Summary: This article provides an overview of Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) as an evidence-based treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It highlights EFT's effectiveness compared to conventional psychopharmacology and psychotherapy, citing studies that demonstrate its success in various populations, including veterans, victims of violence, and disaster survivors.
The guidelines for treatment recommend a stepped-care model, with five sessions for subclinical PTSD, ten sessions for full PTSD, and escalation to intensive psychotherapy or psychopharmacology for nonresponsive cases. The approach integrates individual and group therapy, social support, mobile applications, and online telemedicine options. Clinical EFT incorporates cognitive and exposure therapy elements while also utilizing acupressure techniques to regulate stress responses. Research has shown that EFT leads to physiological improvements, including hormone regulation and genetic markers for stress reduction.
Overall, the article presents Clinical EFT as a cost-effective and adaptable treatment with a low risk of adverse events, making it a promising option for PTSD management.
Citation and link: Church, D., Stapleton, P., Mollon, P., Feinstein, D., Boath, E., Mackay, D., & Sims, R. (2018). Guidelines for the treatment of PTSD using clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). Healthcare, 6(4), 146. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare6040146