Power therapies
Encyclopedia
Power Therapies is a term coined by professor Charles Figley
, Florida State University
Traumatology Institute, to group several novel treatments of post traumatic stress
. Described this way, due to the apparent ability of these methods to work so rapidly compared to other methods at the time, Figley aimed to identify the "active ingredients" of these therapies — EMDR
, TFT
, EFT
, VK/D
, and TIR.
Charles Figley
Charles Figley is a university professor in the fields of psychology, family studies, social work, traumatology, and mental health. He is the Paul Henry Kurzweg, MD Distinguished Chair in Disaster Mental Health and Graduate School of Social Work Professor at Tulane University Charles Figley is a...
, Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
Traumatology Institute, to group several novel treatments of post traumatic stress
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
. Described this way, due to the apparent ability of these methods to work so rapidly compared to other methods at the time, Figley aimed to identify the "active ingredients" of these therapies — EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a form of psychotherapy that was developed by Francine Shapiro to resolve the development of trauma-related disorders caused by exposure to distressing events such as rape or military combat...
, TFT
Thought Field Therapy
Thought Field Therapy, or TFT, is a fringe psychological treatment developed by an American psychologist, Roger Callahan. Its proponents say that it can heal a variety of mental and physical ailments through specialized "tapping" with the fingers at meridian points on the upper body and hands...
, EFT
Emotional Freedom Techniques
thumb|300px|EFT-tapping pointsEmotional Freedom Technique is an alternative intervention technique, described by some proponents as "energy psychology". EFT has the goal of desensitization, and utilizes the tapping of acupuncture points while a client focuses on a specific issue...
, VK/D
Neuro-linguistic programming
Neuro-linguistic programming is an approach to psychotherapy, self-help and organizational change. Founders Richard Bandler and John Grinder say that NLP is a model of interpersonal communication and a system of alternative therapy which seeks to educate people in self-awareness and effective...
, and TIR.
Examples
Examples of such treatments (in alphabetical order) are:- Emotional Freedom TechniquesEmotional Freedom Techniquesthumb|300px|EFT-tapping pointsEmotional Freedom Technique is an alternative intervention technique, described by some proponents as "energy psychology". EFT has the goal of desensitization, and utilizes the tapping of acupuncture points while a client focuses on a specific issue...
(EFT), a psychotherapeutic tool based on the idea that negative emotions are caused by disturbances in the body's energy field and that tapping on the meridiansMeridian (Chinese medicine)The meridian is a path through which the life-energy known as "qi" is believed to flow, in traditional Chinese medicine. There is no physically verifiable anatomical or histological basis for the existence of acupuncture points or meridians.- Main concepts :...
while thinking of a negative emotion alters the body's energy field, restoring it to "balance." - Eye Movement Desensitization and ReprocessingEye Movement Desensitization and ReprocessingEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a form of psychotherapy that was developed by Francine Shapiro to resolve the development of trauma-related disorders caused by exposure to distressing events such as rape or military combat...
(EMDR), an information processing psychotherapy that was developed to resolve symptoms resulting from distressing memories. - Thought Field TherapyThought Field TherapyThought Field Therapy, or TFT, is a fringe psychological treatment developed by an American psychologist, Roger Callahan. Its proponents say that it can heal a variety of mental and physical ailments through specialized "tapping" with the fingers at meridian points on the upper body and hands...
, an alternativeAlternative medicineAlternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
treatment developed by an American psychologist, Roger Callahan, Ph.D. Its proponents say that it can heal of a variety of mental and physical ailments through specialized "tapping" with the fingers at meridian pointsAcupuncture pointAcupuncture points are locations on the body that are the focus of acupuncture, acupressure, sonopuncture and laser acupuncture treatment. Several hundred acupuncture points are considered to be located along meridians...
on the upper body and hands.(TFT; Callahan, 1995; Gallo, 1995) - Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR; Gerbode, 1985, 1995), is a form of psychotherapy in which a technique is used to assist a patient suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder by re-living the experience in a controlled environment.
- Visual–Kinesthetic Dissociation (V/KD), adapted from a visualization technique developed by John Grinder and Richard Bandler, the co-founders of Neuro-linguistic programmingNeuro-linguistic programmingNeuro-linguistic programming is an approach to psychotherapy, self-help and organizational change. Founders Richard Bandler and John Grinder say that NLP is a model of interpersonal communication and a system of alternative therapy which seeks to educate people in self-awareness and effective...
, V/KD "involves temporarily induced dissociation from the negative feelings associated with traumatic memory through visual review of the traumatic event(s) from a different perspective"
EMDR
To date there is little evidence for the efficacy of several of these power therapies. The EMDR Institute maintains a thorough list of research studies on EMDR. Critics of EMDR argue that the eye movements do not play a central role, that the mechanisms of eye movements are speculative, and that the theory leading to the practice is not falsifiable and amenable to scientific enquiry. However, the issues concerning research involve some controversies not addressed in this article.VK/D
According to a review by Dietrich et al.,
"the available evidence suggests TIR, the TRI Method, and V/KD are effective treatments for posttraumatic sequelae." [...] "Rigorous studies need to be conducted and replicated using comparison groups to demonstrate that the identified treatment is equivalent to another “well-established" treatment or superior to medication, psychological placebo or other treatment. Scientist-practitioners are encouraged to take an active role in this line of enquiry and to conduct research with combined components, using good experimental designs and standardized approaches." However, as Grant Devilly states that VKD, a technique derived from Neuro-linguistic programmingNeuro-linguistic programmingNeuro-linguistic programming is an approach to psychotherapy, self-help and organizational change. Founders Richard Bandler and John Grinder say that NLP is a model of interpersonal communication and a system of alternative therapy which seeks to educate people in self-awareness and effective...
(NLP) has not yet been presented for peer review.
Criticism and Controversy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing#Controversy
- Emotional Freedom Techniques#Criticism
- Neuro-linguistic Programming#Lack of scientific validation