Using Energy Psychology to Treat Addiction and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders

Energy Psychology (EP; also known as cognitive somatic practices) comprises a set of innovative and powerful mind-body techniques that have been demonstrated to enhance treatment progress and outcomes for a variety of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, phobias, posttraumatic stress disorder, and more (Feinstein, 2018). There is a growing body of evidence supporting these methods, particularly Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), as efficacious in the treatment of addiction and co-occurring substance use and mental disorders (Balha et al., 2020; Church & Brooks, 2013; Feinstein, 2021; Popescu, 2021; Stapleton et al., 2019).

In this workshop, we will review the latest research, provide case studies on how these tools have been utilized in one particular treatment program that focuses on treating addiction (Popescu, 2021), co-occurring disorders and trauma, and demonstrate how to apply one of the most widely used EP modalities, EFT, in a variety of clinical ways to more effectively treat what has often been considered to be a challenging population with traditionally poor treatment outcomes (Kelly & Daley, 2013; Torrens et al., 2012). Participants will receive specific examples of practical, targeted applications of EFT techniques that they can utilize in addressing these issues with their clients.