The Promise of Energy Psychology

September 26, 2005
The authors readily admit their bold claims—"Your emotional health, your success in the world, and your level of joy can all be dramatically enhanced by shifting the energies that regulate them"—are not backed by empirical research. Nonetheless, Feinstein, a clinical psychologist and national director of the Energy Medicine Institute; his wife, Eden, a renowned energy healer (and Feinstein's coauthor on Energy Medicine
); along with Craig, founder of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), assert that phobias and anxieties often fade in minutes, trauma might be alleviated in a few sessions, anger can be decreased, depression may be managed without medication, and young children can be given an achievement boost by following their techniques. The theory is that "stimulating energy points on the skin, paired with specified mental activities, can instantly shift your brain's electrochemistry." Despite the wide use of acupuncture in alternative Western medicine, not much is known about the body's energies and how that energy can be used in healing. The authors say this book can be approached with a "show-me" attitude. Indeed, Feinstein, Eden and Craig will have to "show" empirical evidence before their method can be supported by the mental health field.

November 15, 2005
Clinical psychologist Feinstein and his team of practitioners here demonstrate how the mind and body work together to form emotional responses -and how maladaptive reactions to situations can be corrected by sending electrochemical signals directly to the brain. The authors base their program on applied kinesiology, a modern form of the ancient Eastern healing arts, which has been used to treat posttraumatic stress in Kosovo as well as habits, addictions, and phobias around the world. Patients are taught to interrupt their conditioned response to situations through tapping on specific points of the skin and mentally rehearsing new responses. While this unconventional method may raise a few eyebrows, the procedures and theory are well explained, and results are documented. Recommended for all libraries.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.