By T. Baumgart
My client, “Sam,” had been diagnosed as having a torn rotator cuff (shoulder tear) and tendinitis. He told me that he been suffering for about five years from intense pain in his right shoulder and arm. He also had arm and hand tingling and some numbness.
Sam was unable to use his right arm or raise it from his side, except for a few inches, because it was too painful, which was a major problem in all areas of his life. He told me that a couple of years ago he had physical therapy, which helped, but then the pain came back. His doctor told him he had so much shoulder and arm pain because “bone is rubbing on bone.”
Sam was very doubtful that EFT would be of any help with either the range of motion or the pain, but he was open to trying anything to get relief. He told me he was planning an operation at an unspecified time and that he had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon and for an MRI in a few weeks.
Since Sam had made wonderful progress using EFT in other areas, I was eager to try it on this issue, which he insisted was “physical.” I explained that I had no doubt it was physical, but that EFT might still be helpful.
The method I used was to do each round of EFT and then ask Sam to give the pain a number, if he could, and ask him what thoughts he had or remembered or what images came to mind. From Sam’s images and thoughts I constructed the statements.
For very upsetting memories or ideas that he brought up, I just had him tap on all the points and use the Tell-the-story technique and then repeat the process until he felt calm and the issue felt “compete.”
Here is a sampling of the statements:
Even though I have a serious shoulder injury, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I have a painful tear in my right rotator cuff, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I can’t use my right arm and hand and I feel useless, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though my shoulder and arm hurt Even though my shoulder is in pain, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though my life is painful right now, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though Mary (his ex-wife) is stuck in my shoulder, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though Mary wrecked up our marriage and threw it in the trash, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Mary, you wrecked up our marriage, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Mary, it’s all your fault, and I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I still have some of this Mary pain stuck in my shoulder, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I can’t put my arm around anybody, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though it’s too painful to put my arm around anybody, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I don’t have anyone to put my arm around, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though my arm and hand are numb and tingly, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I feel emotionally numb, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I don’t want to feel certain feelings, I deeply and completely accept myself.
These were our results over a period of three very emotional 1 hour sessions:
1. Sam’s pain reduced from 10 to 0 (and has stayed that way). Sam says it is “remarkable.”
2. Sam now has full use of his right hand and arm and is able to raise his hand completely above his head with no pain (“Oh, I can shampoo and comb my hair with my right hand again!”)
3. The tingling and numb feelings reduced from 10 to fluctuating between 0 and 2. (And we will continue to work on it in future sessions).
4. Sam went for an MRI, which confirmed his injury. But Sam’s surgeon told him he should only have surgery if he was in pain.
5. Sam said he was no longer in pain and therefore was not going to have the surgery.
