The contents of this page refer directly to the use of the EmotFit programme in restoring functionality to otherwise dysfunctional individuals. Because it targets the emotional system it is expected that people with emotional disorders are more likely to respond positively to it.
Using emotional fitness technology involves the following basic steps:
EmotFit is not something that can be applied onto a (passive) individual by a specialist. It requires individual motivation. Although a facilitator can provide guidance, education and support, application and success of the technology is up to the individual.
EmotFit is essentially a health product, which works largely through education and the behavioural change that comes from it.
EmotFit is designed to complement and not replace current therapeutic techniques. If a client needs counselling or medication then that is a separate issue. Counselling is often useful in helping to process psychological problems and is a very popular therapy, however often there is no consequent channeling of the processed emotions and clients come back week after week to process the same stuff over and over without getting anywhere. EmotFit has the potential to fill in the gap by providing clients with the ability to channel emotions into useful physiological outcomes, so that it is finally resolved. Meanwhile medication can be used to help control behaviour.
The programme is not suitable for people who are currently suffering trauma or who are on heavy medication.
Since EmotFit works by improving functionality the same technology is useful for any person wishing to improve their functionality including those wishing to achieve the highest levels possible.
It must be remembered that functional development is not the only factor in psychological disorder and highly functional people can still suffer disorder.
When applying EmotFit, use of the term 'therapy' is no longer appropriate. Psychotherapy mainly involves rearranging thoughts and is blind to the participation of the body in psychological disorder. Because EmotFit involves rearranging the physical alignment of parts of the body and because it is equally useful for those who are already functional then it is appropriate to use the term 'Re-Engineering' instead.
Depression
Because of its strong links to emotional experience and functional deficit, this disorder is considered most amenable to improvement through EmotFit. For sufferers of depression, time is the great healer, which infers that people eventually develop functionalities to compensate for whatever caused the problem in the first place. It is predicted that usingEmotFit would make much of that natural process more conscious and help to speed it up and enable sufferers to get back on their feet sooner.
Eating Disorders
Like with depression, eating disorders generally have a strong emotional component and therefore sufferers would benefit from EmotFit, especially obesity sufferers. Self-image usually improves as functionality improves. An individual more able to do things is going to feel better about themselves, and by processing and channeling emotions into constructive pursuits they would be less inclined to appease emotions through eating or use eating as an emotional tool.
Obesity sufferers learn to use eating as a means to relax. EmotFit would give them the opportunity to learn relaxation as a skill in itself that does not require the stimulation that eating produces.
Substance abuse
Substance abuse could be open to improvement through EmotFit, again because of the emotional component. Addicts learn to use substances as emotional props, to help them feel 'happy' or to sleep or relax. Addicts would have the opportunity to learn emotional responses as a self-applied experience, and not one obtained through a chemical hit.
Schizophrenia
Because schizophrenia is such a complex, hard to define disorder and so closely associated with lack of insight, it is not expected that EmotFit will have much impact. It may, however, have an important role to play in preventing the disorder in the first place, by being made available to children as they grow, thereby maybe helping to prevent the development of dysfunction. A focus on robust core functionality in pubescent and adolescent children may help inoculate against schizophrenia.
Autism
It is not expected at this stage, that the EmotFit programme will be any help in the treatment of autism because the social withdrawal precludes them from gaining from the workshop style format of the programme. There may be some benefit in designing programmes that can be delivered one on one, especially in the development of core functionality through working directly on the body.
ADHD (hyperactivity)
It is difficult to predict how EmotFit may be useful in the treatment of ADHD. Like with schizophrenia there may be a role to play in the prevention or alleviation of symptoms during child development. Teaching ADHD children relaxation as a skill might be the key ingredient to success here. There is definitely scope for specially designed programmes for young ADHD sufferers and the EmotFit programme in its present form (which is designed for adults) would not be suitable.
Sexual Disorders
Most sexual disorders such as paedophilia have been found to be hard to treat successfully. There may be some use for EmotFit in redirecting sexual urges because of the connection between sexual impulses and the emotional system.