Dr. Stephen Kaufman
Denver, CO.
(303) 756-9567
e-mail: drstephenkaufman@qwest.net
Neural Facilitation Technique™ (N.F.T.™ ) : a breakthrough new approach to rapid healing of fears, phobias, anxiety, emotional trauma, and pain
c.2003 Stephen J. Kaufman, D.C.
Abstract: This article contains a discussion
of a new set of procedures with a remarkable success rate for immediately and
substantially reducing depression, fears of all types, phobias, anxiety, panic, obsessive
thinking , trauma and P.T.S.D., appetite
control and weight loss, and all forms of acute and chronic pain. Other possible
applications may include acute and chronic allergy reactions. A unifying
theory based on solid neurobiological research is offered which for the
first time explains many of the results seen with N.F.T.™, thought field therapy,
emotional freedom technique, applied kinesiology, and other forms of “energy
psychology”. This therapy can also be taught to a patient to do over the
phone.
Alice has
been a patient of mine for many years, but now lives two hours away. She called
me in a panic to say she was having a severe allergic and respiratory attack,
that had been going on for several months. Out of desperation, she was just
about to start a course of steroids (this patient’s past medical history made
any use of steroids extremely risky; that indicates how desperate she was.) I
gave her instructions for a number of nutrients and told her these would
probably reduce her symptoms within a few days, if she could hang on. As I was
about to hang up, I suggested to her that we try the new technique I had
developed, Neural Facilitation Technique™. Within 4-5 minutes , her symptoms had
completely resolved! She said it was “the closest thing to a miracle I have
ever seen!”
Billy was
having a severe anxiety attack, lasting for several days. I treated him with
N.F.T.™, and saw a slight improvement after his treatment. However ,he reported
that the panic completely disappeared within an hour of the treatment and never
returned.
Jill has
had severe episodes of vomiting and gastrointestinal distress every week day
morning for many months. She has had a complete G.I. workup with negative
results. I tried numerous nutritional remedies with marginal success. We finally
determined that she was under an enormous amount of stress at work, causing
almost constant obsessive thoughts. After the first N.F.T.™ treatment, she had
substantial improvement. After the second treatment, she ceased her daily
vomiting, for the first time in several months. She said it was like a miracle;
I changed her life.
In 1979,
Dr. George Goodheart , founder and developer of applied kinesiology, introduced
the concept of tapping on
acupuncture points on the skull to influence body functioning. These points are
the beginning and end points of
acupuncture meridians, and therefore known as “B and E” points. Goodheart
believed they influenced hypothalamic functioning, and consequently affected
emotional states. Years earlier he had introduced the concept of tapping on
points on the body for pain control. I had studied acupuncture since 1973 but
never seen any references in the literature to “tapping”
points. I believe he may have developed this method for chiropractors who
were not licensed to use acupuncture needles.
Other
practitioners of applied kinesiology (AK) such
as Wally Schmidt ,Mike Leibowitz and Jim Durlacher introduced variations of
point tapping. Roger Callahan, PhD., a psychologist, took some AK classes
and modified Goodheart’s
technique somewhat, applying it to the treatment of phobias, grief, post
traumatic stress disorder, depression, etc. He
named his method thought field therapy (TFT). Callahan later developed a
method he calls Voice Technology, which he claims has a somewhat higher rate of
effectiveness than the basic TFT procedures. Interestingly, Voice Technology is
done only over the phone. It is also highly expensive to receive and to learn to
do.
Gary Craig
later modified and simplified TFT, calling it Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
In my experience both TFT and EFT are effective in treating the emotional
problems mentioned earlier. There are now a number of minor variants descended
from Goodheart’s and Callahan’s early observations. The original procedures
are so effective that I have no doubt that all the variations work as well. It
is common to hear claims of 80-90% effectiveness for the conditions mentioned.
These methods as a group have been referred to as “energy psychology”.
Not to be
outdone, I have also developed a variation on the theme. As a practitioner of
both AK and TFT since the early days, I have
strived to improve the effectiveness and broaden the application of these
mind body techniques. AK of course already has a very broad application indeed;
in my mind Goodheart invented the concept of the holistic
physician, treating many aspects of mind and body. “Treat the patient who has
the disease, not the disease that has the patient.” Few people realize that
many of the truisms and concepts of the holistic, CAM and mind-body movements
were first put forth by Goodheart decades ago.
Neural
Facilitation Technique™ (N.F.T.™ ) includes many
of the concepts and protocols of TFT , EFT, and AK, and goes beyond them. Basically, acupuncture
points on the skull and body are tapped ,rubbed, or held while the patient
thinks of a disturbing trauma, fear, phobia, stress, depression, or physical pain. In
addition to tapping the “standard” 14 points or so that TFT and EFT
use, there are literally hundreds of other applicable points that have
been defined in the AK literature. Further , I have added a number of cranial
fault corrections that make a big difference in the results: these seem
to make the points tapped much more effective. I have also identified
a number of previously unrecognized factors in TFT and EFT which I
believe have unknowingly contributed to the positive therapeutic outcomes. These
include variations in tapping procedures, timing, points chosen, sequencing,
number of taps, phrasing of the issues, visualizing the disturbing mental
states, etc.
There
is now extensive research data to explain the results of acupuncture as a
neurochemical phenomenon. It is well established that acupuncture stimulation
causes an increase in beta-endorphins, enkephalins , and dynorphins. Further,
there is an increased production of serotonin.
On the
cellular level stimulation of skin receptors cause an increased activity of
gamma afferent fibers resulting in pain modulation.
How does
this explain the results seen in Neural
Facilitation Technique™? As the patient brings to mind the stressful trauma,
phobia, or pain, stimulation of certain skin areas (“acupuncture points”)
causes an increase in endogenous (self produced) opiates and neurotransmitters,
including serotonin and norepinephrine. The instantaneous release
of these mood elevating substances at the same time as they are thinking of
their problem causes a neutralization of a conditioned reflex. Previously,
whenever they thought of the trauma or (harmless) object, they felt fear of
grief. This was the result of a conditioning that had been set up at the time of
traumatization. In other words, at some point in the past they
accidentally formed an association between e.g. dogs, and a fear
response. This conditioning may have lasted for 50 years. Or they had a truly
traumatic event, e.g. a rape, and whenever they thought about for years
afterward, they were understandably retraumatized. By tapping on acupuncture
points while they think of the trauma , stress, or phobia, they are instantly
reconditioning their body by producing a squirt of serotonin. In effect they are
now being rewarded for thinking of the stressor, and the conditioning is broken,
either instantaneously (often), or after several treatments. Is this cool or
what!!?.!
In the event of pain, the N.F.T. treatment “opiates” them while they focus on the pain, thus associating the pain perception with the production of pain killing chemicals (endorphins, serotonin, or whatever). This often clinically causes a dramatic and lasting decrease in the pain, sometimes permanently. It may break the pain cycle in the nervous system. It is centrally mediated pain control, similar to the way analgesics work, as opposed to things like trigger point therapy, massage, chiropractic etc., which are probably peripherally mediated. Of course, these other methods can be used along with Neural Facilitation Technique™ for greater effect.
Emotional scars from sexual
molestation
June 22, 2002
By my nature, I am a skeptical man. I
read most testimonials with a wary eye. Yet
I feel compelled to write this one to you – the reader.
In June of 2002 I attended a lecture given by Dr. Stephen Kaufman.
the talk demonstrated his techniques in treating effects of post
traumatic stress. Several people
volunteered to undergo a simple series of questions, tests, and adjustments.
The problems presented ranged from a fear of going to the dentist to
deep-seated childhood memories. Within
a few minutes, to my surprise, each volunteer expressed emotional relief from
their concerns. I was impressed. I
was also doubtful that Dr. Kaufman’s technique could help me.
---Jim Shutte
For
more on how it works, click here.
For further applications on stress reduction, click here.