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November 28, 2023
Tapping into Emotional Resilience: The Healing Benefits of EFT Tapping
Are you familiar with EFT tapping and its numerous benefits for physical and psychological well-being? I had a vague awareness of it when I first discovered it a few years ago while trying to address some body image issues I was facing. However, like many of us, I didn’t fully absorb the information. This time, though, when EFT crossed my path again, I made a conscious effort to be consistent and incorporate the technique into my morning routine. The results have been truly transformative. So, let’s delve into it!
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as “tapping,” is an evidence-based therapeutic practice. It combines cognitive behavioral therapies, exposure therapy, and acupressure. This technique involves tapping on specific meridian points in the body to address emotional and psychological issues. By tapping on the body’s meridian points and using methodologies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBT), individuals can mindfully confront their distressing emotions or trauma. This process helps them find ways to be present with their emotions, ultimately alleviating the heaviness they carry and bringing emotional balance to their body’s energy systems. Tapping has actually been found to lower levels of pain, depression, and anxiety while boosting happiness and overall quality of life. It also has some pretty amazing physiological effects like heart rate variability, heart coherence, blood pressure, and the endocrine and immune systems.
The challenges we face in life have a significant impact and often serve as our greatest teachers, although we tend to view them negatively. However, it is our response to adversity that truly shapes the power in our lives. This concept goes beyond a metaphor, as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) demonstrates its truth on a neurobiological level. The more we are willing to process our emotional pain, the stronger we become emotionally- I’m grateful to bare witness to this!
EFT has taught me the invaluable lesson of confronting difficult emotions directly and efficiently. While there is value in slowing down and processing emotions with self-compassion, I have personally spent too much time overthinking and dwelling on things longer than necessary. This has led to repeating unhelpful habits during the prolonged process of addressing my emotions. EFT has been one of the most profound yet simple tools in my healing journey. It has allowed me to respond differently and, with consistent practice (the key to anything), I have genuinely felt a sense of lightness, peace, and empowerment in taking control of my life experiences.
To start an EFT practice, there are several readily available resources you can find in our content library, as well as videos, blogs, and YouTube. Clinical EFT is an option and you can also work with a professional on a one-on-one basis, but I personally found these free and accessible resources helpful when I was getting started. Below is a quick breakdown that will guide you through the basic steps of tapping.
The five steps in tapping include identifying the problem, rating the level of distress (0-10), creating a setup statement, performing side-of-hand tapping, and using a tapping sequence with a reminder phrase. The process is repeated until the distress rating is reduced to 0 or 1.
- Identify a problem: Be specific and identify a troublesome thought, feeling, behavior, or physical discomfort.
- Rate the level of distress: On a scale of 1 to 10, rate the level of discomfort being experienced in the present moment.
- Setup statement and side-of-hand tapping: Create a two-part setup statement that includes an exposure statement and an acceptance statement. Repeat the setup statement while tapping the fleshy side of the hand connected to the pinkie finger.
- The exposure statement confronts the issue, and the acceptance statement addresses the current reality of the situation.
- EX: “Even though I am feeling shame because I don’t fit into my jeans right now, I completely love and accept myself.”
- Tapping sequence with reminder phrase: Tap each of the eight acupoints in sequence while repeating a reminder phrase from the exposure statement.
- EX: “Feeling shame.” “clothes no longer fit.”
- Re-rate the level of distress: Using the same scale, re-rate the level of distress. Repeat the tapping sequence until the distress rating is 0 or 1.
To further illustrate the tapping sequence, it is important to emphasize the need for research to find a practitioner who resonates with you or can provide greater understanding. This will enable you to better support yourself if you decide to implement tapping. You may want to search for additional resources such as “Tapping for beginners” or specific issues you are working through, for example “Tapping for emotional eating,” “Tapping for self-confidence,” or “Tapping for social anxiety.”
EFT tapping has had a profound impact on me, both physically and psychologically. By mindfully addressing my emotional and psychological issues by tapping on specific meridian points, I have found emotional balance and relieved the burdens I carried. In addition, the tools that have strengthened my self-awareness, such as therapy, meditation, journaling, and movement (avilable in our content library), have allowed me to identify patterns in my life that have been detrimental, and I can now recognize them when they emerge.
However, utilizing tapping provides a seamless method to promptly address and process these emotions and patterns, without the need to depend on other tools that may occasionally seem overwhelming. Therefore, the instant I detect negative body-talk, for example, I can swiftly initiate tapping on the side of my hand to initiate the calming of my nervous system. Whether it pertains to emotional eating, self-assurance, or social anxiety, tapping can serve as a potent and easeful instrument for healing and personal development. So, why not embark on a journey of self-discovery and witness the transformative effects firsthand?
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