Learn more about the EFT method or Tapping Therapy and how to release emotions.
The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a revolutionary method that offers treatment for physical and emotional pain and illness.
Without using needles, this form of acupuncture uses fingertips to stimulate energy points on the body. It was developed by Gary Craig and can be easily practiced almost anywhere on the body. This healing method arises from the idea that “the root cause of allnegative emotionsis a disruption in the body’s energy system.”
History of Tapping Therapy; EFT:
A chance discovery led to a healing revolution, introduced to the world by Gary Craig in 1997. He insists that he is not a psychologist and has no treatment license, advising all who want to learn this therapy to never practice it without legal authorization.
He learned the principles of this method from Dr. Callahan and extensively used NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) to enhance his practice.
In Iran, several terms are used to refer to EFT, including:
- Needle-free Acupuncture
- Tapping Therapy
- Tapping Treatment
- Tapping Solution
- Tapping
However, the most accurate term is still EFT. In Iran, it was introduced to people in 2005 by Farhad Foroughmand, a chemical engineer who, like Gary Craig, states he is not a doctor and advises individuals without treatment licenses not to use this method for therapy.
EFT has undergone many changes over the years, but its core aspect remains the same. If you notice differences in how it is applied,
it’s due to updates, and until 2017, there was no comprehensive and unified guideline for its training. Since then, Gary Craig has been striving to standardize it and publishes its standards at the beginning of each calendar year.
What is EFT or the Emotional Freedom Technique?
As explained in the health section ofSelMagzthis technique involves gently tapping two fingers on the fleshy parts of the hands. When these blockages are released, troubling emotions will be freed and allowed to flow in the body. The process begins with stating what the problem is and involves a full acceptance and acknowledgment.
To start, one should say phrases like, “Even though I have this (fear), I deeply accept myself,” allowing them to modify the statement to say, “I want to learn to accept myself” or “I want to embrace who I am.”
As the practitioner taps on the point, they repeat these statements three times and then focus on the feeling (fear) in their body, rating it in intensity from one to ten.
Then, simultaneously saying “this fear,” they tap on points around the face. This can be done repeatedly until the fear rates as zero on the scale of one to ten. When the fear is gone, the practitioner guides them to feel other fears that arise from various aspects of the same situation or other emotional states.
The EFT process consists of five stages:
EFT can be divided into five stages, and if you have more than one issue or fear, you can repeat this sequence to alleviate or reduce the intensity of your negative feelings.
1. Identify the problem
For this technique to be effective, you must first identify the problem.
This will be your focal point while tapping, and focusing on only one issue at a time will enhance the outcome.
2. Test the initial intensity
After identifying your problem area, you need to determine the baseline intensity level. This intensity is rated on a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is the worst or most difficult, and measures your level of emotional or physical discomfort from your focal issue.
Creating a baseline helps you track your progress after completing a full EFT sequence. If your initial intensity was a 10 before tapping and decreased to a 5 after, you could see a 50% improvement.
3. Setup
Before tapping, you should articulate a statement that explains your intention regarding what you are addressing.
This should focus on two main objectives:
- Acknowledging the issues
- Accepting yourself despite the problem
A common phrase is: “Even though I have this fear or issue, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
You can modify this statement to suit your issue. For example, you could say, “Even though my mother is sick, I deeply and completely accept myself.” You need to focus on the feelings you have regarding the distress from that situation, ideally resolving it by stating, “Even though I am upset that my mother is ill, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
4. The EFT Tapping Sequence
There are 12 main EFT points mirroring each side of the body, corresponding to one internal organ, but EFT mainly focuses on these 9 points:
KC (Karate Chop Point):
Small Intestine Meridian
Top of Head (TH):
Central Meridian
Eyebrow (EB):
Bladder Meridian
Side of the Eye (SE):
Gallbladder Meridian
Under Eye (UE):
Central Meridian
Under Nose (UN):
Chin (Ch):
Central Meridian
Collarbone (CB):
Kidney Meridian
Under Arm (UA):
Meridian Points
SpleenWhile tapping on the Karate Chop point, read your setup statement three times, then tap on each point below seven times, moving down the body in this order:
Eyebrow
- Side of Eye
- Under Eye
- Under Nose
- Chin
- Start of Collarbone
- Under Arm
- After tapping the Under Arm point, finish the sequence at the top of the Head point.
While tapping on the ascending points, repeat a reminder phrase to maintain focus on your issue. If your setup statement is, “Even though I feel sad that my mother is sick, I deeply and completely accept myself,” your reminder phrase might be, “The sadness I feel because my mother is sick.”
Read this phrase at each tapping point and repeat the sequence two or three times.
5. Test the final intensity
At the end of your sequence, evaluate your intensity level on a scale from 0 to 10, and compare your results with your initial intensity. If you haven’t reached 0, repeat the process.
The Science Behind EFT:
Like many healing arts that draw on ancient wisdom, this technique has faced skepticism from many doctors and psychologists who quickly dismissed it, despite abundant anecdotal evidence from practitioners and individuals who have used EFT alone.
Research at the prestigious Harvard University over the past decade has shown that
stressand the brain’s response to fear, controlled by a region of your brain called the amygdala, can be reduced through stimulating the meridian points used in acupuncture.While these studies focused on acupuncture and, thus, involved needles, follow-up double-blind research demonstrated that stimulation through tapping yields a similar response!Dr. Church’s team conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine how a one-hour tapping session impacts stress levels in 83 individuals. To do this, Dr. Church and his team measured cortisol levels, the hormone released when experiencing stress.Their findings included a mean cortisol reduction of 24%, with some individuals experiencing reductions close to 50%! In comparison, those who underwent an hour of traditional therapy showed no significant decrease in cortisol levels.
How can we apply tapping therapy in our lives?
Millions of people don’t know how to achieve a happy and fulfilling life. They accept a lifestyle filled with emotional wounds, chronic physical pain, compulsions, and addiction, or perhaps just a hollow feeling inside, living hopelessly.
If, like many others, you feel trapped in this cycle and are exhausted from feeling discomfort,
depression
,
anxiety, dissatisfaction, and discontent, and you are tired of ineffective and expensive treatments, yearning for growth and flourishing, letting go of the past,you want to be your best self and feel calm in everyday life, tapping therapy can help you achieve that!This method is simple and accessible for everyone. While tapping therapy is meant to transform health and wellness, its therapeutic concepts have been applied in Eastern medicine for over 5000 years.Your body is more powerful than you think… filled with life, energy, and a remarkable ability for self-healing, tapping therapy inspires you and teaches you how to embrace that power and make the most of it for your healing.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness with Tapping Therapy
Emotional Release
