The Benefits of EFT

A Whole New World

Why the Fourth Wave of Therapy is better for both therapists and their clients.

The Fourth Wave of Therapy is a term that refers to the new wave of therapies now being used which are somatic in nature: meaning they are body-based interventions.

This way of working accepts that trauma imprints itself on our body and nervous system, and therefore relying on therapies which only focus on the mind can be limited in effectiveness.

Releasing trauma at the physical level is so important for speed, effectiveness, and lasting results, as our mind and body as so connected in terms of the way we think, feel, and behave.

With EFT, the same results can often be obtained as with CBT, however with EFT it takes around a third of the time, so a lot less sessions.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is another somatic approach already used by many therapists which is considered the gold standard (most effective) treatment for PTSD. EFT has been validated in over 100 clinical trials; treatment effects have been equal to or exceeded traditional approaches.

EFT is a body-based approach as it involves tuning in to the body to ask if an emotion is felt anywhere in the body and tapping on the acupressure points on the face and upper body. Clinical EFT/Tapping allows the brain to update old learnings and helps the body to gently release stress, stored emotions, and traumas.

These somatic approaches to therapy have been around for a while, but they have now been tested clinically in research trials, and there is a lot of evidence supporting their efficacy. Research has shown that the tapping part of the EFT process is the active ingredient in the therapy, it is playing a large part in the effectiveness, and is not just a distraction.

If you have ever tried to help people recover from trauma using cognitive approaches, and then tried using a somatic approach like Clinical EFT, you will know that EFT is much faster,safer, gentler, and more effective. People get results quicker with EFT, they are more able to persist with therapy as they can feel it working.

The first three waves of therapy:

The first wave of therapy is the Psychodynamic and Psychoanalytic approach.

The second wave of therapy is the Behavioural and Classical Conditioning approach.

The third wave of therapy is the Cognitive approach, think Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness and blends of the two.

Benefits for Clients

  • Safe - Gentle - Effective 

  • Faster than traditional approaches

  • Natural / drug free

  • Builds capacity, resilience & window of tolerance over time

  • Empowering – teach your clients EFT so they can regulate their own nervous system anywhere, anytime. 

  • Clients can be more independent in managing own triggers / emotions in between sessions. And can even help their own families and friends with EFT. People are not so reliant on helping professionals to feel better.

  • EFT restores HOPE for people who have lost all hope of recovery from their trauma. Often after trying many different modalities, spending lots of time and money, to still feel not much better. Feeling hopeful again is so important as it helps people commit to and continue the work when it feels hard to do so.

Very important benefits for clients who have experienced significant trauma:

  • Clients do not have to talk about the trauma or “what happened” in order to effectively process emotions and traumatic events. I will teach you how!

  • This prevents re-traumatisation in therapy which is a huge advantage for many people. In my experience, clients are SO relieved to know they are not going to have to go through all of their trauma stories again with yet another person. Although they would do anything to feel better, not many people actually want to tell the stories repeatedly, especially if it doesn’t help.

Benefits for Clinicians:

  • Manage your own stress better with EFT – tap on the way to work & on the way home.

  • EFT helps us to leave work at work.

  • Creates stronger boundaries between work and home which helps us to enjoy both more.

  • Increased job satisfaction as clients get better quicker, and if they don’t, you can tap to help you worry less about them.

  • Great for dealing with difficult clients and colleagues, as well as workload and management issues. 

  • Helps prevent burnout, vicarious trauma & compassion fatigue – EFT is like a Teflon non-stick coating! My kids used to call me “Teflon Mum” when I started using EFT, because they noticed that things which used to stress me out no longer got the same reaction. I was so much calmer as a parent and when I went to work.

  • Practical, Useful, Portable, Free

  • You can also use EFT with your own kids, family, and friends.

  • Can be used in Clinical Supervision to help clinicians gain clarity on issues, build confidence, assertiveness, and boundaries in both work and home life.

  • Assists us to deal with conflicts and personality clashes more effectively and therefore more professionally. EFT helps people take workplace issues less personally.

  • A normal side effect of EFT is increased self-acceptance and compassion. This leads to people being less hard on themselves and builds resilience to stay in a difficult job.

Are you ready to learn EFT and bring it into your practice?

Use the button below to learn more about my available trainings.