Questions to TBT: What many people would like to know about the Trauma Buster Technique

Can TBT be applied to traumatic life experiences which cannot be recalled?

No, TBT isn't the right technique to treat this kind of trauma; so neither for early childhood trauma (e.g. attachment trauma), nor for memories in which parts are missing (partial amnesia). 

 

Can one use TBT to help people if one doesn't understand their language?

Yes, by all means. This isn't a problem at all. The TBT protocol is easy to explain. Your client only needs to understand what he needs to do in the individual TBT Steps. For this a common language or a translator is required. When your client then narrates his story he is welcome to do this in his own language. At this point, it isn't mandatory that you understand what he says.

 

Can TBT also be done with children?

Yes, but they must be able to remember the event and describe what happened. Children usually like TBT very much because it has a playful aspect, which takes the strain and weight off a session.  

 

I already practice EFT or another form of tapping. Is it worth it for me to learn TBT? What are the differences?

Both tapping approaches have their own areas of application and are of equal value to me. I also use both in my practice. For the application of TBT we always need a specific event which is connected with a course of action. If there is no such event or if one cannot remember any, TBT is not suitable.

With EFT and related techniques, you tap while concentrating on the different aspects of a problem. Let's take a phobia as an example. With EFT we tap all the triggers of fear to neutralize the phobia. I call that "state tapping". EFT is excellent for that. 

For events that I used to treat with the EFT Movie Technique, I now prefer to use TBT. TBT is not only much faster and more gentle than EFT but also has a certain lightness - both for the client and for the therapist. In addition, I believe that the decoupling process of the trauma response programs in the brain and body is much more targeted and deeper in TBT than in EFT. In comparison you feel quite different after TBT than after EFT.

So it is definitely worth learning both tapping techniques. Please also read the comments of course graduates. 

 

How is it possible that TBT allows for working on a trauma in a first session?

TBT is such a gentle and safe procedure that it can be applied even to severe trauma without any preparatory sessions and with minimal stabilising measures in place. From my experience and point of view, this is substantiated by the combination of the following four TBT-typical elements:

  1. At the beginning of a TBT session, a resource is anchored which can be activated easily to stabilise a client if need be.
  2. Before accessing a memory we find the moment with the highest emotional intensity in the specific event (the "shockpoint") and then isolate a section around it. The actual TBT work is done strictly within the borders of this section. Narrating what happened beyond that section is neither required nor desired, which considerably reduces a client's emotional stress. Interestingly, it is usually sufficient to treat just this small section of a specific event by TBT. This will generally disconnect all stress responses related to it.
  3. At the heart of the TBT protocol feeling of any negative emotions is kept at a safe distance.  
  4. Tapping of acupressure points reduces the production of stress homones, especially cortisol.
  5. Skillful guidance by a compassionate, experienced TBT Practitioner activates a client's vagus nerve.

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