Breaking News: APA Reverses Its Position on Energy Psychology CEs!

WE ARE CELEBRATING!

In 1999, the American Psychological Association banned its continuing education organizations from granting psychologists continuing education credit (CEs) for studying Energy Psychology. On Monday, November 19, they informed the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP) that they are now an official APA Continuing Education Sponsor and that their courses may include Energy Psychology!!! While this is not an endorsement of Energy Psychology per se, it is a reversal of three major rulings in the past five years that rejected ACEP applications and appeals.

The implications are enormous. First of all, continuing education is one of the primary ways that new innovations are disseminated to health care professionals. But the door was closed for psychologists to learn Energy Psychology through their normal, ongoing training channels. Donna and David have been told by major organizations that they wanted them to be keynote speakers at their conferences but could not invite them because the psychologists in the audience would not receive CEs. The policy served as a de facto form of censorship. But even beyond that, it had the effect of branding Energy Psychology as an unproven therapy while giving support to those who consider it quackery.

So many people in our community who have seen how acupoint tapping quickly and decisively helps those with PTSD have said to us, with their heads shaking and judgment in their voice, "How can it be possible that the military and the VA are not using this?!" While this question has a number of complex answers, a core reason is this: How can the administrators of large, traditional organizations -- who are responsible for delivering the best treatments available -- embrace Energy Psychology while the profession's own gatekeeping organization is branding it as an unproven therapy that is not even worthy for its members to begin to explore in their continuing education programs? As David has said recently, when people make derisive remarks about the APA's position, "Psychologists pay attention to research. They will come around soon."

In fact, a recent paper published in the APA journal Review of General Psychology reported that of 51 studies in peer-reviewed journals showing that the method is effective, 39 of them were published since 2008. So we sincerely thank the American Psychological Association for staying open to the new findings and having the courage to reverse what has been a highly controversial position. Moreover, we are most proud to congratulate our sister organization, the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, in this momentous breakthrough!