Complementary Therapy Success in the NHS

The use of EFT & ET within Mental Health Services

I have known Sally Canning for 9 years on a professional and personal capacity, within that time I have always valued her approach to a holistic package delivered.  Over the past 10 years I have been employed by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Adult Mental Health services which are one of the largest trusts in Europe.  In 2005 myself and a colleague asked to be given the opportunity to develop a Complementary Service for the Bassetlaw Mental Health department and as we were both already trained in a number of therapies we were given the go ahead to start, throughout this experience it has been very challenging at times but mostly very exciting and rewarding.  During the process I have undertaken many training courses and workshops with Sally some for personal experiences and others for professional development. Following a conversation with Sally, I approached my manager at the time to see about undertaking training for Emotional Freedom Technique and EMO the trust fully supported and funded this. From that time Emotional Freedom Technique and EMO have been my main therapies used with patients from Primary Care though to Acute services.  After utilising Emotional Freedom Technique and EMO for some years, I was supported by my present manager and consultant psychiatrist to further my development and train in Advanced EMO.

At present I work on an extremely busy acute ward working with patients who experience a wide range of complex mental health issues, where the use of these therapies have been developed and integrated into patient care plans as part of their recovery.  Patients receive a full assessment and ongoing evaluation to measure the outcome of each session offered the aim is to reduce the score rated from start of the session looking at one session at a time.  Enabling patients to feel that the time offered to them is theirs to take control of what they want to deal with as part of their individual care and recovery.  Every patient will be guided through the procedure as part of the session so they can use all the techniques learned as a form of self-help and coping strategies and if the sessions are not all completed at point of discharge the individual are then able to return to the ward as out-patients until treatment plan completed.

Throughout this process I have been given the opportunities to receive clinical supervision from many outstanding Psychologists specializing in Adult Mental Health, Trauma and Health one of these Psychologists is also a trained Advanced Emotional Freedom Technique and EMO practitioner as are many of his team and all use these techniques within daily practise. The first working Policy and Procedure for the use of Complementary Therapies within Adult Mental Health Services was successfully written by myself and my colleague and then passed in 2008 and following a meeting with the Executive Director funding was given to expand this services within the trust.

The use of these therapies has been welcomed by the staff as part of patient care because of the large range of patients that can access these versatile therapies offered.  The range of self-help techniques that can be utilised empower the patient to help take control in their own recovery package. One of the most rewarding parts of my role is to provide patients with self-help techniques and coping strategies as this is a vital part of their recovery and in staying well after discharge from hospital.

Certain patients have found these techniques so beneficial to their recovery they have written testimonials sharing their own experiences which have been published in the trusts Positive magazine and on the Patient opinion web site.  I have been very lucky to work for such an amazing trust where new and innovative ideas are able to be taken forward in the benefit of patients individual needs, where the emphasis on recovery and self-help are paramount. The use of these therapies has been recognised is such a positive manner that Complementary Therapy service has been nominated for an Oscar in the trusts award ceremony.

Sally has been one of the most wonderful and professional trainers I have had the privilege to work with she has always supported me to deliver Emotional Freedom Technique and EMO to the highest standard, always looking at ways to focus on integrating these wonderful therapies within a mental health approach.

Lisa Richardson