Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as ‘tapping’, uses certain meridian points as a way to help relax the body, calm the mind and nourish the soul.

In The Tapping Solution, Nick Ortner explains meridians as: “…the basis of the ancient Chinese medical system of acupuncture, defined as energy channels that carry the vital life force [some call this prana or qi], to the organs and other systems of the body.’

Unlike acupuncture, tapping is a non-invasive technique, that can have astonishing results. Some sceptics still label this concept as “woo-woo” but according to Ortner and others, there’s real research behind this, particularly in helping to manage both the amygdala (the brain’s alarm system involved in the stress response) and pain in the body. EFT is thought to tell the brain’s ‘threat’ system that there is no problem.

Studies from Harvard Medical School, for example, show that EFT releases endorphins (“feel-good” hormones) and in one study group, participants were found to have a significantly lower level of cortisol (a stress hormone) when practicing EFT.

EFT also recognises the way that Mind, Body and Soul are connected, e.g. how the psychological affects the physical. Jennifer Partridge explains more about the science in this video (may include promotional content).

The Origins of EFT

What we know as Emotional Freedom Technique today is thought to have originated with a doctor called Roger Callahan, and includes a famous story about a woman called Mary. The story explains that Dr Callahan was a trained psychologist and Mary was terrified of water – not just swimming, but even bathing her own children. This had been going on for as long as she could remember. The story continues that Dr Callahan had tried every technique that psychiatrists and psychologists accepted, but Mary’s phobia was making little progress.

In one session, Mary apparently revealed to Dr Callahan that thinking of water caused a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. Dr Callahan remembered his understanding of meridians and that the stomach ‘end point’ was just below the eye. So he asked Mary to tap that spot with her finger tips. After just a few minutes, Mary exclaimed that the terrible feeling had gone. And it never returned.

Dr Callahan described his work in this area as “Thought Field Therapy (TFT)” with a set of ‘algorithms’ to work with all types of conditions.

After learning and using these ‘algorithms’, one of Dr Callahan’s students called Gary Craig realised that the sequence of the tapping isn’t as important as simply doing the tapping.

Craig then created a sequence which is the basis of what he later called ‘Emotional Freedom Technique’ and what most practitioners generally use today.

EFT of course is rooted in Ancient Chinese Medicine, which has a 3000 year history.

We can think of EFT as helping reboot our personal energy system in relation to the issue at hand, similar to the way we reboot a computer, which has crashed. EFT can help us reset our personal energy system little by little at a pace that is right for us. Once our system begins “rebalancing” as we tap, we usually start feeling better – more relaxed, peaceful and serene – in relation to our specific problem or issue. – Gary Craig

SUDs

One of the key parts of EFT is being specific; not just about what you want to change (e.g. a pain or the intensity of an emotion), but where it is in your body and how you want to feel.

Similar to other ways of measuring pain, EFT also asks us to give the pain (or emotion) a “SUDS” level – “Subjective Units of Distress’: 0 – 10 (10 being awful/unbearable).

Once you’ve decided the SUD level, you then might take a deep breath and speak phrases, while tapping on certain points, usually in the upper body. The statement usually begins with labelling the struggle and then speaking an affirmation: “Even though (e.g. I have this headache)… I deeply and completely accept myself” – this initial statement is then repeated three times while ‘tapping’ on the side of the hand.

A person then moves through the EFT points moving and reframing the statement to finish with something like “I’m letting go of this headache now”. Then perhaps take another deep break and check the SUDS level again to consider if the pain has decreased.

Jessica Ortner explains tapping points in this video (may include promotional content).

Who is EFT for?

EFT is essentially for anyone. There have been some interesting discussions recently that EFT can be useful for PTSD and significant pain management, as well as toning the ‘vagus nerve’. EFT may be particularly useful in managing stress and helping to release intense emotions.

Nick Ortner walks through a tapping activity in this video, for help with anxiety (may include promotional content). Always speak to your healthcare team if you’re worried about your health and well-being or have any concerns about trying a new technique.

There are lots of ways we can look at helping ourselves when we are navigating difficulty, whether that’s keeping a journal, exploring our dreams or trying mindfulness, all of which can help us improve or maintain our physical, mental and spiritual health. EFT may be one option to explore.

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Delphi is the author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now on Amazon and Hive.  You might also like (Monthly) Monday Mojo™. The Helping You Sparkle™ magazine is part of the Helping You Sparkle™ portfolio. References to third parties does not endorse their content. Please read these policies for details.