In episodes 6 and 7, Ramey discovers a self-care technique for tapping acupuncture points to relieve negative emotions.
One of the most studied methods is called EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique. EFT is an emerging, research-based example of how Eastern medicine bridges beautifully with Western psychology.
Listen to how Ramey prepares for her first tapping experience.
Mental Healthcare in America Could Use a Healthy Dose of Chinese Medicine
Most mental health treatment in America includes prescription medicine and psychotherapy. But results in the last century show that the biomedical healthcare system, alone, can’t fully manage America’s mental health needs. Since the pandemic, the number of people suffering from emotional and mental anguish is staggering.
More than 1 in 5 adults in the United States live with a mental illness.[1] Just imagine, in the wake of modern life and current events, how many people live with a negative emotion like anger, sadness, anxiety or fear. The numbers are likely much higher!
You are fortunate to be in charge of your own health and have the power to add self-care skills to your life.
The challenge lies in how to choose what’s best for you.
You can go to therapy to treat your negative emotions. You can also combine psychotherapy with prescription medication. And if this combination works for you, that’s wonderful!
But there are 4 reasons why these two options might not work for everyone:
- Not Enough Healthcare Practitioners
- Poor Access to Care
- Treatments are Not Unique to You
- Too Much of the Same Thing Leads to Overtreatment
The ultimate goal is to minimize your need to see a doctor.
One technique that can help reduce your emotional burden is a self-care method called EFT.
What is EFT?
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is also known as tapping. It’s a rapid and simple technique that involves tuning into an intensely stressful thought while tapping acupuncture points in a sequence. EFT combines the effects of stimulating acupoints with Western cognitive behavioral therapy, desensitizing techniques, and imagined or actual exposure therapy.
The results, if EFT is correctly applied, lead to long-lasting or permanent relief from negative emotions connected with a thought or situation.
But how is it possible for a simple method to help with depression, anxiety, addiction, and phobia? Don’t complex problems require complex solutions?
Listen to how my client, Ramey, discovers EFT and shares her experience in Season 3, Episodes 6 and 7. Consider Ramey’s health story as a way to witness how to expand your thinking about mental health from mental disorders being a problem of the mind to a more systematic approach to achieve emotional balance.
Never forget that the potential and simplicity of healing lies within you.
A Few Words of Caution
- EFT is not meant to replace your mental health care like therapy or medication, but it can enhance and potentially liberate your dependence on them.
- Third Opinion MD values education, and does not take the place of clinical decision-making by healthcare providers. Please consult with your doctor for your health issues.
- Do not learn EFT without supervision and guidance by a trained individual in this technique.
Follow Ramey’s Health Journey in Season 3
Season 3 is about pulling the curtain back so you can learn the process with my client, Ramey, on how to form a unique Health Strategy. Ramey reached a point where she wanted to dig deeper to find more health solutions through the Health Strategy Consult program.
Resources
For more information on this topic, read the October 9, 2023 blog post: Mental Healthcare in America Could Use a Healthy Dose of Chinese Medicine
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References
[1] About Mental Health. (2023, April 28). https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
[2] Duncan, A. D., Kain, K. L., & Hollifield, M. D. M. (2019). The Tao of Trauma: A Practitioner’s Guide for Integrating Five Element Theory and Trauma Treatment (Illustrated edition). North Atlantic Books.
Listen to Alaine Duncan's interview on Third Opinion MD podcast, Season 2, Episode 3: https://thirdopinionmd.org/healing-traumatic-stress-with-the-integration-of-modern-science-and-ancient-principles-of-chinese-medicine-with-alaine-duncan/
