Here you can find selected research in the areas of Energy Psychology and Energy Medicine, including human bio-fields. At the bottom of the page are additional resources if you would like to continue exploring existing research. You can also visit Links for additional resources.
Research specifically on EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), is found at the EFT Research link. In the selection below, several published studies pertaining to TFT (Thought Field Therapy), the predecessor to EFT, are included.
Callahan, R.J. (2001). Raising and lowering of heart rate variability: Some clinical findings of Thought Field Therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57(10): 1175-86.
Callahan, R.J. (2001). Thought Field Therapy: Response to our critics and a scrutiny of some old ideas of social science. Journal of Clinical Psychology 57(10): 1251-60.
Goldrosen, M.H., & Straus, S.E. (2004). Complementary and alternative medicine: assessing the evidence for immunological benefits. Nature Reviews Immunology. 4(11), 912-921.
Goertz, C.H., Grimm, R.H., Svendsen, K., & Grandits, G. (2002). Treatment of Hypertension with Alternative Therapies (THAT) Study: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Hypertension. 20(10), 2063-2068.
Johnson, C., Shala, M. Sejdijaj, X., Odell, R., Dabishevci, K. (2001). Thought Field Therapy: Soothing the bad moments of Kosovo. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 10(57), 1237-40.
Hui, K.K.S, Liu, J., Makris, N., Gollub, R.W., Chen, A..J.W., Moore, C.I., Kennedy, D.N., Rosen, B.R., & Kwong, K.K. (2000). Acupuncture modulates the limbic system and subcortical gray structures of the human brain: Evidence from fMRI studies in normal subjects. Human Brain Mapping. 9(1), 13-25.
Irwin, M.R., Olmstead R., Oxman, (2007).Augmenting immune responses to varicella zoster virus in older adults: A randomized, controlled trial of Tai Chi. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. April, 2007. A summary of this study of Tai Chi’s effects on shingles may be found on the NCCAM website:
http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/040607.htm
Mackay, N., Hansen, S., & McFarlane, O. (2004). Autonomic nervous system changes during Reiki treatment: A preliminary study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 10(6), 1077-1081.
Pert, C.B., Dreher, H.E., et al. (1998). The psychosomatic network: Foundations of mind- body medicine. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 4, 30-41.
Richardson, M.A., Ezzo, J., Vickers, A., Allen, C., Lao, L., Zhang, G., & Ramirez, G. (2001). Acupoint stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 7(3).
Sakai, C., Paperny, D. Mathews, M., Tanida G., Boyd G., Simons A., Yamamoto, C., Mau, C., & Nutter, L. (2001). Thought Field Therapy clinical application: Utilization in an HMO in behavioral medicine and behavioral health services. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57(10), 1215-1227.
Shore, A.G. (2004). Long-term effects of energetic healing on symptoms of psychological depression and self-perceived stress. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 10(3), 42-48.
Slagter, H.A., Lutz, A., Greischar, L.L., Francis, A.D., Nieuwenhuis, S., Davis, J.M., and Davidson, R.J.(2007). Mental training affects distribution of limited brain resources. PLOS Biology, June, 2007. A review of this study looking at the effects of meditation on mental processing may be found at the NCCAM website:
http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/082307.htm
Syldona, N, & Rein, G. (1999). The use of DC electodermal potential measurements and healer’s felt sense to assess the energetic nature of Qi. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 5(4), 329-347.
Tiller, W.A. (1990). A gas discharge device for investigating focused human attention. Journal of Scientific Exploration, 2.
Tiller, W.A., Dibble, W.E., & Kohane, M.J. (1997). Towards objectifying intention via electronic devices. Subtle Energies, 8(2).
Tiller, W.A., Dibble, W.E., Kohane, M. (2000). Exploring robust interactions between human intention and inanimate/animate systems. Subtle Energies, 11(3).
Turner, J. G., Clark, A. J., Gauthier, D. K., Williams, M. (1998). The effect of therapeutic touch on pain and anxiety in burn patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28, 10- 20.
Wardell, D.W., & Engebretson, J. (2001). Biological correlated of Reiki Touch (sm) healing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 33(4):439-45
Wayne,P.M., Kiel, D.P., and Krebs, D. E., et al., (2007). The Effects of Tai Chi on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: A systematic review. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. May, 2007. A review of this study may be found on the NCCAM website:
http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/081407.htm
Several clinical trials on the effects of Reiki have been completed recently through the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health. These include studying the effects of Reiki on patients with AIDS, fibromyalgia, and painful neuropathy and cardiovascular risk factors. Another recent study through the NIH compared the effects of EFT treatment versus EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) on symptoms of trauma.
One of the earliest scientific studies that not only scientifically measured the frequencies of human bio-fields, but also correlated these with the frequencies of visible light, was done by Dr. Valerie Hunt of UCLA in the 1970’s. This work was part of a project studying the effects of structural integration, or Rolfing. The citation is below; the study is described in detail by energy healer and teacher Rosalyn L. Bruyere (who assisted in the study) in her book Wheels of Light, which also provides additional information on research on human bio-fields and consciousness, and a historical and cross-cultural review of the understanding of human energy fields.
Hunt, V. V. Project Report: A study of structural integration from neuromuscular, energy field, and emotional approaches. Boulder, Colorado: Rolf Institute of Structural Integration, 1977.
in:
Bruyere, R. L. (1989). Wheels of Light: Chakras, Auras, and the Healing Energy of the Body. New York: Fireside/Simon and Schuster.
Another ground-breaking researcher who has been exploring and researching subtle energies and consciousness for over four decades is Dr. William Tiller (Professor Emeritus of Stanford). A few of his hundred or so papers in human psycho-energetics are cited above. His book on Science and Human Transformation is another excellent resource:
Tiller, W.A. (1997). Science and Human Transformation: Subtle Energies, Intentionality, and Consciousness. Walnut Creek, CA: Pavior Publishing.