EFT Advisory Board
Henry Altenberg, MD
Daniel J. Benor, MD
Irene A. Cohen, MD
Judith Friedman, MD
Gary Peterson, MD
Eric Robins, MD
Raul Vergini, MD
Dr. Joseph Mercola
Cheryl Richardson, author
Christopher Hegarty, PhD
Nancy Steele, PhD, TSTA
Curtis Steele, MD, ABPN
Patricia Carrington, PhD
Inci Erkin, MD
Myron Koch, MD
David Lake, MD
Sandro de Rosa, MD

I recently saw a report on the evening news that caught my attention. Reporter Kelly Wallace, CBS News, said:

“Imagine erasing traumatic memories like a bomb blast during war or easing a crippling fear of heights. Researchers in Brooklyn, New York, made a significant discovery about memory, which could be crucial to treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), addiction, and could even help with memory loss.” 

As the news report continued, I discovered that the research was about a new drug that could erase memory from the human mind. Of course, the neuroscientist interviewed admitted that the problem is that they don't yet know how to select which memories to erase. What if they get it wrong?

I see this line of research as aiming at the wrong target. The problem is not the memory stored in the brain. The problem is that we often can't separate negative emotions from our unpleasant memories, and so we suffer every time we are reminded of them. We end up expending huge amounts of physical and emotional energy trying to not be reminded of them, usually unsuccessfully.

This news report reminded me of the natural-gas explosion that shook downtown Bozeman, Montana, last March. The explosion left several historic buildings demolished and those of us who live in Bozeman experienced the sad loss of one woman’s life.

The Bozeman blast was not only physically damaging, but the emotional impact of the event has affected many throughout the community. And the memory is still fresh in our minds.

Even if scientists do figure out how to erase memories selectively, there will always be pitfalls to that approach, not to mention the unknown side effects of a new drug.  For example, you might lose the fear or the shock of the “bad” memory, but what if you also lose the ability to identify similar situations you encounter in the future and end up re-creating the same problem?

What I have experienced through my Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) practice is that when you can selectively detach the undesired emotional response from the memory, the memory is no longer a "land mine" to be avoided.

Why risk erasing good memories, or maybe even all memories, if you could quickly and gently "de-fuse" the traumatic memory with EFT?  

With EFT you can be extremely selective. You can remember a specific experience from your past (including information which could be useful in the present day) and still neutralize the fear, shock, pain, guilt, shame, or other paralyzing emotions associated with that experience.

The bottom line is that you don’t need to wait for this new drug to come out to erase the negative effects of traumatic memories in your life. In fact, EFT has already helped many people overcome PTSD, addiction, and memory loss, as well as numerous other physical and emotional ailments.

The best news is that with EFT there are no dangerous side effects. In addition, there’s no danger of losing information you actually want or need, and the results of EFT are usually fast, easy, and permanent.

Resource:  “Erasing Memories,” Kelly Wallace, CBS Evening News, April 6, 2009.