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Long time since I  wrote for the blog. Have been absorbed by the practical work of trainings in TTT – Trauma Tapping Treatment – as we have named the version of Energy Psychology that we work with (see the short video further down or at the website www.peacefulheart.se).

In Sweden we – my colleague Ntabwoba Robert and myself -have had seminars at the Folke Bernadotte Academy course “Reconciliation as Practice and Process” and at the Network for Work with Trauma and Secondary Traumatisation at Uppsala University. Right now we are on our way to Kalehe in eastern DR Congo to conduct a 3 day seminar for some of the local partner organsations of the Norwegian Church Aid.

Will tell more when there is an internet connection to be found next time. For now: this beautiful picture below of two gentle-men doing TTT in the village of Cyuve in Rwanda near the border to DR Congo. This village was very badly hit even after the genocide of 1994 since the Interhamwe (the militia that executed the genocide) fled to DR Congo and from there did raids into the country the years that followed.  The photo was taken by Ulf Sandström, a dear friend and colleague who came to film the work with TTT in Rwanda. More will come on the website.

Two gentle-men treating each other with TTT- Trauma Tapping Treatment in Cyuve, Rwanda. Photo: Ulf Sandström

I would like to share with you some words from psychologist, PhD David Feinstein. He is one of the best (from my point of view) investigators and writers when it comes to energy psychology (in which domain all the treatments of TFT, EFT, SET, TAT etc belongs):

“The fate of  our culture may literally hang on the way we deal with our vulnerabilities and our anxieties about them. And energy psychology may have a significant role in that global challenge.
Energy psychology is, among other things, a way of managing anxiety. This is not to suggest that energy psychology is the road to world peace or humanity´s salvation. But it is to suggest that by helping people recognize the role of anxiety in bad personal and collective decisions and habits, and by giving them tools to reduce the anxious response in their bodies, they can make better choices. And that is a substantial contribution to a better life and a better world.”
(from ”The Promise of Energy Psychology”… p 273)

I do agree on this and since these tapping treatments are so easy to learn and give so good results they are very ”handy” tools for each and everyone. And since anybody can do these treatments it is a very cost efficient way to reduce suffering. They also give a high level of ”well-being-independence” since you don´t get dependent on a therapist or doctor since you can tap yourself or let somebody in the family or a friend do the tapping.  This is why the Peaceful Heart Network that we are building has the subtitle: ”To ease suffering and prevent violence”. Join us!

At my latest visit in Bukavu I held two workshops in TFT – tapping on the same hill overlooking Lake Kivu: one at the psychiatric hospital Sosame and the other one hour walk higher up at ASO – Association de Soutiene de l´opprime´ – (Association to Support the Oppressed). ASO use participatory theater,  music and dance in their work with street children. I did the workshops together with my collegue Germando, who is a musician, nurse and employed at the organisation called BVES who rehabilitate former child soldiers and street children. Two very different groups, but the tapping tool works for both.

My collegue Germando and Doctor Eric Kwakya at the Sosame Psychiatric Hospital in Bukavu, DRC. Doctor Eric started using the tapping for a patient the same morning we had the training.

In Rwanda my collegue Robert Ntabwoba and myself  had tapping sessions with two groups of children. One of them a group of children of rape. Children learn the tapping very fast and easily. “It is relaxing and helps when you have those heavy thoughts” said one of the boys, living with his mother not knowing who the father is except that he was “a bad person”.

Dancing after a TFT – training in Ruhengeri. Nothing makes me more happy.

“The fate of our culture may literally hang on the way we deal with our vulnerabilities and our anxieties about them. And energy psychology may have a significant role in the global challenge. Energy psychology is, among other things, a way of managing anxiety. This is not to suggest that energy psychology is the road to world peace or humanity´s salvation.
But it is to suggest that by helping people recognize the role of anxiety in bad personal and collective decisions and habits, and by giving them tools to reduce the anxious response in their bodies once they´ve gleaned the message the anxiety is there to deliver, they can make better choices. And that is a substantial contribution to a better life and a better world.”

Feinstein, Eden & Craig – ”The promise of Energy Psychology”, p 273