* Attracting negative situations <br>
 * self defeating prophecy <br>
 * Rejecting yourself in lots of different ways <br>

Origins
Originating from Applied Kinesiology, Psychological Reversal (PR) is the name Roger Callahan gave to the phenomenon of having having an inner conflict regarding an issue: for example, having 2 opposing desires. On the one hand, part of me really wants to quit smoking. On the other hand, part of me really wants to smoke.

Applied Kinesiology takes a good hard look at this phenomenon, and uses muscle testing to determine how congruent somebody is to what the are stating, as in the example " I want to completely get over this fear." 

Gary Craig learned Thought Field Therapy (TFT) and copied the name Callahan gave to the congruency issue as Psychological Reversal (PR).

Often, in teaching EFT, psychological reversal is explained with metaphores and stories that center around the energy paradigm. Psychological reversal is often referred to as polarity reversal. Psychological Reversal is often explained using the image of a battery in a battery powered device like a clock. If you put the battery in the wrong way around, it will not work.

A few possible causes of psychological reversal 

• Unresolved traumas which lead to negative truths about yourself.
• Low self esteem, not accepting yourself, life, this earth, etc. getting in your own way.
• Coffee, alcohol, tabacco, other drugs.
• allergies, intollerances, toxines, and substances that are clearly toxic to us. (poisons, chemicals, etc)
• Strong emotional disturbances.
• Thinking like a victim
• Dehydration

Inner Conflict between subconscious and conscious mind
There is often a conflict between the mind, which we will assume to be located in the brain, and feelings and emotions, which are often experienced in different parts of the torso. Often we state that there is a conflict between the conscious (mind) and the subconscious (feelings and emotions).
One side: Wanting to let go of an issue like a painful memory is often a thought, which we will assume comes from the brain (mind)
Other side: Not (yet) wanting to let go of this issue (pain) for a number of reasons which tend to be emotional in nature (for instance, it does not feel safe to let it go.)

Effect of Psychological Reversal ont therapy
Psychological Reversal blocks progress.
Skipping the Set up may completely thwart any further therapy by tapping (or any other means). It is estimated that between 40 and 60 percent of the people have a form of psychological reversal. People who suffer from depression, addictions, degenerative diseases like MS, arthritis, AIDS and cancer have a 90% PR rate according to Gary Craig.

Solutions to psychological reversal
The inner conflict that is sabotaging the therapy proces needs to be addressed and resolved.
The name, psychological reversal, is less interesting than the solution. I think all of us would have been happy with the AK name, not being congruent.

EFT has a temporary solution for psychological reversal, the Set up-part of the basic recipe will eliminate psychological reversal in most cases in a very short time, after which the tapping procedure can be very effective. When done properly, the Set up will create a window of opportunity in which you can treat somebody.

A more permanent solution is achieved by looking more closely at this limiting belief that is holding you back, and addressing this (resolving the inner conflict) using EFT.  It is much more constructive to zero in all all the negative truths we have and removing those. That will lead to a person with very little psychological reversal, who then does not need to use the set up much as a workaround.

examples:

• I accept I have a hard time accepting myself (stuck on self acceptance)
• I accept I have a hard time accepting these problems  (stuck on accepting the issue)
• Even though it is not safe to let go of this painful memory, I accept myself (cannot let go of a painfull issue: cause - does not feel safe)
  
  

On to the next section on aspects