About Lois
Thought Field Therapist

How I Became a Thought Field Therapist

Something unusual happened to me on March 13, 1999.

I have studied piano for many years. By 1999 I had suffered essentially all of my adult life with a severe piano performance phobia. I could play for almost no one without being totally and completely engulfed by terror. In those instances where I managed to force myself to play I “was not there”. Afterward I could not say how I played; someone else would have to tell me. In addition, I would be overwhelmed with a pervasive sense of shame. I just wanted to disappear.

My husband's favorite piano composition is Chopin's Etude in E Major. Months before his birthday I had promised myself I would learn it and play it for him at a small dinner recital as a surprise gift from me. I had written him a note, a copy of which would be given to each guest because I knew I would be unable to speak. He alone in the room would know anything of my phobia. As it turned out, the new grand piano I was expecting was scheduled for delivery two days before the birthday celebration. I would play on a piano upon which I had never practiced! Was I being brave or just insane?

In the meantime, another event happened which was to change the course of my life. Having done counseling for many years with bereaved parents who lost their wished-for-children, I was attracted to a workshop on March 13th at a meeting of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) that I was attending in San Antonio, Texas. The title read “An Intervention for Traumatic Grief: Thought Field Therapy”.

At the workshop, as a volunteer to be treated with TFT, I told of my phobia. During this TFT treatment which took all of probably three or four minutes, my primary task was to stay in touch with my feeling about playing in front of an audience. I was asked to tap on a few points on my body while continuing to focus on my feeling in the present time. I was directed to hum, to count, to hum and tap a bit more. When finished, one of the presenters asked me if I felt I could play for people. It seemed to me I could and I sat down. In the flurry of the following day's activities and the process of traveling home I did not give any real thought to what had happened.

The birthday evening arrived and dinner was finished. I stepped to the piano. When I sat down to play my fingers went where they were supposed to go, my foot on the pedal did not actually flap up and down and there was absolutely nothing painful about it. I rather enjoyed myself! As for my husband and our friends, there were tears of appreciation. My husband was happy and proud!

Over the next day or two I kept thinking about what had happened. I quickly concluded the only difference had been the Thought Field Therapy tapping I had done in the workshop. This realization quickly necessitated a telephone conversation with Dr. Roger Callahan, the founder and developer of Thought Field Therapy. By the time the conversation was over, I had decided to take the first level training in TFT and, as they say, the rest is history.

Over the years since then I have been fortunate enough to have trained with Dr. Callahan a number of times. Each time I became more and more enthusiastic about TFT as I experienced real changes in people's lives who had been struggling with painful issues. Eventually I had the privilege of training yet again with Dr. Callahan in learning the most sophisticated and advanced level of TFT, how to treat people by using Voice Technology over the telephone. This meant almost anyone could reach me and anyone could benefit from this remarkable therapy. It also meant I could offer bereaved people in particular relief from the painful emotions accompanying death, loss, transition, and change. In addition, they could learn how to care for themselves in ways never before possible, enhancing the quality of their lives in the process. Thought Field Therapy most assuredly has enhanced mine!

If you are looking for a therapist to help you with grief due to miscarriage or the death of a child, please call me in the US at 919-562-7905 for a 15-minute free consultation or e-mail me at laux5737@centurylink.net to schedule an appointment.

Lois Sugarman, Ph.D. provides Thought Field Therapy services for people experiencing a number of problems including loss and grief, anxiety, trauma, abuse, fears and phobias. She also utilizes TFT for those wishing to improve their performance in academics, business or sports. She provides her services over the telephone. She resides in Wake Forest, near Raleigh, North Carolina.