EFT stands for “Emotional Freedom Technique.” It has also been referred to as “Tapping,” “Meridian Therapy,” “Thought Field Therapy,” and “Emotional Acupuncture.” Whatever you call it, I have been using it successfully with my clients for over 3 years now with great results.
My clients report feeling a sense of relief even after their first session. After a few sessions, my clients describe feeling more relaxed and events that used to upset them from the past have now lost their emotional charge. They are now moving forward with clearing their painful emotions for good.
EFT is a simple, painless, technique that has been used to successfully relieve numerous mental and physical conditions. I have used it to treat clients experiencing anxiety, stress, overwhelm, anger, guilt and trauma. It can also be used to treat addiction, pain, insomnia, and weight issues.
How does it work?
Gary Craig, the developer of the technique, refers to it as a “Body/Mind, self-help method, combining a gentle touch together with mindful attention to thoughts and feelings.”
According to Gary, negative emotions are linked to a disruption in the body’s energy system, therefore, the tapping on the meridian points re-aligns the energy system. It clears the disruptions in the energy systems that are related to unresolved emotional issues.
I have heard it explained as having a “clogged drain.” The debris that is clogging the drain is keeping the “flow” of energy in our body from passing through smoothly which causes a disruption” in our system. The disruption is a direct result of past experiences we encountered in our life not being released at the time we experienced the upsetting event. We “stored” the experiences in our body and have been carrying them around unconsciously.
As a result, our energy system is now blocked and we have developed emotional and physical symptoms. Once the blocks are cleared through EFT, we experience a feeling of peace and our health can be restored.
How to do EFT
The technique involves gentle tapping, by the client, with their fingertips on certain acupuncture points on their face and body while being mindful of an issue they would like to resolve.
While tapping, the client focuses on an event. The clinician’s job is to lead the tapping session while watching for any emotions or physical reactions they might see or hear. The clinician will use your words as you go through tapping “rounds” together.
The clinician is trained to be able to observe the slightest changes while tapping with you. Your job is to follow along and repeat the words. That’s it! You will start to experience cognitive shifts in your thinking about the events as emotional releases occur.
As a result of the tapping on the meridian points, the emotion becomes “un-charged” or de-activated so you begin to feel more relaxed and calm.
Most EFT practitioners use 8 tapping points (head, eye area, nose, chin, chest, and under arm). They begin a session by tapping on the side of the hand called the “Karate-Chop” point. This point is used for the “Set-up” statement only. This is where we state what it is we will be tapping on so it can register in the mind and body.
We then go through the other tapping points on the head and body talking about the issue. This procedure is called “rounds”. The amount of rounds we do is dependent on how the body responds during the prior rounds.
Before you begin a tapping session, the clinician will visit with you and get some background information. The initial EFT session is similar to traditional therapy because they will talk about past events in order to know where to start tapping.
It’s the stories that you have been telling yourself, your “limiting beliefs” that they will help you focus on and ultimately clear. It does differ, however, because they will be focusing on the energy systems in order to release the disruptions related to each memory.
Tapping is a relatively simple technique to learn. Once you learn it, you can use it on your own to bring yourself to a state of calm. Working with a practitioner is recommended when you want to work toward clearing those deep-rooted beliefs that you have been carrying with you.
All in all, it is simple to learn, you can do it on your own, and you will begin to feel the results rather quickly.
For more information about EFT, contact Krista Kilbane at https://www.suitablesolutionstherapy.com.
Article by Krista Kilbane
Krista Kilbane is a psychotherapist and EFT practitioner. Her passion and life’s purpose is to assist people, like you, to live beyond their limiting beliefs and in doing so, find their truth! Krista has worked in the mental health field for over 15 years and was a Special Education Teacher in the State of Texas for over 6 years.