What is Access Bars?

Access Bars is a gentle, non-invasive energy therapy that involves lightly touching 32 specific points on the head, known as “The Bars.” Each point corresponds to different aspects of life, such as money, creativity, joy, communication, healing, and body image. When these points are gently touched by a trained practitioner, the electromagnetic charge associated with stored thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and emotions is believed to dissipate, creating space for greater mental clarity, relaxation, and positive change.

The technique was developed by Gary Douglas in 1990 as the foundational practice of Access Consciousness, a personal development organisation based in the United States. What began as a single technique taught to small groups has grown into a global phenomenon, with Access Bars now practised by over 500,000 certified practitioners across more than 170 countries worldwide. The technique has found its way into diverse settings including wellness clinics, psychology practices, schools, corporate offices, prisons, and family homes.

Access Bars is often described using the metaphor of “defragmenting your brain” or “hitting the delete button on mental clutter.” Just as a computer accumulates unnecessary files, temporary data, and outdated programmes that slow its performance, practitioners believe that our minds accumulate thoughts, beliefs, judgments, and emotional patterns that no longer serve us. The gentle touch on the Bar points is said to help release these accumulated patterns, freeing up mental space and allowing for greater ease, clarity, and possibility.

Unlike many therapeutic approaches that require active participation, problem-solving, or revisiting past traumas, Access Bars is entirely passive. Recipients simply lie down, relax, and receive. This makes it particularly appealing for people who find talk therapy overwhelming, struggle with meditation, or simply want a relaxation experience without mental effort.

The practice has attracted both enthusiastic supporters and skeptical critics. Supporters point to personal transformations and emerging research, while critics note the limited scientific evidence and question some of the broader claims made by Access Consciousness. As with many complementary therapies, individual experiences vary significantly, and approaching Access Bars with realistic expectations while remaining open to the experience tends to yield the best results.

How Access Bars Works

During an Access Bars session, you lie fully clothed on a massage table or recline in a comfortable chair. The environment is typically quiet and calm, though unlike many relaxation therapies, music is usually not played as it is believed to interfere with the energetic process. The practitioner sits or stands at your head and uses a very light, gentle touch on the 32 Bar points, holding each point or combination of points for several minutes while you relax.

The 32 points are located across different areas of the head and are grouped into categories that practitioners believe correspond to specific aspects of life and consciousness. These categories include healing, body, control, awareness, creativity, power, ageing, sex and sexuality, money, joy, sadness, communication, time, space, and several others. The names of these points reflect the Access Consciousness philosophy that our thoughts and beliefs about these life areas become energetically stored and can limit our experience.

The theory underlying Access Bars proposes that these 32 points store the electromagnetic component of all the thoughts, ideas, attitudes, decisions, and beliefs you have accumulated throughout your lifetime. Every judgment you have made, every limiting belief you have absorbed from family, culture, or personal experience, and every emotional charge from past events is believed to create an electromagnetic imprint at these points. When the practitioner touches these points with a light, specific pressure, the electrical charge holding these patterns in place begins to dissipate.

Practitioners often use the computer analogy to explain the process. Imagine your brain as a computer that has been running for decades without ever clearing its cache, deleting temporary files, or removing outdated programmes. Over time, it becomes slow, cluttered, and prone to getting stuck in repetitive loops. Access Bars is presented as a way to clear this accumulated data, freeing up processing power and creating space for new possibilities.

As a session progresses, recipients typically experience shifts in their brain state. Research using EEG monitoring has shown that brain waves tend to slow down during Access Bars sessions, moving from the active beta state associated with normal waking consciousness to the more relaxed alpha and theta states typically seen during meditation, deep relaxation, or light sleep. Many recipients report feeling as though they are floating between waking and sleeping, aware of their surroundings but deeply relaxed and peaceful.

The Science Behind Access Bars

Research into Access Bars is still in its early stages, but preliminary studies have produced promising results that warrant further investigation. The most frequently cited study was conducted by Dr. Terrie Hope, PhD, DNM, and published in the Journal of Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment in November 2017.

Dr. Hope’s pilot study examined the effects of a single 90-minute Access Bars session on seven participants aged 25-68 who had been assessed as having mild to severe anxiety and/or depression. The study used multiple measurement tools including the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Maryland State and Trait Depression Scale, and Quantitative Electroencephalogram (QEEG) brain mapping.

The results were striking. Access Bars reduced the severity of anxiety symptoms by an average of 84.7% and depression symptoms by an average of 82.7%. Brainwave measurements taken before and after the sessions showed an increase in brain coherence in all participants, indicating improved communication between different brain regions and a shift towards more balanced, harmonious brain function.

Additional research conducted in 2015 by neuroscientist Dr. Jeffrey Fannin involved 60 participants and examined the neurological effects of Access Bars using brain mapping technology. This research found that 85% of participants showed increased brain coherence following their session. Dr. Fannin noted that the neurological effects observed were similar to those seen in advanced long-term meditators, yet these results were achieved in a single session without any meditation training or practice.

It is important to note significant limitations of this research. The sample sizes are small, there were no control groups, and the studies were conducted by researchers with connections to Access Consciousness. Larger, independent, randomised controlled trials are needed before any definitive claims about efficacy can be made. However, the preliminary findings are encouraging enough to suggest that Access Bars may have measurable physiological effects worth investigating further.

Key Benefits of Access Bars

Access Bars practitioners and recipients report a wide range of benefits spanning mental, emotional, physical, and even practical aspects of life. While individual experiences vary considerably, certain benefits are reported with particular frequency.

Deep Relaxation and Stress Relief stands as perhaps the most universally reported benefit. The gentle touch and meditative brain states induced during sessions help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, moving the body out of the chronic fight-or-flight stress response and into rest-and-repair mode. Many recipients describe the experience as feeling like the best massage of their life, despite the touch being extremely light and focused only on the head.

Mental Clarity and Reduced Mind Chatter is another commonly reported outcome. By releasing the electromagnetic charge of repetitive thoughts, Access Bars can quiet the constant mental noise that contributes to overwhelm, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. Recipients often describe feeling “decluttered” mentally, as though a fog has lifted or a weight has been removed from their mind.

Improved Sleep Quality is frequently reported by recipients, sometimes beginning the very night of their first session. The relaxation of the nervous system and release of mental tension can help address insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, restless sleep, and early waking.

Emotional Balance and Reduced Anxiety aligns with the preliminary research showing significant reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms. Recipients commonly report feeling lighter, calmer, and more emotionally resilient after sessions.

Release of Limiting Beliefs represents one of the core intentions of Access Bars. The technique specifically targets the thought patterns, judgments, and beliefs that may be unconsciously limiting your potential in areas such as money, relationships, creativity, self-worth, and body image.

Enhanced Creativity and Problem-Solving is reported by many recipients, particularly those in creative professions or facing complex challenges. With mental clutter cleared and the mind functioning in a more coherent, relaxed state, creative insights and solutions can emerge more readily.

Greater Ease in Relationships can result from releasing the judgments, projections, and reactive patterns that create conflict and disconnection with others. By clearing these patterns, Access Bars can support more harmonious relationships and improved communication.

Who is Access Bars Best For?

Access Bars is suitable for people of virtually all ages and conditions. The technique has been used with infants, children, teenagers, adults, and elderly individuals. The gentle, non-invasive nature of the touch means there are no known contraindications or significant side effects, making it accessible to people who may not be suitable candidates for more intensive physical or psychological therapies.

Access Bars may be particularly beneficial if you experience chronic stress, anxiety, or persistent feelings of overwhelm. The deep relaxation induced by sessions can provide much-needed relief from the constant activation of the stress response that characterises modern life for many people.

Those who struggle with racing thoughts, constant mental chatter, or difficulty switching off may find Access Bars especially helpful. The technique specifically targets the electromagnetic charge that keeps repetitive thoughts cycling, and many recipients report a significant quieting of their mental noise.

If you want to release negative self-talk, limiting beliefs, or patterns of self-criticism, Access Bars offers a passive approach that does not require analysing or discussing these patterns. The release happens through the energetic process rather than through cognitive understanding, which some people find preferable to traditional talk therapy.

People seeking deep relaxation without the effort of meditation often appreciate Access Bars. Unlike meditation, which requires active mental engagement and discipline to develop, Access Bars is entirely receptive. You simply lie down and receive, making it accessible even to those who have struggled with meditation or find it frustrating.

Access Bars is increasingly used in institutional settings as well. Schools use it to help children with focus, behaviour, and emotional regulation. Businesses offer it for employee stress management and productivity enhancement. Prisons have introduced it as part of rehabilitation programmes. Healthcare settings offer it as a complementary therapy alongside conventional treatments.

 

 

How to Get Started with Access Bars

Step 1: Find a Qualified Practitioner

The first step is locating a certified Access Bars Practitioner in your area. Practitioners who have completed official training through Access Consciousness receive the designation of Bars Practitioner (BP). Those who have completed additional training to teach Access Bars classes become Bars Facilitators (BF). The official Access Consciousness website maintains a comprehensive global directory of certified practitioners that can be searched by location. In the UK, you can also find practitioners through wellness centres, holistic therapy clinics, spas, and private practices.

Step 2: Book Your First Session

Contact your chosen practitioner to schedule an initial session. Most Access Bars sessions last between 60 and 90 minutes, though some practitioners offer shorter introductory sessions or longer extended sessions. Sessions typically take place with you lying fully clothed on a massage table, though seated positions in comfortable reclining chairs are also possible. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that allows you to relax fully.

Step 3: Receive the Session

During the session, your only job is to relax and receive. There is nothing you need to do, think about, visualise, or try to achieve. The practitioner handles the technique; you simply allow yourself to rest. You may experience various sensations during the session including tingling, warmth, buzzing, or pulsing sensations. Some people see colours or images. Many people drift in and out of a light sleep-like state. There is no right or wrong experience.

Step 4: Notice the Changes

After your session, take a few moments to reorient before standing up and driving. You may feel deeply relaxed, peaceful, and somewhat spacey or floaty. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Some people notice immediate shifts, while others find that changes unfold gradually over the following days and weeks. Common observations include quieter mind, improved sleep, feeling less reactive, greater ease with decisions, and increased energy.

Access Bars vs Other Techniques

Aspect	Access Bars	Reiki	Mindfulness
Best For	Mental decluttering, releasing beliefs	Energy balancing, spiritual healing	Stress management, awareness
Session Length	60-90 minutes	45-90 minutes	10-45 mins daily
UK Cost Range	£40-£90/session	£40-£80/session	Free to £60/class
Evidence Level	Emerging	Limited	Strong

Key Differences Between Access Bars and Similar Therapies

Access Bars vs Reiki: Both are gentle, hands-on energy therapies that promote relaxation. However, Reiki involves channelling universal life force energy into the recipient’s whole body, while Access Bars focuses specifically on 32 points on the head with the intention of releasing stored thoughts and beliefs. Reiki is about adding healing energy; Access Bars is about deleting limiting patterns. Reiki practitioners undergo multiple levels of training and attunement, while Access Bars practitioners can be certified in a single day.

Access Bars vs Mindfulness: The fundamental difference is passive versus active engagement. Mindfulness meditation requires active mental effort, attention, and discipline, with benefits accumulating through consistent daily practice over weeks. Access Bars is entirely passive – you lie down and receive while someone else does the technique. No mental effort is required, and benefits can be experienced immediately. Mindfulness has a much stronger research base with thousands of studies, while Access Bars has only preliminary research.

Access Bars vs Craniosacral Therapy: Both involve gentle touch on the head and induce deep relaxation. Craniosacral therapy focuses on the physical craniosacral system (membranes and cerebrospinal fluid around the brain and spine), while Access Bars works with energetic points related to thoughts and beliefs. Craniosacral is more grounded in anatomical understanding, while Access Bars is based on energetic concepts.

 

 

Common Myths About Access Bars

Myth 1: Access Bars is just a nice head massage

Reality: While Access Bars involves gentle touch on the head and is certainly relaxing, it is not massage in the traditional sense. Massage works primarily with muscles and physical tension using various pressures and strokes. Access Bars uses very light, specific touch on particular points with the intention of releasing electromagnetic charge related to thoughts and beliefs. Preliminary research showing measurable changes in brain function suggests that something beyond simple relaxation is occurring.

Myth 2: You need to believe in it for it to work

Reality: Access Bars does not require any particular belief system, spiritual orientation, or philosophical agreement. Recipients do not need to believe in energy, chakras, electromagnetic fields, or any other concept. Many people approach their first session with skepticism and still report experiencing deep relaxation and subsequent benefits. The main requirement is simply being willing to lie down, relax, and receive.

Myth 3: One session will fix everything

Reality: While many people notice positive shifts after a single session, expecting complete transformation from one session sets unrealistic expectations. One Access Bars session can clear some accumulated mental clutter and create immediate relaxation, but life continues to generate new experiences, and deeply ingrained patterns may need multiple sessions to fully shift. Most practitioners recommend multiple sessions for lasting transformation.

Myth 4: Access Bars can replace medical treatment

Reality: Access Bars is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical or psychological treatment. It can work alongside conventional care and may enhance the effectiveness of other treatments, but it should not be used instead of necessary medical attention. If you are experiencing significant physical health issues or mental health conditions, please consult appropriate healthcare professionals.

What to Expect in Your First Session

Before the session: Your practitioner will typically begin with a brief conversation about your reasons for trying Access Bars and any questions you might have. No special preparation is required. Arrive in comfortable clothing, avoid heavy meals immediately before, and come with an open mind.

During the session: You will lie fully clothed on a massage table or recline in a comfortable chair. The room is usually quiet without background music. The lighting is often dimmed. Your practitioner will sit or stand at your head and begin lightly touching the 32 Bar points in a specific sequence. They may hold single points, pairs of points, or groups of points simultaneously. Sessions typically last 60-90 minutes.

What you might experience: Everyone’s experience is unique. Common experiences include feeling deeply relaxed, as if floating or drifting between waking and sleeping. You may feel heavy and sinking into the table, or conversely light and expansive. Some people see colours, patterns, or images. Others feel sensations like tingling, warmth, buzzing, or gentle pulsing. Some experience emotional release with tears or laughter arising spontaneously. Many people simply feel peaceful and quiet. Some fall completely asleep, which is perfectly fine.

After the session: You may feel deeply relaxed and somewhat spacey or floaty immediately after. Take your time sitting up and reorienting before standing. Give yourself a few moments before driving. Stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Be gentle with yourself for the rest of the day. Changes may continue to unfold over the following hours and days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Access Bars scientifically proven?

Preliminary research published in peer-reviewed journals shows promising results. A 2017 pilot study by Dr. Terrie Hope found significant reductions in anxiety (84.7%) and depression (82.7%) symptoms after a single 90-minute session, along with measurable improvements in brain coherence. However, these studies have limitations including small sample sizes and lack of control groups. Larger-scale, independent clinical trials are needed. Access Bars should currently be considered an emerging complementary therapy with encouraging preliminary evidence rather than a scientifically proven treatment.

How long does Access Bars take to work?

Many people notice immediate effects such as deep relaxation, mental quietness, and improved sleep from their first session. The 2017 research showed significant measurable changes after a single 90-minute session. However, more profound and lasting changes in deeply ingrained patterns often unfold gradually over days, weeks, and months with regular sessions. The effects tend to be cumulative, meaning regular sessions generally produce greater and more lasting benefits.

How much does Access Bars cost in the UK?

Individual sessions with a practitioner typically range from £40 to £90 in the UK, depending on location, practitioner experience, and session length. London and major cities tend to be at the higher end of this range. Training courses to become a certified Access Bars Practitioner cost approximately £240 to £350 for the one-day class. Repeat courses are offered at half price, and children aged 15 and under can attend free with a paying adult.

Is Access Bars suitable for anxiety and depression?

Research suggests Access Bars may significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. The 2017 pilot study showed reductions of over 80% in symptom severity after a single session. However, Access Bars should complement rather than replace professional mental health treatment for clinical conditions. If you are experiencing significant anxiety or depression, please consult a qualified mental health professional. Access Bars can be a valuable part of a comprehensive approach to mental health.

Can children and elderly people receive Access Bars?

Yes, Access Bars is gentle enough for people of all ages. There are no known contraindications for children or elderly individuals. Children often respond particularly quickly and positively to the technique, and many parents report improvements in behaviour, focus, emotional regulation, and sleep. Sessions for young children are sometimes shorter (30-45 minutes) depending on their comfort and attention span.

Are there any risks or side effects?

Access Bars has no known significant risks or side effects. The touch is so gentle that physical injury is not a concern. The most commonly reported after-effects are positive: improved sleep, reduced stress, greater calm, and mental clarity. Some people experience temporary effects as old patterns release, which may include feeling tired or emotional. This typically passes within hours to days. The founders say the worst possible outcome is feeling like you have had the best massage of your life.

Summary

Access Bars is a gentle, non-invasive energy therapy that uses light touch on 32 specific points on the head to release the stored electromagnetic charge of thoughts, beliefs, and emotions that may be limiting your life. Developed by Gary Douglas in 1990 as the foundation of Access Consciousness, the technique has grown into a global practice with over 500,000 certified practitioners across more than 170 countries. Preliminary research shows significant promise, with a 2017 study finding reductions of over 80% in anxiety and depression symptoms after a single session. The technique is suitable for all ages, has no known side effects, and can complement other therapies. Sessions in the UK typically cost between £40 and £90. Whether you are seeking stress relief, want to release limiting patterns, or simply desire a profoundly relaxing experience, Access Bars offers an accessible complementary therapy that requires no special beliefs, no active effort, and no prior experience.

References

1. Hope, T. (2017). The Effects of Access Bars on Anxiety and Depression: A Pilot Study. Journal of Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 9(2), 26-38.
2. Fannin, J. (2015). Neuroscience Research on Access Bars. Brain mapping and EEG coherence studies. Center for Cognitive Enhancement.
3. Access Consciousness. (2024). What Are the Access Bars? Official information and practitioner directory.