Energy field therapy offers promising healing results to people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and phobias. Certified practitioners offer online sessions as an effective form of energy field therapy treatment – providing those who might otherwise find traditional treatment difficult accessing help more easily.
Energy psychology practitioners combine exposure therapy – an established Western approach for treating mental health conditions – with non-Western holistic techniques for healing and spiritual growth. Some common energy field therapy treatments are thought field therapy and emotional freedom technique.
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)
Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy is a noninvasive therapy proven to alleviate pain and speed healing, working by stimulating the body’s natural cellular energy processes. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy may be particularly useful for individuals suffering from fibromyalgia, arthritis or sports injuries as well as increasing athletic performance while speeding up natural repair after intense workouts.
PEMFs stimulate cells to produce more energy, leading to improved blood flow and tissue health, the release of anti-inflammatory molecules that reduce inflammation and swelling as well as stimulating beta endorphin production, our body’s natural painkilling chemicals.
Researchers conducted a recent study that revealed PEMFs can significantly improve clinical outcomes for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients compared with therapeutic ultrasound and control groups. Results depended heavily on intensity of magnetic field and patient compliance with therapy regimen.
Researchers also observed that PEMF treatment increased adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) dose-dependently, increasing their number and increasing their differentiation into bone and cartilage cell types. Furthermore, activation of Wnt/b-catenin signaling pathway promoted early osteogenic induction among MSCs.
However, another study conducted by its authors revealed that PEMFs did not significantly enhance hand function or pain in patients suffering from CRPS-1, attributing this result to heterogeneity of applied PEMF devices and protocols. Therefore, future studies should analyze various application parameters so as to achieve more consistent outcomes.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback can help patients gain control over physiological functions like their heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature and muscle tension. Sensors attached to different parts of the body transmit data in real time to a monitor that displays results on an LCD display screen, often with audio/visual cues like beeping sounds and flashing lights displaying information in real-time. The goal of treatment is for patients to relax by holding pleasant images in their mind which then results in positive changes visible or audible from biofeedback devices attached to various body parts that transmit results as real time changes they see or hear from monitor displays on an LCD monitor screen displaying results on screen in real-time!
There are various biofeedback techniques. One focuses on muscle activity by using sensors that detect muscle tension in patients and give visual or audible feedback; this method may help treat conditions such as stress disorders, chronic pain and headaches. Another form of biofeedback uses scalp sensors to measure brainwave patterns for anxiety management, depression treatment, ADHD treatment or learning disabilities.
Biofeedback has been found to improve patients’ abilities to regulate their physical state while simultaneously strengthening the autonomic nervous system and increasing resilience against stress disorders, high blood pressure, and pain. While biofeedback may bring benefits for a number of conditions, there may also be risks involved that should be discussed with a licensed therapist and communicated openly throughout treatment to ensure safe and successful results. Furthermore, it should not be seen as a standalone solution but should rather be combined with other therapies for maximum effect.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is an easy, mind-body healing practice that can be used to desensitize painful memories, reduce negative emotions and ease physical discomfort. Commonly referred to as an emotionally equivalent of acupuncture without needles, EFT offers highly effective results at minimal time cost.
Ancient Chinese medicine holds that energy pathways, called meridians, run through your body. If one or more meridians become imbalanced you could experience emotional distress or sickness; tapping on these meridian points sends an electrochemical message directly to the brain which calms down amygdala activity and reduces fear responses.
EFT tapping can be done both independently and with professional help. Once identified, begin the tapping sequence while thinking about where in your body this specific emotion is felt.
One study demonstrated that people with PTSD who combined EFT with traditional psychological treatments experienced significant improvements in their PTSD symptoms. Tapping combined with therapy is a powerful approach for combatting anxiety and trauma; however, EFT may not work for everyone; in such instances there are other solutions such as talk therapies and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
EFT practitioners typically follow prewritten scripts or use guides that allow them to choose which emotions they need help overcoming. When selecting emotions to address, it’s essential that they be ones you feel safe exposing yourself to and won’t cause distress – during this process you may be asked to rate their intensity from 0-10 on a scale from 0 to 10. In some instances it may take multiple rounds of tapping for the intensity to lessen to something manageable for yourself.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy uses trance-like states to alter behavior. A hypnotherapist will guide you into this state on purpose and ask you to focus on specific thoughts, fears, or anxieties that you are struggling with – this enhanced concentration may make it easier than traditional therapy to address your concerns directly. Your hypnotherapist may also make suggestions designed to benefit both your physical health and emotional well being.
While some might argue that only a certain percentage of people can be hypnotized, many studies have demonstrated otherwise. A trained hypnotherapist uses various techniques – visualization, suggestion and others – to induce this state on purpose in most people. They may ask you to touch certain parts of your body or imagine certain scenarios during treatment and may provide tools which help reestablish it when returning from this state again in the future.
Energy psychology is an alternative approach to healing that integrates exposure therapy, an established Western approach, with non-Western, holistic techniques for spiritual development. Energy psychologists typically utilize Thought-Field Therapy, TFT and Emotional Freedom Technique as primary methods. Thought-Field Therapy acts like psychological acupuncture by tapping along energy meridians that have become disrupted due to trauma; by tapping them back in place this helps restore equilibrium. Emotional Freedom Technique, however, takes an orderly and structured approach and follows an established schedule and rhythm when tapping on various meridians whereas Thought-Field Therapy works along similar meridians that has become disrupted due to trauma–this helps bring balance back into balance. Emotional Freedom Technique also has established sequence and rhythm when tapping is taking place whereas Emotional Freedom Technique requires structured sequence and rhythm for tapping.
Researchers and clinicians who criticize energy psychology point out that some practitioners profit from its popularity by charging fees for treatment or selling books and training seminars; others fail to disclose financial associations in research reports, which is considered unethical behavior.
