The Latest Science of Clinical EFT Tapping

Summary

In this informative webinar, Associate Professor Peter Stapleton from Bond University discusses the scientific advancements in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), a psychophysiological approach integrating exposure therapy with stress reduction. With over 320 studies supporting its efficacy, Stapleton highlights brain scan research demonstrating EFT's impact on food cravings and chronic pain, as well as its comparable effectiveness to cognitive therapy and EMDR. He also delves into the discovery of the primovascular system, providing a physical basis for the traditional acupuncture points used in EFT, and explains how this system facilitates the technique's rapid physiological effects on stress and pain.

Takeaways

• 📚 EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques, is a psychophysiological technique that combines elements of cognitive therapy with exposure therapy and body-based stress reduction.
• 🔍 There are over 320 publications on EFT, with more than 29 meta-analyses or systematic reviews, and over 65 randomized clinical trials, indicating a robust body of research supporting its efficacy.
• 🌐 Research on EFT is global, with studies emerging from countries like Malaysia, Iran, Iraq, and South Korea, showing cultural adaptability of the technique.
• 📈 Of the 320 studies in energy psychology, 99 demonstrate scientific evidence supporting EFT, placing it in the top 10 percent of published psychotherapy modalities.
• 🧬 Biological studies on EFT include DNA testing and functional MRIs, showing a profound physiological impact beyond subjective outcomes.
• 🧠 Brain scan studies have shown that EFT can significantly reduce signals associated with food cravings and chronic pain in the brain, suggesting a neurological basis for its effects.
• 💉 Historically, EFT was thought to work through an energy or meridian system similar to acupuncture, but modern research points to a more physical mechanism.
• 🔬 Recent studies have identified a physical connection between acupuncture points and the body's connective tissues, suggesting a primovascular system that may transmit signals when stimulated.
• 📊 Research has shown that EFT is comparable to gold standard therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy and EMDR, often achieving similar outcomes in less time.
• 🌟 The understanding of EFT has evolved from energy flow disruption to a scientifically-backed method with a clear physiological impact on the brain and body.
• 🔄 The mechanism of EFT is now believed to involve the conversion of mechanical signals from tapping into electrical signals through a process known as mechanosensory transduction.

Q & A

Who is Peter Stapleton and what is his area of expertise?

Peter Stapleton is an associate professor from Bond University in Australia. His area of expertise is in the field of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as tapping, and the psychophysiological effects of this technique.

What is the significance of the number 320 in the context of EFT research?

The number 320 refers to the total number of publications related to EFT, indicating a substantial body of research supporting the technique.

What is the 'gold standard approach' in research mentioned by Professor Stapleton?

The 'gold standard approach' in research typically refers to methods like meta-analysis, systematic review, and randomized clinical trials, which are considered the most rigorous and reliable forms of scientific investigation.

How does EFT integrate with other therapeutic approaches?

EFT integrates with other therapeutic approaches by borrowing elements from cognitive therapy and adding exposure therapy and body-based stress reduction techniques.

What is the role of the primovascular system in the context of EFT?

The primovascular system is a recently identified physical system that is believed to be involved in the mechanism of action for acupuncture and EFT. It is suggested to transmit signals when acupuncture points are stimulated, affecting areas of the brain like the amygdala.

How does EFT compare to other forms of psychotherapy in terms of research support?

EFT is in the top 10 percent of published research for psychotherapy modalities, indicating a strong scientific backing for its effectiveness.

What are the implications of the studies showing that EFT has a physiological impact?

The physiological impact of EFT, as shown by studies such as DNA testing and functional MRIs, suggests that the technique can lead to tangible changes in the body's stress response and symptomology.

What does the acronym 'EEG' stand for and what role does it play in EFT research?

EEG stands for Electroencephalogram, a tool used to measure electrical activity in the brain. In EFT research, it helps to demonstrate the technique's impact on brain function.

How does the research on the Meridian system contribute to our understanding of EFT?

The Meridian system, which is the basis for acupuncture, provides a historical and theoretical framework for understanding the pathways through which EFT may influence the body's energy flow and stress response.

What were the findings of the 2017 Acupuncture Project regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture points?

The 2017 Acupuncture Project found that out of 122 medical and psychiatric conditions studied, only five did not show any effect from acupuncture, indicating that acupuncture points are effective for a wide range of conditions.

What is the significance of the research on collagen's role in the primovascular system?

The research on collagen suggests that it may act as a transmitter along the primovascular system, providing a physical mechanism for how signals from acupuncture points can affect the body and brain.

How does EFT compare to other therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR in terms of effectiveness and time required?

EFT is comparable to therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR in terms of effectiveness but is often reported to achieve similar outcomes in half the time, possibly due to its direct physiological impact on the brain.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Advancements in EFT Research and Its Impact on Brain

Professor Peter Stapleton introduces the latest research on Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), highlighting its psychophysiological nature that combines cognitive therapy with exposure therapy and body-based stress reduction. With over 320 publications, including meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized clinical trials, EFT has shown significant effectiveness in stress reduction and symptom improvement. The professor also discusses the cultural adaptation of EFT in non-English speaking countries and the biological evidence from DNA testing and brain imaging studies that demonstrate EFT's profound physiological effects. The webinar aims to explain the mechanism behind EFT's effectiveness, including its historical roots in the Meridian system and modern brain scan studies that show changes in the brain after EFT treatments.

05:02

🔍 The Meridian System and the Scientific Validation of Acupuncture Points

This paragraph delves into the historical and modern understanding of the Meridian system, foundational to acupuncture and acupressure. It discusses the controversy over the existence of the Meridian system and the research validating the effectiveness of acupuncture points over sham points. The paragraph also covers studies that show the physiological impact of EFT on chronic pain and fear reduction, as well as the revival of research into a possible vascular system associated with acupuncture points. The research suggests an 80% correspondence between acupuncture points and the body's connective tissues, indicating a physical basis for the effects of EFT and acupuncture.

10:05

🌟 The Primovascular System: Unveiling the Mechanism Behind Acupuncture and EFT

The final paragraph presents the discovery of the primovascular system, which provides a physical explanation for the effects of acupuncture and EFT. It explains how the primovascular system, identified through tracer dye studies, aligns closely with traditional acupuncture points and the Meridian charts. The paragraph discusses how stimulating these points sends a deactivating signal to the brain's stress center, the amygdala, and how this process is now understood to involve an electrical signal transmitted through the body's connective tissue. It also touches on the implications of this discovery for practitioners and the importance of updating knowledge and understanding of EFT's mechanisms.

Keywords

💡EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques)

EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques, is a psychophysiological self-help technique that combines elements of exposure therapy and cognitive therapy with a body-based stress reduction method. It involves tapping on specific points on the body, often referred to as meridian points, to address emotional and psychological issues. In the video, EFT is discussed as a scientifically supported method with over 320 publications and numerous clinical trials showing its effectiveness.

💡Tapping

Tapping, as part of EFT, refers to the physical act of gently striking various acupuncture points on the body with the fingertips. It is believed to help release emotional and physical blockages. The script mentions that EFT involves tapping on acupuncture points, which is a key component of the technique and is supported by research showing its effectiveness in various psychological and physiological outcomes.

💡Meta-analysis

A meta-analysis is a statistical technique used to integrate and summarize the results of multiple studies to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a phenomenon. In the context of the video, it is mentioned that there are over 29 meta-analyses on EFT, indicating a rigorous scientific examination of the technique's efficacy.

💡Randomized Clinical Trials

Randomized clinical trials are a type of scientific experiment that randomly assigns participants to either a treatment or control group to test the efficacy of an intervention. The script highlights that there are over 65 randomized clinical trials on EFT, which is considered a 'gold standard' in research, underscoring the robustness of the evidence supporting EFT.

💡Energy Psychology

Energy Psychology is a field of study that explores the interaction between the body's energy systems and psychological states. EFT is a part of this field, and the video discusses how EFT is the most studied technique within energy psychology, with 99 out of 320 studies showing scientific evidence of its effectiveness.

💡Meridian System

The Meridian System, rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, refers to a theoretical framework of channels in the body along which vital energy is said to flow. In the script, it is mentioned that EFT was historically explained by its interaction with this system, suggesting that tapping on acupuncture points could disrupt energy flow and thus influence emotional states.

💡Functional MRI

Functional MRI (fMRI) is a neuroimaging procedure that measures and maps the brain's activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow. The video script discusses fMRI studies that have shown a reduction in brain activity related to food cravings after an EFT program, providing physiological evidence of EFT's effectiveness.

💡Primovascular System

The primovascular system is a recently identified anatomical structure that may be related to the traditional meridian system. The script explains that research has found an 80% correspondence between acupuncture points and the body's connective tissues, suggesting a physical basis for the effects of EFT and acupuncture.

💡Mechanosensory Transduction

Mechanosensory transduction is the process by which mechanical stimuli are converted into electrical signals in the body. The script mentions this term in the context of how tapping on acupuncture points in EFT may be converted into signals that have a physiological impact, such as deactivating the stress response in the brain.

💡Amygdala

The amygdala is an almond-shaped part of the brain involved in the processing of emotions, particularly those related to fear and stress. The video discusses research showing that EFT can send a deactivating signal to the amygdala, which may explain its effectiveness in reducing stress and emotional distress.

💡Memory Reconsolidation

Memory reconsolidation is a theory suggesting that when a memory is retrieved, it becomes temporarily unstable and can be modified. The script touches on this concept as a possible explanation for the long-lasting effects of EFT, suggesting that the technique may alter the way memories are stored and accessed.

Highlights

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is a psychophysiological technique that combines elements of cognitive therapy with exposure therapy and body-based stress reduction.

There are over 320 publications on EFT, with 29 being meta-analyses or systematic reviews, and 65 randomized clinical trials.

EFT is recognized in the top 10 percent of published research for psychotherapy modalities out of over 600 types.

99 out of 320 studies in energy psychology show scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of EFT.

Research on EFT is emerging from non-English journals, indicating a global interest and application of the technique.

EFT has been shown to have both subjective outcomes through self-report questionnaires and biological impacts as evidenced by DNA testing and EEG functional MRIs.

Brain scan studies have shown that EFT can significantly reduce food cravings and alter the brain's response to chronic pain.

EFT is based on the concept of a Meridian system, similar to that used in acupuncture, which is believed to be an energy system within the body.

Recent research has suggested a physical basis for the Meridian system, with studies identifying a vascular system associated with acupuncture points.

The primovascular system, as it is now called, has been shown to transmit signals when acupuncture points are stimulated, affecting the brain's stress response.

EFT has been found to be comparable to gold standard therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR, often achieving outcomes in half the time.

The mechanism of EFT is thought to involve the conversion of mechanical signals from tapping into electrical signals via mecho sensory transduction.

Collagen is suggested to be the transmitter of signals along the primovascular system, linking physical tapping to physiological effects.

The amygdala, the brain's stress center, has been shown to respond to signals sent by acupuncture points, potentially explaining the stress-reducing effects of EFT.

EFT is not just about shifting energy in the body; it has a physical basis and measurable physiological impacts.

For practitioners and those interested in EFT, it is recommended to update knowledge on the primovascular system and its implications for therapy.

Memory reconsolidation theory may explain the long-lasting effects of EFT, providing a scientific basis for its efficacy over time.

Transcripts

I'm associate professor Peter Stapleton

from Bond University in Australia and

I'd like to share with you the latest

EFT emotional Freedom techniques or

tapping research and really what's

coming out of the research world

now tapping or EFT as a

psychophysiological technique so one

that we use that certainly borrows from

other gold standard approaches such as

cognitive therapy but with the addition

of exposure therapy and a body-based

stress reduction technique now has a

growing database so more than 320

Publications and certainly many of them

over 29 in that gold standard approach

which could be meta-analysis or

systematic review another 65 plus of

randomized clinical trials which

certainly is a gold standard in the

research world and of course many case

studies as well as pre and post cohort

studies have been emerging in addition

to these 320 studies there's over

another 100 papers that are actually

published in peer-reviewed journals but

in non-english journals so they're

coming out of countries such as Malaysia

Iran Iraq uh South Korea and using

variations of EFT that are appropriate

to the cultural Community where they're

running their research now of the 320

studies that have been published in the

field of energy psychology of which EFT

is the most studied 99 of those studies

indeed show the scientific evidence of

the technique so we have been collecting

and developing the research in this area

at a worldwide level and of course here

in Australia I lead some of that

research not only do we have that

building Bank of research that shows EFT

actually can get subjective outcomes so

when our participants in the trials

actually fill out their self-report

questionnaires they will describe a

reduction in a stress sensation or an

improvement in certain symptomology but

we actually have biological studies in

the area of DNA testing EEG functional

MRIS that actually show we profoundly

have a physiological impact and this

particular webinar is outlining why we

know this works today and where we're at

with that so energy psychology is both

in the top 10 percent of published

research for Psychotherapy modalities

you might actually know there's over 600

types of psychotherapy and energy

psychology is in the top 10 percent

there

but it's always been the question how

does this tapping technique work if

we're tapping on what's known as an

acupuncture point in the body what's the

mechanism of change and it's been

exciting to watch this field in the last

five to ten years grow now historically

we've actually had this information

available to us and if you're unfamiliar

with EFT you might not know it's

actually been around for about 50 years

so it's certainly been in the research

field for the last 20 years but 50 years

ago this was actually being taught at

workshop level around the world and how

it was actually explained was that

there's a Meridian system so if you've

ever been off to the acupuncturer's

office and you've seen those charts of

the body that show the lines running

through them there was some belief

system around that that Meridian system

which has all the acupuncture points on

it was an energy system and so EFT

explained itself as being if we take app

on an acupuncture Point instead of using

a fine needle then we're doing something

to disrupt or interrupt the energy flow

in the body and often a TV set with

static was often used as the analogy

there but we have come a long way we

certainly now have brain scan studies

there are four brain scan studies two of

which I've LED here in Australia that

looked at Food craving exposure in that

functional MRI and then after a

four-week EFT program the signal there

looking at those food craving images was

completely non-existent the other study

that I led here in Australia was in The

Chronic pain research that we do know

that pain impact in the brain is quite

noticeable we know areas such as

catastrophizing and magnifying pain can

spread when a chronic pain patient has

had that pain for a very long time and

after a six week week program of EFT

those same patients had an appropriate

area of the brain that looks like a

non-critic pain patient so of course we

need pain to be present in the brain if

indeed we hurt ourselves so if I kick my

toe I'm going to perceive pain but

whether or not it actually becomes

chronic pain is my ability to actually

shift gears there in the brain and be

able to not have it be my present front

of mind for the next six weeks of my

life that pain in my toe so our chronic

pain patients six weeks later actually

looked like that so it was a fabulous

outcome other Studies have been done in

terms of fear of flying and certainly

looking at images that create very

strong Sensations and using tapping to

reduce those so

five thousand years ago of course you

know our Eastern philosophies and the

Chinese did have that Meridian system

and that was the Forefront of where we

are today it is the basis for modern

acupressure and acupuncture but an

obstacle even to the acupuncture field

has always been but does this Meridian

system actually exist there have been

over 65 studies published in the

acupuncture versus sham acupuncture or

non-identified Accu points studies that

have published that truly show it's the

acupuncture points that get the outcomes

whether that's for a health benefit or

stress reduction or whatever the

condition was and we've had that done in

the EFT world too so six dismantling

studies that used other substitutes

instead of tapping on the points that

could have been deep breathing it could

have been tapping on sham acupuncture

points still showed that the traditional

recipe of clinical EFT tapping on known

acupuncture points was indeed the active

uh the active ingredient there so there

was a study done in 2017 called the

Acupuncture Project that looked at 13

000 studies and 122 medical and

psychiatric conditions for acupuncture

and it actually did show that out of all

of those studies 122 only five didn't

show any effect and indeed for the other

117 acupuncture had the effect that was

intended so certainly that research has

been growing still brings us back to but

how does this work

so in the 1960s Professor Kim in Korea

at a university appeared to identify

some sort of vascular system in the

animals that he was working with he was

able to stain that vascular system with

a tracer die and was able to show there

appears to be something physical

now other researchers at the time tried

to replicate This research but couldn't

and so it actually got shelved if you

like in the research world and forgotten

about a little bit

fast forward to

2020-21 and researchers decided again in

Korea to revive that research and have a

look at it again and indeed used human

subjects in their research and actually

were able to find through ultrasound and

80 correspondence between Accu points

and the body's connective tissues so

there appeared to be something physical

there and it was correct about 80

according to those charts that you might

see if you go off to the acupuncturer's

office it suggested there was actually

some relationship here between the

body's connective tissues acupuncture

points and that perhaps there was some

mechanism there that was able to carry a

signal when that acupuncture point was

actually either tapped or a needle was

actually placed into it so in 2021

Tracer dies were able to be used to

inject into that system that vascular

system that they had identified died and

found that the alignment of the

acupuncture points according to the

Meridian charts was incredibly close and

it didn't support that this Meridian

system was indeed a physical vascular

system or a concrete duct system now I

do have in this webinar some slides

coming up from surgery where they're

able to stain these vascular systems and

show you so if whatever reason you're a

little bit squirmish I'll let you know

when to open your eyes so you can

actually see through a range of these

different slides that are published in

the peer-reviewed journals that they

indeed show that it's quite a minute

system and when you inject it with dye

you can actually see the coagulation

around a known vascular point an Accu

point an acupuncture point so you can

actually see that it's often a little

bit bigger along that meridian line so

we have actually now got an underlying

mechanism for why Harvard University

some years ago intent in a 10-year study

showed that tapping putting a needle

into an acupuncture Point sends a

deactivating signal to the amygdala that

known Stress Center in the brain so they

showed that through a multitude of

different brain scanning studies and

said there is indeed something happening

here but we now know there's a reason so

all of that primovascular system as it's

now termed is running through the body

and indeed up into the brain so by

stimulating a known acupuncture point

you indeed are actually having a

physiological effect on the body so the

mechanism of actually putting a needle

in or indeed tapping is actually being

converted into an electrical signal

mecho sensory transduction is the phrase

that's actually used there when we focus

focus our mind on what we're saying that

we're trying to reduce in tapping so

when we're being truthful to ourselves

and saying I feel stressed while I do my

tapping then that tapping signal is

converted into that physical electrical

signal that's able to then be

transmitted and collagen is suggested to

be the transmitter along that

primovascular system so we actually now

have a much greater understanding well

and truly beyond what when 20 years ago

I became involved in the research in

this field that really is telling us

what's actually happening here when we

do tapping or indeed have acupuncture

and why we're actually getting some sort

of outcome not only in self-report

psychological symptoms but indeed

physical symptoms at that biochemistry

level so we know that the amygdala is

able to respond certainly things like

the hippocampus the memory Center in the

brain is able to respond as well we know

through comparison studies to Gold

Standard therapy such as cognitive

behavioral therapy and indeed things

like EMDR the eye movement

desensitization reprocessing therapy

that their EFT is comparable it is often

able to achieve the same outcomes but in

half the time and some of that is now

attributed to the fact that we are

physically and very quickly sending a

signal back to the brain

what does this mean for you certainly I

would learn more about this I would walk

away knowing that it's not about

shifting energy in the body that is a

very outdated understanding of EFT if

you're a practitioner and certainly

using EFT you're curious about it and

you share information about how it works

I would update that knowledge to include

this type of thing the primovascular

system and the research that goes with

it and certainly if anything is

reflected on your website I would

absolutely update that as well so I hope

this has given you a greater

understanding of what's actually

happening now in EFT we certainly have

other understanding of why it lasts so

long over time and memory

reconsolidation as a theory has actually

explained some of that for us so I hope

that this has added something perhaps

been of interest and that maybe you'll

want to learn a little bit more a about

EFT and the primovascular system and

just the positive impacts it may be able

to do for you or your clients