Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a daily mindfulness meditation program on emotional, behavioural, and wellbeing outcomes among Australian primary school students. The study was run across a school term for students aged 4.5 to 12 years. Method: a daily intervention study was conducted with primary school students across junior (n = 1312) and senior (n = 223) levels over 8-9 weeks using the Smiling Mind Primary School Program, a freely available digital mindfulness-based social and emotional learning program. Outcomes measured included emotional difficulties, behavioural difficulties, happiness, wellbeing (junior students), and mindfulness (senior students). Results: Emotional and behavioural difficulties decreased significantly, and wellbeing (junior) and mindfulness (senior) improved over time. Happiness showed a significant improvement only at week 3. Most gains occurred in the first week and were maintained, with limited incremental improvements thereafter. Students with low-tomoderate baseline difficulties demonstrated the greatest benefits. Conclusions: Daily mindfulness practice produced small but meaningful improvements in emotional regulation, behavioural functioning, and wellbeing. Effects were strongest early in the intervention and varied by baseline severity, supporting the role of daily mindfulness as a universal preventive strategy in schools. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Background:Visual impairment (VI) affects over 2.2 billion people globally and is often associated with heightened levels of anxiety and depression, adversely impacting quality of life. Despite increasing prevalence and associated psychosocial burden, effective psychosocial interventions in this population remains limited. This study examines the efficacy of an eight-week online Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) program in improving psychological wellbeing (anger, anxiety and depression) and perceived subjective visual functioning in individuals with self-reported VI. Method:Employing a randomised controlled trial design, 588 participants were assigned to either an EFT intervention (n = 321) or waitlist control group (n = 267). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and three- and six-month follow up. Results:Per-protocol results indicated significant improvements in the EFT group compared to the waitlist control group across psychological outcomes and vision functioning. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant Time × Allocation interactions for anger, anxiety, depression, and vision functioning (all p < .001), indicating differential change over time between groups. Within the EFT group, significant reductions in anger, anxiety, and depression were observed from pre- to post-intervention, with these improvements maintained at three- and six-month follow-ups (all p < .05). In contrast, the waitlist group showed no comparable improvements over the same period. Vision functioning significantly improved in the EFT group relative to the waitlist group, with a significant interaction effect (p < .001), although no overall main effect of time was observed. Intention-to-treat analyses using mixed-effects models confirmed the primary findings, with significant improvements in anxiety, depression, anger, and vision functioning relative to the waitlist control condition (all p < .001), and treatment gains were maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Conclusions:These findings suggest that the online Clinical EFT intervention was associated with sustained improvements in psychological distress and vision-related functioning compared to waitlist control. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Reiki is a non-invasive energy healing therapy originating in Japan. It is believed that a trained therapist can transmit energy to the patient to activate the body's capacity to heal itself, restore balance, and promote well-being. Despite a growing body of research supporting Reiki's efficacy, there are few international studies, and no studies in Australia, examining people's awareness of and use of Reiki. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and awareness of Reiki and energy healing in the Australian population and to see whether these findings reflected recent trends in the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). It also aimed to explore differences between health professions and the Australian community regarding the prevalence and use of this.This exploratory study used a quantitative cross-sectional design using an online, anonymous survey. From a sample of 457 Australians, nearly all were aware of Reiki (99%) and energy healing (98%), 78% had used energy healing and 69% had used Reiki. This suggests a higher-than-expected level of awareness and use, which may have been influenced by response bias. Despite this, only 43% were aware of any Reiki research, and 73% of the sample held beliefs about research on Reiki's efficacy that did not align with the current state of Reiki research. This was mainly due to an underestimation of the research on Reiki's efficacy (30%) or to having "no idea" (28%) of its current state.Differences between groups were discussed. Medical practitioners used Reiki, energy healing, and CAM less than other professions and the general community. Massage therapists and Nurses used CAM the most, and Massage Therapists used Reiki and Energy Healing the most. Most users of Reiki and energy healing were highly educated. More education about Reiki research and its current status is recommended.

Introduction: Over 100 studies demonstrate the efficacy of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), an evidence-based therapeutic method. However, most research is on in-person delivery of EFT. Only a few studies examine EFT delivered virtually, and to date no research has provided a direct comparison of group virtual EFT to group in-person delivery. Objectives: Delivery of EFT shifted to online platforms in the wake of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. This makes a comparison of virtual delivery to in-person delivery timely. The research question of whether online group delivery is as effective as in-person group delivery is of high clinical relevance, given the increased access and convenience offered by virtual treatment options. Methods: Participants in the online group were a convenience sample of 172 participants drawn from four four-day virtual EFT training sessions. Changes in psychological and physiological symptoms were measured pre, post, and at six-month follow-up using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4). The two-item Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL), the Happiness Scale, and the QuickDASH pain scale. These results were then compared to those of a previously published study of in-person group EFT (n = 203) that used an identical training curriculum delivered face-to-face. Due to COVID restrictions, the physiological measures used in the face-to-face delivery could not be replicated in the virtual group. Results: Online group EFT demonstrated significant improvements in PTSD, anxiety, depression, pain, and happiness (all p < 0.001) pre to post EFT. These improvements were maintained at six-month follow-up for PTSD (p < 0.001), depression (p = 0.048), pain (p = 0.002), and happiness (p < 0.001). Although there was a reduction in anxiety in the online group at six-month follow-up, this did not reach significance (p = 0.102). When compared to the in-person group (pre-COVID), the percent change in symptoms, while still clinically and statistically significant, was for most conditions smaller in the virtual group (post COVID) at both post and follow-up time points. Conclusions: EFT is associated with significant improvements in psychological and physiological conditions including PTSD, anxiety, depression, pain, and happiness, whether delivered virtually in groups or in-person in groups. The psychological and physiological benefits identified in online treatment are similar to those found during in-person delivery, though not as large or clinically significant. This finding is consistent with the literature demonstrating that online treatment is an effective method of delivering psychological therapies. The results reinforce other studies showing COVID produced a significant increase in mental health symptoms. Published treatment guidelines already recommend in-person EFT as an efficient and potentially cost-effective first-line intervention in primary care; virtual group EFT can be similarly recommended.

OBJECTIVE:Nonoffending parents (NOPs) of children who have experienced sexual abuse often endure vicarious trauma and self-blame for not being able to protect their child, which can contribute to the development or worsening of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This study examines the influence of posttraumatic cognitions on PTSD in NOPs of sexually abused children, aiming to elucidate the role of internalized posttraumatic cognitions through a novel model. In other populations, moral injury has been established as a factor exacerbating PTSD development and persistence, yet the impact of moral injury-related cognitions is uncharted, so exploring the impact of negative posttraumatic cognitions as a result of morally injurious experiences in an NOP population may provide clinical utility as a potential therapeutic target and support the long-term recovery of their child. METHOD:Employing path analysis on 151 NOPs, who completed an online questionnaire, the present study tested the hypothesis that negative posttraumatic cognitions, particularly self-blame, foster PTSD through impaired emotion regulation and diminished self-compassion. RESULTS:The analysis confirmed a significant indirect impact of negative cognitions on PTSD via the mediators, explaining 41% of the variance in PTSD symptoms among NOPs, and a good fit for the intrapersonal maladaptive posttraumatic cognitions of PTSD. As 49% (n = 75) of the NOPs reported experiencing their own personal history of abuse, the role of personal childhood sexual abuse was explored with the model finding no significant difference between familial versus nonfamilial abuse of the child or personal childhood sexual abuse on the NOP regarding PTSD. However, multiple disclosures of childhood sexual abuse by their child significantly increased PTSD levels. This underscores the potential pivotal role of negative self-directed cognitions and emotional dysregulation in aggravating PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS:Confirming the theoretical importance of posttraumatic cognitions in understanding NOPs' PTSD, the findings highlight the detrimental effects of maladaptive intrapersonal cognitions. Addressing these through enhanced self-compassion and emotion regulation could markedly benefit therapeutic outcomes for NOPs and their children. This represents a pioneering approach to PTSD interventions, focusing on the critical aspect of moral injury mitigation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

This pilot study compared the effects of daily mindfulness meditation and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping on the emotional and behavioral regulation of 5-year-old children over a three-week period. Participants were divided into two groups, each receiving one of the interventions. Self-regulation, happiness, and life satisfaction were assessed weekly using validated measures. Results indicated that both interventions significantly improved self-regulation, however, no significant changes were observed in happiness and life satisfaction for either group. The findings suggest that while both mindfulness meditation and EFT tapping can enhance self-regulation in young children, longer intervention periods may be warranted for the other constructs. These results have implications for the implementation of mental health programs in early childhood education, highlighting the potential of both meditation and EFT practices to support emotional resilience from a young age.

OBJECTIVE:To determine accuracy and efficiency of using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to undertake thematic analysis. INTRODUCTION:With the increasing use of GenAI in data analysis, testing the reliability and suitability of using GenAI to conduct qualitative data analysis is needed. We propose a method for researchers to assess reliability of GenAI outputs using deidentified qualitative datasets. METHODS:We searched three databases (United Kingdom Data Service, Figshare, and Google Scholar) and five journals (PlosOne, Social Science and Medicine, Qualitative Inquiry, Qualitative Research, Sociology Health Review) to identify studies on health-related topics, published prior to whereby: humans undertook thematic analysis and published both their analysis in a peer-reviewed journal and the associated dataset. We prompted a closed system GenAI (Microsoft Copilot) to undertake thematic analysis of these datasets and analysed the GenAI outputs in comparison with human outputs. Measures include time (GenAI only), accuracy, overlap with human analysis, and reliability of selected data and quotes. RESULTS:Five studies were identified that met our inclusion criteria. The themes identified by human researchers and Copilot showed minimal overlap, with human researchers often using discursive thematic analyses (40%) and Copilot focusing on thematic analysis (100%). Copilot's outputs often included fabricated quotes (58% SD = 45%) and none of the Copilot outputs provided participant spread by theme. Additionally, Copilot's outputs primarily drew themes and quotes from the first 2-3 pages of textual data, rather than from the entire dataset. Human researchers provided broader representation and accurate quotes (79% quotes were correct, SD = 27%). CONCLUSIONS:Based on these results, we cannot recommend the current version of Copilot for undertaking thematic analyses. This study raises concerns about the validity of both human-generated and GenAI-generated qualitative data analysis and reporting.

Pregnancy and the postpartum period are times of significant transition for women, with changes in maternal physical and mental health. The relationship between a mother and her infant has been recognised as laying the foundation for later child development. There is considerable evidence that this early relationship is influenced by a woman’s wellbeing during pregnancy and in the early post-partum period. Mindfulness has been found to have positive health outcomes, primarily in reducing maternal stress, anxiety, and depression. However, there remains a need for considering the influence of mindfulness on the mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and the first trimester post-partum. Given the limited research on interoception in pregnancy, this maternal variable was included to acknowledge the importance of embodiment in maternal mindfulness, mental health, and mother-infant relationship. Its relevance was assessed through the associations with all the other measures. This study was the first to explore associations between maternal mindfulness, mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress), interoception, and mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and post-partum across three time points in a non-clinical community sample. This can provide possible avenues for assessment and support strategies by pre and perinatal healthcare practitioners. Women were assessed at 20+ weeks gestation (110), approximately 36-week gestation (72) and 10-12 weeks postpartum (67). Their age ranged from 18 to 47 (M = 33.22). The majority were from Australia and the rest from New Zealand, UK, USA, and Canada. They were from middle to upper class socioeconomic background and from high school/equivalent to doctoral degree educational level, with the majority holding a bachelor’s degree. The maternal variables were assessed with self-report questionnaires. Changes in the maternal variables during pregnancy and postpartum across three timepoints were analysed using ANOVA. Correlations were investigated using Pearson correlational analyses. Maternal depression and anxiety significantly decreased from pregnancy to postpartum with p = 0.035 for the difference in depressive scores (EPDS) and p = 0.012 for the difference in anxiety scores (DASS-21 subscale). Mother-infant relationship during pregnancy increased from the second to the third trimester of gestation, with p = 0.004 for the difference in maternal-foetal attachment scores. Significant correlations were found between all maternal variables across the three timepoints. Mindfulness and interoception positively correlated with mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and postpartum and negatively correlated with maternal depression, anxiety, and stress. A power analysis was conducted using G*Power calculation by Tabachnick & Fidell. The sample size required to estimate a medium effect was 100 participants, with power set at 0.95 and an alpha at 0.05. The current sample size (N 110) satisfied this to get meaningful results. The decrease in depression and anxiety post childbirth may confirm untested speculation in the literature that pregnancy, childbirth, and the transition to motherhood may not necessarily represent a risk factor for mental health but enrichment of identity and mitigation of mild/moderate depression in a non-clinical sample. Maternal mindfulness, mental health, and interoception may have an important impact on the quality of mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and post-partum, with potential consequences on infant development and wellbeing. The findings of this study have significant implication for prenatal support programs aiming to reduce the risk for postnatal psychological disorders and mother-infant relationship difficulties by promoting mother-infant relationship and maternal embodiment through interoception and wellbeing during pregnancy. Pre and perinatal practitioners and therapists working in a range of healthcare and clinical settings may support pregnant women through mindfulness relationship-based programs to promote mindfulness, interoception, and their relationship with their developing infant in utero and post-partum, thus impacting infant healthy development. Future research with larger sample sizes is needed to increase the statistical power to detect smaller effect sizes. Furthermore, the use of objective or observational measures should be considered for future studies to represent a stronger study design.

Reiki is an energy healing or biofield therapy (BT) that is growing in popularity and was developed in Japan at the end of the 19th Century by Mikao Usui of Kyoto (1). It is a non-invasive treatment in which the practitioner gently places their hands on or near a client's body in a sequence of positions corresponding to the body's major organs and energy systems (2). It is believed energy can be transferred to promote self-healing and restore balance. It is not affiliated with any religion or belief system and is used to complement, not replace, medical care. The practice of Reiki is gaining traction in medical settings, with growing evidence it may benefit a range of problems. However, Reiki is an alternative Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatment, a Biofield Therapy that is incongruent with the mainstream biomedical paradigm. As such, obstacles to its integration may be expected. This study aimed to explore the subjective experience of Reiki Practitioners (RPs) delivering Reiki in medical settings, using qualitative research methodology of reflexive thematic analysis. The main topics and themes to emerge were: (1) Positive experiences of practicing Reiki for Reiki practitioners and patients, (11) Negative experiences of practicing Reiki in these settings sometimes due to negative attitudes towards Reiki from other staff and sometimes due to the practical and emotional challenges of delivering Reiki in a medical setting, and (111) Changes needed to promote Reiki in medical settings, in particular training for staff and Reiki practitioners. It is recommended that when implementing Reiki in a medical setting this is accompanied by an education program using clear consistent language for both staff and Reiki practitioners. This should include information about Reiki research, it's on-site use and effectiveness, and how to deliver Reiki ethically and consistently while providing support for Reiki practitioners. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement No funding was received for this article. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Our study was approved by the Bond University Human Research Ethics Committee (BUHREC: Number SZ00084) and the U.S.-based ethics committee, the National Institute for Integrative Healthcare (approval number NIIH20250201). I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes An OSF link to access de-identified transcripts will be provided on request from the first author.

Interpersonal transgressions can cause emotional distress and harm victims' mental and physical health. This pre-registered clinical trial investigated the effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in promoting forgiveness and mental health. A sample of 98 adults (91% female, aged 28-72) from Australia and the U.S. self-selected and were randomly allocated to an online EFT intervention or control task. Pre- and post-intervention measures assessed forgiveness, empathy, rumination, mood, and anxiety. Results revealed moderate improvements in most outcomes for the EFT group, suggesting its potential role in fostering forgiveness and psychological recovery. Findings suggest EFT may aid emotional reintegration, reduce stress, and enhance mental wellbeing after interpersonal offenses.

This study aimed to understand how mindfulness meditation affects young people by examining its impact on self‐regulation, happiness, emotional awareness, and school performance among two groups of school children. A 10‐week mindfulness program was conducted by a meditation expert for 552 children aged 4–8 (Group 1) and 287 children aged 9–11 (Group 2). Results for the 4–8 years group (Group 1) showed meditation predicted an increase in happiness (R2 = .003, p < .001) and self‐reported school performance (R2 = .005, p < .001) and a decrease in emotional (R2 = .017, p < .001) and behavioral difficulties (R2 = .009, p < .001); however, the effect sizes were small. In the 9–11 years group (Group 2), meditation predicted an increase in emotional awareness (R2 = .02, p < .001), and a decrease in emotional (R2 = .014, p < .001) and behavioral difficulties (R2 = .009, p < .001) as measured by scores from baseline to postintervention. For Group 2, there was no significant change in happiness over the 10 weeks. The findings support incorporating mindfulness meditation in schools, noting significant enhancements in self‐regulation with just 5 min of daily practice.

The concept of interoception has existed since the beginning of the 1900s. It is suggested that humans can observe feelings arising from the body that allows them to develop a sense of their emotional status and physical condition. The term interoceptive awareness appears to originate with clinicians working with individuals who had experienced trauma, in particular Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of the existing literature surrounding the combination of these two themes: interoceptive awareness and PTSD. A total of 226 articles were initially screened and 52 articles were retained for comprehensive review. Nine articles were excluded, resulting in 43 studies included in the review. The review aimed to answer: (a) how is interoceptive awareness defined? (b) how is interoceptive awareness measured? (c) what is the function of interoceptive awareness? (d) is there/what is the relationship between interoceptive awareness and PTSD? The scoping review identified nine terms that are used synonymously throughout the literature surrounding interoceptive awareness and PTSD, and three primary ways in which interoceptive awareness is measured in relation to PTSD. The primary function documented was the role interoceptive awareness played in an individual’s ability to regulate their emotions, and the most common and compelling function emerging was the association with emotion regulation. The evidence supports the utilisation of a definition of interoceptive awareness to include one that includes the quality of cognitive appraisal and focuses on the adaptive mindful approach to internal physical sensations as opposed to the heightened ruminative self-focus. Limitations and future research are suggested.

This feasibility study sought to investigate the impact of an online 9-session Prenatal Mindfulness Relationship-Based (PMRB) group treatment program upon maternal mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress), interoception, and mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and post-partum. The study was designed in two parts 1) a quantitative examination of pre, post-treatment and 10-12 weeks post-partum measures targeting 13 pregnant women from a non-clinical population and 2) a qualitative exploration of the same pregnant women’s experiences of the PMRB program reported during the sessions, including their birth stories. Responses to an open-ended question about how the program had supported them during pregnancy, labor/birth and the first post-partum trimester were summarised using thematic analysis. Women (N = 36) were recruited to the non-randomised feasibility study and 13 were allocated to the PMRB program. Women were excluded due to the online recruitment timeframe, missing baseline gestational age and unavailability for the proposed time. All the allocated women completed the program during pregnancy and the baseline and post-treatment surveys. There were 12 women who completed the post-partum follow-up. Only one participant was lost to the follow up for unknown reasons. Results revealed an improvement in mindfulness, depression, interoception and mother-infant relationship post-treatment and at postpartum follow-up. The qualitative analysis led to the identification of 16 themes, which were organized in four categories describing the experience of participants. Findings provide preliminary support for the feasibility of the PMRB program to improve maternal mindfulness, interoception, mental wellbeing and mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and post-partum. The qualitative evaluation suggested the PMRB program may help women cope with emotional challenges and be more connected to their bodies and infant. The program may also help women become more aware of their unborn infant as a sentient being and the influence of their health and mental wellbeing on the infant development and health. Furthermore, it may be a facilitator of the mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and post-partum, promoting infant’s healthy development.

Pregnancy and the postpartum period are times of significant transition for women, with changes in maternal physical and mental health. The formation of a relationship between a mother and her baby is vital and has been recognised as laying the foundation for later child development. There is considerable evidence that this early relationship is influenced by a woman’s well-being during pregnancy and in the early post-partum period. Mindfulness-based programs have previously revealed positive outcomes, primarily in reducing maternal stress, anxiety, and depression. However, there remains a need for considering the influence of mindfulness on the mother-baby relationship and embodiment during pregnancy and the first trimester post-partum. This study aimed to conduct an in-depth exploration of pregnant women’s experiences of a nine-session prenatal mindfulness relationship-based (PMRB) program to support its feasibility. Information about pregnant women’s (n = 13) experiences of the PMRB program was collected through online interviews during the sessions, including their birth stories. Responses to an open-ended question about how the program had supported them during pregnancy, labour/birth, and the first post-partum trimester were summarised using thematic analysis. Sixteen themes were identified and organised in four categories: (1) expectations and motivations (healthy pregnancy and mental health, non-medicalised birth, contribution to the field); (2) experiences of the PMRB program (positive experiences, shared experience, engagement with mindfulness practices, pain, stress, and anxiety relief); (3) changes attributed to the PMRB program (a new way of responding to stressors, trusting the process, connecting to body, breath, and unborn baby, awareness of the unborn baby as a sentient being); (4) changes attributed to the mindfulness practice (increased mindfulness/self-awareness, stop look listen, embracing the moment, acceptance). The evaluation suggested the PMRB program may help women cope with pain and emotional challenges and be more connected to their bodies and infant. The program may also help women become more aware of their unborn baby as a sentient being and the influence of their health and mental well-being on the baby development and health. Furthermore, the program may facilitate the mother-baby relationship during pregnancy, post-partum, and breastfeeding. The trial has been successfully registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) following ethical approval from Bond University Human Research Ethics Committee (BUHREC—Application AS03534, approved 20 December 2022) and allocated the Australian clinical trials registration number (ACTRN): ACTRN12623000679684.

Extensive knowledge on nutrition and dieting has been associated with an increased risk of orthorexia (an obsession with food that one considers healthy) within the research literature. A systematic review was conducted to identify the prevalence of orthorexia in individuals who were employed in, or studying, health careers. The databases Psychinfo and Pubmed were searched to obtain research articles. Studies assessing orthorexia and either students or workers within health-related fields were included. A study merit rating system was utilised to assess the quality of each study included. In total, 26 articles were included in the current review after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. The prevalence of orthorexia was the greatest in dietetic students. Research findings consistently demonstrated that the prevalence of orthorexia was higher in those working or studying in health fields than the general population. Individuals in their early stages of study or career appear most at risk. Orthorexia prevalence, however, does not appear to differ by sex or BMI. Orthorexia is novel research area. The trends in the current review suggest that individuals in health-related careers appear to be more at risk of orthorexic patterns. More research in this area is needed through the use of scales with greater psychometric properties.

This chapter presents Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) as a promising mind-body approach for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through the compelling cases of Sarah and John, two individuals grappling with PTSD symptoms despite previous therapies, the chapter underscores the need for a more integrative treatment modality. It explores the foundations and principles of Clinical EFT, a technique that combines cognitive strategies with somatic acupressure point stimulation. The growing evidence base supporting EFT's efficacy is presented, and a detailed, step-by-step guide for clinicians is offered, including how clients can use at home, in and between sessions. Sarah and John's specific EFT protocol tailored to their cases is outlined, relating to repeated childhood trauma, and a single event military deployment trauma. With its emphasis on rapid symptom reduction, low dropout rates, and comparable efficacy to established therapies, Clinical EFT emerges as a valuable addition to the clinician's toolkit.

BACKGROUND:Chronic pain represents a major global healthcare crisis, and current treatments are limited in effectiveness and safety. Emotional freedom techniques (EFTs) show promise as a potential psychological treatment. METHODS:The current study investigated the effect of a randomized clinical trial of EFT for chronic pain in a sample of 147 adult chronic pain sufferers (89.9% female; mean 54.63 years). Participants engaged in a 6-week EFT programme (either online self-paced or in-person). RESULTS:The per-protocol analysis indicated pain severity and interference scores were significantly lower at the end of treatment for the EFT group compared to waitlist, and these were sustained at follow-up. There were no differences between the in-person or self-paced programmes at follow-up for pain severity and interference. Somatic symptoms were significantly lower after EFT, although no further differences at follow-up. Quality of life scores were significantly higher after EFT, which were sustained at follow-up, and no differences between two styles of programme. No significant effects were found for anxiety, depression, happiness or satisfaction with life across the 6-week programmes for either style of delivery or at follow-up. These are discussed in terms of clinical score meanings. Intent-to-treat analysis was consistent with the per-protocol analyses. Limitations of the study are identified and future directions are discussed. CONCLUSIONS:Findings offer early promise for EFT as a potentially effective pain management strategy, as well as support for online intervention without compromising treatment outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT:An emerging body-based intervention for chronic pain may be a possible solution for remote clients who cannot attend in-person sessions. In this clinical trial Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) significantly reduced chronic pain severity and interference, and there were no differences between and online self-paced program toan online in-person EFT intervention. Both were equally effective, also enhancing quality of life without compromising outcomes. The results were significant at 6-month follow-up/. These findings highlight a body-based approach as a promising, accessible pain management strategy, and highlights that online programs may be part of the solution for chronic pain patients.