INCORPORATING HUMAN ENERGY FIELDS INTO FAMILY RESEARCH AND THERAPY

Abstract

The study of family interactions has a long tradition from different disciplines and methodologies, but one area ignored is the investigation of human energy fields (HEFs). While the concept has been around for centuries, only recently has it been utilized in Western contemporary practice. Combining emotional expression, family processes, and HEF perspectives, this study was developed to investigate the relationship between emotional expression and HEF interactions in relation to reported closeness between parents and adolescents. The methodology was designed to analyze self-report and observational data on 56 dyads and triads within two-parent families with a high school adolescent. The data were analyzed in terms of simple correlations and a step-wise regression. The findings are discussed along with implications for further research and therapy with adolescents and families.