Trauma/PTSD General Discussion

Double post. Dont read.

msquared — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:33:41 GMT

I realized I made a double post so if you can please read my other post.

Thanks

Found the root cause of my trauma.

msquared — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:19:56 GMT

I finally found out the the root cause of all my traumas. It has been said that if you encounter a trauma it is very possible for you to encounter another trauma. Well, I found out where all of my traumas came from from my therapist. Ok. Im gonna need some proffessional help on this one so if anyone can help id be very thankful. So heres the situation.

I remember when I went back to my home country of Lithuania to try out for the national basketball team. I had no friends and it seemed that noone liked me. I didnt talk to anybody there because I was the "Outsider". So, I got cut for some reason. Then I go back to live with my grandma for 2 weeks and we decide to go on a little vacation in Lithuania to a place called "Palanga". While im there I run into one of the team players of the team who was with another teamplayer of the team. And one of them insulted and made fun of me. He said something like "Haha get out of here you little kid". It was a very unpleasing moment and I felt as if I lost a little bit of my self esteem. So, the second time I run into the WHOLE team including that 1 guy who humiliated me and his buddy from the team. This time it was about 20 kids there and they stroke up a conversation with me. I remember being really anxious and self conscious. It felt as if they were all there to make fun of me because of the previosu encounter with those two other guys who humiliated me. I had this feeling that they said alot of bad stuff about me and were making fun of me to the WHOLE team. I felt that the whole team stroke up a conversation to make fun of me and see how I reacted so they could laugh about it later.

So thats my situation. Id be VERY thankful if someone can help em out.

Thanks

PTSD after a car accident

irisa73 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:43:49 GMT

Hi Everyone,

I would like your advice about M, who is 22 and married with no kids yet. 2 yrs. ago she was in a car accident where her mother was killed. M was the driver... since then she has PTSD and her situation has worsened since she received a summons to a trial.

She came and of course i tried EFT with her. At the end of our first EFT session she said she doesn't believe a word she's saying ("I deeply and completely accept myself") but we had no time to talk about it. She then vanished for about a month and returned.

I tried the Tearless Trauma Technique but she didn't seem to be affected. It's as though she's somehow dissociated and detached from her feelings. I've tried working on it, relating also to the good side of not feeling the pain she would otherwise feel and feeling strong, at least on the outside.

We've worked on resistance to change. We've worked on her feeling of guilt and the refusal to let go of the guilt for fear that she will forget her mother and her fear that she will feel ok with what happened when it's not ok. Still no change.

Of course she cannot let go of the guilt just like that (can she?). However, this situation is very frustrating for both of us and now again I feel that she's going to disappear, because she didn't want to schedule another appointment and told me she would call me after she receives an answer about some important things happening in her life.

Any suggestions about furher directions for work should she return? Also please share your experience about non-feelng clients (I've read Gary's article).

Many thanks,

Iris

Feelings after returning from combat

Ingrid — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:57:41 GMT

I have received so many emails about how Veterans feel when they return from combat, that I thought I post this to get a discussion, sharing of experience, support started.

So many dedicated EFTlers are reaching out to Veterans and their families offering help, but making the connection, having the trust and rapport is hard, especially when the Veteran doesn't want to talk. It is important to understand that the world we see might not be the world a Veteran sees, and to be open to relearning how to communicate.

This is how a Veteran described how she felt after returning from Iraq. “Somehow, the colors are different now…”: Red is not really red, blue not really blue. Things have changed in subtle, and not so subtle ways. Much of was true befor I left doesn’t feel true or important anymore. It was hard for her to come to terms with this, as she stuggled to recreate her old life with her husband, and deal with a society wo didn’t understand.
Understand what?
War changes people. Deployment changes people. Nobody comes back unchanged.
After returning from war, priorities are different, the pace is different. It is hard for many Veterans to see value in rather superficial every day events at home, while they worry about their buddies, and are haunted by memories of what happened while they were deployed.
It is hard to relate to a life that seems so disconnected from the true dangers and responsibilities in a warzone.
And it is especially hard to communicate this to those who wish to understand but can’t.

The colors are different: My blue is not your blue, my red not your red. When you say “I need you”, I think about my buddy right before he died. He needed me too, and I couldn’t safe him. Nobody could. But he needed me in a way you will never understand. And it haunts me…
Do you understand what I am talking about?
How can two people ever communicate about the same life, when the colors are different?…

With EFT, we can make such a difference in a Veteran's life. It is good to take the time to begin a gentle and respectful communication.

No contact with a traumatic accident memory

eft-rat — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:22:59 GMT

Hi All,

I see only 9 threads in this (PTSD) forum, instead of the 186 that should be here according to the report of the system when I look at the list of the forums. Any ideas why, and how can be fixed?

I'm working with a lady suffering from a driving anxiety, actually it's anxiety about sitting near the driver on narrow roads. In this situation she sees well the road, but has no control over the car and therefore over herself.

We worked on this as a phobia (working directly on the symptom), with zero results. Part of the difficulty is to control the exposure to the trigger - usually it's another car coming from the opposite direction, which

However, now we're digging on the past. She told me that she had an accident several years ago. She also told that she didn't feel the accident was a big dead for her, and the fear of narrow roads appeared only a year or two later, while she had no problems in the meanwhile.

I speculated that she may be underestimating the importance of the accident to her system, and we started to work on it and the emotions around. Today she told me that after the accident she discovered that the thick front glass of the jeep was cracked by her head... She however doesn't remember the boom, she only remembers getting out of the car and leaving the place.

Knowing this, I understand that even if the driving fear is caused by something else, the accident is an important issue and releasing it can free an amount of her energy.

But, as said above, the memory of the accident itself is blocked.

Any ideas how can we uncover it?

I asked her to describe in details the last moments she does remember, and tap on any emotions there. Until now it didn't open the blocked memory.

Thank you

Dani

What if I can't think of specific causes of my suffering??

jstein — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:21:22 GMT

I certainly have my issues. There are many unresolved issues in my life, and yet as I reflect, there are not that many actual events that I can think of from my life that still hold a negative charge for me...EXCEPT that there are patterns that I can reflect on that I've learned from family, friends, culture, media, etc. For example, I perceive my father to be someone who has a lot of doubt and fear which I have internalized over the years. And yet, I can't pinpoint specific moment from my life where I can say, "Ah! That's the (or one of the) moment(s) that I'm still hanging on to that is related to my present doubtfulness and fear.

I don't recall a lot of those moments. So how do I go about "chopping down my "doubt and fear trees" when I have a hard time accessing the myriad specific events that may be causing it? Are there any tapping techniques for addressing these kinds of issues?

Thanks for your suggestions!

Jonathan

Breaking up, EFT and imago therapy

UHU — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:41:27 GMT

Hello,

It seems that EFT is profoundly changing my personality and as a result my whole world is crumbling and particularly my relationship. I have been with the same man for several years now but it seems we are unable to make our relationship work. We love each other dearly but we are also filled with resentment, fear and emotional wounds that are keeping us apart no matter how close we try to get. It seems that when one is ready for the big step, the other freaks out. As a result we did not get married and we did not have children. I am to blame as much if not even more that him.

We keep avoiding talking about our own true feelings. I often scream and he retrieves in his cave. He also talks but not about his true feelings. I am not going to explain all the dynamics of our relationship here but I just wanted to give you a background.

It also seems we never manage to finish things that is one of the reasons why I have decided not to chase him this time. I want to finish things. Not in a way that I want to end things but I want to go all the way. I want to complete things. I want to go beyond engagement and go to marriage. I want to settle down. Our house still looks like we have moved in 3 months ago after 5 years. I have been engaged to be married with him for 6 years and when he proposed I did not feel ready because we never had taken the time to really talk about how we felt about each other and not jut in a good way but in a true honest way, how we wanted our future to be and I also felt we wanted to keep things to ourselves, not share things (including money) and had no solidarity. In other words, I did not feel we were a couple.

The thing is I have not been able to finish things or complete a task or a project that was very dear to my heart since childhood. The more I postpone, the more I hate myself and the more I abuse myself by self-loathing. I went to a therapist and we worked on my fear of success. We explored my relationship with my mother. I understand that I "made my mother me" as she wanted. She asked me to choose sides between her and my dad when they divorced and to become exactly like her and feel like her which I did in spite of all my screaming and rebelling. I relived that "tyrant psychological terrorism" last summer when I visited her with my eternal husband to be. He comforted me when she screamed at me because I had not done or behaved as she expected. He helped me grow and I really felt I broke this covenant that has burdened all the mothers from my Spanish decent for generations. So I started to change profoundly . I started going all the way but it seems it was too late and he broke up with me again.

I cannot help wonder if it is because things are changing in a positive way that is breaking up. He feels very unworthy or he says he does. We are selling our poisoning house that has killed us for years because it came with noise, problems from 3 to 4 sources at a time, co-op problems, neighborhood problems, overwhelming problems. All this is about to end and I put a lot of energy into it to make it all go away for ever because I wanted to move to the next level in my life and with him. I am started to wonder if he really likes positive situations.

This leads to the Imago therapy part. A magical coincidence reminded me through email that I did own a book called Receiving Love written by the creators of the imago therapy the day before the break-up. I had never read it. It was part of my long list of unfinished projects. In the book was written so many things that looked like me. I understood I could not receive love and that I had made my boyfriend the same way unable to receive love. I do not think it is exactly that. I think we both suffered greatly from rejection early on. Any way, in the solution section they said to write down all the things that annoyed me in my partner. They say that by doing so I will be able to identify the parts of myself that have been split from me during childhood and also maybe my parents. I wrote everything down and I found that this is exactly 100% of the case each and every time.

Eaxample: I hate that he does not tell me his true feelings and that I feel there is a wall between us.

I never express my true emotions. I screem instead of crying... I also tend to keep things all inside and not trust anyone with my vulnerable part.

He is too clingy. He uses me to feel better but he does not care about me.

I became emotionally and financially dependent.

The list goes on and on.
As we are not going to be together and I still want to use what I have learned from this book, I am wondering how you could use EFT for that?

How do I use all the knowledge I have gained from our relationship so that I heal and don't mess up the next one? I am feeling ready for a change. I am ready to learn to trust and commit to a relationship now. I know there are some gradual steps I need to take but I know with EFT I can do it fast. I understand I need to go back to my childhood too and explore why I am so afraid to finish things and even "complete a committed relationship".

I want to make a man happy. My mother, grandmother and I suppose many women before that have hated men in my family and broken their spirits. I did just that with my boyfriend, actually we did that to each other. Of course, there is still a part of me that wants to make it happen with him because I have never felt so connected to anyone in my entire life than to him. He still says the same thing of me but I really have the feeling I am never going to win with him. That somehow by some unexplainable magical ways, there will always be obstacles for us to complete our relationship and of course I am deeply hurt but EFT gives me hope that I will not screw up next time.

Dog attack

Oceans 88 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:33:27 GMT

Dear EFT community,

I would like your help. I am a new EFT practitioner who has had some very nice successes, but ran into some snags on a recent case. My hunch is that this will be simple for those more experienced in EFT.

My client is a 47 year old seasoned firefighter, who was attacked by a pit bull 9 months ago. He was out for a run with his dog, with his wife and infant daughter following in a stroller behind. Out from one of the yards charged a pit bull who attacked & would not let go. He was eventually rescued by a worker from the house who was able to take the dog back in the yard. He was taken by ambulance.

He presented with full PTSD symptoms...reliving the event, avoidance of reminders (the dog still lives in the neighborhood & another pit bull lives next door), fear, to the point he cannot concentrate @ work if his wife goes for walks in the neighborhood, terrifying nightmares.

We focused initially on the attack itself, which dropped from a 9 to 7 in intensity, but then stayed @ 7 as various aspects kept popping up. He saw the dog's teeth & jaw & muscles & ferocity which was near his face, he remembered his fear of not being able to protect his wife & dau from the dog turning on them, he remembered the nightmares. The intensity went to a 10 when he thought about the nightmare of his daughter being ripped apart by the dog and his feeling of not being able to protect her. During the attack he felt immobilized by the dogs grip & subsequently because he could not walk after the attack. the attack shook his belief that he could handle almost anything & that he could handle the dog.Another aspect is the thought about the next door neighbor dog who lunges at the fence and barks.

We were not able to bring the intensity below a 7 during the 50 minutes we had, with one aspect after another presenting. He tends to be analytical and think a lot about what is happening.

At the close, I gave him the EFT on a page & invited him to continue to tap during the week. I meet with him, again, on Friday. I would certainly appreciate feedback on how to proceed in the next session.

Thank you,

Linda

The trouble with forgiveness

ZenGirl — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:55:26 GMT

I just read an excellent post on the healing power of forgiveness. In it the author discussed the fact that many people are challenged by the idea of forgiveness because it seems to imply condoning the offense. This is something I have struggled with myself, particularly in terms of abusive interactions in close interpersonal relationships. While I completely understand and accept that forgiveness is healthy for =me=, I struggle with actually letting go and truly entering a space of forgiveness. As I thought about this more I realized that in the cases where I have the most difficulty forgiving, it is because I still fear further abuse (in my particular case emotional/verbal) from individuals with whom I am unable to completely sever relationships. In some way it feels as though completely forgiving the past abuse would mean letting my guard down (e.g., "giving as you gave before the offense"), which seemingly opens the door for future abuse (or at a minimum leaves me less protected against it).

I am interested to know if anyone has encountered something similar either in clients or themselves and found a way to overcome that block. Intellectually I completely understand the power of forgiveness in healing. I am at a place where I want and need to heal. However, this issue keeps arising, and I have not yet found a way on my own to feel =safe= in forgiving.

Understanding why one develops PTSD and another doesn't

Joe.Aquan — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:48:10 GMT

Hi,

Is it really difficuly to understand why one goes through a traumatic event, but after some time he's completly OK, where else someone else could go through the same event, and develop post traumatic symptoms for the rest of his life?

Is the difference because the prior "beliefs" each one had before the event? Is it because the different mental structure of each one?

Please give some insight on this,

Thanks,

Joe

Diagnosis of Sczophrenia in my 28 year old son has left us devastated. Anyone have experience with mental illness?

debbieg — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:26:52 GMT

Diagnosis of sczophrenia in our 28 year old son has left us devastated. Anyone have experience? He lives in Pasadena Ca

I feel helpless

msquared — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:39:45 GMT

Today, I applied 4 rounds of eft on a traumatic experience I had. The symptoms of the trauma after I was done seemed to have gone away. But, then the experience felt more intense than ever and now I feel horrible and helpless. I dont know what to do. This is really hard because im having flashbacks of my past experiences and it seems like im gonna go back to the way I used to be. Is this common? Please help me out :(

Thanks

Serial Killer Article

Sassy — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:08:39 GMT

Hi Folks,

I am going to put this info over here in the hopes those that called me on my cellphone will read this.I will also post the article for those that do not get the newsletter on Friday. My cellphone was schedulled to be ported from ATT to Verizon friday and I had no idea the article was coming out. I got as many calls as I could get off the VM before I lost it and did not want anyone to feel slighted. E-mail is the best form of communication and Tina changed my contact number to a reliable one on my contact info.I was waiting till she did that before posting here. OK I am off an running! Make it a great day!

http://www.emofree.com/Articles2/serial-killer-attack.htm

Maryanne

Inability to rotate eyes in gamut

Sparky Farr — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:55:43 GMT

I have a client who is not able to follow directions to rotate his eyes in a circle. Even when I move my hand in a large circle he is not able to follow with his eyes. Is this some form of severe psycological reversal as he is progressing very slowly?

Sparky

Need help

Valentina — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:18:01 GMT

Hi this is my first post and seeking some answers. I was sexually abused as a child by a family member. I remember some of the abuse but believe there is more that I cannot recall. I have done tapping on incidents that I remember but if I can't get to those other incidents, how do I heal from them? I know there is more because I am still very angry towards men and having been born into the family I was born into.

Thank you for all your responses.

How to let go of the hurt and snger after husband had an emotional affair.

Ceciel38 — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:35:09 GMT

Hi, my name is Ceciel and I really would like some help after the split up and getting back with my husband. Sorry for the long post but really feel I need to explain it properly so I can get some good advice how to deal with my emotions and how to let go.

The beginning of last year my husband and I started having problems. He promised me to move to Holland (were I am from) for a couple of years, he felt so bad after he got done drink driving, and knew by going that he would make me and my family very happy. But he didn't (in my eyes) do enough to make it happen and time was running out. I tried to be so patient but after that didn't work and we started to have lots more fights I decided to seperate from him. Lots of stuff happened in the past that still bothered me so I was at the end of my rope. I moved in with his parents with our 2 young kids what made him furious. I knew he became good friends with a woman from work but after I decided to move back home I found messages in his phone to each other that just wasn't right (and for me that was the reason he didn't wanted to go to holland). He really made me feel moving to his parents was so wrong for me to do and gave him an excuus to have her as a special friend (she was divorced mother of 3 and he just wanted advice on our problems). I wasn't listening and she was. After this she also started to have feelings for him.

We did after that decided to work on our relationship. I choose to let the Holland thing go and just go home with our kids for 2 months.

When I got back he was not the same and I found more messages and photo's of him and her so I officially seperated from him and made him move out. Not long after that sometimes we did get along and I was happy with that because I was still in love with him. He knew that so kept me close so it was hard for me to move on. After telling him i wanted a divorce he had a turn around and told while we were separated he was seeing her and me at the same time. He is very sorry as what happend too and is also trying to deal with guilt and how he dealt with everything.

Now were back together (4 months) I find it so hard to let go of the past and get over what happend. I find it so hard to get the other woman out of my head and and so angry she tried to win him over when he was still wearing his weddingring (and knowing she still is in love with him).

For a while I believed it was my fault because I shouldn't have moved to his parents( because after that he started to have feelings for her), I was not a good listener. I started EFT about a year ago and it has helped me already a lot and feel did cope with this situation better with it. I do know I am dissapointing a few people close to me and feel bad that I have let them down because I am back with my husband. I do know that (most of the time) I made the right decision but have to deal with my emotions of anger, hurt and I wasn't good enough as a wife. I have done a lot of EFT but think I need some good guide lines on how to formulate and use EFT to deal with my emotions. How often do I have to do it? How long for? Because sometimes I tap on certain emotions and the do feel less then before, but there back the next day or the day after. So I am not sure if its good for me to bring up the emotion because I don't see it going away, know too that its not good to push emotions away.

This has been the biggest thing happend to me in my life, and know I have to deal with it and find peace with this last year.

I hope with this forum I can get some helpfull tips, because I need help to accept that this last year has happend.

Please help me.

Thanks heaps,

Witness to his sisters sexual abuse, and possibly completely buried his own.

AJD — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:36:11 GMT

firstly I wish to ask does anyone have knowledge of a similar type of scenario--It seems to have affected my friend very badly, he got a serious depression in his mid 30's..and apparantly had taken prescription meds before this..I wonder can abuse make a person untruthful as well?

I know a person has to be ready for help and to understand that they are carrying a bunch of unresolved feelings. I have had to lay it kindly on the line for my friend ..very diplomatically as otherwise he is not going to get his life sorted..he is under current stress of trying to find a job and then maybe losing his home. He has already lost his family... I have to say partly his fault...but not all..his family are very dysfunctional and he is a sensitive type...

I have spoken only briefly to his sister and she seemed cold and probably depressed from her own unresolved feelings.

I had thought to do distant eft for my friend with his permission which he already gave previously for his racing and stressful thoughts..

But he seems just too overwhelmed to help himself at the moment.

He is not working and cannot afford the cost of having a professional telephone consult..unless a really kind and experienced practitioner who is very used to working with abuse cases is offering? and then of course my friend has to be willing to really get involved and want to truly heal...

Has anyone here maybe worked distantly to try and help someone who has been abused and is in a real mess basically.. He has managed to come off all medical drugs..he never took street drugs. does not drink or smoke or even eat too much!

AJD

I stopped driving my car.

LIL — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:08:10 GMT

Hi, I hope someone can advise me. Sorry if my english is not fluent, but it is not my native language. I'll try to explain what is my problem. I've been driving a car for about 25 years without any problem. In 92 a car hit my car in the back when I was waiting to take a turn. I was not ingured, except that after 2 months I got neckpains, panic attacs, not able go focus, etc. My doctor told me that I had a whiplash. Never heard of it, that time. learned to handle the panic attacks and had no problems driving. Till a couple of years ago. I was in the evening on my way to a hotel where my husband was staying that night, some 85 km from where I live. I chose to drive in the evening to avoid traffic jams the other morning. I had the other morning an appointment with a potential client (my first) at the same place my husband was staying in the hotel. Everything went well till some 10 km from my destination. I looked left in my mirror to pass a truck that was driving in front of me. I suddenly experienced a blackout, or dizziness, my heart beated, I started sweatting and immediately went back to the position behind the truck. It was impossible for me to drive faster and I was terrified! I managed to drive to the hotel, thought that if I had a good night sleep, it would be gone. (as I'm typing this I feel my heart beating, my head/neck acking). The next day after my appointment (I had a new client!) I drove to a place some 40 km further from where I was. On the highway it went wrong again. When I reached the 70 km, my head started spinning, I got dizzy, I experience balance problems, and cried my eyes out. I reached my destination! (after 4 stops at parking stops). But, my husband had to pick me up that night, because I could not drive home!.

From that day I tried several times to drive at my home town, complete fear, my eyes get freezed, it feels as if I'm not driving that car and cannot get control back. Can you advise how EFT can help me? I have all de DVD's, I've tried EFT several times, but I don't seem to hit the right affirmations. Help! I want to be driving again, because now I am so dependend of other and don't feel free to go as I like.

Lil

DID or MPD

annie o'grady — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:58:05 GMT

Hi all, just to contribute to the general scene, I'm a complementary therapist with more than twenty years' experience in transpersonal work and trauma healing (past lifetime therapy and holotropic breathwork etc.) before I came to EFT. I sent in a report to the EFT Newsletter on 'Using EFT to negotiate with multiple personalities' which appeared 4/27/2007.

This is about a woman I worked with, to calm her alters, and it was successful. Within a month after the EFT work, her psychologist was able to achieve integration. She now talks about the immense relief to have just one voice in her head -- 'me'. This had not happened before, she's in midlife.

She decided to do some work with me after getting some healing on a back problem at one of my LEARN EFT basic workshops, and I did not know until later that she was DID. After we had built some rapport, I dealt with several of her alters as though each was a troubled client, and they moved from various uncomfortable emotions to peace relatively quickly. Along the way we were able to start defusing some childhood traumas too. She has written me a long list of life improvements that have followed, although there is ideally a lot more to do. She uses EFT herself now, and I hear that her psychologist now wants to learn more EFT, although we have not spoken.

As she holds a responsible job and I had met her, it felt safe to gently introduce some peace. It may not with some other people. And they may not feel safe with me. I met her in her reality and we worked there.

Another woman, younger with more severe DID, came for a session to check me out. She brought her partner, and the session was mostly talking, until the partner agreed to do some EFT and see what happened. The partner has transgender difficulties, and rapidly lost some anxieties through the EFT. This was like a demonstration for the possible client. I am waiting to see if she follows up or not.

And who is to say that this disorder doesn't have a psychospiritual component? My experience suggests that it does, although we did not knowingly touch on that during the EFT work. I'd be interested to hear from any other EFT practitioner with a transpersonal background. And I love having forums, isn't it great --

DVD of PSTD on US vet who shot 5 year old boy

Ann Lewis — Sat, 23 May 2009 11:30:00 GMT

Hi everyone, I wanted to send the letter (see below) to Gary Craig but couldn't find any email address for him via the website, so I decided to post it below - I would be grateful for any feedback on my concerns.

Many thanks

Ann

Dear Gary

I have been successfully using EFT in my practice for a number of years and couple of weekends ago I completed a Level 2 training in the UK. I was shown a DVD of you working with a US vet who had struggled with PTSD for years following an incident where he shot and killed a 5 yr old boy who was walking towards his vehicle, carrying a hand grenade.

My EFT tutor explained that this soldier had been in a very bad state for many years suffering from flashbacks and extreme. During the session you took this man through various levels of intensity of feelings about this incident. My group unchallenged by the tutor were amazed and pleased by the final outcome for this man who, when asked how he felt, said he was ‘bored’ by the issue which had once so adversely affected his life.

My problem is this, I wonder how healthy it is to bring a person from such an extreme place to one where he yawns in boredom when describing how he saw the back of the child's head exploding from the bullets he fired into it? Surely this is only a transient place for this guy, a place to come away from his prior state but not one anyone would judge as a place of completion and healing.

I work tirelessly to help my clients to free themselves from harmful thoughts and self-hating tendencies. I believe the answer to everyone's problems is to bring more self-acceptance and love to a situation. I have treated criminals who have committed extremely harmful and violent crimes and have no difficulty in getting them to love and accept themselves. I would not consider these clients restored to well-being if they felt bored and disinterested in the consequences of their actions. I feel such clients when they bring more self-love and acceptance to themselves are also able to experience compassion for those who have been harmed as a result of their actions. I'm not equating a soldier with a criminal, I just feel a healthier outcome is acceptance of the self, with compassion for others who may have been hurt too.

I raised my concern in the group after the video was played, it created an awkward moment when the tutor felt a little defensive and the rest of the group who had been smiling and laughing at the outcome, seemingly pleased with it. I felt a little bit like the boy in the Emperor’s New Clothes fairy tale – and while I have no problem occupying this place, I would very much like to hear your views on this matter.

I know EFT works, I totally support the premise which underpins it but have great misgivings about this particular case being presented as ‘cured’ in this way.

Yours sincerely

Ann Lewis BA Hons, Homeopath,

EFT, Reiki & Theta Practitioner

EFT & Past Live Memories

UHU — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:27:34 GMT

Hello,

The more I do EFT, the more I seem to remember traumatic events of my past lives.

I remember being tortured to death in order to sign a pact with a religion. This past event

haunted my dreams during my teenage years. I used to see myslef in a trial with

people from another time. They saw me as wrong, bad, a ***, a whore, a witch.

I think they were afraid of my nature. I think I had some healing power or some

strength they did not understand. It took place in 1420. I was then born around 1390.

I want to break that pact, that vow they had me take or sign. I want to be a free woman.

Or society hates women and their sexuality through religion. I don't care what society

thinks of me. I am a woman. I know I am the daughter of this ALL loving Universe and it is my birth

right to be loved and revered like anybody else, like any man. I rebel against men

who think women are inferior but a part of me gives in. I want to break free from this

heritage of human and woman tragedy.

I am requesting your insight. How to heal current but also past lives trauma? How to let go of the

hatred and anger against the ones (women and men) who tried to belittle me and all

the great wise women of humanhood? How do you forgive your own ancestors for

perpetuating this tradition of contempt towards women?

I remember being a man also. A soldier sometimes noble, sometimes feable. How

do you forgive yourself of being the perpetuator of crimes and rapes. How do you let go of this

human trauma to let the God within, your true nature, shine?

I apologize may these questions have shocked you, please give me your insight?

Namasté

EFT for feelings of derealization and depersonalization...

ted1986 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:56:31 GMT

Hi EFTers, Just curious to know, has EFT worked for any of you with derealisation or depersonalization? I have had derealisation since May 2007 when my obsessive thoughts about me as a person got completely out of hand. One night about 11:30 I just got into such a huge panic and the next few days, I began to see everything around me in 2D, like it wasn't quite with me properly, it was distant, same with sounds. If anyone has derealization, they'll know exactly what I'm talking about. It's quite common, especially for chronic worriers like me! I was worried I was a psycho, pervert, evil sadist and everything else under the sun! This is what drove me to the point of derealization - derealization is your body's way of shielding you from the painful reality/ painful thoughts but unfortunately, it doesn't actually get rid of the thoughts, it just tries and instead, just makes objects 2D etc. I know Gary Craigs EFT has worked for me on smaller issues but I can't get right to the bottom of what exactly has caused the bigger issue - derealization. I find it hard to take myself back to that night in May 2007 when I got the Derealization so I find it hard to remember what exactly was going through my mind and how I was feeling physically. If anyone knows if Gary Craigs brilliant technique EFT works for Derealization/depersonalization, please let me know, thanks. Also, if you have any good ideas, please let me know what affirmations I could do to help. All the best, ted.

re-Having DID, Complex PTSD, Major Depression-recurring and M.E (chronic fatigue syndrome) and HypoPituaritarism (spelling)**

carolelouise — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:06:14 GMT

Hi all.

I thought it would be wise to join up, thankyou.

The above states my dx's. (also head injury affecting the vestibular system and memory, self-regulation)

I battle with DID and PTSD and Depression. The other dx's are self-managed thrrough taking hormone replacements and self-management.

I have had eft by a wonderful practioner.

The last session "the mute wee girl" came out. With dreadful horrible memories. I am too ashamed to say them at this time. I am struggling

The practioner has been extremely supportive and worked with it at the time this occcured to the best of her ability.-no doubts with this whatsoever.

Soon after, I "big Carole" and now- I am NOT coping with this memory and the validation of it thru documentation etc...

So the "sexual ones", being a sexual agressor, seducer, a callgirl and prostitute aspects have come out a great deal. To "deal" with this horrible memory as I "big Carole" can not.

I have little memory of what has occured- but evidence of alcohol, money has been found, etc...

I "big Carole" have now recently been extremely unwell. I have been dxed with genital herpes for the very first time- my first outbreak. This is tied in with the sexual aspects being out. I need to have further STI and HIV testing soon. I am terrified, to say the very least of it. :-((

How in goodnesses name to i keep myself (ourselves) safe?

I want to work with the practioner more- but am afraid of more memories happening and obvious repercussions that DO occur as a result.

I am having to live moment by moment at this time. I am scared as i also have a self-harmer and suicidal aspects within too.

I have not contacted the practioner as i feel i have overloaded her.

I have also shut down a great deal too- not ansering the phone etc...this is full on PTSD-Complex. I am losing so much time and money has been spent on stupid things that i "big carole" would not buy, nor can afford.

I dont know whether i am coming or going-so-to-speak! Terrified of "ourselves) :-(((((

Please this is in confidence any helpful info etc...would be appreciated, thankyou kindly.

Feeling disconnected from myself after successful EFT

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:28:04 GMT

Hi everyone

Has anyone else had this same experience after a successful EFT session?

I recently worked with an EFT practitioner andcollapsed all (I believe) my 'motherstuff' (physical and emotional abuse, mild compared to some I've read about here, but damaging nonetheless) which I had been struggling with for years and years. I'm 55 and had started to work with it at the age of 34, but of course it had all been there since I was a child. Wonderful!

However, I was left feeling very odd without that large parcel of burden squatting in my head; out of focus, not sure who I now am, out of touch with my base, my spirituality too. I floundered for a couple of months with this out-of-kilter feeling, unable to deal with it with EFT because I just couldn't get a handle on it, and didn't have any enthusiasm for it either. I also had a lot of physical symptoms worsening (stiff painful knees (I had a double total knee replacement a year ago), cramp in my feet, pain in my back, finding walking difficult). Eventually I called the practitioner, who advised me to tap on the five main difficulties in my life at the moment - the greatest of which was this feeling. It did indeed put me right and now I am left feeling that although there's a space in my head which the motherstuff used to occupy, I am back in focus and have yet to find what will happen - perhaps the space will fill with something else good; or my boundaries will shrink to fit what's left; or I'll simply learn to enjoy living with the roominess that is left (my favourite option).

I've never seen any reference to this lost feeling after the successful collapse of a big issue on the website or in the newsletter. Surely it's not just me?I'd be very grateful for other people's input on this.

Loving this EFT

Sally

DID or MPD (multiple personality disorder)

sherida — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:21:48 GMT

I am writing on behalf of a very good friend who has MPD. I have been reading all the posts I can, and have never seen a reference to this most disturbing condition (resulting from repeated and deliberate childhood/infant trauma) in the EFT posts and articles, except a warning NOT to try EFT in this case, unless with a very competent practitioner.

Has anyone had any experience with EFTused on a person with DID/MPD? I would love to hear any advice, stories, recommendations, as my friend has been receiving intense psychiatric help for years, and is in crisis at the moment because of the memories which are finally surfacing. She only wishes for the intense pain to be lessened, some of which is somatic pain (physical pain which has a basis in memory as I understand it).

Thanks, Sherida