Ever wonder how to get started with the Emotional Freedom Technique, otherwise known as EFT tapping invented by Gary Craig?
Well, I'm here to help with a simple free handout that you can read through here, or you can print the EFT tapping worksheet for ease of use. My hope for you is this will help to kick-start your journey to reduced stress hormones & a more balanced nervous system.
If you're interested in learning more about my EFT approach in general before reading about more of the details, check out my other post, Getting Rid of Anxiety: EFT.
I'd love to hear from you about your experience with EFT. If you're inclined to share your experience after giving this a try (or want to connect to ask any clarifying questions), I would greatly appreciate you sharing any comments or questions below and will do my best to respond to everyone. I can't wait to see how this process helps you!
For now, though, let's get into it. You're here because you want to cut to the chase and are ready to learn more.
Understanding EFT Tapping
EFT was developed by Gary Craig and shared publicly by him in the 1990s. Proven benefits of EFT include reducing anxiety, fears, phobias, limited beliefs and chronic pain, and many therapists use this technique as an alternative treatment with their clients.
What is EFT Tapping?
It is a unique technique that combines acupressure and psychology where you tap on different points of the body while verbally saying certain phrases that address a particular issue. This self-help tool rebalances the body's energy system and can be used anytime, anywhere.
The Science behind EFT Tapping
EFT tapping harnesses the power of the body's energy meridian points, stimulating them to bring about healing and emotional well-being. Research has shown that this technique can effectively reduce cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone. Studies have also demonstrated its effectiveness in managing anxiety, PTSD, and pain. The science behind EFT tapping lies in its ability to rewire the brain's response to stress, activating the body's relaxation response.
Getting Ready Using Your EFT Tapping Worksheet
Identifying the Issue
If you're reading this, I'm pretty sure this step won't be difficult, as you're probably here trying to get relief for something specific! What I suggest is that if this is your first time with EFT, you don't dive into your main issue at first. From my own experience with something new, trying to get relief for something important can have a lot of expectation surrounding it and make it difficult to just relax into the process.
So for the newbies and for the purpose of this guide, I'm going to use constricted breathing as the example issue. You can see a 10-minute video from Gary himself introducing a crowd to this here.
Getting to the Core of the Issue
With any issue, you will want to make sure that you are tapping on the core of the problem. With physical things, you can go at the problems more directly, but for emotional issues, you'll want to ask yourself some questions to make sure you're dealing with the true distress. In my post, Getting Rid of Anxiety: EFT (4 paragraphs down!) I go more in-depth on how to explore what specifically to tap on.
Measuring the Initial Intensity
Using constricted breathing as an example, take a deep breath in. On a scale from 1-10 (1 being no capacity at all, 10 being full capacity), how deeply do you feel you can breathe? Whatever your issue it, measure it and record it on your EFT Tapping Worksheet.
For emotional and physical pain issues, the same principle stands where 1 is the worst it gets, and 10 is perfectly healthy or feeling great.
A Final Note
One final note, there are variations on how to do this, so the EFT Tapping Worksheet and the guide I am giving you here is based on my personal experience. As you learn more about it, you'll see different people use different variations, and they all have merit. The best thing you can do is use what feels most comfortable for you.
Starting Your Session with the EFT Tapping Worksheet
Starting with the Karate Chop Point
This is where the tapping points, also known as meridian points that lay along 9 of the major meridians, actually come in. The first one is the karate chop point located in the middle of the outside edge of your palm, in between the bottom of your little finger and wrist.
Although Gary typically goes through the points on one side of the body, I like things to be balanced, so when there is a twin point (or the same point on the other side of the body), I always tap the points on both sides at one time. This is a personal preference and is totally up to you.
Setup Statement - Example Phrase
The basic structure is:
"Even though I ............. I completely and deeply love, forgive, and accept myself."
This is a common setup phrase, and you just add the pain, feeling, or issue in the middle. When I first started doing this, I'll admit that I felt awkward saying the "love, forgive, and accept myself" part, but I've found that the more I do this practice, the more I am able to feel into it and mean it. Determine what yours is and write it down on your EFT Tapping Worksheet.
So starting out, I tap both karate chop points together while saying my setup statement. In the case of having constricted breathing, I might say something like:
"Even though I feel constricted in my breathing, and it's making me feel tired, I completely and deeply love, forgive, and accept myself."
Reminder Phrase
Now you will continue through the rest of the points, starting at the Top of The Head. Right in the middle, tap with two or three fingers and say your reminder phrase, which should be a simplified version of your setup statement. In this case, you would just say "constricted breathing" as you tap a minimum of 5-7 times. Don't worry about getting the exact count, this is just a guide. If you notice you start becoming emotional while tapping at a certain point, my suggestion is to keep tapping on that point until the emotion has subsided some or you feel ready to move to the next point.
Moving Through the Points
After the 1. Karate Chop point and tapping on 2. Top of The Head, you'll go to each of these points in order while repeating your reminder phrase:
Measuring the Ending Intensity
After you have completed all of the points, one of the best things I have learned is to immediately focus on something else. If you have a special piece of jewelry that you wear, touch it and pay close attention to how it feels and what it looks like. If you have a pet, give them a hug, or simply get a glass of water and pay attention to your breathing. I find that this takes the pressure off of coming back to evaluate how effective the round has been. After a few minutes, check back in with yourself, and using the same scale you did in the beginning, rate your issue from 1-10 and record it on your EFT Tapping Worksheet.
It's likely that your rating will have improved. For some things, you can go down almost all the way to a 1 or 0 in just one round of tapping. For other issues, it takes several rounds. However, if you find that even several rounds aren't helping you shift anything, I highly suggest going back to the first step and making sure you are working with the real, core, issue. I know for me, talking it out with a friend or therapist can be really helpful in seeing what I'm dealing with from a new perspective.
Going Deeper
This process that I just detailed is a great starting point, and if you only ever used this form of EFT for the rest of your life, you would be better for it! With that said, if you're interested in something more dynamic, there are some more advanced approaches. For now, I won't detail them in full since Gary himself has already shared all of the techniques for you here and he is the best source for this information!
How Can EFT Tapping Improve My Life?
Like anything, EFT will only be a useful tool if you actually implement the tapping process in your life. I sometimes get frustrated with myself that even though I know how beneficial the practice is, and have years of experience, I still fail to use it on occasion (and sometimes for much longer than I care to admit!). So the best thing you can do is to combine the practice of EFT with your daily habits with the EFT Tapping Worksheet as a guide.
Implementing EFT on a Daily Basis
Something I did recently, because I was frustrated with how little I was working out, was to combine short bursts of exercising with every time I went to the bathroom. I'm a few weeks into this now, and I've been able to be really consistent with it and see the changes in my body. The best part is by doing it this way, it doesn't feel overwhelming at all and works very naturally into my daily routine. So see if you can think of something you do naturally throughout the day that you can pair with running through a round or two of EFT to start getting yourself accustomed to the practice! Printing out some copies of the EFT Tapping Worksheet to have on hand will also help.
Benefits of Working with an EFT Practitioner
If you ever want more support with this, I highly recommend finding an EFT practitioner who can guide you through the process. Whether you're new to EFT tapping or have been practicing for a while, the guidance and support of a trained professional can enhance your experience and help ensure you're getting to the "Core Issue."
Conclusion
EFT Tapping is a powerful technique that can bring about significant positive changes in your life. Whether you are dealing with stress, anxiety, pain, or emotional issues, EFT Tapping can help you release and resolve these challenges. By tapping on specific acupressure points while focusing on your thoughts and emotions, you can create a shift in your energy system, leading to a sense of relief and empowerment.
While you can practice this on your own using the EFT Tapping Worksheet provided, working with an experienced EFT practitioner can enhance your results and provide additional support. If you are ready to experience the transformative benefits of EFT Tapping, download the free worksheet and start your journey towards emotional freedom and well-being today. And please, share your experience in the comments below or join the mailing list for you invite to the KeepingSpirit community on Geneva!
