Summary: This study explored the personal symbolic meanings of chronic diseases in patients who underwent Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) therapy. Eight patients were interviewed, and three themes emerged: illness as a manifestation of unresolved emotional issues, a call for self-care, and a boundary from others. The study suggests that EFT can help patients make sense of their life stories and find symbolic meanings in their diseases. By exploring these meanings, EFT may offer therapeutic value from both existential and health behavior perspectives.
Citation and Link: Kalla M, Simmons M, Robinson A, Stapleton P. Making sense of chronic disease using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT): An existential view of illness. Explore (NY). 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2020.03.006. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32335005/