Evolving Thought Field Therapy: The Clinician's Handbook of Diagnoses, Treatment, and Theory

By John H. Diepold Jr.

Book Overview

Rooted in applied kinesiology and traditional Chinese medicine, evolving thought field therapy (EvTFT) has become an alternative psychotherapy of choice. Three leading practitioners lead readers toward a theoretical and practical understanding of this advancement in energy psychology and offer three diagnostic methods. Organized as a handbook, the authors instruct and inspire mental health clinicians to integrate new ideas and methods into their practice.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039370405X
• ISBN13: 9780393704051
• Release Date: March 2004
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 408 Pages
• Weight: 1.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Well written, well organized, and a helpful contribution to the field

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) was developed by Roger Callahan in the 1970's. This involves touching or tapping on prescribed series (algorithms) of acupuncture points that are specific for particular problems. Prior to starting a series of these interventions, a person assesses her level of distress on a scale of "0" (not at all" to "10" (the worst I could feel at this moment as I focus on this issue). While tapping, a person will focus mentally on an affirmation. This process is repeated until the distress level is zero. In a brief period, many people can eliminate their symptoms and transform their lives. Being trained in psychology, medicine, psychiatry and research, I was highly skeptical when I first heard of this therapy. I expected that if symptoms were rapidly eliminated, people would have them recur or would develop other symptoms - in the service of unconscious conflicts and needs. Having been an observer and active participant in these Meridian Based Therapies (MBTs) for five years, my opinions have drastically changed. I've seen hundreds of people cured of problems - major and minor - with these brief interventions. These authors bring us an excellent summary of their variation on this system of treatment, which they call Evolving Thought Field Therapy (EvTFT). They summarize succinctly the history of TFT and explain the ways in which they have taken this further. Diepold, in particular, has pioneered new approaches that involve breathing to augment the therapeutic effects of treatment. In addition, muscle testing derived from Kinesiology is used to identify issues and attitudes that may impede or facilitate therapy. This book is a helpful contribution to the field. It is clearly written and well organized, with illustrations to identify acupressure points and muscle testing methods, ample case examples, an excellent index, and generous references for further perusal.

The textbook that sets the gold standard for TFT

The authors bring nearly 100 years's worth of clinical experience to their collaboration in this unification of many aspects of thought field therapy and body/mind/energy work. It's the first book that provides a cohesive explanation of *how* energy psychotherapy seems to work. By drawing in examples from many different ways of thinking about energy fields in human experience, the authors show how EvTFT just seems to "make sense" on many levels--intuitive, historical, spiritual and yes, even clincal. I have had the privilege of working with the author in the entire decade-plus that he's been actively learning and integrating TFT into his practice. It has been a life-transforming experience from day one. It is my hope that the skills taught in this book will find a wide audience among therapists in many disciplines and encourage the use of EvTFT in daily practice. EvTFT can be like magic in its effectiveness in lifting away painful, lifelong blocks in clients' lives.

THE Bible for Theory and Practice of Energy Therapy!

I have been trained in and have used Thought Field Therapy for many years. Before this ETFT book, I barely understood the background and theory. This book is clearly THE book on the subject. It is dense with information as well as practical methodology. It is to TFT what Francine Shapiro's book is to EMDR. I have read ETFT and continually refer to it to sharpen my practice. THIS IS A "MUST OWN" Text for anyone who wants to deepen the effectiveness of their psychotherapy practice.

State of the Art!

Diepold, Britt, and Bender have produced a remarkable addition to the emerging literature of energy psychology. In the first part of the book they introduce the reader to the importance of understanding paradigms as they apply to psychology, and how they must inevitably shift as knowledge accumulates. They then give a solid review of the basics of the meridian system of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the procedures of manual muscle testing to assess what is happening energetically in the body. They go on to describe the Touch and Breathe method of balancing meridians (which I have used with great success for several years)--an approach with which every practitioner of energy psychology will want to be familiar. They then present the most detailed explication of system disruption and treatment blocks that is available in the literature. They challenge the reader to understand and experiment with two additional forms of therapy localization (diagnosis)--contact-directed diagnosis using the therapist's own body, and thought-directed diagnosis. New ground is broken with the treatment approach for positive emotions which lead clients to be trapped in destructive compulsions, including addictive behaviors. This is really a break-through for a number of clinical conditions. Their section on supplemental and and modified protocols is well-presented, especially the section on the tratment of dissociative disorders. By no means a cookbook, the authors stress and explain how Evolving Thought Field Therapy is integrated into the overall practice of psychotherapy, and 25 terrific case examples are presented which effectively elucidate their position. The final chapter, Epilogue, and Afterward (by William Tiller, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Stanford University) present challenging and thought-provoking theories as it becomes apparent that the authors are thinking deeply and profoundly about the underpinnings of this most powerful and effective therapy tool.This is a book that will be appreciated the most by those practitioners who already have some experience with energy psychology and are hungry for refinements in technique, applicability to a greater range of clinical conditions, and deeper understandings of what is going on with this amazing technique.