What Is Energy Psychology?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionTypesTechniquesUsesBenefitsEffectivenessThings to ConsiderHow to Get Started

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Definition

Types

Techniques

Uses

Benefits

Effectiveness

Things to Consider

How to Get Started

Close

What Is Energy Psychology?

Energy psychology is a relatively new method of therapy that combines Eastern approaches to the mind and body with Western psychology andpsychotherapy ideas. Practitioners of energy psychotherapy claim that tapping acupuncture points while thinking about an anxiety-producing event can improve conditions such as anxiety disorders,phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Though this therapy is still somewhat controversial, continuing research is showing it to be a potentially promising treatment.

Types of Energy Psychology

There are a number of different types of treatments that are part of energy psychology. Some of these include:

The way it is thought to work is that the brain is expecting a highly unpleasant emotional reaction to occur in response to the trigger, but it doesn’t because the tapping of the acupoints is purported to temporarily deactivate the limbic response.This means that the tapping doesn’t let you get activated or anxious when normally you would.

After the tapping is complete, the therapist has the client rate the trigger again, perhaps describing physical symptoms as well. The tapping is repeated until the rate goes down to a zero, or very close to it. This generally takes very little time, though follow-up sessions may be needed.

What Energy Psychology Can Help With

While further research on energy psychology is still needed, this approach has been used to treat a number of different conditions. Some of the uses that are being explored include the treatment of:

More research is needed, but energy psychology may also be helpful for addressing other problems as well such as grief, worry, irritability, and relationship problems.

Benefits of Energy Psychology

Energy psychology offers a number of benefits that might make it an appealing treatment option. Some benefits include:

For people interested in trying complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), energy psychology can be a way to incorporate such strategies alongside other psychotherapeutic treatments.

It’s too early to know for certain whether or not energy psychotherapy will prove to be an effective therapeutic technique. A number of studies have been published on the efficacy of energy psychology, with many showing that these techniques can be effective for a variety of issues.

Different kinds of energy work are becoming more popular among holistic health practitioners, and it is true that we do not yet understand much about the energy fields that surround the human body. It could be that the techniques work, but that they work for reasons that have nothing to do with the human energy field.

You may also find it helpful to look at online therapist directories to find a professional who specializes in this area.

During your first sessions, your therapist will ask you questions about yourself and talk to you about your current life, functioning, and problems in order to establish a trusting, comfortable therapeutic relationship. You may be asked to recall difficult memories while your therapist guides your treatment. Your therapist may also teach you how to practice these tapping or pressure sequences on your own so that you will be able to administer or practice them anywhere.

7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology.What is energy psychology and why should you care?.Blacher S.Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): Tap to relieve stress and burnout.J Interprof Educ Pract. 2023 Mar;30:100599. doi: 10.1016/j.xjep.2023.100599. Epub 2023 Jan 14. PMID: 36687311; PMCID: PMC9840127.Feinstein D.How energy psychology changes deep emotional learnings.The Neuropsychotherapist.Bach D, Groesbeck G, Stapleton P, Sims R, Blickheuser K, Church D.Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health.J Evid Based Integr Med. 2019 Jan-Dec;24:2515690X18823691. doi: 10.1177/2515690X18823691. PMID: 30777453; PMCID: PMC6381429.Nelms JA, Castel L.A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized trials of clinical emotional freedom techniques (EFT) for the treatment of depression.Explore (NY). 2016;12(6):416-426. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2016.08.001Irgens AC, Hoffart A, Nysæter TE, et al.Thought field therapy compared to cognitive behavioral therapy and wait-list for agoraphobia: a randomized, controlled study with a 12-month follow-up.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1027. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01027Elder CR, Gullion CM, DeBar LL, et al.Randomized trial of tapas acupressure technique for weight loss maintenance.BMCComplement Altern Med. 2012;12(1):19. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-19

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology.What is energy psychology and why should you care?.Blacher S.Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): Tap to relieve stress and burnout.J Interprof Educ Pract. 2023 Mar;30:100599. doi: 10.1016/j.xjep.2023.100599. Epub 2023 Jan 14. PMID: 36687311; PMCID: PMC9840127.Feinstein D.How energy psychology changes deep emotional learnings.The Neuropsychotherapist.Bach D, Groesbeck G, Stapleton P, Sims R, Blickheuser K, Church D.Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health.J Evid Based Integr Med. 2019 Jan-Dec;24:2515690X18823691. doi: 10.1177/2515690X18823691. PMID: 30777453; PMCID: PMC6381429.Nelms JA, Castel L.A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized trials of clinical emotional freedom techniques (EFT) for the treatment of depression.Explore (NY). 2016;12(6):416-426. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2016.08.001Irgens AC, Hoffart A, Nysæter TE, et al.Thought field therapy compared to cognitive behavioral therapy and wait-list for agoraphobia: a randomized, controlled study with a 12-month follow-up.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1027. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01027Elder CR, Gullion CM, DeBar LL, et al.Randomized trial of tapas acupressure technique for weight loss maintenance.BMCComplement Altern Med. 2012;12(1):19. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-19

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology.What is energy psychology and why should you care?.Blacher S.Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): Tap to relieve stress and burnout.J Interprof Educ Pract. 2023 Mar;30:100599. doi: 10.1016/j.xjep.2023.100599. Epub 2023 Jan 14. PMID: 36687311; PMCID: PMC9840127.Feinstein D.How energy psychology changes deep emotional learnings.The Neuropsychotherapist.Bach D, Groesbeck G, Stapleton P, Sims R, Blickheuser K, Church D.Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health.J Evid Based Integr Med. 2019 Jan-Dec;24:2515690X18823691. doi: 10.1177/2515690X18823691. PMID: 30777453; PMCID: PMC6381429.Nelms JA, Castel L.A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized trials of clinical emotional freedom techniques (EFT) for the treatment of depression.Explore (NY). 2016;12(6):416-426. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2016.08.001Irgens AC, Hoffart A, Nysæter TE, et al.Thought field therapy compared to cognitive behavioral therapy and wait-list for agoraphobia: a randomized, controlled study with a 12-month follow-up.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1027. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01027Elder CR, Gullion CM, DeBar LL, et al.Randomized trial of tapas acupressure technique for weight loss maintenance.BMCComplement Altern Med. 2012;12(1):19. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-19

Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology.What is energy psychology and why should you care?.

Blacher S.Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): Tap to relieve stress and burnout.J Interprof Educ Pract. 2023 Mar;30:100599. doi: 10.1016/j.xjep.2023.100599. Epub 2023 Jan 14. PMID: 36687311; PMCID: PMC9840127.

Feinstein D.How energy psychology changes deep emotional learnings.The Neuropsychotherapist.

Bach D, Groesbeck G, Stapleton P, Sims R, Blickheuser K, Church D.Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health.J Evid Based Integr Med. 2019 Jan-Dec;24:2515690X18823691. doi: 10.1177/2515690X18823691. PMID: 30777453; PMCID: PMC6381429.

Nelms JA, Castel L.A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized trials of clinical emotional freedom techniques (EFT) for the treatment of depression.Explore (NY). 2016;12(6):416-426. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2016.08.001

Irgens AC, Hoffart A, Nysæter TE, et al.Thought field therapy compared to cognitive behavioral therapy and wait-list for agoraphobia: a randomized, controlled study with a 12-month follow-up.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1027. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01027

Elder CR, Gullion CM, DeBar LL, et al.Randomized trial of tapas acupressure technique for weight loss maintenance.BMCComplement Altern Med. 2012;12(1):19. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-19

Hannah Owens, LMSW

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?