By Nancy Gnecco, EFT Master

What is "Energy Psychotherapy" and how does EFT relate to it?

Energy Psychotherapy is the name given to a host of cutting edge psychotherapy modalities and techniques that target emotional problems at their source - the body's energy. There are three aspects of the body's energy, and different modalities utilize one or more of these aspects.

There is an electromagnetic field that radiates in several layers out from the body called the aura or the bioenergy field.

There are energy centers, called charkas, that start deep within the body and radiate out into the auric field and beyond in the shape of a funnel or vortex. These energy centers are related to specific kinds of energy and emotion. For example, the base chakra relates to issues of survival.

The third energy system, the one used in EFT, is the meridian system. Electrical circuits of energy within the body have been used for 5000 years for physical healing in Chinese medicine which is known to us as acupuncture. When these circuits of energy are disrupted by trauma, negative thoughts, or toxins the person will experience physical and/or emotional distress.

We now know that with EFT, gentle stimulation of specific points along these energy circuits, can clear the disruptions in the meridians. This is the essence of Emotional Freedom Techniques - "all negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the body's energy meridians," and can be cleared by gently tapping on certain points, holding in mind the distressing thought or feeling, thereby restoring health and wholeness to the Being.