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Definition of Psychosensory Therapy

Psychosensory therapy is a form of therapeutic treatment that uses sensory stimuli (i.e., touch, sight, sound, taste, smell) to affect psychological and emotional health. In addition, psychosensory therapy is a group of therapeutic techniques that involves applying sensory inputs to treat various behaviors, mood, thoughts, symptoms, and pain.  Psychosensory therapy has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine in addition to energy psychology. Some important figures in psychosensory therapy include chiropractor George Goodheart, psychiatrist John Diamond, clinical psychologist Roger Callahan, and Ronald Ruden.

Some of the common techniques used in psychosensory therapy include havening techniques, emotional freedom techniques, Callahan technique–thought field therapy (Callahan, 1985), and eye–movement desensitization and reprocessing.

These techniques in addition to others, according to both American Psychiatric Association (2016) and Stapleton and colleagues, are effective for treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Depression, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

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