EFT tapping
Emotional Freedom Techniques What is it?
emotional freedom techniques
Emotional Freedom Techniques is most commonly referred to as Tapping or EFT these days.
EFT Tapping is actually a range of techniques
The techniques vary from simple ones you can use on yourself to advanced techniques which are best facilitated by a certified EFT Practitioner.
EFT can be used for self care, working with individual clients & in groups.
It’s unique in that clients don’t need to share the stories of their upsetting experiences. In EFT we focus on the clients emotions and body sensations, not the stories behind them.
This is great for our clients as repeating traumatic stories generally isn’t helpful. It is good for the practitioner too, as this reduces the likelihood of developing vacarious trauma from regularly hearing traumatic stories.
Study 2
The second study I would like to share with you looks at Psychological Symptom change in Veterans after 6 sessions of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT Tapping). The results summary:
+ Overall symptom severity reduced 40%
+ PTSD symptoms reduced 50%
+ Anxiety reduced 46%
+ Depression reduced 49%
+ Pain reduced 57%
Evidence Based
EFT Tapping is an evidence based, mind body, stress reduction therapeutic tool.
EFT has been researched extensively with hundred of papers published in peer reviewed journals.
I’d like to share a visual summary of just two of the studies with you. These studies display the kind of results EFT Tapping can acheive for yourself & your clients. You are able to look these and other results of EFT Tapping research online.
Study 1
The first study looks at changes in Physiological Markers of Health using EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques). The findings summary:
+ Anxiety reduced by 40%
+ PTSD Symptoms reduced by 32%
+ Depression reduced 35%
+ Cortisol reduced 37%
+ Pain decreased by 57%
+ Blood Pressure decreased by 8%
+ Cravings decreased by 74%
+ Happiness increased by 31%
+ Immune System Markers increased by 113%
Mind/Body
EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques) works on the mind & the body at the same time. You can see from the research above that the use of EFT Tapping has an impact physiologically as well as psychologically.
With the most current understandings of trauma, we know that trauma is stored in the body. Traditional talk therapy or exposure therapy often provides little reduction in a persons experience of trauma symptoms.
Yet with EFT Tapping long term results for trauma & PTSD can be achieved gently without a client even having to share their upsetting story.
In EFT Tapping we recognise that the mind & the body respond together. They aren’t separate.
Consider:
When you feel anxiety, where do you feel it in your body?
When you feel unwell, what emotions do you feel?
What does EFT Tapping involve?
When you use EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques), you primarily focus on emotions & physical sensations. You tap on specific acupuncture points while focussing on the discomfort or the thing you want to change.
Tapping on these points allows the fight or flight system to relax & stress hormones (like cortisol) to decrease. As a result you can feel more relaxed, happier & think more clearly.
EFT Tapping incorporates aspects of mindfulness, cognitive processing, exposure & somatic (physical) stimulation.
