What is EFT Tapping?
EFT Tapping sometimes gets dismissed as ‘airy-fairy,’ but my mission is to flip that assumption on its head.
With over two decades of peer-reviewed, clinical research supporting its effectiveness, EFT is an absolute game changer. I’ve seen it create meaningful, lasting change for people on so many levels - both personally and professionally.
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What is EFT?
EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques – it’s often simply called Tapping because it involves tapping gently with the fingertips on pressure points on the face and upper body.
At its core, EFT is a stress reduction technique that helps us step out of the stress response and calm the mind and body, it can be used on a wide range of physical and emotional issues
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How does Tapping work?
EFT Tapping is considered a somatic therapy because, unlike more traditional talk therapies, it engages both the mind and body.
The technique involves tapping gently on a simple series of pressure points on the face and upper body whilst using words to explore the issue you’re working on (the points used in tapping come from Traditional Chinese Medicine and are the same as those used in approaches such as acupuncture, I will explain more about this in a future article).
Researchers around the world are working to build an understanding of how exactly tapping works, one of the principal explanations coming from clinical studies is that the physical act of tapping sends a calming signal to the brain (through reducing the production of the stress hormone cortisol) letting it know that it is safe to relax around whatever stressor you’re facing.
In peer-reviewed, randomised controlled trials (the gold standard in clinical research) cortisol production in the body has been shown to reduce by up to 43% following a 60 minute EFT session [1].
This infographic highlights some of the areas that have been studied in clinical trials and the impact of EFT Tapping on them:
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The EFT Tapping Process
When we use EFT Tapping, we do two things:
1. We focus our attention on whatever is causing us stress/strong emotions (through what we say)
2. We tap gently on the EFT Tapping points in sequence
Tapping on the points sends a calming signal to the stress centre of the brain (the amygdala) & reduces cortisol (one of the key stress hormones).
Our brain gets the message that it is safe to relax around the stressor in question, taking the ‘emotional charge’ out of what we’re experiencing & updating the brain’s learning pathways with a new ‘story’.
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What can Tapping help with?
EFT can be applied to most issues that you would work on in a traditional talk therapy setting and also those that you would work on in a coaching setting (e.g. life coaching or business coaching).
EFT can be practiced on your own or with the support of a qualified practitioner. It is great for managing day-to-day stresses on your own. However, for addressing serious issues or past trauma, it's best to work with a trained practitioner to ensure safe and effective progress.
If you’re curious about what happens in an EFT Tapping session, check out this step-by-step guide that explains it.
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Here are some examples of issues Tapping can be used for:
Stress and anxiety
Procrastination and productivity
Enhancing creativity (e.g., overcoming writer’s block)
Professional development (e.g., public speaking, impostor syndrome)
Coping with life transitions (e.g., new jobs, parenthood, grief/loss)
Blocks around money/finances
Health and wellbeing goals
Breaking unhelpful habits (e.g. food cravings)
Chronic pain
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Key benefits of EFT Tapping
It’s a safe, non-invasive approach
It’s easy to learn
It can be done anywhere and doesn’t require any special equipment
You can use it by yourself or with a practitioner - depending on what you’re working on
It can be used on a wide range of both physical and emotional issues
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Find out more…
So that, in a nutshell, is what EFT Tapping is and how it works!
I use EFT with individuals and organisations to help them reduce stress, overcome challenges and create happier more balanced lives.
If you would like to find out more about how Tapping can help you or your business, book a free discovery call or get in touch via the contact page!
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