Biology Versus Chronology

Clinical EFT Therapy Validated as Evidence-Based Practice for Psychological and Physiological Conditions2

A comprehensive scientific review of a therapy called Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) has been published in a top peer-reviewed journal, Frontiers in Psychology.

It compared the evidence for EFT against criteria published by the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 12 Task Force on Empirically Validated Therapies. Summarizing the results of 56 randomized controlled trials, it found that EFT is highly effective for anxiety, depression, phobias, PTSD, and stress symptoms.

EFT, also known as acupoint tapping or simply “tapping,” is a practice that combines acupressure (tapping on acupuncture points) with elements of conventional psychological methods like cognitive processing and exposure therapy (focusing on distressing memories). Studies show that the addition of acupressure rapidly reduces the emotional triggering that results from disturbing events.

In the past decade, research in EFT has increasingly focused on objective biological markers such as cortisol levels, immune function, brain activity, and gene expression. It has also been used to successfully treat physical conditions including pain, insomnia, and autoimmune diseases.

The results of randomized controlled trials, the gold standard of research, showed EFTs effects to extend beyond the subjective perceptions of stress measured in psychology. The paper’s coauthor and EFT pioneer Dr. Dawson Church observed that, “Self-reporting and subjective change is one thing, but objective change means that independent of what you think or report, there are external positive changes that are measurable.”

The review concludes that Clinical EFT is “efficacious for a range of psychological and physiological conditions. Treatment is associated with measurable biological effects in the dimensions of gene expression, brain synchrony, hormonal synthesis, and a wide range of biomarkers.”

The paper noted several other characteristics of the treatment method. Comparatively few treatment sessions are required, treatment is effective whether delivered in person or virtually, and symptom improvements persist over time. Also, EFT works well as group therapy, which makes it cost effective to administer.

EFT is also unusually safe, with no reports of adverse events in the more than 2,000 study participants. This has led to it being characterized by the US Veterans Administration as a “generally safe therapy.” The paper notes the prevalence of “simultaneous symptom reduction,” where multiple psychological conditions (such as depression and anxiety) and physiological diagnoses (such as pain and insomnia) decline at the same time.

With over 125 studies now published in peer-reviewed journals, Clinical EFT is one of the most-researched treatment methods in the field of psychology. The review paper found it to be a stable and mature method with an extensive evidence base, capable of being used in primary care settings as a safe, rapid, reliable, and effective treatment for both psychological and medical diagnoses.

Embarking on a groundbreaking quest, researchers at Yale University have unfurled the “epigenetic clock” known as “GrimAge” (Protsenko et al., 2021), an ingenious measure of the pace at which we age. Astonishingly, this biological compass stands as a superior herald of our well-being and longevity, surpassing the traditional marker of chronological age.

In an illuminating study, these visionaries employed GrimAge to uncover the harrowing impact of chronic stress on the tempo of biological aging. Their revelation is profound: stress accelerates our biological clock, heralding a heightened vulnerability to PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Moreover, it casts a shadow on our cognitive faculties and emotional regulation.

In this study, 119 individuals, aged 20 to 68, participated. Those burdened by the weight of psychological stress showcased an acceleration of aging markers, accompanied by adverse physiological indicators like increased insulin resistance—an ominous precursor to diabetes.

However, amidst the shadows of concern, a ray of hope pierced through the clouds. A resounding answer echoed forth from the Yale researchers: “Yes!” It is indeed possible to slow down this relentless clock. Remarkably, those who displayed elevated levels of self-control and mastery over their emotions exhibited a striking immunity to the ravages of stress.

“These results reinforce the widely held notion that stress expedites our journey through the corridors of time,” said Zachary Harvanek, a resident in the Yale Department of Psychiatry and a coauthor of the study. Yet, he optimistically asserted, “they also unveil a promising path to mitigating these adversities by fortifying our inner emotional regulation and self-control.”

These remarkable neural landscapes are the very centers of our brain responsible for emotion regulation and self-awareness and, intriguingly, are kindled by the transformative practice of meditation I refer to as the “Enlightenment Network.” As we engage in prayer, meditation, tapping, and immersing our awareness in uplifting media, we activate this profound network that resides within us.

The Enlightenment Network, not unlike the fight-or-flight network, occupies a significant expanse of neural terrain within our minds, revealing the circuits which govern our emotions, self-reflection, compassion, as well as our attention. Meditators who have devoted over 10,000 hours have garnered heightened activity within their compassion circuit—an extraordinary feat. Yet, an MRI study conducted in collaboration with scientists at Bond University revealed that the right methods can accelerate this activation in as little as 30 days (Church et al., 2020).

Even as we embark on the sacred task of meditation—counting breaths, extending compassion to others, and observing our thoughts—we awaken the dormant potential of the attention circuit, empowering our ability to focus on the present moment.

Embrace the reins of your own aging process, for the path to a youthful appearance lies within your grasp. Be counted among the centenarians gracefully maneuvering the tennis courts, embracing intimacy, reveling in social connections, solving intriguing puzzles, and igniting inspiration in the hearts of others. Reject the fate of being a 65-year-old confined to a ventilator in a sterile elder care facility.

Now, a beacon of hope emerges from the enigmatic GrimAge clock, unveiling a revelation of immense power. Through the transformative practice of your spiritual journey, you possess the ability to steer your future, nudging it towards vitality and grace. Embrace this remarkable opportunity to rewrite the narrative of your existence, unlock the gates to the fountain of youth within, and sculpt a reality where your biological age defies the boundaries of time itself.

References

Church, D., Stapleton, P., & Sabot, D. (2020). Brief EcoMeditation associated with psychological improvements: A preliminary study. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 9, 2164956120984142.

Protsenko, E., Yang, R., Nier, B., Reus, V., Hammamieh, R., Rampersaud, R.,. . . Wolkowitz, O. M. (2021). “GrimAge,” an epigenetic predictor of mortality, is accelerated in major depressive disorder. Translational Psychiatry, 11(1), 1-9.

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Biology Versus Chronology

Clinical EFT Therapy Validated as Evidence-Based Practice for Psychological and Physiological Conditions2

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