The Tapping Evidence Base
Other Physical Conditions · Depression · Anxiety · PTSD & Trauma

The Use of Holographic Memory Resolution to Improve the physical and biopsychosocial symptoms of chronic pain: A feasibility, mixed methods study

Gaddy, D., Baum, B. · Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice · 2023

Outcome study👥 60 participantsPreliminary✓ Source-checked📍 United States
In plain English. Sixty adults with chronic pain tried a trauma-focused technique called Holographic Memory Resolution (not EFT specifically, though related in approach) over four sessions, and most completed the program with meaningful symptom improvement. This was explicitly designed as a feasibility study to see if the technique could be studied further, not a definitive efficacy trial, and there's no control group.

What they found

60
people took part

73% of participants completed all four Holographic Memory Resolution sessions, demonstrating feasibility; depression (p=0.05), anxiety (p=0.03), symptom burden (p<0.01), and PTSD symptoms (p=0.01) all decreased significantly, and vitality improved.

How the study worked

Who took partadults suffering from chronic physical or emotional pain (4+ on a 0-10 scale) for 6+ months, from two U.S. clinics (n=60)
What they didParticipants received tapping and were measured before and after, without a separate comparison group.
Measured withself-reported depression, anxiety, somatic symptom burden, PTSD, and vitality measures

💡 Where this could help

If findings like these hold up in larger trials, the promise is simple: a low-cost, self-administered tool that could reach people struggling with other physical conditions who can't easily access traditional care — at home, between appointments, or where there aren't enough clinicians to go around.

🔬 What to study next

The natural next step: a head-to-head trial against an established treatment like CBT, and a randomized controlled design.

The full record

DesignOutcome study
Participants60 people
Populationadults suffering from chronic physical or emotional pain (4+ on a 0-10 scale) for 6+ months, from two U.S. clinics
Outcome measuresself-reported depression, anxiety, somatic symptom burden, PTSD, and vitality measures
JournalPsychiatric Research and Clinical Practice
Year2023
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
MethodEFT / tapping
Publication typeStudy / trial
Verification✓ Confirmed against the primary source

Read the original study →

Cite this study

APA

Gaddy, D., & Baum, B. (2023). The Use of Holographic Memory Resolution to Improve the physical and biopsychosocial symptoms of chronic pain: A feasibility, mixed methods study. Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.prcp.20230028

This record is part of the Tapping Evidence Base — an openly-sourced, fully-referenced directory of the research on EFT/tapping. Explore more studies on Other Physical Conditions · Depression · Anxiety · PTSD & Trauma

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THE TAPPING EVIDENCE BASE Other Physical Conditions 60 participants WHAT THEY FOUND 73% of participants completed all fourHolographic Memory Resolution sessions,demonstrating feasibility; depression… Outcome study · 60 participants Gaddy · 2023 · evidence.thetappingsolution.com