress Release) techniques.
     
     
  5. To address doubt, you can try Cook’s Hookup.


In every case, these techniques demonstrate how energy psychology can help with mindfulness. You can view illustrations ang get detailed instructions in their article.

 

Protection

In addition to the tips listed above, the article suggests techniques for energetic protection.


This protection can be important for clinicians, who often work with clients who are experiencing a variety of mental and emotional upsets, as well as for anyone who interacts with other human beings, who often experience a variety of mental and emotional upsets. Among these techniques for protection are the “second skin,” the “invisible cloak,” and the “zip up.” The article provides detailed instruction on how to do these.

 

Learn more

If you would like to learn more about the human energy field, consider signing up for ACEP’s new-and-improved Comprehensive Energy Psychology training, coming in the summer of 2023!


Want to go deep into learning one meridian-based energy psychology method? Check out ACEP's Emotional Freedom Techniques Professional Skills 1 training.


To follow research on energy psychology, email John Freedom  and ask to be added to the EP Research email list. And make sure to check out the research section on this web site.

 

Anālayo, B., Steffens-Dhaussy, C., Gallo, F. et al.(2022). Energy Practices and Mindfulness Meditation. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01923-6

 

Authors

John Freedom, CEHP, serves as the chair of ACEP’s research committee, on the Board of Trustees of EFT International, and as executive director of FREA: Finding Recovery and Empowerment from Abuse. The author of Heal Yourself with Emotional Freedom Technique, he leads trainings and events throughout the US and in Europe.


Sarah Murphy, NCC, LPC, serves on ACEP’s board and as the chair of ACEP’s communications committee. She has a private counseling practice. She also works as staff counselor for Unite for HER, where she provides counseling for clients who have cancer. 

 

Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash.


By Ted Blickwedel, LICSW, MSW, MEd April 9, 2025
After retiring from the military, I conducted individual and group therapy with combat veterans as a clinical social worker for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the VET Center in Warwick, RI. In my work, I've had many experiences showing the power of energy psychology to help heal trauma . One of these amazing stories occurred during my tenure at the VA. Veteran suffers from PTSD A 70-year old Vietnam Veteran suffered for 45 years from chronic PTSD as a result of life-threatening events he endured and injuries he sustained during combat. Let's call him Joe (not his real name). His symptoms included nightmares and waking up profusely sweating every night since he returned from the war 45 years ago. Joe also had insomnia and anger issues. Conventional therapies and medication were not able to alleviate the adverse impact of his trauma. Unfortunately, Joe's experience is common among a vast number of Veterans receiving treatment for PTSD at the VA. Energy psychology resolves trauma-related symptoms In the first energy psychology session, I introduced Joe to Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and explained the process and its efficacy. During the next 6 sessions, he tapped on the EFT meridian points for 2-3 rounds on each combat trauma we addressed. While he tapped, I guided him to verbally release related negative emotions. We did this until he no longer experienced any disturbance associated with these challenging events, as determined by muscle testing. The results were inspiring. At the end of six 50-minute sessions, Joe reported that his nightmares and night sweats completely stopped, and he felt more rested, peaceful, and significantly less anxious. Joe was even able to stop taking most of his anxiety and depression medication. His wife said she noticed a huge positive shift in his demeanor. Lasting results Over the next 3 years, Joe used EFT on his own to clear other developmental traumas and negative core beliefs. During this time, he only had four nightmares during one two-week period, which were triggered by watching a war movie. Afterwards, he did not have any recurrence of PTSD symptoms. Joe felt joy that he did not experience previously, and he was more emotionally open and affectionate with his wife. This heart-warming story shows the power of EFT to heal rapidly and effectively, with results that last. It's why I love using it. Going forward What a difference could be made with Veterans and their families if the VA and Department of Defense (DOD) used energy psychology techniques like these! They would be free of the devastating impact of PTSD, have better relationships and an improved quality of life. Many ACEP members have stories of hope and healing. Let’s share them! When we tell our stories, we can help inspire practitioners to adopt energy psychology methods that are powerfully grounded in effective healingwith long-lasting outcomes. Get trained and make a difference Are you a teacher or school employee? If so, get trained to bring powerful energy psychology techniques to your school by enrolling in ACEP’s free Mind Body Tools for Children training. If you are a clinician or stakeholder wanting to offer energy psychology to your community, enroll in ACEP’s free Emotional First Aid training . If you would like to get trained in using Emotional Freedom Techniques with clients, sign up for ACEP’s online training that begins with EFT Professional Skills 1 . Author Ted Blickwedel, LICSW, MSW, MEd, is an ACEP member and recipient of ACEP's 2021 Special Recognition Award. He is a retired Marine, combat veteran, former VA VET Center counselor, VA whistleblower, and author of Broken Promises: Marine Combat Veteran Turns Whistleblower Exposing Compromised Mental Health Care at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Photo by RDNE Stock Project
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