EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping)

EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique or Tapping founded in the 1990s by Gary Craig, is based on the philosophy that “the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”

EFT’s foundation comes from a common sense blend of Acupuncture and Mind-Body Medicine, both of which have decades of scientific studies supporting them. Their effectiveness has been so profound that prestigious institutions such as Stanford, Harvard, and many other universities, clinics, and hospitals have chosen to use and/or study them.”

EFT borrows from the Chinese meridian system. While Acupuncture, Acupressure, etc. have been primarily focused on physical ailments, EFT stands back from this process and also points it at emotional issues. These, in turn, often provide benefits for performance and physical issues.

Although EFT is related to Acupuncture and Acupressure, EFT does not use needles. Rather, it uses a simple two-pronged process:

1. You are directed to mentally “tune in” to specific issues while
2. Stimulating certain meridian points on the body by tapping on them with your fingertips.

Properly done, EFT appears to balance disturbances in the meridian system and thus often reduces conventional therapy procedures from months or years down to minutes or hours.

The basic Tapping process is easy to learn, can be done anywhere, and can be used to provide impressive do-it-yourself results. (The Gary Craig Official EFT Training Centers)

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It’s also referred to as Tapping or Psychological Acupressure. Similar to Acupuncture, EFT focuses on the meridian points—or energy hot spots—to restore balance to your body’s energy. It is believed that restoring this energy balance can relieve symptoms a negative experience or emotion may have caused.

Based on Chinese medicine, meridian points are thought of as areas of the body energy flows through. These pathways help balance energy flow to maintain your health. Any imbalance can influence disease or sickness.

Acupuncture uses needles to apply pressure to these energy points. EFT uses fingertip tapping to apply pressure.

It is believed that tapping your body in this systematic way can create a balance in your energy system and treat pain. According to its developer, Gary Craig, a disruption in energy is the cause of all negative emotions and pain.

Tapping has been used to effectively treat people with anxiety and people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A Quick Overview of the 5 Steps in the EFT Process:

1. Identify the issue – What is the issue or fear you have? (Focusing on one at a time)
2. Test the initial intensity – Set a benchmark level of intensity on a scale from 1 – 10. This helps you monitor your progress.
3. The set-up – Establish a phrase that explains what you’re trying to address. Two main goals: acknowledge the issue and accepting yourself despite the problem.
4. EFT Tapping sequence – Methodic gentle tapping on the ends of 9 meridian points: outside bottom of your hand, top of the head, eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, chin, beginning of the collarbone, and under the arm.
5. Test the final intensity – Rate your intensity again and compare it to your initial intensity level.