By Mair Llewellyn, Master EFT Practitioner
One of the most powerful techniques found in Clinical EFTâ„¢ is the 9 Gamut Procedure.
It’s drawn from Thought Field Therapy (TFT), and uses eye movements to process traumatic memories. Research dating back as far as WWII finds a link between psychological trauma and eye movements.
It’s described fully in The EFT Manual, and you can view a summary of the technique and a video below this story or on the EFT tutorial page. In this story EFT Master Mair Llewellyn describes the pros and cons of the technique, and a simple tapping method that involves two points. Dawson Church often uses the 9 Gamut in live in-person Clinical EFT workshops, because it helps dispel the emotional charge of many emotional memories at once.
When I discovered the advantages of using the 9 Gamut Procedure, I realize that most practitioners (myself included) didn’t use it much because the shortcut version of The Basic Recipe usually does the job.
However, there are still times when it can be quite useful. In this article I will first discuss some of the disadvantages of using the 9 Gamut Procedure. Then I will consider its advantages.
Finally, I will describe a two point method that includes the gamut point and has many excellent uses.
The 4 disadvantages of using the 9 Gamut Procedure.
1. The first relates to time. I guess some of you are thinking how does time come into this. I realize as the years go by that we are becoming even more time conscious. We want that quick fix or magic potion. This perceived pressure of time constraints means that the EFT shortcut method, (KC., Face points, CB., UA and Top of the Head) are more attractive.
Using the full Basic Recipe (which includes the gamut point) takes longer for each round – taken over a day of using or giving therapy this adds up to extra time.
2. On the face of it EFT is pretty weird and the 9 Gamut Procedure does not help to dispel this new age image. The 9 Gamut Procedure was one of the major reasons why I resisted introducing EFT to my clients in the early days of learning EFT. If clients feel as I did then, it is possible that introducing the 9 Gamut Procedure could break rapport.
3. If a therapist feels discomfort about introducing the EFT Basic Recipe process which includes the 9 Gamut routine this could be unconsciously transmitted to clients. This feeling could also affect the benefits of EFT. Why use this point at all? It appears as if EFT works perfectly effectively without the Gamut point, anyway.
4. When using the whole of the basic recipe – which includes the 9 Gamut Procedure there is more to master. Clients often say, “I’ll never remember all of that”. For reasons of simplicity and ease of learning it is better to keep the 9 Gamut Procedure on the shelf.
The 4 advantages of using the 9 Gamut Procedure
1. One important advantage is that I actually love the 9 Gamut Procedure. I frequently use it and sell it really well to my clients. Introducing the 9 Gamut Procedure to clients can actually make the process more believable. On the face of it this statement is a contradiction of my earlier observations.
Let me explain why I say this.
Many clients who come to me have an understanding of the function of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Lay people know that one side is creative and the other side more logical and rational. This knowledge can often be a very effective bridge to explain how EFT and particularly the 9 Gamut Procedure works.
Describing the humming in terms of being processed by the creative side of the brain and the counting by the logical side links in well with why we go from one to the other. Switching from one function to another makes sense in tuning into information stored in specific hemispheres of the brain.
I’m excited about it, so I guess the way I introduce it is pretty persuasive too.
The gamut point also meshes very well with the NLP eye accessing cues explanation on information processing. In addition to this, clients who come for therapy, especially professional health care workers, frequently know of the effectiveness of EMDR.
For these reasons alone, clients with this already existing belief system buy into the process more readily. That’s a great start even before we begin the tapping. This adds to the known high percentage value of the placebo effect.
A further sector of the population that also likes the explanation as to how the 9 Gamut Procedure accesses information in the brain, is the analytical client. This client loves to have an explanation that can make sense to them. For these clients I give examples of how the EEG machine lights up in various parts of the brain when memories are revisited.
This explanation can be expanded upon if it is appropriate to do so. I do this by discussing in more detail the eye accessing cues. First of all, I ask clients various questions that lead them to pick up information from the archives of their mind. This information could be visual, auditory or/and sensory based pieces of memory. Whilst they do this, I ask them to notice what is happening to their eye movements.
This is not only interesting, but also a valuable piece of information in self awareness and of observing others.
The “ah ha” of awareness enhances knowledge of how fragments of memory held in different part of our brains can be tuned into and tapped upon. Connection to sensory experiences such as taste, smell, imagery and auditory aspects ensures that clean and lasting interventions are more likely to happen.
An example of this happened whilst I was working with a client with a severe needle phobia. We tapped upon what we thought were all the aspects of this problem. When testing it in the real world we found that when his doctor was ready to give him the injection – it was the sensory feeling of the liquid going into his body that was the trigger to the fear.
2. Using the gamut point can frequently give the therapist and client additional feedback. Whilst the client thinks of the problem rather than verbalizes it – previously unknown unconscious memories can be more readily available.
At this time, the 9 Gamut Procedure frequently opens other observational doors. Watching particularly how the eyes are tracking through the circle movement can offer cues to where blocks may be held. This feedback can also give a lead into a client’s favored representational system.
The combination of being aware of their use of vocabulary and how they use their eyes during memory retrieval builds on our mastery of EFT. Blocks clear with continued therapy and improvements in tracking of the eyes also show that too.
3. It gives clients time for going inside. These moments of silence whilst tapping this point, without dialogue presents a pause to facilitate self awareness. The break in the reminder phrase allows the client to become re-orientated.
Often this time offers insight and the chance for magical cognitive shifts.
4. It is especially helpful and unobtrusive to apply gentle pressure to this point when there is pain or emotional trauma.
When clients are experiencing pain and emotional upset this point is far less invasive for a therapist to touch. It can also be subtly stimulated by clients personally with great effect. It can be introduced as an easily accessible pressure point to stimulate (without the eye movements etc). This is profoundly helpful in the arena of public speaking or sports.
Many clients who experience anxiety or panic attacks tell me they use this point with great results. This could be whilst traveling on public transport, waiting in a queue or at other trigger times.
The 2-point method
In addition to this, I have had many instances where I use the gamut point and the KC point combined. This is easily done by exerting gentle pressure with the thumb (on the gamut point) and index finger (on the KC point) on the client’s hand.
For some time this has seemed an intuitively right thing to do. I use this two point combination when the face, CB or UA points would have been too invasive to use. For instance, if a client is in severe physical or emotional pain.
I have also noticed that in situations where it is appropriate to do so – it is especially comforting to hold a client’s hand with one of your hands. Then, with your other hand gentle apply pressure or massage to your client on these two points simultaneously.
My experience is that I notice that the shortcut method of EFT (as defined above) works exceptionally well. So, most of the time I just do the shortcut. However, if I have time and it seems appropriate, I introduce the full Basic Recipe to my clients so that they too can use the 9 Gamut Procedure if they want to.
Later sessions may often include using the 9 Gamut Procedure because I think it is fun to use and can just bring that edge of awareness and connection to our body, mind and spirit.
