Professional Papers by David Feinstein, Ph.D.
THE BASICS OF ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY
Originally written for therapists who are skeptical or simply unaware of the method and its effectiveness, this 2026 article in Psychotherapy Networker is a good introduction for anyone interested, personally or professionally… Read More>>
When you see someone tap on various areas of their body with a focus on a lifelong terror of snakes and 20 minutes later you watch them petting a snake, you probably wonder how it happens. This paper explores the evidence underlying the physiological and psychological mechanisms that lead to the strong outcomes demonstrated in hundreds of clinical trials… Read More>>
More than 300 papers published in peer-reviewed journals as of 2023 addressed energy psychology. This rapidly growing literature shows the approach to be effective, durable, and unusually rapid. The paper presents a critical review of that evidence… Read More>>
After a blistering critique by three prominent psychologists of the above “reviewing the evidence” paper, David wrote a defense of the paper and of the field. It has been widely circulated and praised within the energy psychology community and beyond. Read More >> A more recent paper defending the practice, “Setting the Record Straight,” is in press, and a pre-publication copy is available… Click Here >>
One of the questions people learning energy psychology – and many experienced practitioners as well – ask the most frequently is “What words should I use when guiding someone who is tapping?” This paper systematically considers this question and tutors the reader on developing greater proficiency in the use of language… Read More >>
The popular Energy Magazine conducted a detailed “everything you need to know about tapping” interview with David… Read More >>
SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS OF ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY
Acupoint tapping protocols have been applied in over 30 countries following earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, mass shootings, genocide, and warfare. This paper examines why it has been effective and provides poignant case examples. It is among the most widely-read papers ever in the prominent journal, Frontiers in Psychology, viewed now by more than 69,000 mental health professionals… Read More >>
Addictions are widespread and difficult to treat. Integrating energy psychology into established approaches makes them quicker and more effective… Read More>>
Many illnesses are rooted in a mix of physical and emotional causes. Energy psychology can help uncover the psychological dynamics and resolve them in ways that promote physical healing… Read More>>
Whether subtle or dramatic, childhood trauma is proving to be a precursor to many adult ailments, physical and psychological. Energy psychology is showing itself to be an effective tool for uncovering and helping heal the residue of childhood trauma… Read More>>
This 2010 paper, published in a premier APA clinical journal, is one of the first comprehensive attempts to explain why acupoint tapping protocols produce such strong positive outcomes in the treatment of PTSD… Read More>>
Mapping the relationship between gene expression and psychopathology is proving to be among the most promising new frontiers for advancing the understanding, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders. This paper, in the APA’s prestigious General Psychology, presents the case for the role of gene expression in acupoint tapping protocols… Read More >>
When death approaches, the health care professional is—ready or not—often the default manager of complex psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual challenges. This chapter in the 3-volume encyclopedic anthology, Whole Person Health Care, includes tapping and other psychospiritual practices for navigating the journey… Read More >>
OTHER PAPERS AND RESOURCES
An Infographic summarizing the neurological mechanisms described in David’s widely viewed “How Tapping Works” paper. View More >>
Neurological insight into the way memories and mental models are updated or replaced is critical for understanding the outcomes of acupoint tapping protocols. This invited paper appeared in a special issue of The Neuropsychotherapist on memory reconsolidation, arguably the most important development in recent decades for understand how deep emotional learnings can be transformed… Read More >>
Titled “Perceptions, Reflections, and Guidelines for Using Energy Psychology,” this 2021 study reviewed available reflections on the field by its practitioners and their clients… Read More >>
An earlier, March 2016, survey of the members of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP) was completed by 294 of the organization’s 1,220 members. Two thirds of the respondents were licensed mental health professionals. The survey investigated their demographics, backgrounds, the conditions they treat, and their assessments of the effectiveness of acupoint tapping for those conditions… Read More >>
In 2010, Psychotherapy Networker, read by tens of thousands of psychotherapists, published this article to bring attention about the emerging field to its audience… Read More >>
This 2019 paper in the popular journal, Explore, grapples with the growing evidence that acupoint tapping is unusually effective. It is one of the most widely cited of David’s papers from that era. Read More >>
An obstacle to professional acceptance of the growing body of research supporting the efficacy of energy psychology is the vague use of the term energy in the field’s name and explanatory frameworks… Read More >>
This study admits: “Tapping on acupoints to produce psychological change had been quaint enough. These reports seemed to stretch all credibility. Oddly, however, surrogate tapping seemed to produce the desired outcomes more often than one might expect!”… Read More >>
This 2019 study used process research methods to investigate how language is used during tapping sessions. It provided the foundation for “Finding the Right Words,” which both extends the 2019 study and serves as a tutorial for crafting effective language when guiding a tapping session… Read More >>
This 2021 paper, published in Advances in Mind-Body Medicine, shows the evolution of the theory that was fully spelled out in the 2025 “How Tapping Works” paper that appeared in the prestigious Frontiers in Psychology… Read More>>
David, Dawson Church, and others exerted tremendous effort to make modest headway in bringing attention to members of the U.S. Congress involved with the military and with veteran care about the power of energy psychology in treating PTSD. March 2010 Visit to Congress. July 2010 Visit.
The relationship of energy medicine to energy psychology has parallels with the relationship of conventional medicine to psychiatry. Psychiatry is a specialized branch of medicine, with practitioners integrating medical, psychological, and social understanding to diagnose and treat mental health conditions. Energy psychology utilizes tools from energy medicine to address emotional and behavioral concerns. This 2008 paper explores the fundamental principles of energy medicine. Read More >> A 2020 review of more recent developments within energy medicine is available here.
The concept that personal myths shape individual behavior in a manner analogous to the way cultural myths influence social behavior was foundational to David’s approach for facilitating psychological evolution. He has more recently integrated tapping into that model. This is one of his earliest papers on personal mythology… Read More >>
This essay is concerned with the myths that are leading us into an uncertain future, how they can be understood, how they can be worked with, and how they can be transformed… Read More >>
