Emotional Freedom Technique (eft) and Me

In February 2006 I skidded out of control in myskimmed the back of the book and found myself
car and crashed violently into a set of railings. Mypleasantly surprised that this was exactly the
car was written off, but I exited unscathed andtype of book that would really interest me.
felt particularly lucky to only have suffered a bitI got home and delved in straight away.  It
of whiplash. A week later while styling ahooked me so strongly that I could hardly read
client’s hair in my hairdressing salon I collapsedfast enough.  I didn’t’ want to fool
suddenly.  Never before had something of thismyself and be carried away by something too
nature happened to me and it was so strangegood to be true – every other therapy has
and frightening.  From that day onward Istarted with great optimism that THIS would be
continued to get worse.  I began fainting once or‘the one’.  There was a sense of
twice a day which built quickly to five or six.  Iexciting recognition.  I raced to the method, read
suffered head rushes, constant dizziness, severeit through a few times, reminded myself not to
sweating, intense nausea and an exhaustion Iget too excited and had a rough try at the
never knew existed.  At its worst I could barelyanxiety that had been plaguing me since long
walk, and standing for more than one or twobefore my illness began.  At first I thought I was
minutes would cause me to collapse.  My life trulycrazy.  It had definitely made a difference.  I
fell apart around me.  I went from being a livelyworried that perhaps I was so incredibly
stylist and manager of a busy salon who was fulldesperate for a cure that I had in some way
of health and fun, to the equivalent of an elderlyimagined it.  I checked, and double checked, and
bedridden woman, and at the age of nineteen ittriple checked.  It had definitely made a change.
was a transition much faster and more abruptMy symptoms began to improve immediately. 
than I could accept.Although I was better, but to be honest still ill, I
I wasn’t willing to go down without a fight.  Ibooked myself a month later on an EFT
saw several different G.P’s up to sevenpractitioner course in Birmingham with one of only
times, I visited every local hospital in the area as28 EFT masters in the world, Karl Dawson.  I
both an in and out patient and went throughfound myself in my hotel room the night before
extensive tests, then also at three specialistthe course wondering how it all had happened so
hospitals in the city.  As you can imagine, evenfast and it seemed, with no effort at all.
getting out of the car to the doors of the hospitalThe course was mind blowing.  I saw such
caused considerable difficulty and I eventuallyamazing things that weekend that I never
gave in to a wheelchair.  In summer 2007 I wasthought I could attribute to an ‘alternative
finally diagnosed with M.E/ chronic fatigue.  Sadlytherapy’.  I remember waiting at the airport
however, being diagnosed did not mean that Iin the departures area waiting to go home and
could receive treatment.  There was noliterally just sitting for about an hour watching
treatment available through the NHS and theyeveryone around me.  I saw all of the aches and
suggested I might have it all of my life.  I triedpains in people and I had never been aware of
everything; a chiropractor, Bowen therapy, herbalthem before.  I felt so empowered.  I wanted
supplements, acupuncture, neuro linguisticto work my way through every single one of
programming, cognitive behavioural therapy, andthem, helping them with this amazing therapy that
mickel therapy amongst others.  Some madewould give them results like nothing they had
little dents in it, others made none but I continuedever experienced before.  There was a sense of
to search, some might say obsessively.  I waspeace and security within me that day, knowing
very aware that I had my health in my ownthat I had a resource that could change lives for
hands and that if I didn’t do something aboutthe better – my own included.
it, no one else would.   I did however enjoy theThrough the following months I worked both with
searching; it gave me a sense of hope.  I hadother practitioners and on my own on gradually
always had a real passion for self help techniquesgetting myself back to full health.  And here I
and alternative therapies and to be honest readingam.  It was in no way an overnight cure, but
all those books gave me something to fill thoseEFT truly gave results where nothing else did. 
long days.  It kept my mind active andLooking back, EFT was a fork in the road for
productive and it’s only now that I realiseme.  The life that I might still be living if it
how vital it actually was.wasn’t for EFT doesn’t bear thinking
Suddenly I started to notice ‘emotionalabout.  That illness was the hardest thing
freedom technique’ was popping up in frontI’ve ever had to go through, and although
of me quite often and I had ignored it for somethere were times I was so sure I was going
time because, by my own admission, I thought itnowhere, I was still moving forward.  It has given
might have been new age or religious.  It stuck inme a compassion that did not exist so deeply
my mind and one day I found myself in thewithin me beforehand.  It has given me a career
familiar spot in my local bookshop – in thethat truly means something to me, and is of
mind, body and spirit section – where I wasincredible value to those that I treat.  I feel that I
browsing what I hadn’t already read whenam making a difference to this world, and that
there it was again, annoyingly protruding in frontalone is invaluable to me.
of all the other books.  I gave in, picked it up and