What is the short answer?
The Emotion Code, EFT tapping and Reiki are complementary practices. The Emotion Code and Reiki rest on ideas about energy that are not established by scientific evidence. EFT has a more substantial body of research than either, but its quality and independence are debated.
EMDR is in a different category. It is a structured psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), delivered by trained mental health clinicians and recommended in major clinical guidelines. It is not an energy-healing method, even though it is sometimes listed alongside them online.
- The Emotion Code: finds and releases what it calls trapped emotions using muscle testing and a magnet. Controlled trials: none published. Clinical license needed: no.
- EFT tapping: tapping on acupressure points while focusing on a distressing feeling or memory. Controlled trials: many, mostly small, often by proponents. Clinical license needed: no, though some therapists use it.
- Reiki: a practitioner places hands lightly on or just above the body to direct energy. Controlled trials: several, mostly low quality with inconsistent results. Clinical license needed: no.
- EMDR: an eight-phase trauma psychotherapy using guided attention to eye movements or other back-and-forth stimulation while recalling a memory. Controlled trials: many; recommended in PTSD guidelines. Clinical license needed: yes, it is delivered by licensed clinicians.
How does the Emotion Code work, in brief?
In Dr. Bradley Nelson's model, emotional energy from past experiences can become trapped in the body. A practitioner uses muscle testing to identify a trapped emotion and passes a magnet along the spine or head to release it. What is the Emotion Code? describes it in full.
No controlled trial of the Emotion Code has been published, and blinded studies of muscle testing have mostly found results no better than chance. Muscle testing explained summarizes those studies. The Emotion Code is not offered as treatment for any condition.
What is EFT tapping, and what does the research show?
Emotional Freedom Techniques, usually called EFT or tapping, was developed by Gary Craig in the 1990s, adapting an earlier method called Thought Field Therapy. A person focuses on a distressing feeling or memory, often while repeating a phrase that acknowledges it, and taps with their fingertips on a sequence of acupressure points on the face, hands and upper body.
EFT has been studied more than most energy-based methods. A 2016 meta-analysis by Morgan Clond pooled 14 randomized trials and found that anxiety scores fell more with EFT than in control groups, but noted too few comparisons with standard treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy to say how it measures up. A 2018 meta-analysis by Dawson Church and colleagues concluded the tapping itself contributes to the effect. It also acknowledged that EFT includes elements of exposure and cognitive work, which established therapies use, and that its effects may partly come from those.
The honest summary is mixed. The trials are mostly small, and a large share come from researchers closely involved in developing or promoting EFT; Dawson Church, for example, is one of its best-known advocates. Independent, large trials against established treatments are still scarce. EFT is not among the psychotherapies that major PTSD guidelines, such as the 2023 VA/DoD guideline, recommend most strongly.
What is Reiki, and what does the research show?
Reiki is a practice from Japan in which a practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above a person with the aim of directing energy to support the person's own healing response. It is usually done with the person fully clothed and lying or sitting comfortably.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Reiki has not been clearly shown to be effective for any health-related purpose. It has been studied for pain, anxiety and depression, but most of the research has not been of high quality and the results have been inconsistent. NCCIH also notes Reiki has not been shown to have harmful effects.
Laura has completed three levels of Reiki attunement, and Reiki is part of the complementary side of her practice. The Reiki in Charlotte page covers it separately.
What is EMDR, and why is it different?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy for PTSD developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, a person pays attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound while calling to mind an upsetting memory and the thoughts and body sensations that come with it. It is delivered in structured phases, including preparation and building coping skills, by a trained clinician.
EMDR is an evidence-based treatment. The 2023 clinical practice guideline from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense recommends EMDR, alongside prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy, as one of the psychotherapies for PTSD. The World Health Organization's 2013 guidelines on conditions related to stress also recommend EMDR, along with trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, for adults with PTSD. The National Center for PTSD describes it as one of the most effective types of treatment for PTSD.
Researchers still debate how much the eye movements themselves add, compared with the structured recall of the memory, and guideline bodies do not all rank it identically. But unlike the Emotion Code, EFT or Reiki, EMDR is a recognized clinical treatment, and it should be provided by a licensed mental health professional trained in it.
Which one fits what you are looking for?
If you are dealing with the effects of trauma, such as intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance, or feeling constantly on edge, start with an established trauma therapy like EMDR or trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, delivered by a licensed clinician. An energy-healing method should not come first or take the place of that care.
EMDR is not among the trainings listed on Laura's about page. If you are considering it, ask Laura, who can talk with you about options. Her psychotherapy with adults and older teens is described on the psychotherapy counseling page, and the Emotion Code and psychotherapy explains how she keeps the two pathways separate.
If you are curious about the Emotion Code or Reiki as a reflective or spiritual experience, and you understand what the evidence does and does not show, the Emotion Code page explains how to ask Laura about a session.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call 911, or call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Common questions
Is EMDR a form of energy healing?
No. EMDR is a structured psychotherapy for PTSD that works with memory, attention and emotion, and it is studied and delivered like other clinical treatments. It is recommended in the 2023 VA/DoD PTSD guideline and in the World Health Organization's 2013 stress guidelines. It sometimes appears in lists with energy practices because of the eye movements, but it does not rest on ideas about energy.
Is EFT tapping evidence-based?
It depends on the standard. Several meta-analytic reviews report meaningful improvements in anxiety and other symptoms, which is more than most energy-based methods can show. But many trials are small, many come from the method's advocates, and there are few head-to-head comparisons with established therapies. It is fair to call it promising but not established, and it is not a first-line trauma treatment in major guidelines.
Can I combine the Emotion Code with EMDR or other therapy?
Some people use complementary practices alongside therapy. If you do, tell your therapist, and never let a complementary session replace or delay trauma treatment. At Laura Bass Counseling, psychotherapy and the Emotion Code are separate pathways, and clients choose what to include; the Emotion Code is not offered as a treatment for trauma or any other condition.
Which of these is safest?
The Emotion Code, EFT and Reiki are gentle and noninvasive, and NCCIH notes Reiki has not been shown to cause harm. The main risk with any of them is indirect: delaying effective care. EMDR involves revisiting painful memories and can feel intense for a while, which is why it is done by trained clinicians with preparation and support built in.