Only its different. Watching the balroom dancers one (the man) was clearly leading and the other (the woman) was clearly being led backwards across the floor. Watching EFT I saw that though there is a clear difference between the two players it is a cooperative process of too and fro which starts with a dialogue. One, lets call them the therapist, asks questions and pays rapt attention to the one we'll call the client who answers, the interplay of questions and answers continue until the therapist raises her hands and starts to tap and offer short phrases. The client mirrors the movement and repeats back the words. Then after a few rounds of tapping the two return to the questioning interplay to test progress and find the words for the next phase of tapping.
The words used during the tapping are the words the client has just given the therapist. The therapist may appear to lead the questions and the tapping but the content is given to them by the client. Its a dance of cooperation. In a sense the therapist manages the process and the client manages the content.
Watching the group evolve from first uncertain and mechanical attempts in the first exercise to flowing, cooperative confidence in the fourth I see faces softening, hear laughter and there is a relaxation and gentle openness of expression between each pair, it becomes more and more difficult for me to work out which is being therapist and which is being client. These people are doing therapy, they are working on life long emotional blocks and traumas and yet they look like they are enjoying themselves and enjoying dancing together with EFT.
I've often used the teaching metaphor of the therapist as guide dog. Helping to cross the street but not deciding the destination. Walking beside with gentle guidance and never pulling on the lead. Now I'll use the metaphor of dancers but its just not ballroom!
Your thoughts?
Gwyneth
