EFT for Fibromyalgia, page 1
Energy Psychology Press
3340 Fulton Rd., #442, Fulton, CA 95439
www.EFTUniverse.com
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Church, Dawson –
EFT for fibromyalgia / by Dawson Church — 1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-60415-044-5
1. Fibromyalgia—Popular works. I. Title. II. Title: EFT for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue.
2012
616.7
© 2013 Dawson Church, www.EFTUniverse.com
This book demonstrates an impressive personal improvement tool. It is not a substitute for training in psychology or psychotherapy. Nothing contained herein is meant to replace qualified medical advice. The author urges the reader to use these techniques under the supervision of a qualified therapist or physician. The author and publisher do not assume responsibility for how the reader chooses to apply the techniques herein.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from Energy Psychology Press, with the exception of short excerpts used with acknowledgement of publisher and author.
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First Edition
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Important note: While EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) has produced remarkable clinical results, it must still be considered to be in the experimental stage and thus practitioners and the public must take complete responsibility for their use of it. Further, Dawson Church is not a licensed health professional and offers the information in this book solely as a life coach. Readers are strongly cautioned and advised to consult with a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist or other licensed health care professional before utilizing any of the information in this book. The information is based on information from sources believed to be accurate and reliable and every reasonable effort has been made to make the information as complete and accurate as possible but such completeness and accuracy cannot be guaranteed and is not guaranteed. The author, publisher, and contributors to this book, and their successors, assigns, licensees, employees, officers, directors, attorneys, agents and other parties related to them (a) do not make any representations, warranties or guarantees that any of the information will produce any particular medical, psychological, physical or emotional result, (b) are not engaged in the rendering of medical, psychological or other advice or services, (c) do not provide diagnosis, care, treatment or rehabilitation of any individual, and (d) do not necessarily share the views and opinions expressed in the information. The information has not undergone evaluation and testing by the United States Food and Drug Administration or similar agency of any other country and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, mitigate or cure any disease. Risks that might be determined by such testing are unknown. If the reader purchases any services or products as a result of the information, the reader or user acknowledges that the reader or user has done so with informed consent. The information is provided on an “as is” basis without any warranties of any kind, express or implied, whether warranties as to use, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or otherwise. The author, publisher, and contributors to this book, and their successors, assigns, licensees, employees, officers, directors, attorneys, agents and other parties related to them (a) expressly disclaim any liability for and shall not be liable for any loss or damage including but not limited to use of the information; (b) shall not be liable for any direct or indirect compensatory, special, incidental, or consequential damages or costs of any kind or character; (c) shall not be responsible for any acts or omissions by any party including but not limited to any party mentioned or included in the information or otherwise; (d) do not endorse or support any material or information from any party mentioned or included in the information or otherwise; (e) will not be liable for damages or costs resulting from any claim whatsoever. The within limitation of warranties may be limited by the laws of certain states and/or other jurisdictions and so some of the foregoing limitations may not apply to the reader who may have other rights that vary from state to state. If the reader or user does not agree with any of the terms of the foregoing, the reader or user should not use the information in this book or read it. A reader who continues reading this book will be deemed to have accepted the provisions of this disclaimer.
Please consult qualified health practitioners regarding your use of EFT.
Contents
Chapter 1: About Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Lyme, and Autoimmune Diseases
Try EFT Right Now for Your Pain
Success Story: Fully Recovered from CFS, by Sarah L. Marshall
Similarities Between Health Conditions
Self-Test for Fibromyalgia
The Case for EFT
Success Story: Rapid Progress with Fibromyalgia, Depression, and Anxiety, by Stephen Carter
Chapter 2: How to Do EFT: The Basic Recipe
Testing
The Setup Statement
Psychological Reversal
Affirmation
Secondary Gain
How EFT Corrects for Psychological Reversal
The Sequence
The Reminder Phrase
If Your SUD Level Doesn’t Come Down to 0
EFT for You and Others
The Importance of Targeting Specific Events
Tapping on Aspects
Finding Core Issues
The Generalization Effect
The Movie Technique and Tell the Story Technique
Constricted Breathing
The Personal Peace Procedure
Is It Working Yet?
Saying the Right Words
The Next Steps on Your EFT Journey
Chapter 3: Tapping Options and Variations
Alternative to the Karate Chop Point: The Sore Spot
The Tapping Sequence for the Full Basic Recipe
The 9 Gamut Procedure and Eye Movements
Some Optional Points
The Tendency to Explain Away EFT’s Positive Effects
Practicing the Full Basic Recipe
Chapter 4: Tapping for Fibromyalgia as a Spiritual Energy Imbalance, by Rue Anne Hass
Three Different Perspectives on Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia as a Disharmony of Spirit
How to Tap for a Disharmony of Spirit
Meridian System Imbalances
The Energetic Pattern of the Spleen
The Heart Is the Home of the Spirit
Move Anger out, Let Your Liver Live!
Tapping Is “Energy Hygiene”
Healing from Fibromyalgia
Chapter 5: The Healing Wave
The Ups and Downs of the Healing Journey
Success Story: EFT on Search-and-Heal Missions, by Salome Hancock
“The ‘Why Bother’ Syndrome,” by Maggie Adkins
My Journey out of Fibromyalgia with EFT, by Kristina Lukawska
Persisting Through the Cycles
Chapter 6: Moving Forward
Pain Reduction
Stress and Emotional Upset
Past Trauma
Hopelessness and Helplessness
Low Self-Esteem
Secondary Gain
Fears about Your Future
Accepting the Unacceptable
The Mother Wound
The Father Wound
Creating a Positive Future
EFT Glossary
Resources
1
About Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue,
Lyme, and Autoimmune Diseases
Aside from extreme tiredness, the main symptom of both fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue is physical pain, in focused areas or numerous sites throughout the body. The pain, like the tiredness, can be debilitating. It can be a deep ache or a shooting, burning pain, all over the body or focused in one or several sites. In the case of fibromyalgia, the painful areas are called “tender points,” which actually arise in soft tissue throughout the body, though the pain may feel as though it originates in the joints. Similar symptoms are often found with Lyme and other autoimmune diseases, which is why this book applies EFT to the whole group of conditions.
You may be in pain right now, as you’re reading this. So before I launch into discussion of these disorders, let’s go right to what really matters: reducing your pain. We are now going to try EFT together. I’d like you to have the experience of how successful EFT can be in reducing pain.
Try EFT Right Now for Your Pain
EFT is a very simple procedure. Its very simplicity has prompted skepticism from some people, but many scientific studies, including with fibromyalgia patients, have proven its effectiveness. It usually works fast and reliably. EFT involves thinking about the problems that bother you, whether they’re physical problems like pain, or psychological problems characterized by anxiety or depression. It has you combine thinking about the problem with a statement of self-acceptance. This is called the “Setup Statement.” An example of a simple Setup Statement might be, “Even though I have this stabbing pain in my right shoulder, I deeply and completely accept myself.” While you’re focused on the problem, you then lightly tap some acupressure points (called acupoints, for short) with your fingertips. T
Let’s get started with your first EFT session! This exercise will take about twenty minutes.
First, pick a spot in your body where the pain is the worst at this very moment. Write down in the blank below the exact location of the spot you picked.
Precisely where the pain is located in my body: _______________.
Next, rate how bad your pain is on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain, and 10 being the worst pain imaginable. Circle the number below.
My pain before my first round of EFT:
No Pain—0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10—Maximum Pain
Now let’s create a Setup Statement:
Even though I have this pain in __________ [name the exact body location you wrote down], I deeply and completely accept myself.
Say this three times while tapping on the side of your hand. In EFT, we call this the Karate Chop point, for obvious reasons. This is the first of the points we tap in the EFT routine.
The Karate Chop (KC) Point
Now look at the accompanying illustration of the other main EFT acupoints. Tap lightly with two fingertips seven to ten times on each point. We call this a “round” of tapping. While tapping, focus on your pain.
EB, SE, UE, UN, Ch, CB and UA Points
EB = Beginning of the EyeBrow
SE = Side of the Eye
UE = Under the Eye
UN = Under the Nose
Ch = Chin
CB = Beginning of the CollarBone
UA = Under the Arm
In EFT, it’s important to measure your results frequently, to determine if you’re making progress. Again, tune into the painful body location you chose. Using the same scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable, rate the level of your pain now. Write down that number. If your pain is at 0, congratulations! You are one of those we call “one-minute wonders.” Though some people do experience such quick relief with EFT, it is more common to have some pain still after one round. In that case, we simply tap again.
My pain after my first round of EFT:
No Pain—0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10—Maximum Pain
A Second Helping of EFT
This time, we’ll use a slightly different Setup Statement. Most people experience a reduction in pain, so we’ll modify the statement accordingly:
Even though I still have some pain in _______, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Say this three times while tapping on the Karate Chop point.
Now tap lightly seven to ten times with two fingertips on each of the EFT points. While tapping, focus on your remaining pain.
When you are finished, again rate your pain level on the 0-to-10 scale. As before, write down that number.
My pain after my second round of EFT:
No Pain—0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10—Maximum Pain
A Final Round of EFT
You might still have some remaining pain, so for good measure, let’s try EFT again.
Even though I still have some remaining pain in _________, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Say this three times while tapping on the Karate Chop point.
Now tap lightly seven to ten times with two fingertips on each of the other EFT points. While tapping, focus on your remaining pain.
Measure Your Results
Let’s measure the results a final time to see how EFT helped your pain level. Tune in again to the body location you focused on while tapping. How is your pain now on the 0-to-10 scale?
My pain after my third round of EFT:
No Pain—0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10—Maximum Pain
Most people experience a reduction in their pain with this simple exercise. If you did, you have just had a clear demonstration of how effective EFT is in reducing pain. Did you believe, half an hour ago, that you could reduce your pain by any amount, all by yourself, within minutes, using a simple tool like EFT? EFT can also be effective with many of the other symptoms of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Lyme, and other autoimmune conditions.
If you didn’t experience a reduction in your pain level, read on. In the chapters that follow, you will get further tips on tapping, learn about factors that can interfere with tapping, and receive guidance on how to apply EFT in the most successful way for you.
The following story by Sarah Marshall moved me deeply. You will probably identify with her symptoms, and the combination of anxiety, desperation, and searching she went through on her journey to find healing.
Success Story: Fully Recovered from CFS
By Sarah L. Marshall, BSc (Hons)
I struggled with chronic fatigue for six years and was unable to work for over four of those years. At the age of twenty-seven, I was having days of unrelenting dizziness, I felt as though I had a flu that wasn’t getting better, I couldn’t concentrate (even just making a cup of tea seemed a challenge at times), and I didn’t have the energy to do anything more than sit around waiting for it to pass. I felt as though a plug had been pulled and all of my energy with it. It didn’t feel like normal tiredness and I was frightened. All my doctor had to say was that I couldn’t expect to have the energy I had as a seventeen-year-old. I desperately needed answers or at least my doctor’s support and this is what she offered me. I remember thinking…actually I can’t repeat exactly what I thought as it involved a number of strong phrases! But I do remember thinking, “I might believe you if I was eighty-seven, not twenty-seven!”
This was one of numerous events that triggered a strong anxiety, which I experienced for the majority of my illness. I was anxious about the confusing symptoms, the inability of my doctors to diagnose what was wrong, my inability to convince some of the medical doctors I consulted that I was ill at all. I felt helpless and panicked about the unrelenting fatigue and the fact that for a number of years whatever I did just seemed to make it worse.
Another event that stuck clearly in my mind was just after I had been diagnosed with CFS, which took over a year. I remember an initial feeling of relief. At last, I had found what was actually wrong with me. At that time, I knew little about the illness. The specialist who delivered the diagnosis didn’t tell me how to approach recovery, apart from the suggestion of learning how to breathe properly. But after all that time of searching for an answer, I felt as though I was getting somewhere at last. Afterward, I went back to the flat I shared with friends. They could see from the relief on my face that the appointment had gone well. I shared what the specialist had said. One of my flat mates revealed that she had a colleague with the same condition. Eager to know more, I asked her for details and she said that her colleague was doing really well, in fact she was now up to a couple of hours of work after five years of illness. I was floored that a couple of hours of work daily might be all I could hope for in five years. This triggered a panic attack that lasted almost a day.
Unfortunately, I didn’t discover EFT until I was improving using other methods. Where EFT came into its own for me was to ensure that the progress I had finally started making was sustainable. In hindsight, I can see that anxiety and panic were the two main factors perpetuating many of my symptoms, such as dizziness, breathlessness, and visual disturbances. These, for me, were more disabling than the more physical symptoms such as fatigue and joint and muscle pain. I was anxious about my symptoms, the fact I didn’t know what was causing them. All I knew was that if I did anything more than ten to fifteen minutes of physical or cognitive activity, I would feel worse. I had fears about the future, and fears about being able to cope if I lost my financial support. I became frightened of life and my ability to cope with it. I’d also lost all trust in my body and its ability to be healthy.
I started using EFT on my fears regarding my symptoms. This helped reduce my anxiety level. As I worked through the emotional component of the issue, my symptoms began to subside. I worked on my future fears, related to “doing too much” or overdoing it. I did this by tapping on the emotional charge I felt around past times when I had engaged in a physical activity and felt worse afterward. I then moved onto what I feared would happen in the future and what impact it would have, again always tracing it back to the earliest event of when I had experienced each specific fear. This again helped with the anxiety I felt around trying something again in the future. Slowly, I found I was able to do more.
