EFT (Tapping) : Part I
EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), commonly referred to as Tapping, is a simple yet very effective technique for releasing what doesn’t serve us. It can be used for anything from unhealthy habits to addictions, fears to trauma, pain to anxiety, and anything in between.
I became interested in EFT when a colleague offered an introductory training. With a combination of EFT and Chi Gong she cured herself of Lyme Disease, so I was intrigued. I found it fascinating that so much change could happen in such a short amount of time with such a simple technique. I was so impressed with my experience during this class I decided to get a full certification so I could help my clients achieve profound change.
It’s all Energy
Like with acupuncture, EFT is based upon the understanding that everything is energy, including our bodies. Pain, illness and life’s difficulties stem from blockages in the energy system. With acupuncture, the meridians, or energy lines, of the body are activated or calmed by placing fine needles on specific points. The energy is then moved, balanced and restored.
EFT combines activation (tapping or holding) of points on these meridians with awareness of issues and emotions, but without needles. This allows blockages to open and stuff that’s not helping to move out. It can happen quite quickly, much more so than hours and hours of counseling sessions. It’s also generally much less intense than talking about issues for an extended time, and is self-administered…even while working with a practitioner, no one need touch you. You can read more about EFT on my web page: EFT / Tapping.
Simple and Effective
The technique is simple, and you can find a plethora of tutorials and videos online to learn how to incorporate this practice into your daily life. Sites like TheTappingSolution.com offer a lot of free information and examples, and there are books available on the subject. Gary Craig, the creator of the original EFT, also has much information, and many examples of how tapping has worked with specific people. It’s a great technique for decreasing stress, and I teach it to my clients and groups for this purpose.
So why would you choose to work with a practitioner if you can do it yourself? Great question. There are a few reasons:
~Sometimes we have great intentions, but just don’t make time to do the things we know will be helpful. Making an appointment helps you be accountable to yourself for doing the work.
~Many things can shift quickly with EFT. Sometimes they will stay in the improved state indefinitely, but often our issues are connected to something deeper and if we don’t remove the deeper issue, things can creep back in. Working with someone can help to identify the root cause.
~It’s easy to get distracted or to look for an easy way out of addressing the key issues, and working with someone helps you to identify the issues and keep you on track.
~Sometimes as we work through issues and feelings, the deeper stuff can arise and feel overwhelming. A trained practitioner can recognize this happening and both steer things in the right direction and make adjustments in order to prevent re-traumatization.
More about EFT…
EFT really is an amazing tool…easy to learn and do, non-invasive and powerful. There’s a lot of research showing it’s effectiveness, and the Veterans’ Administration supports and uses it in their programs Veterans Stress Project. I’d love to answer any questions you may have about it. While in person sessions are definitely preferred by some while working with a practitioner, because it’s self-performed it can actually be done quite effectively online, or even over the phone, once the points and protocol are known and understood.
Next time I’ll talk about ways to adjust your own EFT work, what it means if you get stuck, why it might not be working the way you’d like and how to create more change. Happy tapping!