I want to learn to use EFT just for myself. Can I go on an EFTTA course,
or are they just for professionals?
No, our introductory courses are geared both for people learning for themselves
and for those who intend to go on to use EFT in their therapy practices. We
usually have a mixture of both on our Level 1 training days.
I have been using EFT on myself and with friends. I taught myself from a book.
Do I still need to do a Level 1 course before I do Level 2?
The AAMET*, which is the lead body for regulation and standards in energy therapy
in this country, requires all its trainers to insist that trainees do Level
1 first, unless there are really exceptional circumstances. Many people who
do Level 1 do already know some EFT but are usually very positive about how
valuable they find doing the course day.
Is a training course the only way to learn EFT?
No. If you want to use it for yourself you can teach yourself from books and
DVDs. However many people prefer to learn in a group where they can practice,
share experiences with others, have questions answered, and get some coaching
from the tutors. If you want to use it in your professional practice, then
you do need a training course with face-to-face tuition.
It is also unlikely that anyone will insure you unless you have a practitioner
certification.
What does becoming a practitioner entail?
On an EFT practitioner training, you learn how to use EFT as a tool in therapy.
You do not learn how to do therapy, but you do get a lot of help with how to
integrate EFT into whatever type of therapy you do.
The training involves: a) having Level 1 certification with an AAMET-approved
trainer as a pre-requisite b) attending a further two days training c) submitting
three case histories, one of which needs to be on yourself and two working
with other people and doing a multiple choice examination.
What if I fail my case studies?
If your case studies do not reach the required standard, you will be given
detailed feedback on what you need to do differently to pass and given the
chance to submit new case studies to demonstrate that you have taken on board
what is being asked of you.
I have practitioner certification with someone else and I want to do advanced
training. Can I do it with EFTTA even if I did not do my other trainings with
you?
Yes. As long as you have a practitioner certificate signed by an AAMET trainer,
you can join an EFTTA Level 3 course.
How much time do I need to have between Levels 1 and 2?
None, unless you want to. When you finish Level 1 it is fine to sign up for
the next Level 2 in the schedule if you wish. Of course some people prefer
to take time to digest one stage before they move to the next. If that is your
personal preference that is fine.
Can I do Levels 2 and 3 straight after one another?
After you do Level 2, you need to spend some time getting experience as a practitioner
before you sign up for Level 3. An element of Level 3 is supervision and you
will not get the most out of that if you have not had some experience of your
own to discuss with the group.
Also, you have three months after the Level 2 weekend to submit your case studies
and may find you need that long. Case studies need to be several sessions so
they take time to do and write up.
Some people, even if they have had some time after Level 2, have not completed
their case studies, but want to learn more. They can do Level 3 without waiting
to do or to pass their level 2 case studies. They will be given an attendance
certificate, as all attendees will be, but their cannot be upgraded to Level
3 practitioner certificate until they finish and pass both sets of case studies.
So it is not a shortcut. It is just a flexible option. Some people are more
confident to do their case studies after they have done both weekends. And
some people, who never intend to practice, may want to do Level 3 just to learn
more for themselves.
Do you offer discounts?
Yes, there is a discount if you book and pay early. There is also a reduction
if you book both Levels 1 and 2 together. And anyone who has a course
with EFTTA or PHTA** automatically qualifies for a reduced rate for all subsequent
courses.
Do you offer anything other than Levels 1, 2 and 3 trainings?
From time to time we do have workshops on other themes. If you sign up to
the newsletter you will know when they are coming up. And, through our sister
organisation PHTA**, there is an option to join individual days or modules
of a two-year diploma in Psychotherapy and Hypnosis. For example, there is
a six-month counselling module starting in May every year. There are
three days of NLP. And there are individual days that can work as standalone
workshops. You can see the syllabus on www.phta.co.uk
I have heard that EFT is a often a one-shot wonder and that people really only
need one session to deal with most problems. Is that true?
Not really. Once in a while someone is lucky enough to hit a really core issue
almost at once and then results can be spectacular. But many difficulties people
have are complex and need more intense and sophisticated detective work to
deal with. What is true is that EFT is faster than most other therapies. But
that does not mean that it does not need time.
I have a lot of therapy training and I don’t want
to just throw it out. Some people who learn EFT seem to do that. Is it inevitable?
Not at all. People who have just learned EFT and discovered how powerful it
can be sometimes do feel it is all they need. But after a time they usually
notice that they use it informed by all the other therapy and learning and
experience they have had. They all form a framework in which the use of EFT
becomes more powerful.
How often do people need to tap?
Doing some every day, even if it is only a few minutes, is a good choice.
Practitioners tap with their clients so they get a bonus. Even though they
are focused on their clients and not on their own problems, most report that
they benefit themselves. And working with traumatic memories with clients
and tapping on yourself as you do so does give therapists wonderful protection
against secondary traumatisation.
What training and qualifications do your trainers have?
Principal trainer Judy Byrne is an EFT Master, one of only 12 in the UK. She
did her own advanced training in a very small group with EFT founder Gary Craig,
a rare privilege. Richard Mark, who trains with her, is also an AAMET approved
Level 3 trainer. They are both also qualified in a range of psychotherapeutic
and hypnotherapeutic approaches.
Can I use EFT on anything?
For yourself, try it on anything. But be aware it is not necessarily
a substitute for conventional treatment, for example medical conditions,
and does not claim to be. For other people, don’t go where you
do not belong. If you are not a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist
you will not be qualified to help people who have serious psychological or
psychiatric problems, even if you are qualified to use EFT as a practitioner.
Can EFT make people feel worse?
Sometimes when someone taps on something it does make them feel worse. It
doesn’t means that EFT is harming them or that it is failing. It means
it is taking them where they need to go next. EFT has an ability to
track what people need to work on. So if someone feels worse, they can regard
it as an opportunity, and not a contra-indication and hang in there and tap
on what they are feeling, until the emotion subsides
* The Association
for the Advancement of Meridian Therapies (www.aamet.org)
** PHTA or the Psychotherapy and Hypnosis Training Academy (www.phta.co.uk)