There is some emerging research on “energy psychology” techniques, though their effectiveness appears to be based more on the relationship between client and therapist than on the techniques themselves.Ī small and devoted group of practitioners. James Herbert, a psychology professor who wrote a review of the existing TFT research, found the scientific backing for the treatment to be “ basically nonexistent” and that there is “no evidence it does what it claims to do.” Since 1999, the APA has refused to grant continuing education credit to its members for TFT training, and there has been at least one instance of a psychologist sanctioned by the state licensing board for using TFT and making inflated claims about its effectiveness. Five articles on the method were published without peer review in the Journal of Clinical Psychology in 2001 - and in each case, the articles were deemed uninterpretable due to major methodological flaws. Controlled research is lacking, which is why the American Psychological Association has deemed TFT to be without scientific support. Overreliance on testimonials and anecdotal evidence in the absence of scientific study is one of the defining characteristics of a pseudoscience. The Thought Journal is labeled a “journal,” but is not subject to the peer review process or publication standards of accepted academic journals. His company also produces a quarterly publication, The Thought Journal, with case studies of successful treatments submitted by practitioners. He claims six such successful treatments. The practice of TFT is usually done in person, but Roger Callahan, the US psychologist who developed TFT, claims that TFT “voice technology” treatments done by phone can stop atrial fibrillation in a matter of minutes. They claim effectiveness rates of up to 97 percent. TFT practitioners claim that thousands of clients have been treated successfully with TFT without side effects. Immediate relief for PTSD, addictions, phobias, fears and anxieties by directly treating the blockage in the energy flow created by a disturbing thought pattern. The treatment is said to dramatically impact other conditions as well, offering
They suggest TFT is the only known treatment to dramatically impact HRV. Proponents focus on the impact of TFT on heart rate variability (HRV), considering HRV an indicator of overall health and mortality. A summary of a brief trauma treatment sequence is available here.Ĭlaims of effectiveness.
Patients are also often instructed to visualize a distressing situation as they engage in repetitive behaviors, such as repeating a phrase or counting.
Thought Field Therapy (TFT) seeks to create healing by repetitive motions (such as tapping) on several “acupressure points” on the body, primarily on the hands, face, and upper body. My intent is not to advocate for or against the use of these procedures, but rather to provide a complete picture of both sides. You usually get either the sales pitch for the procedure, or all the arguments against it. Information on fringe procedures is typically presented in a one-sided manner. They build scientific legitimacy through qualitative study and process research. Some well-accepted models, like Narrative Therapy, by their nature cannot be studied in traditional clinical trials.
All new treatment models start out without a strong research base, and then build legitimacy through a combination of research and clinical experiences. They also often require expensive training.īear in mind that the lack of a scientific backing does not mean that a practice is necessarily ineffective, or that it is not valuable. They usually are practiced by a small (and often highly devoted) group of practitioners. Generally speaking, these practices lack sound scientific backing, yet make fantastical claims about effectiveness.
#Thought field therapy scientific evidence series
This is the first of a series of posts I’ll be writing on practices at the fringes of the field of marriage and family therapy.
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