EFT Study Course for members who have taken the EFT intro class

This meeting is for members that have some experience with EFT and/or have taken the introductory class. Each week we learn more about EFT and practice tapping in a group setting which dynamics are very exciting and powerful. Participants can come and join in without volunteering or tapping on any of their personal life experiences and still get 'borrowing benefits' from other participant sharing their experiences. Those participants who chose to share don’t have to disclose personal events in their life by using the EFT ‘movie technique’. They can do this by simply referring to the story by giving it an innocuous name instead of telling the details of what happened. For example they could call it "The camping trip at spirit lake". For those who do share specific events, we have a strict policy of confidentiality. No personal information shared within the group can be shared outside the group.

EFT MEETUP STUDY GROUP & INFORMED CONSENT AGREEMENT

As a participant and/or member of this EFT Meetup group, I hereby acknowledge that I would like to be trained in a technique called Emotional Freedom Technique. I understand the technique was developed by Gary Craig (GaryThink.com) and used since the mid 1990’s as a tool for helping alleviate stress, pain, anxiety and the symptoms of disease triggered by emotional and/or stressful events. EFT is a self-help tool that can help resolve emotionally-based, common everyday problems. It is applied by focusing our thoughts and intentions on problems while at the same time lightly touching meridian points.

Energy psychology (EFT) is an alternative clinical approach to health that is becoming more widely accepted. Opponents refer to studies which claim any benefits from EFT are a result of the ‘placebo effect’, like taking a sugar pill as a remedy for disease. There are many documented cases of people that do not receive any benefits whatsoever from learning and practicing EFT. I understand the current status of EFT as an ‘evidence-based’ practice as summarized in a statement published in the American Psychology Association journal Review of General Psychology: “A literature search identified 51 peer-reviewed papers that report or investigate clinical outcomes following the tapping of acupuncture points to address psychological issues. The 17 randomized controlled trials in this sample were critically evaluated for design quality, leading to the conclusion that they consistently demonstrated strong effect sizes and other positive statistical results that exceed ‘chance’ after relatively few treatment sessions. Criteria for ‘evidence-based’ treatments proposed by Division 12 of the American Psychological Association were also applied and found to be met as an “empirically validated method treatment” for a number of conditions, most notably PTSD. (Feinstein, 2012)”.

As a result of these on-going studies, Energy Therapy has taken, and continues to take, steps to gain wider acceptance and support from the medical health community. After reviewing 51 studies over the last decade, in 2012 the APA approved EFT as a study curriculum for continuing education credits. Even though it is not approved by the APA as an ‘evidenced based’ practice, and its scientific premise is still under investigation, I am interested in learning this experimental method.

While being taught this self- help health improvement method, I may be asked to bring up negative events in my life, if I so chose, that can be upsetting, stressful and which may even cause me to become fearful, angry, cry or panic. I fully understand that to be trained in this method means I will engage in experiential practicing of this method. While some self-improvement techniques suggest that I should feel the full impact of my feelings and ‘gut’ through the pain, EFT is just the opposite. It dictates that I immediately stop as soon as I begin feeling any intensity or pain and tap until it goes away. I’m in the driver’s seat of this experiential training program. My instructor only assists me so I can go where I want to go, therefore, I will only allow my coach to assist me in experiencing as much stress and anxiety as I desire to learn and test its application and effectiveness. Again, when I experience emotional stress during a learning session, I agree to always immediately stop and apply light touch to my meridian points until the intensity is low, or gone, before continuing to talk about a stressful event.

While EFT offers methods like the Tearless Trauma Technique to reduce stress while telling bothersome stories, I understand in some cases people have experienced abreactions, and in that moment forgot to keep tapping to bring down the intensity of their emotions. If encountered during learning demonstrations, I give my pre-approval to have anyone in the group tap on me to bring my intensity back down so that I can reevaluate how, or if, I want to proceed.

Reactions may surface during or after a session, including strong emotional or physical sensations, or new bothersome memories that give rise to other incidents. In this event, I agree to stop any further use or practice of EFT and to reevaluate if I feel it’s safe or not to proceed. I understand that as I learn this method, I don’t have to disclose personal events in my life if I don’t want to by using the EFT ‘movie technique’. I can do this by simply referring to the story using an innocuous name instead of telling the details of what happened.

I agree that I will not rely solely upon EFT or my EFT study group and will pursue other expert help when I feel it would be appropriate to do so. I understand that EFT is not a panacea or replacement for conventional medical and/or therapy treatments. My EFT instructor recommends that for any health concern, the first thing I should do is pursue a medical solution with a licensed doctor or an ‘evidenced based’ treatment method. I understand EFT has been used to work alongside conventional medical protocols as long as my medical doctor does not object. My EFT instructor, and the participants in this Meetup group, are not medical doctors, psychologists or psychiatrists and, therefore, do not teach or practice neither medicine nor psychotherapy. If I desire a medical or psychotherapy solution to my problems, I agree to seek a conventional licensed doctor or APA-certified health professional.

It is my opinion and/or that of my doctor, given my current health condition, that the risk of overstressing myself while learning EFT is low. If the risk of overstressing myself becomes high anytime during the training sessions, I agree to inform my group leader and immediately withdraw from study lessons going forward. I understand that my instructor is teaching and demonstrating a self-help method and is not administering a medical or psychotherapy ‘treatment’ regime. As such, they are not responsible for keeping records of my progress nor are they responsible for my wellbeing. This is a self-help method, and I am fully responsible for my own safety and wellbeing. I therefore agree to keep all records of my own progress through my own observations. For privacy reasons, I hereby request that my instructor keep no records of my training sessions while I’m learning this method without my express permission.

I am not currently under treatment by a psychotherapist or any other therapist, or I have permission from my therapist to learn and practice EFT. Furthermore, I have the mental capability to make these decisions for myself. I understand that light touch may be involved in assessment with clinical kinesiology (muscle testing) and/or tapping meridian points. I can choose to do this myself or request the assistance of my instructor. I understand that I will learn how to perform personal self-care EFT, and by employing these techniques on my own, I rely solely on myself to receive benefits from EFT.

I have evaluated using EFT and have decided that; even though it may be emotionally difficult, upsetting, stressful, and painful to recount unpleasant memories; even though there may be no more to this than the ‘placebo effect’; even though there may be a risk that I may emotionally become better or worse off than I was before trying EFT, I think the risk factors, in my case, are acceptable and that trying EFT is worth it to me compared to the long-term discomfort, pain and general lack of quality of life that I experience now. I have sought conventional medical treatment for my health conditions and derived a certain amount of success, but not to my full satisfaction. I may employ a combination of medical-based solutions and alternative solutions. I am willing to accept responsibility for any outcome in an effort to see if learning this self-help method will be of benefit to me. I fully understand that if I am not interested in employing experimental alternative treatment, then I will not pursue EFT and instead seek conventional ‘evidence based’ therapies or conventional medical solutions.

If I decide to proceed with learning EFT, I understand that I can change my mind and terminate the learning practice sessions at any time. If I decide it would be safer and/or better to stop a session and gain the assistance of another specialist for my condition or situation, I agree to immediately notify my instructor and employ the services of another specialist. I also consent to giving my instructor the right to end these training services at any time, for any reason, and/or to refer me to another health care resource. I have considered the above information and other material before deciding to learn and practice the Emotional Freedom Techniques, and I have obtained whatever additional information or professional advice I consider necessary to make an informed decision. I choose to learn energy therapy of my own free will. I agree to take full responsibility for my self-care in the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of my life during this process. By attending this Meetup study group, I acknowledge my choice to learn the alternative practice of Emotional Freedom Technique. I fully take all financial and health responsibility for the inherent risks of learning and using this method. My consent is free from pressure or influence from any person or group. I indemnify and hold my meetup group and instructor harmless for any and all effects or outcomes that I may experience and that may arise from the teaching and demonstration of this practice. In the event of any dispute that may arise in connection with this agreement, it is agreed that the parties’ sole remedy is mediation, the jurisdiction shall be the State of Arizona or Idaho, and as determined by the instructor and the prevailing party, none shall be entitled to attorney fees. Neither my group nor my instructors are qualified to diagnose and/or treat DSM conditions (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). If I have these conditions or encounter them, I agree to employ a health professional who is licensed for this purpose.

I understand that other than a room charge, there is no cost for attending this training/coaching EFT study group. This Meetup group does not operate as a for-profit or a non-profit business and carries no license or insurance from any jurisdictional authority. It exists as an organizational tool to facilitate a group of people getting together and sharing their common interests in EFT. If the recipients receive benefit from EFT and desire to help with remedial expenses, they are welcome to donate funds to help pay for the costs associated with these activities. Donations are not tax deductible. If recipients would like to do more, they are encouraged to make donations to their favorite charity as a thank you to the Meetup organizers.