Even Happier Tapping

Thank you for your article on EFT ("Happy Tapping," Green Zone, Nov. 4). I can personally attest to the power of emotional freedom techniques (EFT). As a psychologist, I have helped people overcome childhood traumas, panic attacks, phobias, fear of public speaking, financial issues and much, much more, using this simple meridian-based tapping technique. In fact, I was just at the Grand Canyon a few weeks ago, and helped a woman with a lifelong fear of heights walk out onto Mather's Point, with its breathtaking views, after only 10 minutes of tapping. I wish I could show you the picture I took of her smiling face, as she leaned over the railing, taking in the spectacular views! While EFT is an extremely powerful technique, people vary in how many sessions they may need. I myself overcame overwhelming obstacles, after being hit by a drunk motorcyclist and being declared completely disabled, by using EFT. It helped me overcome my fears and hopelessness, and regain my sense of optimism and possibilities.

EFT is the most effective tool I have come across in my 30 years of clinical practice.

Suzanne Lerner, PhD

Santa Cruz

Vets May Benefit

Thank you for mentioning my EFT practice in your Green Zone report "Happy Tapping." I'd like to add that I am volunteering with the Stress Project, providing free sessions for North Bay veterans dealing with PTSD and other combat related emotional issues. They can contact me directly at [email protected], or through the Stress Project website.

Rob Nelson

Santa Rosa

Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr. President: These are hard times for many, maybe even most of our fellow countrymen/women. I know that you're aware of it, and I believe that you care about us, but we all need reminders, especially when we're inundated with other serious, vital concerns.

You, and by extension we, inherited a helluva mess comparable in scope and difficulty only to a few other times in our nation's history: our fight for independence, our Civil War and WW II. We face two ongoing wars and a Middle East in turmoil; two very dangerous nuclear hot spots that must be addressed; an economy so destroyed and disabled it harks back to the Great Depression; a climate-change crisis that will affect billions of lives, and perhaps the life of the planet itself to sustain many of its species. Those are just a few of the top choices from column A.

What I want to bring your attention back to is that your—our—country is hurting. This country is drowning in a sea of unemployment, lost homes, healthcare-cost bankruptcies, credit-interest bankruptcies and legal usury that has so stunned the once burgeoning middle class as to threaten its very existence. What was once the pride of our economic machine is and has been dwindling since the supply-side, free market, deregulation-banner-waving gurus came on the scene. And because of Wall Street and the banking industry's notorious misdeeds, the threat to our middle-class economic stability is exacerbated and could prove fatal.

But it's not enough to stabilize the banks and certain giant investment corporations, because as a result of their failures and immoral activities, tens of millions of people are suffering or face imminent economic demise. People are fearful and angry, and rightly so. This dire situation has to be addressed, and it has to happen now.

Healthcare reform, as important as it is, is not going to put people back to work, and it's not going to stop home foreclosures. Only jobs and programs that create huge numbers of jobs will alleviate the enormous suffering and get this country back on safe economic ground.

The wars can wait. But those without jobs, the people who can't afford healthcare or to help their kids advance through good schools and higher education—they can't wait. First things first, sir.

Turn the economy around by getting people back to work. You don't offer a hungry person rhetoric or rationales. Your nation needs jobs first and help not losing their homes. Put the resources, i.e., money, there. Feed those needs first, Mr. Obama, and the rest will fall into place.

Will Shonbrun

sonoma

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