On
Gary Craig’s EFT website he has a series of articles referring to the
“Scientific Evolution of EFT from TFT”.
To
anyone fully trained in TFT and conversant with Roger's theory, it should be
abundantly clear that the articles are full of factual
and deductive errors.
I put together a response that sought to correct the errors and asked Gary Craig a number of times to publish
my reply alongside his own article
so that the general public could read an alternative explanation and therefore
make a choice based on full, accurate and reliable information.
He
has always declined to do so.
Here
is the text of Gary’s article with my comments inserted
Ian
Graham
Honorary President
– British Thought Field Therapy Association
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Since bringing out EFT, I
have been questioned often about how its comprehensive algorithm can be as good
as (actually better than) the series of individual algorithms that make up TFT.
Has anyone ever seen the data that backs up this claim? Perhaps Gary can make the data available for analysis.
How can this be? Do we, for
example, just ignore Dr. Callahan's adamant statements about the individual
algorithms and their theoretical validity? Do we also just ignore the much
heralded presumption that the "order" of tapping the points is
critical to success? Further, how can we turn our nose up at the presumed
importance of muscle testing diagnosis and expect to get adequate results?
Funny thing about science.
Someone comes along with a useful idea and builds a theory to explain it. Later
on, someone else plays with the same idea, finds a way to improve it and builds
another theory to explain the new findings. Then more improvements are made,
new theories are built and on and on it goes until eventually the original idea
or product reaches a state of near perfection.
Without data to
back up the claim, the above is scientifically meaningless.
This story has been told
repeatedly throughout scientific history. The Wright Brothers would be astonished
if they could see the modern day evolution of their original "flying
machine." Other examples are telephones, cars, computers and almost every
product we use. Energy tapping therapies are no different.
The fact is one who masters
EFT can do everything that TFT does while covering a far wider variety of
problems without having to use muscle testing. Does anyone deny that? This
flies in the face of the theories underlying the individual algorithmic
approach, of course, and makes this a rather uncomfortable series to write. I'm
bound to take gas for it because the old theories have brought us much healing
and great insights. But it is time to put them under scrutiny in the name of
progress. Dr. Callahan deserves every accolade we can give him for his
diligence in getting the word out there. Without his most laudable efforts in
these matters, you and I would not even be discussing this. That doesn't mean,
however, that his theories are necessarily sacrosanct. He is human. Same goes
with my theories or anyone else's. We must stay open if progress is to be made.
This is exactly the reason why TFT theory has been under constant evolution - the complete theory now is much changed since I first trained in TFT (and EFT for that matter!) in 1996-97.
But the reality is, if the
present theories are accurate, then EFT could not possibly work as elegantly as
it does.
Exactly the
opposite. It’s because of
the accuracy of TFT theory that we can predict the success rate of
EFT, and that of TFT of course!
It would only work once in a
while but sputter miserably most of the time as the presumed requirement for
"order" is consistently violated. The only "order" involved
in the EFT Sequence is to go down the body. This makes it easy to memorize.
There is no other reason. It's the same "order" for every case. You
can do it backwards if you want and it will still work. "Order" might
have some theoretical importance but it is certainly not critical in practice.
Further, the theory that certain tapping points are important for certain
problems (e.g. the little finger for anger, the index finger for guilt,
pounding 30 times on the gamut spot for pain) is of questionable validity
because EFT's shortcut sequence gets great results on these issues even when ignoring
these presumably important tapping points.
An alternative
explanation is that EFT works because it embeds the most successful TFT
algorithms within the single sequence.
In other words the “order” that Gary claims is irrelevant is
automatically built into the single algorithm he uses in EFT. Indeed, the
EFT “shortcuts” (sequences of four or five treatment points) have a
remarkable similarity to existing TFT algorithms.
For example, the
phobia sequence in TFT, under eye (e) – under arm (a) – collarbone point (c),
embeds the following treatments for phobias also: e alone, a alone, c alone, e - a, e - c and a - c. Seven “treatment sequences” within the one
algorithm. The EFT single algorithm
embeds the same sequences in the same order, apart from a – c, but this one
would be “caught” doing the EFT algorithm in the reverse direction (as Gary
suggests if the forward application doesn’t seem to work). The end result would be that EFT gets incidental
success a consequence of the nature of TFT.
As for identifiable
points for anger, guilt etc. These were
defined by diagnosis as those that cleared that specific emotion in a minimum
of 80% of subjects. Other points or
sequences of points can occasionally do the same thing, especially the TFT
short trauma sequence, eb-c-9g-sq, which also works for anger and guilt when
related to trauma - this is embedded in the EFT sequence also. By the way, one does not “pound” on the
gamut spot. What an unusual choice of
word.
In line with the above you
might find this interesting. Night before last I spoke with Dr. Larry Nims who
was referred to me regarding EFT. As it turns out, we had met in 1992 at Dr.
Callahan's home for an informal seminar on what was then called The Callahan
Techniques. We have not seen each other since then. Since that time Larry has
developed his own comprehensive algorithm (very similar to EFT) and reports
using it quite elegantly for years with great results. He has totally ignored
the requirement for "order" in tapping and uses the same algorithm for
everything (sound familiar?). Basically, Larry and I have been doing the same
thing, independently of one another, and have both gotten remarkable results.
This is a credit
to Roger Callahan in discovering the common sequences involved as the Craig and
Nims protocols use single sequences that embed TFT algorithms. What is particularly interesting is that
Gary confirms that they are very similar.
They would have to be, as this would be the only way to achieve
the embedding. Indeed, if order was not
critical to success, then how did the two single sequences end up being very
similar? One would expect that if order
were not critical in a 14 point series the chances of coming up with a very
similar sequence to the EFT algorithm independently would be astronomical. On the other hand, if order were
critical to success then the sequences would have to be similar to get similar
results. Of course, I’m assuming that
Nims tested out other combinations of 14-point algorithms before he settled on
the one that worked best, i.e. the one that just happens to embed most of the
TFT algorithms!
Interestingly enough, Larry
also ignores the 9 gamut procedure and builds the Psychological Reversal
procedure into the Sequence. This takes less time. I have been experimenting
with this myself recently and the results have been very good. I will spend
more time testing the idea and will let you know my results as time unfolds.
Anyone trained in
diagnosis knows that a substantial number of clients never require the 9 gamut
procedure. At algorithm level the
practitioner has no way of knowing whether 9g is needed or not so it is easier
(and harmless) just to do it anyway.
Gary also instructs those doing EFT to add 9g if the EFT algorithm alone
doesn’t work. Treating PR up front is
also a choice but not recommended in TFT as finding that it is present can give
the practitioner useful clinical data that can guide future treatment. However, if there are signs that PR is
present then treating PR up front is an option.
Another interesting fact. I
have received reports from TFT'ers that on occasion they have, mistakenly, had
the client tap in the "wrong" order and still got the result.
On other occasions they have erroneously applied the wrong algorithm to a
particular problem and, to their surprise, the client gained relief anyway.
Strange indeed and highly unlikely if all of the reigning theories are
accurate. I think these "mistakes" give glowing testimonials to the
overall power of energy tapping. However, one must scratch their head a bit
because they certainly seem to violate some of the theories involved. I'm
convinced there is something else going on and will elaborate on this in
another part of this series.
Not so if Gary is
referring to those using TFT algorithms.
The phobia algorithm e - a - c
embeds 6 other possible treatments as already pointed out. If the client only needs one point
treating then it does not matter whether you do e - a - c, a - c -
e, c - e - a, and so on as all will hit the single point at some stage, giving
the false impression that “order” is irrelevant and that “mistakes” do not
matter. However, if the client requires
all three points to be tapped in the order e - a - c then only
that sequence will work. I’ve tried
putting sequences I’ve diagnosed out of order and found that they
did not work - only when I put them in the order originally determined did they
work. The longer the sequence needed
the more critical the order becomes.
Tapping on the energy system
while being tuned to an emotional problem is an extraordinary healing technique
that is deserving of the Nobel Prize. Its impact on the healing sciences is
bound to be enormous. Quite clearly, we are on the ground floor of a healing
high rise. Fortunately, there are many people experimenting with this idea and
some fascinating finds are being unearthed. In time we will learn much more and
will be discarding old notions in place of new theories. It is my fondest hope
that someday Roger Callahan, Fred Gallo, Greg Nicosia, Gary Craig and other
investigators will all become obsolete as new findings by others surpass us
all.
The Scientific Evolution
of EFT From TFT--Part II of V
Before this series continues,
I think it appropriate to make a distinction. Most of the people doing research
on these energy tapping therapies are psychotherapists. To my knowledge, I am
the only non-therapist researcher who is putting his results/theories in the
public domain. While other researchers are dedicated therapists choosing to
become scientists, I am a scientist (Stanford engineer) whose passion is
psychology. Clearly, we come at this subject from different backgrounds/angles
and our conclusions are bound to collide somewhere along the line. What makes
perfect sense to a psychologist can be scientific nonsense to me and vice
versa. This is how it should be. This is how science marches forward and this
is the spirit in which this series is presented.
On the contrary,
it is a recipe for total confusion and invites the propagation of
misinformation, as has happened. True
evidence-based scientists then spend valuable time trying to correct those who
have been misinformed, thereby delaying progress - which has also happened.
In Part I of this series I
suggested that the "order" of tapping in the Sequence was of no
practical significance. There is a bit more to say on this before going on to
the related subject of diagnostic muscle testing.
The only practical evidence I
have ever heard regarding the validity of the "order" concept
involves people tapping in what seems to be an "out of order"
Sequence. For example, Dr. Callahan and other TFT'ers report asking a client to
tap the Sequence in a given order (e.g. UA, UE, CB). The client then taps and
reports no apparent relief for the problem. It is then discovered that the
client mistakenly tapped in the "wrong" order (e.g. UE, UA, CB). The
client is then asked to tap in the "right" order and, upon doing so,
relief for the problem is attained. From this it is concluded that order is important.
To me, this is a logical
conclusion only if there are no other feasible explanations. However,
there are at least 3 other perfectly logical possibilities which have somehow
(to this scientist's amazement) been disregarded. For example:
1.
In the first round the client may not have tapped enough times, or solidly
enough, to do the job. Thus no result. In the second round the tapping was
completed more proficiently and the result was thus achieved.
If the TFT treatment protocol is followed correctly then a
practitioner would not give up on a sequence after one round and then
try another sequence. The practitioner
moves on to a second alternative only when PR has been corrected at all its
various levels and the first sequence repeated again after each
correction. This means that for a given
sequence that still fails to give a result the client will have gone through 6
rounds of tapping.
2.
With some clients, Psychological Reversal comes and goes with great rapidity
within the same session. It can and does change in seconds. It is entirely
possible (I think likely) that PR was present on the first round thereby
blocking an otherwise effective tapping procedure. Then, on the second round,
the PR vanished and thus allowed relief for the problem.
Again this doesn’t stand up to the fact that when done correctly,
the TFT protocol would have corrected for PR five times using the first
sequence alone and up to five times during the second. In diagnosis a simple test reveals PR
immediately anyway.
3.
The first round may have been effective (good probability here) but the effect
was not noticed by the client because s/he switched to another aspect of the
problem. The second round then addressed, and relieved, the remaining aspect
thus prompting the client to report relief.
TFT practitioners as part of their training are told about this
layering effect and how to deal with it (the tooth-shoe-lump principle). It happens often in complex cases. It certainly doesn’t mean that “order” is
irrelevant, only that one order worked for one aspect and another order for
another.
Any or all of these could
have taken place in any session where "order" appeared to be
important. Tapping out of "order" is only one out of 4 possibilities
and, in my experience, the least likely of the bunch.
In fact, it is the most likely.
Scenario:
the full TFT protocol including PR corrections is carried out properly
with the incorrect sequence and nothing happens. Change to another sequence and follow the same protocol - the treatment then works. The only thing that changed was the sequence
therefore the effect must be attributable to that change, i.e. order of points
is critical. QED.
It is scientifically
inaccurate, to conclude that 1 out of 4 explanations is the answer
without thoroughly examining the alternatives. Yet no such examination has been
done in this regard and the notion of "order" has been accepted as
the "truth" here. No trained scientist I know would buy this.
Nor did
Callahan. The examination of the four
“explanations” was done long before Gary came along. I am surprised that he remains ignorant of
this fact. Callahan tested his
diagnosed sequences on thousands of clients and looked at all the possible
explanations for what he observed. Only
when a sequence achieved a minimum of 80% success (defined as complete
elimination of the problem) and the result could not be explained any other
way did he add it to the approved list.
There are other algorithms that diagnostic practitioners may have found over
the years but as they are only effective, say, 60% of the time, they never reach
the approved algorithm list.
Now here is where
EFT might indeed score a hit. The EFT
single sequence may (and probably does) embed these less successful algorithms
and so achieve what a TFT algorithm practitioner cannot in a few cases.
In addition, I brought out
the fact in Part I of this series that ignoring the presumed necessity for
order appears to have no practical effect whatsoever on results. EFT, for example,
would not work if order was really important.
Again, it is more
likely that it’s because of the order that EFT works!
Further, some TFT
practitioners report occasions where relief was attained despite the
Sequence being tapped in the "wrong" order. This leaves me rather
stumped as to why order is deemed necessary at all. It seems to have no real
effect in practice and is the least likely out of four possible explanations.
The answer to this
already been given above.
The Scientific Evolution of EFT From TFT--Part III of V
This part of the series
explores diagnostic muscle testing and a related mathematical fallacy. For
newcomers, diagnostic muscle testing refers to a technique whereby the
practitioner tests the changing strength of a muscle (by pushing down on an
extended arm, for example) while the client makes certain statements or holds
certain thoughts in his/her head. By this means it is thought possible to
discern the necessary tapping procedures for a given client with a given
problem. I'll get to the mathematical fallacy in a bit but first we need to
explore the practice of muscle testing.
Muscle testing is an art. It is a skill that is learned and perfected over months and years. It is not something one becomes proficient at in a seminar. Many readers of this series are extraordinarily good at this technique and use it as the centrepiece of their practices. Despite its clear usefulness, however, muscle testing cannot be considered absolutely accurate.
This is absolutely
true. Muscle testing is indeed a skill
that takes a long time to master - and is why Callahan offers a supervisory
period after initial diagnostic training.
I don't know of a single
muscle tester, for example, who would rely on the technique for a decision as
to whether or not to have brain surgery. Rather, muscle testing, in the hands
of a skilled practitioner, provides good guides or strong clues leading to
healing techniques which are often very helpful to the client.
This is how the
importance of order was discovered and how the TFT algorithms were determined
in the first place. Callahan didn’t
come across them by accident or random experimentation – he used muscle testing
and therapy localisation techniques to determine the common sequences. If muscle testing was inaccurate then TFT
algorithms would not work. Gary seems
to forget this. Callahan also says that
muscle testing is only as good as what is experienced in reality by
the client - the only true test of validity.
Even the most proficient practitioners come up against problems inherent in the procedure. I list some of these problems below while pointing out that these problems are even greater for the beginner:
1.
The practitioner can easily influence the result by injecting his/her own
attitudes or preconceived ideas about what the "answer" should be.
Maintaining neutrality in this regard takes much practice.
True. But this is made
crystal clear to every diagnostic trainee.
If you approach diagnosis with preconceived ideas about what will happen
then you will get the result you want.
The difference is that your preconception will not be reflected in the
reality for the client and it’s being on-line with that reality that is the
foundation of TFT.
2.
Either the practitioner or the client can become Psychologically Reversed regarding
the process. This can influence results. Indeed, it can give you an answer
which is the exact opposite of the truth.
Not true. Both practitioner
and client being reversed does not give the opposite result. It gives double negatives or double positives. If the practitioner spots this he / she
corrects for it then there is no further problem. This is again part of the training.
3.
Clients can sometimes influence the result by consciously shifting their
thoughts so they won't be "found out" on some issue.
Definitely not true. This
cannot fool diagnosis - we’re not testing the cognition or will of the client,
we’re testing the thought field that is beyond conscious influence. It is simply impossible to “not think about
something” if your attention is brought to focus upon it. If a client wilfully tries not to think
about something, that client will think about it automatically - e.g. try
forcing yourself not to think about elephants..! I used to specialise in the treatment of children and one of the
ways I got over the problem of them being tearful when thinking directly of
their anxiety, for example, was to keep reminding them not to think about their
problem during the treatment!
Naturally, in order to NOT think about it they had to think about it and
the thought field to be treated was thereby accessible.
4.
Some clients are very difficult to test because they are massively reversed
and/or ill.
There is a test for massive reversal so if such clients were
difficult to test how could there be a test for it?! Physical illness, however, does make testing difficult and so we
wait until illness has passed.
My main point here is that
muscle testing, especially in the hands of a beginner, is loaded with potential
for inaccuracy.
“In the hands of a
beginner”, yes. Isn’t this why all
skilful practices have apprenticeships?
This inaccuracy problem adds
to a mathematical fallacy underlying TFT diagnosis. We turn to that subject
now.
Let me acknowledge first that
Dr. Callahan is mathematically correct that the number of possible combinations
of the 14 tapping points (meridians) is 87 billion. In formal mathematics, this
is known as 14 factorial or 14!. Where I have a serious scientific question is
in the idea that muscle testing will allow a therapist (even a beginner) to
find the appropriate sequence for that client's problem out of the 87
billion possibilities. Mathematically, that is like asking a therapist to walk
into 100 acres of clover and go right to the only four leaf clover therein ...OR...
asking a therapist to solve Rubik's Cube on the first try in one minute.
A practitioner of
Applied Kinesiology would probably be highly amused at Gary’s assertion
here! George Goodheart developed AK’s
therapy localisation procedure using muscle testing - and has proven under
scientific conditions that it works time and time again. The whole practice of Kinesiology is built
upon its reliability. A variation on
the procedure allowed Callahan to determine the TFT algorithms now in use. Using the Rubik’s cube analogy and Gary’s
mathematical approach to proof - if someone was blindfolded and told to solve
the cube by random moves and was only stopped when the cube had been solved it
would take up to 1350 billion years (300 times the age of the Earth). However, if the same blindfolded person was
told “yes” every time they made the correct move toward the solution then the
cube could be solved in 2 hours.
Therapy localisation by muscle
testing was the “yes” in the search for the correct order of points for
successful treatment, thereby allowing the accurate identification of correct
sequences in a very short space of time.
I happen to believe that a
few people have developed their psychic abilities well enough to perhaps pull
this off now and then. But even given this, it stretches credulity to think
that one can teach hundreds of therapists (most of whom are inaccurate
beginners at muscle testing) to do this consistently. Yet they
"apparently" do it. They do get results and people are
helped.
So what's going on here? Is
this result really because these inaccurate beginners magically
diagnosed the critical sequence (in the "right" order, no
less) out of the 87 billion possibilities? Do you honestly think they (you)
really find the four leaf clover in the 100 acre patch? Doesn't that
push your nonsense button just a little?
Not at all. We owe a great debt to George Goodheart for
finding that it worked in the first place and to Roger Callahan for refining it
to apply specifically to psychological problems.
There is, of course, another
explanation that easily passes scientific reasonableness. It's hard to see at
first because it is hiding behind the erroneous notion that order is important
in the tapping Sequence. If you still believe that order is important then you
must necessarily buy into this mathematical fallacy. You are stuck with it and
all the "science" surrounding it. Think about it. Only if
order is truly important (which it isn't) do we need concern ourselves with the
87 billion possibilities.
On the other hand, if order
is not important (and I hope I have made my point on this by now) then
you are left with a mere 14 meridians to contend with. This being so, you need
only tap on each one to balance it.
According to Callahan’s theory, TFT does
not directly “balance” energy meridians, nor does it clear “disturbances” or
“blockages” in the meridian system. This is a popular
but highly unscientific viewpoint held by those with limited understanding of
the paradigm and the true nature of energy.
Sadly, it is also an identifying feature of the many therapies derived
from Callahan’s original work.
If balancing of
meridians was the way TFT worked and “order” of treatment of those meridians
was irrelevant then acupuncturists would have discovered TFT / EFT / BSFF/ etc.
long ago and it would not matter what one thought about during treatment. In TFT - and in EFT / BSFF / etc. - thinking
about the problem is critical to success. TFT alters the expression of coded information within the
thought field, essentially a reprogramming process – nothing to do with
rebalancing, unblocking or correcting a disturbance. The meridian system is used in TFT in the same way as a computer
programmer would use a PC keyboard.
Tapping on specific energy points in a precise order equates to typing
in an instruction on a keyboard – if the instruction is typed incorrectly the
computer does nothing.
Consider the experience of fear. Fear is a highly ordered and precisely orchestrated experience which occurs in exactly the same manner in all members of the same species (constriction of peripheral blood vessels, dilation of coronary blood vessels, adrenalin release, etc.), commonly known as the fight-or-flight reaction. As those events are highly ordered and balanced in both time and space, it is foolish to contend that they arise from a disordered, unbalanced or blocked system. However, the situation in which that fear response is generated may be abnormal - as is the case with a phobia (a fear of something harmless) - but the individual is still having a normal response to something which they perceive as a threat to their well-being, no matter how odd it seems to a non-phobic observer. In other words the normal program is being activated abnormally. The key to resolving this is to deactivate the triggering instructions.
Furthermore, I cannot accept that the fear I would undoubtedly feel when faced with a loaded gun pointed in my face (exactly the same fear felt by a severe phobic when exposed to the object of their fear) is the product of an unbalanced, disturbed or blocked system. It’s meant to be there and is functionally perfect.
Indeed, the perturbations associated with fear have a vital purpose directly related to the survival response of the individual as a child but which may subsequently be deactivated as part of the process of maturation to adulthood. It is often a failure of this deactivation during the maturation phase that gives rise to inappropriate emotional experience. For example, all children develop a fear of heights as soon as they begin to crawl but with maturation this fear is rapidly subsumed so that it is lost by adulthood. If this natural deactivation does not occur then the fear of heights remains. Essentially, TFT (and successful EFT) does what nature failed to do for whatever reason.
No order. No magic. No muscle testing. No diagnosis. What a relief. Just very straightforward logic that stands up to scientific scrutiny. That is the essence of EFT and that is why it works so well. In fact, since the meridians are so intertwined, you need only tap on half of them because doing so sends balancing energy down all of them. That's the essence of the EFT shortcut.
Perhaps a more
valid explanation is the mathematical fact that it embeds the sequence order of
the most successful TFT algorithms.
Even more straightforward logic that definitely stands up to scientific
scrutiny. I once asked an acupuncturist for an
opinion on Gary’s claim that treating half the energy meridians sends balancing
energy down all of them. She said that
if that were true then she would only need to insert one needle anywhere into
each of a few meridians and all her clients would get better immediately – it
doesn’t happen, of course.
When therapists do muscle testing, they come up with a series of tapping points that balances the same meridians that EFT (or most any other comprehensive algorithm) does automatically. Muscle testing has the advantage of leading directly to the disrupted energy meridians so that fewer of them need to be tapped.
This is confusing! Gary said a few paragraphs earlier, “Is this result really because these inaccurate beginners magically diagnosed the critical sequence (in the "right" order, no less) out of the 87 billion possibilities? Do you honestly think they (you) really find the four leaf clover in the 100 acre patch? Doesn't that push your nonsense button just a little?”
Now he says, “Muscle
testing has the advantage of leading directly to the disrupted energy meridians
so that fewer of them need to be tapped.”
In contrast however, by the
time a muscle tester diagnoses just one such disrupted meridian (and there are
usually two or three), another therapist could have completed the entire EFT
shortcut sequence once or twice and be off working on the next problem.
True, but this is
assuming that EFT works first time every time, which Gary himself acknowledges
is not always the case (See Emofree website – www.emofree.com). I have been told by an ex-EFT practitioner
(who subsequently trained in TFT algorithms and diagnosis) that in difficult
cases it is recommended that many rounds of EFT tapping over days, weeks even,
is carried out until a change is noticed. In TFT we go straight to the correct order needed and TFT works immediately
or not at all. Constant repetition
of any patterned behaviour brings a therapy into the realm of the cognitive
behavioural therapist, where treatment over extended periods of time allows
extraneous variables to have an effect, e.g. reduction of symptomology with the
passage of time, conditioning, desensitisation, etc.
It is always dangerous to
challenge someone else's beliefs and I know I have done just that for some of
you. Muscle testing diagnosis may have worked for you and, if so, you are very
pleased with your results. I do not deny that. Indeed I support you and your
results and send a mighty salute your way. I am not suggesting here that
muscle testing is useless or to be abandoned.
This has certainly
been implied in the article so far!
Muscle testing either works or it doesn’t – one cannot argue that both
are the case.
To the contrary, in the hands
of the highly skilled technician it can be a very useful tool and it may
lead to some helpful new theoretical findings. It may even give you a better
"feel" for your client. I do suggest, however, that you examine the
theoretical basis from which you are working for an enhanced understanding of
your procedures. I also suggest that, for the vast majority of therapists, the
job can be done much more efficiently with the EFT procedures.
Some of the time,
yes, and that keeps most practitioners happy as it’s a lot better than they’ve
achieved before. But what about those
on whom EFT does not work? Those
individuals will have been told that TFT doesn’t work as well as EFT and so are
likely never to go to a TFT practitioner to find out. I believe this to be irresponsible and potentially harmful.
The Scientific Evolution
of EFT From TFT--Part IV of V
We turn now to the science
behind the individual algorithms taught within TFT. They are put forward as
exhaustively tested Sequences that can be used for specific problems (e.g.
grief, guilt, anger, phobias, trauma, pain, depression, etc.) thereby avoiding
the need to muscle test in these specific instances. Some (but not all) users
are quite impressed by them and indicate a high rate of success with their use.
I applaud them as well because they have been responsible for many remarkable
healings. I tip my hat to all the TFT trainers and Dr. Callahan for bringing
them to the public. My comments here have nothing to do with their
effectiveness, however. Instead, I am exploring with you the science behind
them. I think it needs help.
For a starting point, let's
choose the specialized TFT algorithm for grief. Grief is a label for an
emotional state that might be evident in someone whose spouse has recently
died. Under such circumstances, the TFT practitioner pulls out the grief arrow
(algorithm), aims it at the grief target and, if successful, appears to hit the
bullseye ... at least in theory.
But who says the target is
really grief? Depending on where the person is coming from, couldn't one
re-define the same emotion as the fear of being alone?
Yes, so if the
grief algorithm seems to have no effect after the full TFT protocol has been
tried then move on to another algorithm to deal with the alternative
interpretation. A skilled TFT algorithm
practitioner is told to watch out for this and select accordingly.
I'm not talking about aspects
here. I mean grief could be easily re-defined in terms of fear. Further, grief
could also be re-defined in terms of guilt for what the
"griever" did or did not do regarding the deceased during their
lifetime. So who is to say that the grief algorithm is the right one? Why not
use a fear algorithm or a guilt algorithm?
Exactly, why
not? Or use both.
This thread continues.
Someone's anger over what someone said about them could quite logically
be re-defined in terms of the fear of what other people will think. If
so, then which algorithm do you use? Anger or fear?
Both, if
necessary, guided by the client’s response.
All part of the skill needed.
Further, where do addictive
urges end and compulsions begin? Aren't both of them related to, or
driven by, anxiety?
Exactly! That’s why the set of TFT algorithms for both conditions are the same. And Callahan was the first to define the anxiety -addiction connection. This is why addiction and obsession / compulsion are treated using algorithms which address the underlying anxiety.
Couldn't depression be
re-defined in terms of fear, guilt, hopelessness or shame?
Not always. This is why a depression algorithm was
defined as a stand-alone but is often supplemented by algorithms for fear,
guilt, etc.
Many years ago I spent an
evening pondering these labels and found it quite easy to re-define 50 or so
emotional problems in terms of the fear of something. For example, guilt
is the fear of being "found out." Hand washing compulsions are the fear of germs,
disease or death. Trauma is the fear of the traumatic event
happening again. And so on it goes.
These are just
sweeping generalisations, e.g. someone may feel guilty after a bereavement
because they didn’t have the chance to do everything they may have wanted for
the deceased. How could this be
regarded as a “fear of being found out”?
That said, the TFT algorithm treatment for trauma (eb-e-a-c) also embeds
the “fear” algorithm (e-a-c) to deal with any associated anxiety, anyway.
The obvious point here is
that the targets at which these algorithmic arrows take aim are imprecise. How
can one proceed to cure a problem if they don't know what the problem is?
That’s exactly
what I do using diagnosis - I don’t have to know the problem. Algorithm practitioners, however, do need to
develop an idea of where to go but this comes with practice.
Why give someone medication for mumps when the problem is measles? Further, if the emotional targets defy accurate description then how can one expect to develop a precise algorithm for them?
You can’t. That’s why algorithms for undefined problems
don’t exist. If defined algorithm
treatment doesn’t work or there is difficulty pinpointing the aspects of the
problem then the responsible practitioner refers the client for diagnosis.
These algorithms must be
developed based on what patients or therapists are labeling as grief, guilt,
depression, etc. Since the labels aren't accurate, how can we trust the
accuracy of the "precise" algorithms based on them? Strange science
indeed.
Not at all - their
development was based on what the client reported as the emotion
that cleared when the sequence was applied, not the other way round. Good science, in fact, and the essential reality
test.
Interestingly enough, these algorithms, however imprecisely developed or applied, have been responsible for many successful emotional healings. There must be a reason for this because these results do not occur by mere chance.
Because an
algorithm practitioner who has taken the trouble to develop their skill will
use algorithms in combination by analysing the specific make-up of the client’s
overall problem. Once diagnostically
trained, this become unnecessary, as the correct sequence for the individual
can be determined directly without ever knowing what the problem was or is.
But do we just simply accept
the existing explanations and overlook the obvious hole in them? Do we overlook
the fact that some TFT practitioners report that applying the "wrong"
algorithm often solves the problem anyway? Do we also overlook the fact that
purposely avoiding the tapping points in the specific algorithms (while tapping
other points instead) gives results that are just as good as for the touted
algorithm?
Explanation given
already.
I don't pretend to have the
last answer on any of this (research on these matters is just beginning) but I
do have a plausible explanation for why these individual algorithms work
despite the questionable science behind them. Here it is: The one thing all
these algorithms have in common is that they tap on 3 or 4 of the meridians.
Since the meridians are intertwined, it is quite logical that tapping on 3 or 4
of them will often send enough energy throughout the whole meridian system to
do the job regardless of the problem.
A gross
misunderstanding of the concept of energy, energy meridians and the nature of
the Thought Field. If this claim were
logical then, as said before, an acupuncturist need only stick a single needle
in 3 or 4 randomly chosen meridians to treat all known disorders.
This also explains why I get
reports from EFT'ers that EFT tends to do the job when the individual
algorithms falter.
Again, the EFT single
sequence may embed less successful algorithms (less than Callahan’s 80% cut-off
point of acceptability) and so achieve what a TFT algorithm practitioner cannot
in a few cases. Equally, there are many
reports from those practicing TFT that diagnosis does the job when EFT fails,
i.e. even the EFT algorithm failed to embed an ordered sequence, which was
subsequently discovered upon diagnosis.
The EFT shortcut sequence
taps on 7 meridians, not just 3 or 4. Accordingly, it is more thorough and more
likely to do the job. This is common sense. Reasonable science. It explains
everything to date and doesn't stretch one's imagination at all.
It most certainly
does stretch the imagination! If it
were that simple why didn’t the millions of Chinese or Indian medics who had
been treating meridians for thousands of years hit upon this first - and found
a cure for all ills?
Given the logical explanation
above, I now propose a possible belief boggler for many TFT'ers. Couldn't we
persuasively argue that the TFT algorithms operate under the same concept as
EFT but are inferior because they don't tap as many points?
I could be wrong, of course,
and I'm certainly open to arguments to the contrary.
Is this really the case? Gary has repeatedly refused to publish this reply on his website. The general public should be given the chance to hear both sides and make up their own mind, not have information kept from them.
But, for now, the results
certainly support this theory.
Now that the Heart
Rate Variability test is available, TFT treatments can be proven
objectively. I’ve done this myself to
re-test the “critical order” argument.
The results showed that a diagnosed sequence applied out of order did
not change HRV but once the correct order was applied, HRV changed.
The Scientific Evolution
of EFT From TFT--Part V of V
Summary: bringing it all
together
When I first brought EFT to
the public, my original statements about it were that:
1.
EFT was built largely upon things I learned from my experience with TFT. This
is still the case, although I have discarded some parts of TFT that I consider
poor science.
So why are the use of affirmations, the notion of meridian balancing
/ unblocking / correcting,
and other highly unscientific add-ons retained in EFT? TFT does not include any of these.
2.
EFT is an improvement over TFT in that it covers a far wider variety of
problems with one elegant routine.
Arguably true for TFT
algorithms. But I’ve treated those
who’ve had unsuccessful EFT and resolved their problem on the spot with a
single diagnosed sequence. I should say
that TFT algorithms wouldn’t have worked on these clients either as they did
not contain the required treatment sequence order.
3.
EFT is the next step up from TFT. This seemingly bold statement is becoming
more obvious every day.
When you have a “one-size fits all” approach where do you then go
in terms of development? In essence the
only development route that can be followed in such a case is that of cosmetic
appearance. TFT has developed steadily
and new discoveries have been made because of the “sequence order criticality”
foundation allowing for tailor-made solutions.
As far as I can ascertain, improvements upon EFT have been achieved by
applying unscientific add-ons or procedures to the standard tapping sequence –
i.e. cosmetic improvements. In one
EFT-based text I counted over 70 add-ons that were claimed to improve the
success rate of EFT. EFT-like
protocols seemed to get bigger at each “improvement” while improved TFT
protocols got smaller.
Not everyone believed me, of
course. Why would they? I am but a "student of the master" and, to
make matters worse, I am a non-therapist, a mere engineer. Nonetheless, EFT has
blossomed impressively with most of its growth coming from word of mouth
referral. There are a few detractors (as might be expected) but the ratio of
supporters to detractors is at least 50 to 1.
One's beliefs, even if they
are wrong, are often difficult to move aside. It was hard enough for therapists
to accept the bizarre looking TFT even though the results were obvious. Now EFT
comes along, pokes holes in the TFT theories and suggests you restructure your
thinking to accommodate an improved version that is confidently labeled
"the next step up." In this
series, we hammered on the erroneous requirement for "order" in the
tapping Sequence and showed that it has no practical significance. If it
did, EFT would sputter most of the time.
On the contrary,
it works quite well because of the order Callahan identified.
Instead, EFT handily
outperforms TFT by more elegantly addressing a far wider variety of problems
with but one simple routine.
I am open to the fact that
"order" may have theoretical significance but that avenue, in my
opinion, should be left to the theoreticians.
My understanding from Gary’s article so far is that he contends that order has no significance. Now he says it has theoretical significance. Yet another contradiction.
Why should the practicing
therapist be burdened with numerous algorithms when one will do the job
routinely?
“Horses for
courses!” As a professional I want to
be seen to be applying skill to what I practice, not say to the client, “I
don’t need skill, just do this one thing all the time”. If the application of skill is a burden
then load me up.
Further, the whole concept of
individually designed algorithms aimed at specific emotional problems collapses
under the realisation that the labels for these problems (grief, guilt, fear,
etc.) are imprecise and overlap each other. Under TFT, one can never be sure
which arrow to aim at which target.
So skill is
applied to select the appropriate combination.
With EFT, this problem
vanishes as the same algorithm is applied to everything.
This is like a GP prescribing every drug in existence to
cure a headache “because the one that works for headaches is in there
somewhere”. I want to go to a GP who
explores my condition thoroughly and gives me exactly and only what I
need. And I don’t want to go on
repeating an initially unsuccessful treatment in the hope that it might
“eventually” work. As Gary has already pointed out – “Why give
someone medication for mumps when the problem is measles?”
Also, the bit about
diagnostic muscle testing allowing even the beginner to discern the proper
tapping sequence out of 87 billion possibilities is absurd on its face. Since
"order" has no practical significance, the 87 billion possibilities
reduce down to a manageable 14 meridians. Since these meridians are
intertwined, tapping on a few of them is likely to send balancing energy down
many, if not all, of them. The individual TFT algorithms tap on 3 or 4
meridians and that is why they work. In many instances this is enough to do the
job. EFT, on the other hand, is much more thorough and taps on 7 of them (the
shortcut Sequence) and thus is much more likely to get the job done. This bears
out in practice, as one would expect.
More appropriate
explanation given already.
EFT is, indeed, the next step
up. This is not because I have made some grand discovery. Rather, it is because
previous research has gone down the wrong avenue and made things far more
complex than they need to be. This often happens in scientific endeavors,
especially when the research is on something as new and far reaching as these
energy tapping therapies. EFT is obvious. It is the next step up. It had
to come along as a common sense alternative to efforts that were proceeding
down what seems to me like Busywork Boulevard.
If anything, I
believe it is “dumbing down” the field and delaying many chances to refine
theory.
If anyone still questions
this, consider the following contrast. It has been quite easy for TFT'ers to
shift from the multi-algorithms of TFT to the one algorithmic approach of EFT.
They no longer have several algorithms to memorise (and teach clients)…
Memorise? Why?
Callahan himself tells practitioners not to bother but to have the sheet
of algorithms right in front of them, and ones that can be given to clients to
take home.
…and they don't have to
muscle test for things the individual algorithms aren't designed to address.
This gravitation from the overly complicated to the elegantly simple is a
natural one. By contrast, however, how easy do you think it would be for a
therapist to switch from EFT back to TFT? Would someone who started off
learning EFT find it easy to abandon their highly effective algorithm in favor
of 10 or 15 individual algorithms that only address a fraction of the problems?
It appears to now
be the case - there are an increasing number of EFT practitioners who are now
moving into TFT when they hear of the advances made over the last few
years. Those who have attended my
algorithm course have said that they now see TFT in a new light. I have even had EFT / BSFF practitioners
come to me for treatment and have long standing problems (and unresponsive to
EFT / BSFF) resolved in minutes.
Wouldn't they be taking a
backward step if they did so? By further contrast, EFT is freely discussible /
teachable and does not require the signing of restrictive agreements.
True, but I am
genuinely concerned that EFT is rolling out a host of so-called “practitioners”
with no background or experience in psychology or in the skills of patient
care, and who can sidestep protective regulation of psychotherapy in the USA by
becoming an ordained minister with credentials for an internet-based church
simply by providing their name and address.
I myself became an ordained minister in 2001 just to see how easy it was. I provided my name and address, no other
questions asked, and I became a minister on the spot. A few days later I also had an official and verifiable ID card
and full credentials.
I am equally, if
not more, concerned that those individuals are encouraged to set themselves up
as trainers of EFT, and who often charging iniquitous prices for material that
is freely available on the Internet.
One EFT
practitioner in the UK known to me (and within weeks of his free, or almost
free, internet “training”), was offering EFT courses for the equivalent of
US$500 at the time and claiming to “license” his trainees to practice – a deliberate
attempt to mislead. If it protects
patients from any Tom, Dick or Harry who “fancies being a psychotherapist” then
give me a restrictive agreement every time.
Again, I am not the last word
on this and I am wide open to your questions and challenges. I search for the truth and am quite
convinced that EFT is the next step up from TFT. But that doesn't make me right
and, if I'm wrong, I would love to have it proven to me.
I shall say again
that Gary Craig has always refused to publish this reply.