title: Emotional freedom techniques (EFT) as a practice for supporting chronic disease healthcare: a practitioners' perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to explore Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) practitioners' experiences of using EFT to support chronic disease patients. This was part of a larger study exploring chronic disease patients' and EFT practitioners' experiences of using EFT to support chronic disease healthcare.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative approach was deemed suitable for this study. Eight practitioners were interviewed using semi-structured interviews via telephone or Zoom (an online video-conferencing platform). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis methodology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article presents two super-ordinate themes which explore application of EFT for addressing emotional issues faced by chronic disease patients, and for management of physical symptoms, respectively. Chronic disease patients may benefit from a holistic biopsychosocial, patient-centered healthcare approach. EFT offers potential as a technique that may be used by health practitioners to support the psychosocial aspect of chronic disease healthcare. Implications for Rehabilitation Rehabilitation professionals should incorporate suitable psychological interventions (e.g., EFT) to improve coping and acceptance in physical chronic disease patients and alleviate their fears about the future. Rehabilitation professionals are also recommended to address in chronic disease patients, long-standing or unresolved emotional issues, including past traumas from early life, using EFT or another suitable intervention. Rehabilitation professionals should help improve patients' emotional states using EFT to enhance physical symptom management.
authors.affiliation: a School of Rural Health , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Mahima
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalla
authors.affiliation: a School of Rural Health , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.affiliation: a School of Rural Health , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Anske
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Society & Design , Bond University , Gold Coast , Australia.
authors.forename: Peta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stapleton
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Emotional freedom techniques; biopsychosocial model; chronic disease; emotions; interpretative phenomenological analysis