Access Bars Explained: Benefits, Side Effects, and a Powerful Alternative

Access Bars is a popular energy healing modality. It involves light touches to 32 points on the head. Those points are said to store thoughts, emotions, and limiting beliefs.

But does it actually work?

Many people search for “Access Bars benefits,” “Access Bars points,” and “Access Bars side effects” hoping for answers.

I practiced Access Bars for years. My wife was a Facilitator, and together we “ran each other’s Bars” often, while also giving sessions to many others. It was part of my journey, and I experienced the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty sides of it.

Over time, I noticed something important. While sessions felt relaxing, little in my life truly shifted. The changes were surface-level, not transformational.

Alongside Bars, I was also exploring another approach. One that worked on every level of being: physical, mental, emotional, psychological, psychic, and spiritual.

This is the method that ended my 30+ years of sinusitis and long-term seasonal allergies. It has also created lasting emotional and psychological change, as well as improvements in business, finances and inner certainty.

That approach is the Yuen Method.

On this page, I’ll explain what Access Bars is, its benefits and side effects, and why I no longer practice it. Most importantly, I’ll introduce the powerful alternative I now use. One designed to create targeted, lasting transformation, instead of hoping for change while lying on a table.

Why I No Longer Practice Access Bars

Access Bars was a stepping stone in my journey. It helped people feel lighter and more relaxed. Perfect for an afternoon nap and reset. But it didn't deliver the deep, lasting transformations that I and many others were looking for.

By then, I had become proficient with the Yuen Method, and the difference was night and day. Change was targeted, precise, and unmistakable.

Instead of lying on a table for an hour and hoping something shifted, I could pinpoint an issue and clear it. Like a sniper hitting a mark.

The Yuen Method doesn’t rely on touching points on the head. It works by identifying and eliminating the actual weaknesses at the root of a problem. Whether physical, emotional, psychological, or hidden beneath conscious awareness.

This shift allowed me, and my clients, to resolve challenges that had lingered for years. The kinds of issues that Access Bars could never reach.

A Powerful Alternative to Access Bars: The Yuen Method

The Yuen Method, created by Dr. Kam Yuen, is a no-touch, non-verbal process. It uses a feeling-based sense to locate energetic weaknesses and strengthen them.

Every problem in your life is made up of weaknesses: sometimes just a few, sometimes many. When the true cause of a weakness is identified and strengthened, the problem itself can dissolve.

Sessions don’t require travel, video, or even being seen. They can be done over the phone, which helps when issues carry an element of shame or vulnerability. Results are often felt within minutes, which is why Dr. Yuen called it the science of immediate results.

What makes it different:

Want to explore further? Read my full guide to the Yuen Method.

Or if you'd like to experience the results it can give, book a free 15-minute introduction call.

Access Bars vs Yuen Method

Ready for More Than Just Relaxation?

Access Bars can be calming, but if you’re looking for lasting transformation — the kind that resolves long-standing issues at their root — the Yuen Method is the path forward.

Curious what people report about Access Bars? Below you’ll find an overview of common experiences, along with some of the most commonly cited examples of "Access Bars science".

The 32 Points of Access Bars

Access Bars is built on the idea that there are 32 points on the head, each connected to a different area of life. Some of these points are said to represent:

Practitioners believe that lightly touching these points helps release blocked energy and clear limiting beliefs tied to those areas.

What Kind of Benefits Might You Get From The Bars?

Experiences with Access Bars vary. No two sessions are exactly alike, and people often describe different effects each time.

Here are some of the benefits people commonly report:

Practitioners sometimes reference brain scans and case studies to suggest that these changes are measurable. Research, however, is limited and largely anecdotal.

One of the co-creators of Access Consciousness®, Dr. Dain Heer, shares his personal story of being suicidal before his first Bars session. He describes it as the first time in years he felt peace, and says he never contemplated suicide again.

The Science Behind Access Consciousness Bars

Many people search for “the science of Access Bars.” Practitioners often point to brain scans and other imaging studies as evidence that Bars sessions create measurable changes in the brain and body. Below are some of the most commonly cited examples.

Brain Imaging Studies (Dr. Jeffrey Fannin)

In these studies, a baseline scan was taken with the subject at rest (“eyes closed, brain on task”). After a single Access Bars session, the scan was repeated under the same conditions.

The results showed noticeable differences. Before the session, the scans displayed high levels of activity in certain regions (shown in red/orange on the images). After the session, activity patterns shifted toward what Fannin described as a more balanced, “normal” state (shown in green).

Below are examples of the scans he presented:

Before...

After...

Practitioners often cite these findings as evidence that Access Bars can calm the brain and reduce overactivity. While interesting, the research is limited in scope and has not been widely peer-reviewed.

From my perspective, these scans do reflect what many people report feeling after a Bars session: calmer, lighter, less mentally busy.

But in my experience, those effects were temporary. This realization eventually led me to look for approaches, like the Yuen Method, that could create deeper and more lasting change.

Research Study On Access Consciousness Bars by Dr. Lisa Cooney

In her reports, participants often showed reductions in stress markers and shifts in brain activity patterns following a Bars session. She has suggested that these results indicate Bars can calm the nervous system and ease emotional intensity.

Below are examples of the scans she presented.

Before and after images for Case Study #1

Before and after images for Case Study #2

Practitioners frequently cite Cooney’s findings as further evidence that Bars may influence both the brain and body. However, as with other Bars-related studies, these results are not widely peer-reviewed and remain preliminary.

In my own practice, I saw clients experience some of the same short-term effects these scans appear to reflect: relaxation, less stress, a sense of calm.

But for deeper, lasting transformation, I found that Access Bars fell short. This is what ultimately led me to specialize in the Yuen Method, which works at the root of problems rather than just shifting temporary states.

Learn more about the Yuen Method here.

Thermometry & Access Bars Research: 13 Person Study

Another small-scale study often referenced within the Access Bars community was conducted on 13 participants. Thermometry was used to measure changes in body temperature and stress markers before and after a Bars session.

The results showed shifts that practitioners interpret as evidence of reduced stress and improved regulation of the nervous system. For example, some participants displayed changes in thermal imaging patterns that suggested a move toward greater balance.

Below is an example of the images presented in the study:

As with other research on Bars, these findings are interesting but limited. The study was small, not peer-reviewed, and the results are preliminary. Practitioners often cite it to support claims about Bars’ effects, but it doesn't explain why outcomes can vary significantly between people.

From my perspective, studies like this highlight the short-term calming effects that Bars can create.

But they also underline the limitations: changes often stop at the surface. 

My own path led me to the Yuen Method, which I’ve found produces deeper, more lasting results by working directly on the root of issues rather than temporary physiological states.

What People Report About Access Bars

People who try Access Bars often share a range of experiences. Some describe feeling deeply relaxed, lighter, or more at peace. Others notice shifts in mood, sleep, or stress levels. For some, the effects are profound; for others, they are subtle or short-lived.

Practitioners collect and share stories like these to illustrate how Bars sessions may help. While they reflect genuine experiences, it’s important to remember that individual results vary and that scientific validation is limited.

In my years of practicing Access Bars, I heard many of these same reports first hand. Clients often left feeling calmer and less burdened. At the same time, I saw how those changes sometimes faded quickly.

This was one of the main reasons I transitioned to the Yuen Method. It's an approach that doesn’t just ease symptoms for a time, but works directly on the energetic root causes of problems.

That’s where I’ve found transformation that lasts.

Curious about the difference? Learn more about the Yuen Method here, or book a free 15-minute introduction call.

Video Presentations of Access Bars Studies

Practitioners of Access Bars often share videos like this to illustrate their perspective. I include them here so you can see how they present their work, though I now practice differently, with the Yuen Method.

Download my free guide: 3 Questions to Ask Before Choosing Any Healing Modality