EFT Tapping Success Stories with Veterans

EFT Tapping Success Stories with Veterans: Constance Louie-Handelman, Ph.D, a former captain in the US Army Reserve shares how after just one round of EFT tapping, soldiers were noticeably changed.

photo by Lance Cpl. Jason T. Guiliano

By Constance Louie-Handelman, Ph.D CPT, USAR, MS

I began investigating Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) when a friend told me about “tapping.”

Although I have a Ph.D. degree in clinical psychology, I was continually searching for other effective techniques that could help clients. I studied EMDR, Neuro-linguistic Programming and hypnotherapy.

However, after studying and practicing EFT, I found it worked quickly in eliminating fears, limiting beliefs, pain, and releasing traumatic events. Every opportunity I had, I used EFT with family, friends, and clients and achieved excellent long lasting results. I was so confident in EFT that I felt I had something to offer when I read about the high rate of suicide among U.S. soldiers.

I was commissioned as a captain in the US Army Reserve on March 2010, and was deployed to Afghanistan from July 2011 to May 2012. As a psychologist, I was in charge of a forward operating base in Kandahar Province and officially saw 199 individual soldiers (574 sessions).

Once I established rapport, understood their problems and needs, I used EFT primarily for anger, sleep, depression, and stress.

After just one round of tapping, soldiers were noticeably more relieved and calmer. Soon thereafter, soldiers added more details about their problems, or expressed issues that they had kept to themselves for years. Feeling the positive profound result, it was then easy to encourage soldiers to learn how to tap, something they could do themselves in a matter of minutes, in order to release past, current, anticipated problems or “pre-emptive tapping,” as one soldier called it.

The ease to learn and to apply the tapping was an important element of EFT since I often saw a solider just for one session.

I realized the success of EFT when soldiers were able to return to full duty, wanting to learn more about EFT, or having referred other soldiers into my office. Since returning home, I am disheartened to learn that EFT is not an accepted technique in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Fortunately, there is the Veterans Stress Project (www.stressproject.org) that offers free EFT sessions for returning vets

I can only hope that the VA’s powers-to-be will soon realize the effectiveness of EFT in order to help thousands of suffering vets, thus making a dramatic dent in the suicide rate. 

Ask a Veteran about EFT's value

This just in from the EFT free newsletter, a VERY good source of information and stories from people who have used Emotional Freedom Technique successfully in their own lives.

Ask a Veteran about EFT's value:
Debi Stanley is a Veteran who experienced EFT in a specialized workshop for Vets in San Francisco over a year and a half ago. She is willing to correspond with you about her experience. She says, "Before EFT in San Francisco, I had been suffering from depression for over 20 years and took every med in the books. I also had severe nightmares once or twice per week that would cause me to scream in the middle of the night. After EFT, I am off the meds and have had neither depression nor nightmares since. EFT saved my life."

Pretty powerful testimonial to the effectiveness of this work. It's especially good when you can work with a practitioner and there are several people out there who specialize in working with veterans, from all wars. Many EFT practitioners are easily able to work over the phone, if you are in a remote area. When you can't work with a practitioner, which I highly recommend, there are alternatives. From e-books, click here, to audio files and CD's.

Here's the link for the newsletter, you can sign up and probably get to this issue. If not drop me a line and I'll send it to you. newslettersign-up

Sometimes those who need it most, are the least capable of helping themselves.

But there is hope. Combat soldiers or veterans suffering from PTSD are often unable to get out of their confusion or depression long enough to seek help for themselves. It often takes time, research, focus and patience. These things are exactly what many sufferers DON'T have.

Here's where family, spouses and friends can help. Surrogate EFT can be amazingly effective. That is to say, doing Emotional Freedom Technique exercises for another person works! It may not be the "end-all" but it may be just the incentive needed to get the PTSD sufferer to the point where they can start working to heal him or herself.

It's similar to tuning into a radio station on your car radio. You don't have to drive to the station and sit in the studio to enjoy the program. It works on frequencies and wave lengths to transfer the music right to your car (without even being plugged into anything!) 

Once you learn how to do the tapping on yourself, try surrogate tapping on a simple issue with a friend or child and you'll see for yourself how effective it can be. You can download this free booklet by clicking on this link...

free booklet on EFT tapping

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

The symptoms are many and varied. In fact, they can vary tremendously from individual to individual. Symptoms include, but are not limited to:

nightmares
hyperventilation
depression
feeling numb
flashbacks of the event
guilt feelings
anxiety
fear
anger
helplessness
delayed reactions
denial
drug or alcohol addictions
reactions to "triggers"-like road rage

Sometimes PTSD victims suffer from very dangerous symptoms such as uncontrollable rage, suicidal or, homicidal tendencies. If you or a buddy is at this point- seek help immediately.