Wings of Peace

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.

Deeply impacted by the failure of peace talks between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986, Rust sought to forge a symbolic connection between East and West. With his limited flying experience in a Cessna 172—a relic of mid-20th-century technology—he planned a daring flight with a goal of bridging this divide.

On May 13, 1989, he took off from Uetersen Airfield in West Germany, bound for Iceland where the Gorbachev-Reagan summit had recently faltered. Visiting the historic Hofdi House, the site of the failed negotiations, he drew needed inspiration, and pressed on. Continuing his flight, he then flew to Norway and Finland, the country with the most accessible Soviet border.

While filing his flight plan to Stockholm, Rust turned off his plane’s transponder, the device that enabled tracking, and redirected his course toward the heavily fortified Soviet border. Approaching the region, he faced a formidable air defense system with advanced missiles and fighter planes primed to respond quickly to any intrusion.

Coincidentally, Rust’s flight coincided with Border Guards Day, granting most of the personnel a holiday, which temporarily reduced this surveillance. Nonetheless, Soviet radar eventually detected his presence, prompting MiG fighters to visually identify the unidentified aircraft. Initially mistaking Rust’s Cessna for a similar-looking Soviet training plane, confusion permeated the command chain as the West German intruder defied expectations.

Due to the notoriety surrounding the downing of South Korean airliner KAL 007 in 1983, Soviet commanders exercised caution, awaiting authorization from Defense Minister Sergei Sokolov to engage with the rogue plane. Meanwhile, Rust navigated solely with rudimentary maps he had purchased, and as dusk settled, he recognized Moscow’s iconic Saint Basil’s Cathedral.

Desperately searching for a safe landing spot, Rust spotted the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, partially cleared of cables for maintenance. He skillfully touched down on the bridge, captivating the astonished onlookers who gathered in awe. Even KGB agents found themselves unsure of how to respond, engaging in hesitant discussions among themselves.

Eventually, Rust was apprehended, and his Cessna was taken to a nearby airport for examination. The audacity of a teenager breaching the Soviet Union’s air defense system left everyone bewildered. After nearly a year in jail, Rust was returned to West Germany, forever grounded from flying by his home country.

Unbeknownst to Rust, his audacious act resonated deeply. The military chaos it exposed provided Mikhail Gorbachev with an opportunity to bypass hardliners opposed to his reformist agenda. Gorbachev’s reforms, including perestroika (economic revolution) and glasnost (societal openness), gathered momentum. Three years later, the Soviet Union collapsed, forever altering the course of world history.

Driven by his noble quest, Matthias Rust had made a personal statement so powerful that the world could not ignore it. Despite never piloting an aircraft again, his symbolic flight for peace left an indelible impact on the collective consciousness of people worldwide.

Reference

Dowling, S. (2017, May 26). The audacious pilot who landed in Red Square. BBC Future. Retrieved from www.bbc.com/future/story/20170526-the-audacious-pilot-who-landed-in-red-square

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Wings of Peace

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

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