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Children

Behavior

Creativity with severely disturbed children

Important Note: This article was written prior to 2010 and is now outdated. Please use my newest advancement, Optimal EFT. It is more efficient, more powerful and clearly explained in my free e-book, The Unseen Therapist™.  Best wishes, Gary

Hi Everyone,

Ann Adams works in a residential treatment program for severely emotionally disturbed children. Bringing a new technique such as EFT into this conventionally oriented atmosphere is challenging indeed. I've spoken with her a few times on the phone regarding her challenges and have the highest regard for her caring and diligence. She's making good headway and has modified the EFT procedure somewhat to fit in with her unique clientele. I think you will find her creativity quite refreshing. I make some brief augmenting comments within her message.

Hugs, Gary


by Ann Adams

Hi Gary,

After studying for months and practicing on all sorts of willing folks, I began teaching EFT to the kids at the residential treatment program last week. We treat severely emotionally disturbed kids age 7 - 17 , with IQ from 60 to 130.

I did modify it somewhat!!

We called the karate point the 'friendly spot' as that is where you touch to shake hands to show you are 'friendly'. I used out-stretched arms rather than SUDS [0-10 intensity], with hands in a prayer position to indicate no upset. Kids, and some adults as well, seem to have a hard time with the eyebrow point so I have them use three fingers between their eyebrows and they find it easier.

GC COMMENT: Good idea! This covers both eyebrow points--you might even want to use 4 fingers to make sure.

Under the arm I called the 'monkey spot' which they got a kick out of too! I used your fist to the chest idea for the collarbone spot.

GC COMMENT: This refers to mildly thumping with one's fist at the top of the breastbone about where a man would knot his tie. This gets both collarbone points at once.

They all seemed to 'get it' easily.

I told them I was teaching it to them first and I wanted them to teach it to their 'primary' staff person. (Sort of an empowerment thing, an empathy builder and self esteem as they could then be useful to someone else.)

One of our most self absorbed children (what we call a primitive personality) was working on her primary staff person's problem. I wish I'd had a video of this very disturbed girl leading her primary staff person through the process perfectly. We have been working (slowly) to help this child develop empathy. When the staff finally put her hands together the girl was delighted. "I did it!" She said. (Meaningful to this story, as in spite of her narcissism, she feels she can't do anything right.) I asked her how it felt to help someone else. She just glowed as she said it felt WONDERFUL!

Ann Adams

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