Should I Inform My Client’s Medical Practitioner About EFT Sessions?

EFT Sessions and Client's Medical Practitioner

Does My Client’s Medical Practitioner Need To Know About Our EFT Sessions?

In this article, you will read about the importance of client confidentiality and consent in EFT sessions, communication with your client, and with a medical professional/practitioner for the overall well-being of your client. This article also talks about in what scenarios is it imperative that the medical practitioner be involved.

Growing up, I am sure all of us had secrets. I had, too! Some silly ones, some childish ones. And some which I could never tell anyone.

What will everybody think of me? Will they judge me? Am I going to be a laughing stock if my friends knew that I am scared of pigeons?

We build trust with our chosen dear ones. That safe space we crave for. A space where we can speak our hearts out.

Trust, honesty and communication are perhaps the three most important pillars of any relationship.

Be it mother-daughter, husband-wife, doctor-patient, or client-business.

When clients come to you for tapping sessions for help with whatever it is they need, they have this assurance within them, that yes, you can help them, that with you they can share anything without the fear of judgment, or any preventing beliefs.

As a practitioner you also listen to them, trying to understand their grief or trauma, or sadness, or any underlying emotions.

Whatever it may be, at one point did you ever think - Do I have to speak with my client’s medical professional? If so, how do I go about it?

Before your question is answered, let us look at some concepts that are tied to your question and their importance.

Informing Medical practitioner about EFT sessions

What Is Confidentiality And Why Is It Important in EFT SESSIONS?

Simply put, it means private. It is a confidential report.

"I am telling you in confidence." "You are my confidante."

Confidentiality is one of the main aspects when it comes to your relationship with a client. Whatever business you have with your client, remains between the two of you.

It is not just the content of your therapy sessions, but also that your client is in therapy. It is a sacred space for your client. It is not easy to share their deepest fears or darkest secrets.

They come seeking support from you, to help them alleviate their pain, understand their feelings, and help them get their life under control.

Throughout the world, and across the ages, the concept of good faith has been employed amongst kings and kingdoms, families, businesses, and even amongst therapists.

Interspersed with trust and security in the knowledge that no one will judge them, and knowing that they will get the help they need, is the reason confidentiality is important.

And it is also the reason where ethics are important too.

There is a reason why non-disclosure agreements, consent forms - we will get into this later in this article - are important and why open communication - particularly, with respect to this topic - is essential for the overall well-being of an individual(s) undergoing EFT Tapping Therapy.

What Does Client Confidentiality Entail?

As a practitioner, the following are some points you must keep in mind about EFT sessions with your client:

You cannot leave any revealing information which could be accessible by a third party with the written consent of your client.
You cannot discuss the contents of your therapy session with another third party without your client being informed of it.
No acknowledgement to outside parties of your appointment with your client.

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Communication With Your Client DURING EFT SESSIONS

This goes without saying that being a trust and rapport with your client is imperative. They should be comfortable with you and around you so you can help them help you.

Whether you are beginning your journey as an EFT Practitioner or you are a seasoned expert, the very first thing you want to do to make it official with your client is: What goes and what does not.

Your client must have all knowledge of what is going to happen in the EFT Tapping sessions. Who all are going to be involved in these therapy sessions.

Most laws across the countries require to have a confidentiality clause between parties stating essentially the same thing: No breach of information shared between the stipulated parties is to be divulged to a third party.

There could be loopholes, caveats, and exceptions - there is no denying that. But the message remains the same.

Have an open and honest discussion with your client at the start of your therapy sessions over any concerns they might have regarding discussing private information with other practitioners.

Your client can then make informed decisions based on what you have discussed.

Do I Need My Client’s Consent?

As a practitioner, you cannot inform your client’s primary health physician/medical practitioner of your treatment of your client.

So, the answer is a firm yes.

In some cases - should the need arise - you might be required to ask your client if you can inform their medical practitioner. By doing this your client will be empowered to either consent or refuse.

No doubt legal consent of your client is absolutely mandatory. It would be wise to have a release of information form for your client’s medical professional(s) to be included when you present a consent form to your client.

Most contracts require that your client has to be involved in any decision which requires you to divulge sensitive and private information.

Many state practice laws require client consent to be asked. You can check the laws of wherever you are currently practising as well.

If your client is a sound and stable mind, then their consent is required.

"Confidentiality is the virtue of the loyal, as loyalty is the virtue of faithfulness."

- edwin louis cole

“Oh, but my client reported thoughts of suicide. I need to call their doctor and inform him.”

In such cases, your client has just reported his or her thoughts to you. They are seeking your help.

In order for you to contact their medical practitioner, your client has to state their intentions before you break any confidentiality clauses.

In the case of children below a certain age limit (refer to your country’s/states laws regarding this, different countries have different limitations on age-based consent), consent can be acquired on the behalf of the parent(s).

It is very important for you as a practitioner to know that without your client’s approval if you divulge any information, you could be legally tried in court by your client, or any other relevant authority.

Therefore, for your as well as your client’s safety, it is important to discuss such relevant situations with your client.

Why Does My Client’s Medical Practitioner Need To Know About My EFT Sessions With The Client?

As an EFT Practitioner, you might have questions, such as:

Why should I let my client’s medical professional know about my EFT therapy sessions?
Do I need to let my client’s medical practitioner know how my sessions have been affecting him or her?
Does it benefit my client if his medical doctor is involved in our EFT Tapping sessions?

According to an overview of studies published in the year 2012, around half the people with cancer have used some kind of alternative therapies to cope with stress and manage their illness along with their standard treatment.

Taking EFT Tapping into consideration, this alternative therapeutic technique does not cure the disease, but what it does is help you express and manage emotions that arise during these stressful times.

Take cancer for example, with the shock of finding out that an individual has this disease, to emotions such as sadness, anger, guilt, shame, anxiety, they experience all of this in varying intensities and may not know how to deal with them.

EFT helps these individuals to tap into their root causes for these feelings and help them unburden and be free.

Having a standard treatment as well as EFT Tapping therapy in conjunction will help people with various illnesses and diseases cope and feel better.

Walking on the trail of combined medical attention and EFT Tapping sessions, having your client’s medical practitioner(s) know what issues the client has been facing would be beneficial for both you, as a practitioner, and the medical practitioner to come up with a better-guided treatment plan which would be beneficial for the client.

Your client would be getting the best of both worlds.

In fact, some studies have shown that physicians would like to integrate with practitioners of alternative therapies as well.

A collaboration between medical as well as EFT Practitioners would be ideal because, with the ongoing research about the efficacy and efficiency of EFT Tapping and its positive outcome which has benefited so many people, medical practitioners do agree that there is an evidence-based outcome for resolving mental as well as physical issues.

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When Do I Need To Talk To My Client’s Medical Practitioner?

The following circumstances are when you need to talk to your client’s medical practitioner:

When your client starts EFT Therapy with you: Place all your cards out on the table. You have an obligation to tell your client that he or she can be asked to give their consent should the need arise.
When your client starts a new medication.
Or if they change their new meds
If there is any change in their health status
If you come under any impression that your client needs the attention of their medical practitioner.
If your client wants you to talk with their medical professional.
In a medico-legal case.

What Is A Medico-Legal Case?

A medico-legal case is when your client is injured or has some ailment that requires investigations by law enforcement agencies to essentially fix responsibility for the causation of said injury or ailment.

In such a scenario, you are bound to provide information that could probably save your client’s life.

Exceptions Where Confidentiality Can Be Breached

As discussed above, you are not required to inform the client's medical doctor or mental health practitioner about the contents of the sessions, which are confidential. Now the caveats to this are:

If you have a valid reason to believe that your client is a danger to himself/herself or others around him
If your client is a child or a disabled person who is being abused
If you are in a managed care situation where you are in a coordinated situation with the client's medical and or mental health practitioners. Examples of this can include if you are the EFT Practitioner with a client in an integrated practice where you are part of the team which might include a mental health practitioner, a medical doctor, and or any other professional supporting the client. Another example is being part of a client’s treatment in an addiction or rehabilitation client. Now of course the client must give their consent. They can either agree or refuse. In some cases, informed consent is sought at the start of treatment.
In the case where your client is incapacitated or not of a sound mind to make important decisions, you may approach their family member (or any such individual involved in your client care) and medical practitioner with your professional judgment, that you are doing what is in the best interests of your client.
If it is required by law in either the country or a state, you practice in. Check your local laws.
If the client consents to disclosure, you can send a letter to their medical or mental health professional.

However, you cannot advise the client in any way on their medical diagnosis, treatment, or medical course of action, even if the client asks you for advice.

In the event you are a medical practitioner & an EFT Practitioner yourself, you can provide medical advice, however, you must do so while respecting their existing primary medical and mental health professionals.

From the code of conduct

14.14 Non-Interference with medications: If a client expresses doubts about their current medication, or reports side-effects or other issues that concern them and/or the practitioner, the practitioner should advise the client to discuss this with their qualified medical advisor and record that they have done so.

14.15 Diagnosis: Practitioners should never make a medical diagnosis unless they are qualified by other medical training to do so. Nor should they knowingly contradict a diagnosis or advice given by a client's qualified medical advisor.

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Letter format for communicating with your client's medical practitioner

Keep the letter brief (medical doctors tend to be really busy and on average spend 7 minutes with a patient so be mindful) with information on (even though the client has given consent double-check with them that they are comfortable with what you are sharing):

Client name
Sessions Completed
Your name and qualification (credibility and reputation)
Presenting Problem (the reason the client came for the session)
Progress made
If relevant, any support needed
Clinical information about the treatment, https://vitalitylivingcollege.info/training-seminars/eft-training-course/what-is-eft/eft-clinical-study/
Your details providing them your contact details
If appropriate you can follow up with a phone call

Assuming you have consent, it’s the right thing to do with your client in mind.

Example of Letter

[Address of your practice]

[Address of the client's doctor or practitioner]

Date

Dear [Title & Name]

I am writing to inform you that your patient, [Patient Name and any reference numbers that the doctor will be familiar with] has completed [Number] of Emotional Therapy sessions with myself with a treatment named Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).

Enclosed is a signed release form from the client giving me permission to share this information with you.

My name is [Your Name] and I have been certified through Vitality Living College as an EFT Certified Practitioner to provide emotional therapy and coaching to clients.

The client came to see me for sessions to overcome [what they wanted to overcome] and to achieve [what they wanted]. During sessions we explored [briefly in one sentence]. At the end of the sessions completed so far, the outcome is [the outcome].

I will keep you informed of future treatments. For more information, you can call me on [your number] and email me on [your email if].

EFT is proven to treat stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, fears, past trauma to feel lighter, happier and more relaxed. Here is the list of clinically documented papers,

https://vitalitylivingcollege.info/training-seminars/eft-training-course/what-is-eft/eft-clinical-study/.

If need be I am happy to meet and share more about this technique.

In addition, from time to time I need to refer my clients to a medical doctor like yourself, so if you would like to explore this further please let me know.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

YOUR NAME

THERAPY INFORMATION RELEASE FORM

I authorize [EFT Certified Practitioners Name] to provide information from our therapy and coaching sessions to:

[Name of Medical or Mental Health Professional] at [Address of the Professional].

The purpose of this release is to

_________________________________________________________

Signed

"Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity"

- hippocrates

One of the additional benefits of getting in touch with your client’s medical doctor is that you get to build a relationship and rapport with them and refer your existing or new client database to them should your clients be in need of a medical professional.

It also helps you with opportunities to get more clients in need of alternative therapeutic therapy such as EFT Tapping by the referral of this medical professional.

In the case of Mridula Nair, who has a private practice in Bangalore called Redesigned Thinking. She approached the doctor, Dr Sudipto, and asked him to partner with her. Whenever a client comes in who might need a medical or mental health diagnosis they are first seen by Dr Sudipto.

He then decides the best possible care, which might be hospitalization, EFT alongside psychiatric or medical treatment, or straight away to begin with counselling, EFT, and Coaching.

So one of the things you can do is find your local mental health and medical professionals and approach them.

The primary aim of having local professionals is that you can refer your clients to them.

What this approach will also do is open doors of EFT Tapping therapy to these medical or mental professionals who could be curious about the benefits of EFT.

You as an EFT practitioner will get an opportunity why EFT Tapping can be used in conjunction with medical treatment:

It helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and other associated emotions that arise when the client is undergoing diseases and illnesses, for example, cancer.
Research has suggested that a positive mindset has the power to boost the immune system and thus improve the overall health
The client feels more in control with regards to the mental or physical challenges they are facing.

"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease"

- voltaire

At times they can invite you to come and give a talk in their practice and support their staff with emotional well-being or make their patients aware of emotional therapies adjunct to medical or mental health treatment.

In summary, it is privileged client information you have as an EFT practitioner which should not be abused, disused, or divulged in any shape without your client being aware of it. Without having any of their rights violated.

As someone who has the ability to make people’s lives better through the EFT Tapping sessions, it is also your duty to do whatever we have to while keeping the best interests of your client in mind.

In keeping with the laws and code of conduct, you also are a respected practitioner and, you know what? Helping your clients be the best version of themselves, you are awesome yourself!

Love,

Dr. Rangana Rupavi Choudhuri (PhD)

P.S. Want to discover if EFT is right for you? Book a Complimentary Discovery Call.

How To Self-Heal & Become An EFT Practitioner

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In summary, EFT is a very powerful tool to deal with scenarios that diminish your sense of peace and calmness. EFT Tapping helps to reduce tension, promote a deeper mind-body connection, and manage symptoms of anxiety, depression or stress.

Resources:

Disclaimer: The information on this website is purely for educational purposes and does not in any way replace the requirement for medical and psychological diagnosis and treatment. Please seek professional medical and psychological diagnosis and advice for all medical and mental health conditions. It is advised to always book any consultations with qualified professionals.

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