Is the Science of Tapping research based?
The Science of Tapping was created based upon the most current up to date research published regarding tapping. A thorough review of the most current theoretical explorations and objective findings as published in the scientific literature was utilized. The term “tapping” refers to a number of interventions and techniques that include manual somatic stimulation (usually percussive) techniques delivered either as a self-help self-regulation procedure or by a trained professional. It is often discussed under the umbrella term of energy psychology and includes but is not limited to the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Thought Field Therapy/Callahan Techniques, Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT), Wholistic Hybrid EFT and EMDR (WHEE), Energy Tapping, Matrix Reimprinting EFT, Havening Technique and others.
Though the field is still considered a young field of study, it has accumulated a growing number of published studies, growing in both number and quality. As of January 2018, over 100 research studies, review articles and meta-analyses have been published in professional, peer-reviewed journals including:
- Over 50 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) documenting efficacy for these methods and demonstrating their ability to rapidly reduce the emotional impact of memories and incidents that trigger emotional and physical distress.
- Over 50 pre-post outcome studies, 98% of the above 100 studies document Energy Psychology/Tapping effectiveness
- 5 meta-analyses and 5 systematic reviews; three of these have demonstrated large average effect sizes, and the fourth demonstrated a moderate effect size for these methods.
- Numerous case studies
As of January 2018 over 100 research studies, meta-analyses and review articles have been published on EP methods in peer-reviewed journals. These modalities have been researched by more than 200 investigators in over 12 countries.
The Science of Tapping includes references to studies published in peer reviewed journal publications and interviews with experts from a variety of fields who have studied, researched or integrated tapping modalities into their professions including members from the field of psychology, medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture and more.
Tapping modalities emerged in the early 1980s though only began to be more extensively studied in clinical trials since the 1990s. This relatively short timeframe has resulted in widespread research, for a vast range of disorders and populations including:
Stress, generalized trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders (general anxiety, test anxiety, dental anxiety), phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, addictions , general psychological functioning physical pain conditions including obesity / emotional eating / food cravings, pain conditions such as Fibromyalgia Syndrome, tension headaches, chronic pain, frozen shoulder syndrome, also insomnia, seizure disorders, psoriasis, learning disabilities, enhancing athletic performance, improving learning/test performance in educational settings and improved health effects on epigenetic and physiological functioning . These effects were studied in veterans, hospital patients, university, high school and elementary school students, athletes, pain patients, healthcare workers, chemotherapy patients, overweight adults and more.
Why was this project created?
As tapping practitioners and trainers, we became frustrated with the challenges of introducing tapping to a broader audience. The biggest problem has been overcoming skepticism and resistance to trying tapping in spite of the growing significant research behind it. We saw first-hand what tapping could do for ordinary people who experience emotional trauma and stress, if only there was a way to reach more people to hit a critical mass. We received feedback from those taking our trainings who integrated tapping into their clinical mental healthcare practices but needed more ways to persuade decision makers to be willing to try it. We have always advocated for a complementary use of tapping in addition to gold standard and evidence based methodologies. It has been our vision to demonstrate how tapping can easily be incorporated into existing models in standardized care. We chose video as a format for telling this important story as studies show that video is the most effective way to get a message out beyond the publication of solid studies. After pouring our money, energy, and significant time into this project we are thrilled to be able to share this it with those that are interested in learning more about tapping personally and professionally.
Who is behind the Science of Tapping?
The Science of Tapping was in part independently funded through the EFT Tapping Training Institute. The final completion of the project was funded by hundreds of generous donors around the world who felt that a film of this nature needed to be made. Our special thanks are offered to the following contributors Nancy Forrester and the National EFT Training Institute, Liz Zelandais, Jack Eason Rowe, Ph.D. and Linda I Rowe, RN, BSN, Betsy Mueller, and Cynthia Kersey.
This project could not have been done without our panel of experts, our film/editing/production crew, those who worked on our music score, legal team, website production and support from multiple tapping organizations.
Craig Weiner, D.C. (The Science of Tapping Producer) has worked in the health-care field for 30 years as a chiropractor and as an educator and trainer of complementary health care approaches. He is an accredited EFT trainer for the Association for the Advancement of Meridian Energy Techniques, a trainer of Evidence Based EFT for clinicians and is one of four certified Matrix Reimprinting EFT trainers in North America. He serves on the board of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology. He is the co-creator of continuing education programs such as Tapping out of Trauma and as an author he is a contributor to the Clinical EFT Handbook: A Definitive Resource for Practitioners, Scholars, Clinicians, and Researchers. He has also published multiple articles on tapping and energy psychology in a variety of periodicals and blogs, such as the Huffington Post. While Craig has extensive experience as a Tapping practitioner and trainer, he is not a licensed mental health care practitioner. Together with his wife, Alina Frank, they present at conferences and train and mentor health care professionals around the world. More information can be found at www.EFTtappingtraining.com
Alina Frank (The Science of Tapping Producer) has been training individuals and professionals in Energy Psychology techniques such as EFT and Matrix Reimprinting since 2007. She is an accredited certified Master Trainer of Trainers for AAMET at the EFT Tapping Training Institute as well as a certified Matrix Reimprinting trainer. She is the best-selling author of How to Want Sex Again: Using EFT for Rekindling Intimacy and a contributing author to 8 EFT books including the Clinical EFT Handbook Volumes 1 and 2: A Definitive Resource for Practitioners, Scholars, Clinicians, and Researchers. She has mentored hundreds of practitioners and worked with thousands of individuals with these modalities. While Alina has extensive experience as a tapping practitioner and trainer, she is not a licensed mental health care practitioner. With her husband and business partner, Craig Weiner, Alina conducts international trainings through the EFT Tapping Training Institute. www.alinafrank.com
Naomi Janzen (The Science of Tapping Producer) is a certified Expert Clinical EFT Practitioner and Certified Energy Psychology Practitioner who has been tapping since 2008. She is a Clinical EFT trainer and mentor, for both EFT Universe and Evidence Based EFT for clinicians (EBEFT), as well as a mentor for EFT Universe’s Energy Psychology Certification program. She is author of the forthcoming book, Tapping Out of Depression (When You Barely Care Enough to Try), co-creator of the tapping and meditation site One Mind Live and the creator of Remindfulness, named a Top 10 Mindfulness App by Positive Psychology. A screenwriter for over 25 years before becoming an EFT practitioner, she gained extensive experience in understanding the forces and events that shape personality and uses her storyteller’s sensibility to convey the principles of her passions, EFT and mindfulness, to her practitioner trainees, clients and worldwide audiences through her blogs, videos, workshops and movie projects such as The Portal (Consulting Producer), and The Science of Tapping. www.ozfreedomtechniques.com
How and where has the research behind Tapping helped to integrate it into academic and health care settings?
Despite tapping being a relatively young field, it continues to make inroads into health care and academic and military/veteran institutions.
Over 5 million people a month search online for “EFT tapping” and related terms, and the 5 highest-traffic EFT web sites have over 2 million page views a month. Trauma Informed humanitarian tapping training has been delivered worldwide to hundreds of licensed mental health care providers, first responders, military personnel and educators in trauma impacted communities in Parkland, Florida, Newtown Connecticut, Las Vegas as well as internationally in Rwanda, the Congo, Bosnia, Israel, Haiti, Ecuador, the Philippines, and much more.
In 2018, a submission of the research evidence for EFT and TFT as treatments for PTSD to NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) in the UK was made. In their 2018 review, NICE acknowledged that there is EFT and TFT research that meets their inclusion criteria and acupoint tapping methods were recognized as having positive effects and significant potential as a component of PTSD treatment. Formal approval however has not yet been reached.
In 2018 How Tapping into “Energy” Can Trigger a Paradigm Shift in Biomedicine had been downloaded over 12,500 times, making it the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine’s (JACM) most accessed article of 2018.
2018 has marked a significant increase in multiple international school districts, including 91 districts in the state of Florida alone in which EFT/Tapping is being integrated as a trauma informed self-regulation approach for students.
In 2017, the U.S. Veterans Administration added EFT to List 2, approving it as a “generally safe therapy.”
In 2017, Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest HMOs in the US, in its peer-reviewed publication, The Permanente Journal, published practice guidelines for using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) with patients diagnosed with PTSD (Church, Stern et al., 2017). The guidelines published in The Permanente Journal surveyed 448 EFT practitioners, and combined their insights with statistics from clinical trials and recommended 5 hour long EFT sessions for those at risk for PTSD, and 10 sessions for those with full-blown symptoms.
In 2016, TFT (Thought Field Therapy) was validated by NREPP (the National Repertory of Evidence Based Practices and Procedures, a division of SAMHSA in the U.S.) as an evidence-based treatment.
What Resources are available on this website?
This website is designed to assist you in finding resources to complement viewing The Science of Tapping film. We have a sample of research and relevant articles in the Research section (link) as well as a tapping practitioner directory. Practitioners in the directory are listed on our website as a courtesy for finding local resources. The Science of Tapping practitioner directory is here to assist you in finding a resource near you. Please note that the Science of Tapping and Tap Your Power, LLC does not examine practitioners’ credentials, certifications, or skill level. Please make sure you conduct your due diligence when hiring tapping professionals.
How would I get I get my own copy of The Science of Tapping?
Click here to get your own DVD/online access to the film www.scienceoftapping.com
