Barbara Smith has a thriving psychotherapy practise in Palmerston North, New Zealand. She is a full member of both the NZ Association of Psychotherapists, and of the NZ Association of Counsellors. Her training and experience includes qualifying as a Marriage Guidance counsellor, Laboratory Leadership Trainer (Experiential Learning), Critical Incident Stress De-briefing, and Membership of the National Association of Loss and Grief. Barbara is well known in New Zealand as a specialist trauma therapist.
When she discovered EFT, eight years ago Barbara found a missing piece in the healing puzzle. The simple tapping process was the difference that really made a difference. Becoming an EFT Master in 2006, was the perfect complement to the mind-body skills of Hakomi Therapy. ‘When we update old theories with our ever expanding understanding of brain function, then add EFT to the mix,’ she says, ‘We can free people, not only from their physical and psychological trauma, but also from limiting core beliefs and distressing behaviour, much more quickly and safely than ever before.’
Barbara now divides her time between personal consultations, long term and emergency trauma relief, and EFT training. Barbara loves training. She knows that people learn best when they are comfortable, physically and psychologically, and enjoying themselves! Learning lasts best if people have their own “felt” experience of change. Whilst continuing to train people from her home base in Palmerston North, she now offers custom designed in-house training and professional mentoring for businesses, sports organisations and health providers around the country and she welcomes requests from organisations who wish to incorporate EFT into their own training programmes.
Barbara is committed to adapting EFT in a way that will preserve its unique identity, whilst honouring cultural difference. She is committed to ensuring that EFT is learned and practised in a manner that is culturally appropriate for New Zealand, as well as meeting legislative requirements for good practice. She has furthered this process through her counselling and trauma relief work for the Accident Compensation Commission, New Zealand Victim Support, and other Government Health and Welfare agencies.
A special focus for 2008 is working with families. This has come about as a result of the New Zealand Parliament passing what has become known as The Anti-Smacking Bill. Barbara sees this first ‘smack-free’ year as a wonderful opportunity to show people that EFT can eliminate the urge to smack. People might even find that their children are more co-operative, happier, and better behaved than ever before. Is that too radical ? Try it and see.
