Emotional Freedom Technique About EFT Tapping #1

About EFT Tapping

The EFT Tapping Story

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, tells us, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a form of counseling intervention that stimulates acupressure points by pressuring, tapping, or rubbing these points while focusing on situations that represent personal fear or traumata. EFT draws on various theories of alternative medicine – including acupuncture, neuro-linguistic programming, energy medicine, and Thought Field Therapy (TFT). EFT also combines elements of exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and somatic stimulation. It is best known through Gary Craig’s EFT Handbook, published in the late 1990s, and related books and workshops by a variety of teachers. EFT and similar techniques are often discussed under the umbrella term “energy psychology.””

The Tapping Process

During a typical EFT session, the person will focus on a specific issue while tapping on “end points of the body’s energy meridians.” EFT tapping exercises combine elements of cognitive restructuring and exposure techniques with acupoint stimulation.[9] The technique instructs individuals to tap on meridian endpoints of the body – such as the top of the head, eye brows, under eyes, side of eyes, chin, collar bone, and under the arms. While tapping, they recite specific phrases that target an emotional component of a physical symptom.

According to the EFT manual, the procedure consists of the participant rating the emotional intensity of their reaction on a Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) – i.e., a Likert scale for subjective measures of distress, calibrated 0 to 10 – then repeating an orienting affirmation while rubbing or tapping specific points on the body. Some practitioners incorporate eye movements or other tasks. The emotional intensity is then rescored and repeated until no changes are noted in the emotional intensity.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

According to the Kaiser Permanente organization, “Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a method some people use to help manage emotions and troubling thoughts. They may also use it to lower their stress and anxiety. For example, EFT may help calm you if you’re feeling angry. Or it may help ease your thoughts if you’re worried about something.

“EFT is also called tapping. This is because to do EFT, you tap your fingertips on certain points on your hand, head, and torso. The points you tap on for EFT are like those used in acupuncture.

“Experts don’t agree on how well EFT works. And it shouldn’t replace going to see a health professional for serious issues like depression and trauma.”

How You Can Practice EFT

You can practice Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or simply Tapping, whenever you are feeling stressed, upset, or angry. Many who practice EFT find that it helps them bring their emotions in line and, generally, just feel better about life and the events around them.

To apply EFT in your own life, follow these basic steps:

Think of an issue or problem that is bothering you; making you feel bad. This could be any issue, physical, logical, emotional or otherwise. For example, it could be something you are feeling stressed, angry, anxious or even sad about.

Estimate how deeply this issue is affecting how you feel. Rate how bad you feel due to this issue on a scale of 1 to 10. Zero would mean you do not feel bad at all. One is a little bit bad. But a score of ten means you feel really terrible about the issue. Write down this number in order to reference it later. Also write down how you would describe your issue.

Next, write a statement of self-acceptance. For example, you could say, “Even though I feel anxious about my appointment tomorrow, I truly and completely accept myself as I am.” Or you might say, “Though my friend abondoned me, I am deeply and completely accepting of myself.”

Now begin by tapping with your first or second finger (or both) of one hand repeatedly on the edge of the palm of your other hand, just below your little finger. While you are tapping, say your statement of self-acceptance out loud, repeating it three times.

Follow this by tapping on each of the rest of these points on your body, one at a time.

While you tap, state your issue over again three times. For example, you might repeat “anxious about my appointment” or “my friend abandoned me”, whatever the core of your self-acceptance statement is. Tap on each point in this list in the order given.

top center of your head
inside edge of one eyebrow
outside edge of one eye

the bone underneath one eye
between your nose and upper lip
between your lower lip and chin

beneath one collarbone*
under one armpit**

*Find the indent below the inside edge of your collarbone.
** Pick a spot about 4 inches below your armpit.

When you are finished tapping on each of these points, measure how you feel about your issue on the same scale used earlier.

Repeat these steps if necessary. Continue tapping until you can give your issue a lower number, or until you feel better.

Additional EFT Tapping Links

Gary Craig: The EFT Manual.

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