EmotionalBuzz
the resource for meridian energy therapy
Journaling and Picture Tapping Technique
Having a background in Fine Arts and being an artist, I love using drawing, colour and art alongside Energy Psychology. In 2006 I started playing with drawing when clients found it difficult to articulate what was going on for them. This then opened a world of possibility. I knew that my own paintings were reflections of where I was in my own journey. With clients and students I would share these explorations and we would draw, investigate and tap or hold other energy balancing locations and draw and tap, or play with play-doh and tap, or doodle and tap.
by Ranjana Appoo
One of the most profound sessions I facilitated was with a client that was dying and we used non dominant hand drawing with gentle touch to meet fears and come to a place of peace. This exploratory approach is incorporated in LiberatingTouch®. More information about LiberatingTouch® can be found at www.emotionalhealthcentre.com
I found it difficult to formalise this method of working and was thrilled to discover PTT or Picture Tapping Technique. It allowed me really explore the potential and possibility of using art as a language to get to core issues that kept fear, pain, rage and grief (and all underlying associations) stuck. PTT is ground-breaking work created by Christine Sutton and Philip Davis which allows the practitioner to utilise drawing with EFT along with clean language. Read more about PTT.
This approach of using drawing with energy balancing gives permission to the subconscious to communicate and harmonise in non-literal ways that can be deeply healing and beneficial for the client. One of the ways I use this for myself and with clients is with journaling as part of the personal peace procedure.
The benefits of journaling in therapy have been well documented. When used alongside EFT it can be a powerful addition to the personal peace procedure. But what if instead of writing your feelings, thoughts, ideas, conflicts, challenging events, you drew them? Below are some illustrations from a journal used just for this purpose.
If you are a serious meridian therapy practitioner then you know the importance of the Personal Peace Procedure. You know how important self-help is on the journey of healing whether for your clients or for yourself. It helps us keep that one foot in front of the other and advance in the surety of one step at a time. I always share self-help tips with my clients and keeping them simple is probably the most enjoyable part of the process. I love coming up with new self-help ideas.
One of these ideas is having a drawing journal. I give my clients a blank art diary that they can draw or doodle in either daily or whenever they feel like it. For example, if they are anxious, stuck, in pain or distressed, they simply draw in the diary, give the picture a title, tap or touch energy balancing locations while looking at the picture and then do another a couple of drawings. It does not take them very long, they do not need to verbalise their feelings or issues and they are focused (tuned in) so that their energy system can make the change it needs to. It is also lovely to have a non-verbal record of change. The clients that have used this have found it a really good way to vent and release pent up emotions, to manage stress and pain. This then helped them get to core issues rapidly in sessions and we could really uncover layers of story in an effortless and safe way. And it can be fun.
Another observation from PTT journaling worth exploring is that clients who found it difficult to communicate or express or clients that disassociate, could find ways to connect to their emotions, articulate their emotions, desires and potential with greater ease. It will be good to study this phenomenon further.
Ranjana Appoo has a Masters degree from UCL in Fine Arts, Art History and Criticism and began her professional career as an artist and fine arts Lecturer. Due to challenging health projects she embarked on a journey, studying complementary healthcare and energy medicine. Ranjana retrained as an EFT and Jin Shin Jyutsu Practitioner. She is now an AAMET trainer of trainers, artist, writer and co-founder of the Emotional Health Centre. Ranjana is the co-creator of LiberatingTouch® for Health and Spiritual Regeneration.