Some years ago, Dr. Carrington was talking with someone familiar with her training methods and writings on meditation who asked her, “Why did you leave meditation for EFT? Do you think EFT is that much better?”
Whether you specialize in energy psychology (EP), energy healing, coaching, or other mind-body therapies, or are simply curious for yourself, you may find her (edited) thoughts on those questions noteworthy. See more details in the closing link.
Dr. Pat’s Response:
Honestly, I was taken aback by the question. I never stopped meditating after I first learned it in the early 1970’s. I also never ceased to recommend it to others whom I thought would benefit from it, and it remained an important resource in my practice as a clinical psychologist.
However, EFT Tapping did become the center of my therapeutic work. In fact, the two methods combined so naturally well I scarcely noticed how much they did, until being asked that question.
With a Place to Stand
In explaining the benefits that my Clinically Standardized Meditation (CSM) can bring into a practitioners work, I‘m reminded of the saying by the Greek mathematician, Archimedes:
“Give me a place to stand and a lever and I will move the world.”
Now, ponder the statement, “a place to stand” in terms of mind-body treatments. If there isn’t solid ground under foot emotionally, the progress of any technique applied can be slow-moving, whether it be a relaxation method, traditional psychotherapy, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or any other intervention.
The Lever
As a practitioner of EFT or other stress-reduction modality, you may be familiar with the phenomenon of helping a client substantially reduce their stress over a certain issue, only to see that person return overwhelmed by new issues.
When this happened in my practice, it reminded me of a child building a sandcastle by the sea. As soon as they build the castle, a big wave comes in and washes it away. The child then rebuilds their castle, only to have the next wave wash it away again, and this can happen repeatedly – it becomes an unending process.
While EFT is brilliantly effective on its own, if we add the solid leverage and continuing support that CSM can supply, EFT’s progress and staying power is magnified, thus avoiding the “child’s sandcastle” effect.
Furthermore, the CSM method of meditation I developed is so informal and easy to practice that it may be subjectively experienced as nearly “effortless.” As a bonus, its pleasantness is attractive, because it feels more like a brief vacation from all cares once or twice a day, than a tedious chore.
Move Their World
By combining the two in my professional practice, I found more markedly consistent and permanent results in helping clients move forward in their healing than when I used either technique alone.
In summary, CSM quite naturally and powerfully can enhance the effects of EFT. As I experienced in my practice, you may also find that coupling CSM with EFT in your practice will substantially improve results for your clients, or for yourself.
For more specific benefits, see: Why EFT and Meditation Work Well Together
Succulent Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash
