ETT is a modality of psychotherapy that uses several techniques based on color and light frequency. It was founded by Dr. Steven Vazquez. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Certified Medical Psychotherapist (https://ettia.org/resources/). He is a leading edge therapist who has developed innovative methods using rhythmic light and color stimulation as well as a synthesis of bioenergy and psychotherapy. Some of his work is featured in the book Light Years Ahead and the Time-Life book Repair and Renewal.
The following is a list of the components of Emotional Transformation Therapy (ETT):
- PSYCHOTHERAPY – substantial research exists both about specific forms of psychotherapy and counseling, in general, that clearly shows its effectiveness, superiority to psychopharmacology and outcomes over time.
- LIGHT THERAPY – There are over 1,000 research articles published on the general subject of S.A.D. and much of it focuses on the effectiveness of light therapy and the mechanisms by which it works (serotonin activation, circadian rhythms). The relevant research to ETT is that it is now scientifically established that light therapy is effective for a variety of non-seasonal psychological conditions. The light therapy studied combines various wavelengths (color) for its effect. Therefore, it is established that it affects mood change.
- EYE MOVEMENT – a form of eye movement that is conducted in conjunction with light stimulation. As you may already know, research has been done on EMDR and various types of eye movement that result in emotional change. While this is a significant part of the approach, these techniques are simply components of an overall approach. Focus is much more on peripheral eye stimulation, the basics of which came from Dr. Schiffer’s ideas.
- BRAINWAVE ENTRAINMENT/DISENTRAINMENT – There is substantial research documenting how rhythmic light stimulation elicits specific brainwave patterns. Through this means, this approach allows us to elicit brainwaves optimal for specific counseling purposes. ETT is often seen as an advancement from EEG biofeedback (sometimes known as Neurotherapy).
How does it work?
Most people seek therapeutic help because they feel stuck in unpleasant, unwanted moods. New discoveries about how light stimulation affects moods have made possible powerful ways to transform emotional states. In the treatment of winter depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), research has shown that certain types of light literally changes unpleasant moods. It has now been discovered that the use of certain specific wavelengths of light emitted into the subject’s eyes during counseling can bring forth dormant emotions as well as transform moods. The only precaution to consider is if you have a history of seizures that are brought about by flickering light into the eyes. Please inform the therapist of any history with seizures, as light is involved.
Resource article: https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/emotional-transformation-therapy
Therapy at the speed of light!
ETT often dramatically speeds up access to new insights through brain stimulation that exceeds typical talk therapy. ETT can transform emotional pain and somatic pain through the use of light, color and eye movement.
Trauma reinforces neural-nets and ETT disrupts those neural-nets and creates off ramps for the highways of our brains. This can provide a rapid change of emotional states even more consistently than talk therapy alone. However, the benefits of support, confrontation, and understanding of interactive talk therapy can still be obtained because they are included in the process.
ETT can be seen as a form of Neurotherapy (EEG biofeedback) in which integration and enhancement of neurological brain activity can bipass intellect and target specific parts of the brain for optimal outcomes.
ETT utilizes a dramatically expanded array of eye movement procedures that extend way beyond the EMDR technique and provides a broader range of applications when combined with precise light stimulation. It works with everything from trauma, physical pain, depression, learning disabilities and more!
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Glad it helped.
I’ve been doing some ETT work here in Dallas. Still not sure it’s doing any good. I’m trying to research if it will help with my son’s ODD and ADHD which my therapist said it WOULD do….but then I see you are into this REAL LOVE stuff. Of course there is no relation of one to the other. That being said….I know people who have done the REAL LOVE thing…and they’re for sure “out there”….it’s quasi cult like. One woman called the founder her Daddy. Nuts. The other person I knew had to stop going to meetings because the people where whacky.
Bill, I agree that it can feel off, or even cult-like as you put it, in the Real Love community. I do not associate with Greg Baer or any of his cohorts for this very reason. However, the content that Greg Baer shared I still find valuable. I liken it to Bikram Choudhury who brought Bikram yoga to the US and I find him an absolute jerk; however, I have still practiced his yoga at least twice weekly for over 21 years. I can leave his egoic elements out of my experience and have found awesome yoga communities that have done the same. I leave Greg Baer and who he is far from my experience and appreciate the manner in which he presented his thoughts on what real love is as compared to imitation love and do not promote him.
As far as ETT, I have seen and witnessed it doing amazing things with some and very little movement or healing with others. I can understand your frustration with whether or not to trust it. Continue to be a good consumer and if you’re not getting results in 6-12 sessions, I wouldn’t continue either! When I finally found a great chiropractor, I was very skeptical about shysters and scam artists, but pain and the desire to avoid surgery were quite the motivator and once I committed to 12 sessions with him, I let go and surrendered to the process. And in 12 sessions I was cured! I don’t think all practitioners of ETT are the same nor are therapists, doctors, teachers, chiropractors, etc. all the same. You deserve to find someone that brings you a sense of credibility and confidence, plus results as well!
My therapist gave me this ett treatment and I had a seizure as a result. I still can’t believe it. Beware of this treatment
Joe, That had to be alarming! ETT practitioners have releases for all new clients to read and sign alerting all individuals that this is indeed a possibility, and yet, still very unlikely. I am sorry it happened to you. Cindy