What is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)?

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), often called tapping, is a mind-body therapy that blends psychological principles with acupressure. EFT involves gentle tapping on specific meridian points (used in acupuncture) while focusing on emotional challenges or negative experiences. The premise is that this combination disrupts and releases energetic blockages associated with emotions, promoting healing and emotional well-being.

History of EFT

EFT stems from Thought Field Therapy (TFT), developed by psychologist Dr. Roger Callahan in the 1980s. Gary Craig simplified and streamlined the process, creating EFT, making it more accessible for wider use.

How Can EFT Help You?

EFT is used to address a range of emotional and stress-related concerns:

• Managing Anxiety and Stress: EFT can reduce anxiety levels, promote stress relief, and induce a sense of calm.
• Trauma and Phobias: EFT can be used to process traumatic experiences, diminish the intensity of phobias, and reduce negative responses.
• Negative Thought Patterns: EFT helps disrupt limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns.
• Physical Discomfort: While not its primary focus, EFT may help lower perceptions of pain associated with emotional distress.
• Holistic Wellness: EFT promotes an increased connection between mind and body, improving emotional well-being.

What is EFT Good For?

EFT can be explored as a tool for:

• Emotional Freedom: The goal of EFT is to release negative emotions and promote a state of emotional freedom and calmness.
• Managing Daily Stress: EFT offers techniques for coping with stress in the moment or managing ongoing anxiety patterns.
• Personal Growth: EFT facilitates addressing emotional blockages that might hinder personal growth and self-awareness.
• Complementary Therapy: EFT may be used alongside conventional therapy for emotional issues.
• Improving Performance: EFT can help athletes, performers, and others manage pre-performance anxiety.

Benefits of EFT

Practitioners and users of EFT report several potential benefits:

• Emotional Regulation: EFT helps manage negative emotions, leading to greater emotional balance.
• Stress Reduction: The calming effect of EFT supports stress reduction and promotes relaxation.
• Reduced Pain Sensitivity: EFT may help manage pain associated with emotional distress.
• Enhanced Self-awareness: EFT can be a tool for greater understanding of emotional patterns and underlying causes.
• Accessibility and Simplicity: EFT techniques can be learned and used for self-care.

What to Expect from EFT with a Practitioner

EFT sessions typically involve:

• Identifying the Issue: You’ll discuss the specific emotion, concern, or physical discomfort you’d like to address.
• Tapping Sequence: The practitioner guides you through tapping specific meridian points in a structured pattern.
• Focusing on the Issue: While tapping, you’ll focus on the negative emotion or experience.
• Re-evaluation: The intensity of the issue is reassessed, and the tapping sequence is repeated if required.

How to Do EFT by Yourself

Basic EFT tapping can be learned for self-use:

• Identify Your Focus: Choose a specific emotion or issue to address.
• Learn the Tapping Points: There are online tutorials and diagrams outlining the standard meridian points used in EFT.
• Tap and Talk: Tap on each point while verbalizing your concern or negative memory.
• Assess and Repeat: Notice changes in emotional intensity and repeat the rounds as needed.

Similar Modalities to EFT

Other modalities share similarities with EFT’s tapping approach or energetic focus:

• Acupuncture: Both utilize meridian points, although acupuncture uses needles for stimulation.
• Thought Field Therapy (TFT): The precursor to EFT, TFT employs a tapping sequence but is more complex.
• Mindfulness-Based Practices: Mindfulness, like EFT, can foster emotional awareness.

Final Thoughts

EFT offers a unique blend of mind-body techniques for promoting emotional well-being, stress reduction, and personal growth. Its potential for self-application makes EFT an accessible tool for those interested in exploring holistic healing practices.

Scientific References

While EFT’s research base is growing, more rigorous studies are needed. Here are a few resources:

• Church, D., & Brooks, A. J. (2010). The effect of a brief Emotional Freedom Techniques self-intervention on anxiety, depression, pain and cravings in healthcare workers. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), 9(1), 40–47.
• Bach, D., Groesbeck, G., Stapleton, P., Sims, R., Blickheuser, K., & Church, D. (2019). Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine, 24, 2515690X19827480.
• Karatzias, T., Power, K., Brown, K., McGoldrick, T., Begum, M., Young, J., Loughran, P., Chouliara, Z., & Adams, S. (2011). A controlled comparison of the effectiveness and efficiency of two psychological therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing vs. emotional freedom techniques. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 199(6), 372-378.

Recommended Reading

• The Tapping Solution: A Revolutionary System for Stress-Free Living by Nick Ortner (2013). Ortner, N. (2013). The tapping solution: A revolutionary system for stress-free living. Hay House, Inc.
• Getting Thru to Your Emotions with EFT: How to Clear Emotional Blockages Quickly and Easily by Dawson Church (2013). Church, D. (2013). Getting thru to your emotions with EFT: How to clear emotional blockages quickly and easily. Energy Psychology Press.
• The EFT Manual by Dawson Church (2017). Church, D. (2017). The EFT manual. Energy Psychology Press.