Combining with EMDR
Many practitioners of EMDR are interested in combining this with energy psychology modalities. They do form an effective and graceful synergy. I find this often very useful
The way I think of the interaction between the two is to see eye movements as helping to evoke and deepen the thought field, whilst tapping the energy system then clears the associated perturbations. By combining them in this way, we have the emotion-evoking effects of the eye movements and the emotion-clearing effects of the energy work. As we observe the person's distress arising with the eye movements, we then shift to energy tapping and the distress subsides. This is then repeated - a few moments of eye movements, then a few moments of tapping, and so on. The client then feels very safe with the process, confident that he or she will not be overwhelmed with affect from traumatic experience. As a result, the process is more effective and safer, and we have the benefits of both modalities.
I also like to combine eye movements with my modified collar bone breathing technique [click]. With the hands crossed, finger tips under ends of collar bones, the client is asked to focus on the target issue, then follow the moving pen or finger, then perform the breathing sequence [in all the way; out half way; out all the way; in half way; breathe normally (pausing about 5 seconds between each step)] - then turning fingers into knuckles and repeating the sequence. This works delightfully. As will all modalities, it can be used flexibly and guided by clinical observations.
