Trauma and NET, TFT, and EMDR: Is mind-body work helpful?
Trauma happens to everyone. It’s more than stress because the effects are lingering and tend to show up when you are stressed. You experienced something as being life-threatening, deeply distressing or disturbing. Sometimes it is brought on by others stories. Trauma effects could be as serious as PTSD or as mild as over-reacting to people or circumstances.
What is EMDR?
A structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. For more information look up EMDR on the American Psychological Association website here.
What is NET?
Neuro Emotional Technique uses the meridian system for healthcare, i.e. muscle testing (chiropractors) and acupuncture. For more information look up NET on the NIH National Library of Medicine website here.
What is TFT?
The client is tapping with their fingers at meridian points on the upper body and hands. Thought Field Therapy, unlike the one size fits all EFT, is specific to emotions. For more information look up Thought Field Therapy on the NIH National Library of Medicine website here and here.
What kind of mind-body work helps?
When your therapist tells you of a technique to use at home such as tapping, practice it when you’re feeling anxiety triggered by a past trauma. These things help and the evidence is not all anecdotal. Evidence-based research has been done on EMDR. Do your research looking at peer-reviewed journals or reliable sources.
Do more of what works for you. For some people it is acupuncture, for others it’s yoga. It could be breathing techniques, tapping or body scans. There are meditation and relaxation exercises available on YouTube or phone apps such as Insight Timer.
Can mind-body work (energy psychology) be used by Christians?
Whether you can benefit from this therapy depends on what you and your therapist believe about who God is and what a relationship with God is like.
Some people are using a Christian mind-body protocol called Splankna for trauma therapy. This therapy uses EFT, NET and TFT tools. There have been more than 3000 people trained in Splankna in the US, Mexico, Canada, Australia, China, Uganda, and Germany in the last 25 years. Practitioners can be found in private practices, churches or faith-based organizations.
Don’t rush into mind-body work if you’re feeling a check in your spirit. Just talk to God about it and clear it with Him. Doubts mean you may need more information. If you and your therapist believe that mind-body work is a New Age practice that is based on pagan beliefs, then this is not the right therapy for you. For links to more information click below to the original article.
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