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What is the difference between EBT and psychotherapy?

The goal of EBT is to rewire the emotional brain in order to decrease chronic stress load and the wear and tear that it creates on the entire body ("allostatic load"). This is done through a structured program that creates secure attachment to self and optimal self-regulation. When a certified EBT provider is a psychotherapist, EBT is a form of psychotherapy. Other health professionals may also practice EBT within the scope of practice allowed by their license or certification, including dietitians, medical doctors, and nurses. The practice of EBT by medical professionals is very important, as it is generally recognized that the inability to process stress effectively can create or exacerbate most medical conditions.

EBT is comprehensive, integrating lifestyle and health care components, and focuses on rewiring circuits, whereas many forms of psychotherapy focus on responding to specific content or on processing issues. In EBT, although the provider develops a warm relationship with the participant, the emphasis is not the therapeutic relationship, but rather on enhancing the participant's effectiveness in using the tools to rewire their brain. This may be with a provider, alone, or with other EBT participants outside of groups.

Here is a concrete example: a participant comes to an EBT group saying they are stressed about "my pattern in starting things but not completing them. How will I be able to overcome that and complete my EBT work?" A non-EBT psychotherapist might address the pattern of starting things but not completing them, and respond with a question along the lines of:

• What is the barrier that you see with regard to completing this?
• What are some times when you HAVE completed what you've started?
• What in your past does this situation remind you of?

An EBT provider would see this as a stress circuit, and ask the participant if they would like to use the Cycle Tool to identify, then weaken and break, that circuit. The provider would coach the participant through the use of the tool to begin that process. The EBT Provider's goals are not only to alleviate the stress related to that circuit, but even more importantly, to provide the participant with practice in using the Cycle Tool effectively, so they can rewire other stress circuits on their own.

We encourage psychotherapists to use their clinical judgment to determine when methods other than EBT are more appropriate to meet the specific needs of their clients. The same is true for physicians, nurses, and dietitians, who use their clinical expertise to fit the treatment to the individual, with the shared goal of improving health and happiness.

Is this the Solution Method? How is it different?

EBT is the new name for The Solution Method. It is a better description of the process involved in both our child program, Shapedown, and the Solution Method, the previous name for the adult program. More than 90 percent of the method is the same as The Solution Method. The changes involve updating several aspects of the method so that it reflects the latest findings in neuroscience. This process of improving the method began in April, 2007 with the introduction of The 5-Point System, and is continuing in 2010 with the introduction of the six new courses ("EBT Kits").

These revised kits will be used in new research applications which we expect will strengthen the evidence base of the method. The new kits will include changes in language (e.g., "wired at 1" replaces "getting a solution") to conform to understandings of brain science, and the use of jargon will be minimized. We have a new look and a new logo. The previous courses on the method were progressive, supporting the incremental rewiring of the emotional brain. The new courses will also progressively rewire the emotional brain, but provide the additional benefit of focusing on one of the six rewards of the method. In addition, the new courses will include techniques that are more consistent with brain science for rewiring circuits. New strategies for rewiring "survival circuits" that attach us to hedonic rewards ("external solutions") will be included. The new kits will be more flexible; they will be comprised of six chapters (rather than "11 weeks" in the current kits), and participants will complete them at their own pace. Some will complete the entire training of six kits in as few as 36 weeks, and others who prefer a slower pace will take longer. We are doing our best to make this method optimally effective and accessible to all people. The first EBT kit will be available by February, 2010 and we expect to launch one kit every month until all six new kits are available.

Do I take the EBT Kits in sequence or can I take them in any order?

We recommend that you take the EBT Kits in order. The rewiring of the emotional brain is developmental. Much like a baby learns to crawl before walking, the completion of Kit 1: Sanctuary establishes a strong emotional connection to yourself, effectiveness in switching brain states from stress to well-being, and finding safety from within. This progress forms the basis for Kit 2: Authenticity, which enhances self-knowledge, self-acceptance, and the experience of authenticity. In a similar way, each kit forms the developmental foundation for the next. You can take them out of order if you choose, but the results may not be as effective, and some terms and tools introduced in previous kits may not be clear to you. The first four kits are based on experiencing intimacy with self. Once that secure attachment is in place, the rewards of the last two kits -- intimacy with others and spirituality, however you define it -- become easier to attain.

Do I really need the support of an EBT Provider?

We have seen that the best results come from participants who use support. Some people use the kits on their own, and practice the tools with others they know who are engaged in the training. At this time, in addition to local groups, telegroups, and coaching, we offer web-based tools. We are expanding our repertoire of support options to include e-learning and an iPhone app. At this point we have no data to support the effectiveness of these forms of support, however, and the study of program graduates conducted by University of Illinois researcher Nancy Bates showed that most program graduates (i.e., completed all six kits) had participated in groups or telegroups conducted by EBT Providers. Only 17 percent of program graduates complete the kits without group or telegroup support. Most participants report that during breaks between groups, despite their best intentions to move forward with their kit work, few do, hence their finding value in re-enrollment in the groups. Over the years we have made these groups briefer, now 90 minutes, and more accessible (telegroups), yet the format has stayed the same: providing the warmth, learning, motivation, inspiration and connections that make using the kits more rewarding and pleasurable. However, we are continuing to explore ways to provide support that are Internet-based, and can be used instead of groups and telegroups, or in addition to them.

About how many hours per week would I typically spend on the training?

On average participants spend a total of 3 hours per week. We recommend participating in a weekly 90 minute group or telegroup. Listening to the CD's or doing Journal work represents 1 hour per week. We recommend doing three Community Connections each week, which takes 10 to 20 minutes each.

Does insurance cover EBT?

Some insurers cover EBT as a form of cognitive behavioral training (CBT) or as psychotherapy, when facilitated by a licensed mental health professional. Consult with your insurer about coverage. We are aware that more and insurance carriers are covering EBT all the time, and we encourage you to request that they do so by referring them to the research that is posted at on our Research Page.

How long does the training take?

The EBT Kits are completed as quickly as the individual decides to complete the work. On average each Kit is completed over the course of 6 weeks. There are 6 kits so if they are completed back to back they can be completed in 36 weeks.

Those whose emotional set point is chronic stress (wired at Brain States 4 and 5) take longer to complete the courses than those who are wired at Brain States 2 or 3. The more you practice the tools, the more rapidly your brain catches on. Most people see important benefits right from the start, after their Wired for Joy introductory training.

Do I have to do the entire training with group support?

Support is recommended but not required. Our experience is that participants who enroll in ongoing groups/telegroups move through the courses and complete their training faster. Without that coaching, support and community, people are more likely to not complete the training.

Local groups vs. Telegroups: is there a difference in outcome?

We have no data to compare the two options. We know that some people prefer telegroups because of their convenience, and others prefer local groups, enjoying the on site experience. If a local group is available to you, we recommend choosing a local group. If it is now, we highly recommend telegroups. The group experience is important because it provides you with a community of people with whom to do Connections, and as well, when you participate in a group each week you learn from the work of others, and find inspiration as well. You can enroll in an EBT group and stay with the group until you are wired at 1 and have the rewards you want from the training.

Groups vs. coaching: is there a difference in outcome?

Our experience has been that group programs have the greatest retention; people are more likely to stay with the training if they are in groups. They have a variety of experiences and learnings from others and develop relationships that add to the quality of the training and the richness of the experience. The role of coaching is for those who are starting training and prefer to have one-on-one instruction and support, during training (the six kits) when a particular circuit is challenging to rewire, and for graduates when their situation changes and new challenges emerge.

When I check in and use the tools, I am asked whether I reached Brain State 1 (Joy) or acceptance. What's the difference?

When you accept your brain state, and decide that it's reasonable to be in that state, and (other than in Brain State 1) you prefer not to use a tool to improve it, that in itself will ease your stress. Simply seeing yourself and accepting your state can cause a chemical shift that eases stress. Sometimes that is a subtle shift, perhaps moving from Brain State 4 to Brain State 3. Other times that acceptance can bring you to Brain State 1.

The rationale for erring on the side of using the tools to change your state is that you are more apt to get to Brain State 1. In addition, if you are in stress (specifically Brain State 4), that stress offers a moment of opportunity to identify and begin to break a stress circuit that otherwise can contribute to chronic stress. For example, at Brain State 4 when you use The Cycle Tool, you may become aware of the stress circuit (allostatic circuit) "I have no power," which affords you the opportunity to break that wire by grinding in (repeating) the reasonable opposite, such as "I do have some power, and I plan to use it!"

My Brain State 1 moments are rare. Is it normal to be in JOY all the time?

Becoming wired at Brain State 1 or "wired for joy" does not mean you are in joy all the time. It means you have more emotional freedom to move among all five brain states with less judgment, and know the mental tools to use to switch your brain back to a state of well-being. The homeostatic (balanced) states are Brain States 1, 2 and 3, and it's normal when stress circuits have been decreased in number and strength to be in those states most of the time. It's also normal when being wired for joy to have many, many moments at Brain State 1 even during an objectively stressful day. That takes beating back those stress circuits and moving up your brain's emotional set point. That requires repeated practice over time, as that is how the emotional brain changes, which is why the method involves six (progressive) courses (called EBT Kits).

Do people who have affective disorders find this helpful and do they need to work with a health professional?

Many people with affective disorders have reported improvement after EBT, though there have been no controlled clinical trials. We always recommend that potential participants at high medical or psychological risk consult with their medical doctor or psychotherapist about whether EBT might be useful as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

What does "Wired at 1" mean?

The brain has a set point, a brain state that it returns to after the stresses and rewards of the day. Being "wired at 1" refers to having a set point that is in a state of balance and reward. It is natural to move through all the brain states throughout each day, but when your set point is at 1, you will spend most moments of the day in Brain States 1 and 2. The terms "wired for joy" and "having a solution" have also been used to describe the brain set point of being "wired at 1." When you are wired at 1, the natural rewards of life become abundant, and because the brain cannot be in well-being and stress at the same time, stress decreases and stress symptoms tend to improve.

If I enroll in ongoing telegroups and need to switch groups after the first three months, what happens?

When you enroll in an ongoing telegroup, you sign up for a 12-week period. At the end of that period, you can choose whether or not to sign up again for another 12-week period. We refer to these as "ongoing telegroups" because the groups continue, while you have the option of renewing or not. Many people choose to continue on in the same telegroup, because they enjoy the continuity with their provider and the other participants. Sometimes participants develop scheduling conflicts, however, and appreciate having the option of changing into another telegroup when their 12-week session concludes.

Why do I need to pay for a group and a kit?

The EBT Kits provide the information and activities that rewire the emotional brain. All participants must buy the kits, but there are a range of options for support in completing the kits. Therefore, the kits and support are priced separately so that you can individualize your training. Some participants choose individual coaching for support, and others choose on-site groups or telegroups.